Sidelight reflectors

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Bobbbenner
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 5:50 pm
First Name: Bob
Last Name: Benner
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: TT 1924, touring 22
Location: East Setauket, NY
MTFCA Number: 52622

Sidelight reflectors

Post by Bobbbenner » Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:12 pm

How can I rejuvenate the reflectors in my sidelights and rear kerosene light?
Should I sand/smooth the back and paint using a high sheen silver?
Right now I’ve got Alumlnum foil pieces for reflection.
What have some of you done?

On another note. If my 22 touring has only kerosene sidelights and a kerosene tail light, does that indicate that it was originally sold without a starter?
It has a starter now.


Altair
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2019 11:52 am
First Name: David
Last Name: Menzies
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring and 1915 Touring both Canadian models
Location: British Columbia
MTFCA Number: 27825
Board Member Since: 2012

Re: Sidelight reflectors

Post by Altair » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:34 pm

The answer would be yes if it came from the factory that way but a PO or dealer could have installed them after the fact. Installing the side lights for a nonelectric T applied up to 1926 however there were few. I have a 26 touring with electric start however I have installed kerosene side lights. The original brackets were cast steel and the repro are brass. I installed them as a novelty just because I had them in a box.

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JTT3
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:57 am
First Name: John
Last Name: Tannehill
Location: Hot Coffee, MS
MTFCA Number: 49460

Re: Sidelight reflectors

Post by JTT3 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:11 pm

1 wonder if small glass round mirrors could be bonded in the back as a reflector? Just a thought, I don’t know if they could stand the heat though.


Dan Hatch
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First Name: Dan
Last Name: Hatch
Location: Alabama
MTFCA Number: 49974

Re: Sidelight reflectors

Post by Dan Hatch » Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:07 pm

Reflectors were silver plated. You can try polishing them. Find some Wrights silver polish. it MUST be polish for silver plate. You can polish the silver off very easily. You can also replate them. Dan


Allan
Posts: 5201
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Sidelight reflectors

Post by Allan » Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:50 pm

Bun style lights on a 1922 would have had steel innards. I have never found evidence of any plating on the reflectors, other than unpolished nickel on the 'Divers helmet' round type reflectors on the 1915 lamps. The best preserved square ones I have ever unearthed seemed to be raven finished on the outside, [the bit which is never seen when installed] but all the others have been rusty to varying degrees on the burner side. If you are looking to light the burners, it may be best to have the reflectors electro zinc plated. This will stand the heat, will reflect somewhat, and may even be the correct finish.

I paint mine gloss white and run electric bulbs.

Allan from down under.

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