MTFCA Forum

I would like to convert my 1921 Kerosene tail light to electric without butchering the burner. Are there any kits available?

I made my own. I bent up a circle of Hi tensile fencing wire to clip into the rim of the lamp, leaving a leg into the centre of the lamp. To this leg I soldered a tail light globe holder from an 80's Japanese. Later models have plastic holders, so they are no good. The wiring is fed in through the vent at the top.

This allows complete removal if you want to do a gaslight parade with the burners lit.

Allan from down under.

Good for you Allan. I hate to see them converted if they can't be "unconverted".

These photos show how mine work.
The wire clip carrying the bulb holder simply fits into the groove around the light and the wire is threaded through the vent at the top.

Here the clip is removed to show details. These are tail/stop lights using a two pole socket. The slde connectors enable them go be easily removed.
Allan from down under.

here is an other way.

Andre
Belgium

I made some for the TT(the one Dallas has now) very similar using S.S. welding rod to hold the sockets, but I removed the burner and adjuster and ran the wire through the adjuster hole. Very easy to do, and very easy to convert back to original. Dave

There are a few guys here that have installed led lights in their side lamps that was circular and had its own battery, I think they were from harbor freight. They didn't have to modify it them at all. It would work well if you are only using it for a tail light.

Chris-
When I electrified my tail lamps I removed the burner assembly and adapted a modern socket to fit inside where the burner sits. I ran the wires through the opening where the wick adjustment knob was. The wires are neatly tucked in from below.

On the other car I used a regular headlight socket and, drilled holes in the font for wires and ran a sheet metal screw through the socket focusing screw hole, securing the socket assembly in the font.
All these tail lights are fitted with LED bulbs.

: ^ )

Keith

This how i done it on the huckster, did not butcher up anything, made a nylon block the same height as the burner so it is held tight(ish) by the three springs, fitted a standard bulbholder, wires go out through the hole where normaly the stem of the burner regulator goes .
You just undo the tank, take out the burner, replace with the nylon block with bulb and presto! can be converted back to kerosene in a matter of seconds !
By the way, converted my side lamps to turn signals for safety's sake, but the idea works for you too.

In the day there were jobbers that did very good conversion jobs, I have on that looks manufactured that way and it remains dual. There was another conversion that used a wire behind the front door.

I just did the 25 T pickup I am working on, used the fuel bowl to hold the bulb socket with the help of some hot glue. I also made the tail light function as a brake light with use of the Bendix cover style switch. Dual contact 1157 bulb works good but will try to find a LED bulb to replace it.