Electric Side Lamps

[desertexplorer]

I recently purchased these unusual electric side lamps, they are the same as the oil lamps just minus the font & chimney. Years ago I saw an identical set of these and were told they were for the late 1927 T but they mounted from back with a special bracket, these mount from the side. Where would these mount on a 26/27? The brackets in the photo came with the lamps.

[Rich Eagle]

Those are really cool. I don't remember seeing any like that. Wouldn't they be fun to have?
Thanks for showing them.
Rich

[RajoRacer]

I'm throwing out a WAG but am assuming the brackets were just bolted onto the side of the cowl. I have a similar set but they utilize stock Ford side lamp brackets.

[speedytinc]

These are not 26-7 open cars. Possibly sedan or truck, not an expert there, but I doubt it.
The 26-7 lamps mounts from the back as you mention. The mounting brackets are cast iron & mount over 2 of the W/S stand mounting bolts.
The brackets are very similar to mount on the 23-25 W/S stands, except the 23-25 are flat based. The 26-7 brackets have a raised area to clear the raised V in the stands. I suspect the 26-7 brackets would fit the 23-25, but not visa versa.
Original 26-7 brackets are quite scarce/rare.
Langs sells a brass version copy for 26-7 for $55.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Most likely just after-market replacement sidelamps for anything they happen to fit.

The few companies that made oil sidelamps for Ford in the 1910s and 1920s used the same patterns and jigs to manufacture a wide variety of after-market lamps and even lamps sold directly to Ford's competition. These included spade mount Ford style sidelamps, electric sidelamps, and work lamps to mount on the back of truck cabs so workers could load or unload the truck in the dark.
One can find a lot of odd lamps made using those patterns and jigs. Lamps not Ford with bezels and sometimes lenses that fit Ford sidelamps perfectly, bodies that look almost the same, but are just slightly different.

There were a number of other automobile manufacturers, including Maxwell and I think a model or two of Overland, that used knockoffs of Fords oil sidelamps in the 1910s.

[desertexplorer]

I suppose these could be some sort of aftermarket. I checked my oil lamps and the lens doors all interchange perfectly and both are the same size. Does anyone have a photo they could post of the rear mount electric lamps? From what I remember they sure look the same just the lamp socket was in a different location. Either way these are an oddity, only ones I’ve ever seen.

[RajoRacer]

They're aftermarket - not Ford equipment. I'll take some photos tomorrow - I have 2 different sets that use Ford brackets.

[Rich Eagle]

This taillamp is a similar use of that shell, door and lens.

It may have had a chimney.
I believe it used acetylene but don't know what the burner looked like. It would be fun to have it on a car.
Rich

[Dan Haynes]

I had a NOS one of those acetylene tail lamps, Rich, but I gave it away to someone who would use it.

Your chimney is there, the lamp mounts with the door hinged at the top. The center hole in that star pattern of holes is where the burner goes and the ones that encircle it are air inlet holes. The burner is just like in the headlights, only smaller and the standpipe is shorter to place the flame in the center of the lamp body. Interestingly, the NOS one I had used no reflector and the interior of the lamp was just black.

The guy I gave it to posted it on YouTube or facebook or somewhere, he had it mounted and piped in and the video of him lighting it. It made a cool little pop and was pretty bright - lots brighter than the standard oil lamp and maybe even brighter than an electric Ford tail light.

[Rich Eagle]

Thanks for that Dan. I had it upside-down in my mind. I went looking for it on the wed. I did find a collection that Bonhams had:
https://images1.bonhams.com/image?src=I ... 45-9-1.jpg
There were more that I would have thought. Many made for bicycles.
What fun?
Rich

[RajoRacer]

Here's my accessory electrics - I had the reflectors plated for the larger ones - need to re-assemble.

[FordFool]

Steve. I have a set like the those with the original box. I thought about putting them on my 16 But….

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

These are the 26/27 Model T electric side lights. I've always heard that they were a "Canadian thing".

light.jpg (26.12 KiB) Viewed 2232 times

Image borrowed from here...http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29 ... 1202663007

[desertexplorer]

Wow, a lot of great input and photos of these different side lights since I last looked at the post. The last ones posted by Jerry are like the ones I saw years ago. They looked just like the 2 I posted but the light bulbs mounted different otherwise they looked the same. The acetylene lamp is the first I’ve seen.

[Dan Haynes]

Rich Eagle -

Although it's not electric, this refers to your gas tail light above in this thread. I was flipping through some photo files looking at construction details for Model T pickup beds and found some photos of the similar gas tail light I had (but gave away).

[Rich Eagle]

Thanks Dan. It's almost the same. It's fun to see the variations. They must have sold to make different types or maybe one is refined from the other design.
Always something new to see here.
Rich

[DanTreace]

Beginning about 1913, when lead-acid rechargeable storage battery were built to carry on autos, a whole industry built up to supply elec lamps.

Here are just a few.