1916 Side lamp Question

[Fozz71]

Hey fellas, I have a set of 1916 side lamps that seem to missing the caps. Please see pics- never had to replace them before. It’s a 1916, what am I missing exactly? I know the very top with possibly a name on it but maybe more?

Just a little fuzzy here- any suggestions are welcome here. Sorry the pic is sideways, not sure why the upload did that.

Thanks,
Jim

[Allan]

The brass lens rim and brass top, which you are missing, are usually associated with 1915 model here in Australia . By 1916 things got cheaper/less fancy. However, there may be some carry-over from one year to the next. If you open the lens, is the reflector within rounded llke a diver's helmet, or squared off? The rounded, nickel plated brass reflector is associated with the brass trim.

Allan from down under.

[RajoRacer]

The tops would be embossed with a "Model 8" in black - tail lamp would be a "Model 9". The USA model sidelamps continued with the round reflector into the late teens, I believe.

[Erik Johnson]

Brass trimmed kerosene lamps are correct for the 1915 model year but incorrect for the 1916 model year. For 1916, the doors/rims and chimney caps should be black painted steel. Same goes for the headlamp rims - not brass but black painted steel.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Black painted steel began being installed in the factories in July of 1915. Both all black and black and brass were being installed for about two months. By September 1915, all lamps were pretty much all black (except of course for glass and silvered reflectors).

[DanTreace]

The below Vowell Art covers the types of black or black with brass trim oil lamps. Photo pic from the "Gallery". Click on that icon on right side of Forum home page.

The early have the round inner reflector chamber and note the lower rim of the chimney with the holes around the base of the chimney. Later don't have those holes. "model year 1915" ran to July 31,1915 (end of fiscal year), but approx. June 1915 the brass trim on the lamps was deleted (B. McCalley Big Book, pg.193). So a very late model year 1915 could have black only trim on the lamps.

As for the chimney cap, that has threaded stem to secure to a captive nut. Many times that screw is rusted in place and very difficult to remove a cap without busting the threaded stem.

chimney top1.jpeg (71.95 KiB) Viewed 83 times

Have seen brass trimmed caps with Ford script and mfg marking, and have seen same cap but smooth on top, no markings. And lens rims with either one rivet on the latch or two rivets.

[Fozz71]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the info. Looks like someone chose brass lamps from 1915 on my car at some point. The motor was cast in April 1916 so it probably came with steel sidelamps.

Thanks,
James