MTFCA Forum

I just bought some nice vintage kerosene oil side lamps that I’m considering installing on my 24 Fordor. Is there a set of brackets I can buy to mount these to the cowl or windshield frame somehow? I’m hesitant to drill holes in the car, but would love the look of the side lamps on my closed car. I also purchased an oil tail lamp from the same seller and would like to install on the back of the car while also retaining the original battery light. Or perhaps replace the original battery lamp with the oil lamp and run wiring and a lamp socket into the oil lamp. Would love to see what other T owners have done.

I know these lamps aren’t correct for the car, but I’m interested in installing them and only if they can be done right and without too much trouble. If anyone has any ideas or the right mounts/brackets for sale, let me know. I’d prefer not to have to fabricate parts.

Any guidance would be appreciated. If it’s not possible to mount these, then I’ll just keep the lamps as collectibles or sell them to someone else with an older T who can use them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204286969748

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204286974670

Few more pics of the car

This picture is similar to what I’m thinking. Those brackets are available from the suppliers, but I don’t know if they’ll work on a 24 closed car. Doubtful, but I’m open to suggestions

You will need to drill 4 holes clear through the bodywork to bolt the mounting brackets, not something I would contemplate on a nice original car.The tail light could be mounted on a bracket fixed to the underside of the body. That would be far less damaging.

Allan from down under.

Jeremy,
Its your car. If you want to mount the lamps, do it. Personally, I think the cowl lamps define a T. Do take the time to research the location as closely as possible before you drill. Find proper hardware as well. The inside nuts are hidden from outside view and less of a concern. On my TT, I added cowl lamps using modern carriage bolts with the head markings turned off and then painted flat black.

There is no side lamp bracket that will fit your car and work without modification to the bracket and the car. Tail lamp should be a direct replacement for your electric lamp.

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I’ll think it over some more and probably won’t mount the cowl lamps if it involves drilling the body. I do like the idea of replacing the single circular tail lamp with the oil lamp, though. I’ll play around with ideas as soon as the lamps arrive and follow up with pictures if and when I end up installing them.

The best solution, from my perspective, would be to leave that nice clean '24 as-is and get another, earlier T to put the side lamps on.

Good point TXGOAT2, I’ll take that into consideration. I wish someone made some lower hinge brackets for these oil lamps which would make it a completely reversible modification. If nothing else, I have a nice set of vintage Model T keep lamps. Maybe I’ll look for an earlier T to add in the future…I do like the center doors and the early touring cars. The nice thing about these cars is they’re relatively cheap and readily available. I hope they aren’t as addictive as pinball machines which I own 19 of!

You might consider fabricating some sort of mount for the lights that had an oversize "foot" or mounting pad shaped to the contour of the cowl area where the lights need to be located. If it had a few square inches of surface area formed to make close contact with the cowl, it could be bonded in place with one of the modern adhesive products, making a semi-permanent installation with no more alteration of the original bodywork than sanding a spot the size of the "foot" to bare metal.

Sorry to disapoint you Jeremy, but the deed has been done, you are easy prey now for any model T that crosses your path.
You are allready considering to buy an extra T to complete your set of lamps, you are lost my friend !
Welcome to the affliction as they say !
Oh and don't go to the AA, model A's and especially AA are even worse i hear

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 04, 2023 11:17 pm

You might consider fabricating some sort of mount for the lights that had an oversize "foot" or mounting pad shaped to the contour of the cowl area where the lights need to be located. If it had a few square inches of surface area formed to make close contact with the cowl, it could be bonded in place with one of the modern adhesive products, making a semi-permanent installation with no more alteration of the original bodywork than sanding a spot the size of the "foot" to bare metal.

Great idea, I look around for various brackets that might work or ask a friend to fabricate something. I most definitely won't be drilling the body or windshield surround to mount them. Perhaps a modified hinge bracket of some sort or I'll mount the bracket to the body using epoxy or something very sticky, as suggested. When I receive the lamps this week, I'll mock them up and see what might work. They sure do look cool and I'd love to use them!

Kaiser wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:20 pm

Sorry to disapoint you Jeremy, but the deed has been done, you are easy prey now for any model T that crosses your path.
You are allready considering to buy an extra T to complete your set of lamps, you are lost my friend !
Welcome to the affliction as they say !
Oh and don't go to the AA, model A's and especially AA are even worse i hear

Ha, fair enough Kaiser...I figured as much! I'm going to use self-discipline and focus on this nice original 24 Fordor that was in storage for over 50 years and get her running down the road before considering any other vintage vehicles. I also have no more garage space, so I'd have to sell my CLS63S AMG to make room for another T or similar car and that's not happening right now LOL Those TT and AA trucks are cool, for sure. I seem to gravitate more toward the very old/early stuff. I might go for a 1910-1912 T as my next car...they really do feel like time capsules

You might look up a product called "Panelbond". (I think) Good old Bondo might do the job.

I got the rear oil lamp installed and dig the look! Only issue now is I need to find a place for the license plate. I’m planning to buy a set of California 1924 YOM plates and might just stick the plate inside the lower edge of the rear window. Will post an update on the side cowl lamps if and when I get them installed

Another pic