ID tail light that probably isn't

[signsup]

Picked this off eBay and the seller said it was a tail light, so it must be true. But I'm not seeing it. Red lens is much smaller than clear lense and if I mount it so the red lens is facing the rear, on the drivers side, the opening to light the wick is inboard, not outboard. So I'm speculating this is some sort of cowl light or side light with the red lens facing to the side.
If it is a tail light, I can use it on my ambulance project, correct year or not. If it is not, I don't want it to look extremely out of place.

What do I have here?

Thanks in advance.

ps, the tail light that was on the donor depot hack was electric with license plate holder, so I really can't use that one.

[Dan Hatch]

Yes it is but a later one. They moved the lenses around so that the tag was easier to see for JohnLaw.

[kmatt2]

It is a Ford-O tail light used on late production non-electric start Model T cars and trucks starting in 1924 to end of production. The local & state governments complained to Ford that the rear license plate needed more light on it.

[signsup]

So, this would mount on the drivers side allowing access on the inboard side to light the wick? And, somehow, the clear lens bounced the light around enough to illuminate the license plate. Or was it mounted seperately from the license plate so that the light was to the left and the clear light shown to the left onto the plate?
My tail gate on the ambulance is going to cause me to cobble up some sort of mount on my wooden "fender" that Ford refered to as a guard rail on the plans.
And, while I'm begging for info, here is a bracket I was planning on using, but now I have to rethink it. It may work, but I'm wondering what the hole in the bracket that runs sideways was for. Some sort of license plate attachment point? The casting is pretty thick there, so I was thinking something heavier.
Thoughts?

[RajoRacer]

That bracket is a '15 Touring only - the hole is for the separate license plate bracket.

[kmatt2]

Just a note for you on the Ford WW1 ambulance , the tail light was generally mounted up high on the left side of the back of the ambulance body. The reason for this was , in a convoy going over a hill the light of the leading ambulance could be seen better by the ambulance following behind. Of course near the front lines the ambulances ran dark, that is no lights at all, for obvious reasons.
To use that 1915 light bracket you will need to find a , hard to find, license plate mount that bolts into that hole in your bracket. You could use a 1917 type bracket that has an integral license plate mount. Oh by the way , the pictures you posted of your ambulance body looks very nice and correct. Back in the day those bodies were often repurposed on a second new Ford chassis , when the first one wore out. Because you are using a 1926-27 chassis, with the new style fenders have you considered calling your ambulance a 1926 or 1927 model due to the updated second chassis.

[AndreFordT]

Yes it is 1926/27 none electric model t touring and roadster. With this tail light go een special licence plate bracket.

Andre
Belgium

[TRDxB2]

Oil lamp License plate Bracket

oil lamp bracket.png (161.68 KiB) Viewed 1278 times

[signsup]

On the Ford plans for the 1917 ambulance, it shows a provision for a lantern on the rear. I will have to revisit that to see if it was a seperate working lantern, or the rear tail light and lantern combination. With the tail gate being functional, I was looking at mounting the tail light mid height. Either a custom bracket, or using the bracket I have in a sideways mounted installation.
My engine serial number is a 26/27, so my title and/or registration will be as such, but I will be displaying it as a WWI ambulance replica. It will always be T salad.
I'm mounting the spare tire on the passenger side mid box as many photos illistrate, but the Ford plans actually call for the spare tire to be strapped to the top. So, while following the Ford plans as close as I can, with starting with a depot hack donor, it will be represented as representative of the species. I will register the T in GA, but not display a license plate, so the bracket for one is not needed. This will be a parade vehicle and static display vehicle with long term display being in a newly constructed military museum in Talapoosa, GA next summer. So again, driveability and touring comfort as not Job 1.
Hope to have top installed by next week, but not looking good with air show display with other military vehicles this weekend in ATL.

Thanks for all the input. I am considering starting a seperate build thread if anyone would be interested.

[signsup]

This is where the Ford plans for the 1917 ambulance shows the tail lamp mounted. Pretty high up, but makes sense with what other poster mentioned about being seen over hills and dales. The WWII jeeps had headlights on hinges that would swivel to not only replace the sealed beams, but could illuminate the engine compartment. I was tempted to mount this tail lamp with the large clear lens on a similar hinge to use as a tail lamp, but then swing the lamp on the hinge so that the clear light would illuminate the rear compartment. But. . Henry didn't do it, so I'm not gonna do it.