Victor Tail Light Lens

[Hudson29]

I have a 1914 Touring with a full set of Victor lamps. The headlights & tail light were electrified at some point in the car's long history. A couple of weeks ago I driove the car to a neighboring town about 20 miles away to see how it would perform. This coming weekend it will go to a car show & chili cookoff in another town about 25 miles away. After the ignition woes of last summer it has not missed a beat. The motor lacks power but runs well. I only drive it 25 to 30 mph on the back country roads and rarely run into any traffic. Those that do pass me seem good natured about it. After all, many farm implements are even slower.

While doing some cleaning and polishing the other day I noticed that the tail light lens was out of position in the Victor tail lamp. Opening the door, I could see that the retaining ring had come loose at the 10 o'clock position leaving only the 4 o'clock still attached. The lens easily fit back in and the retainer snuggled right back in on top of it. That's fine for now but I have to wonder if that retainer might just come loose again. How is it held in? Was it crimped or soldered? Something else? Right now, only good will is holding it in place!

Paul

[George House]

It’s held in with Gorilla glue or super glue or similar…

[JTT3]

George is there a metal ring on the lens? If you try to solder it back in you need a very wet sponge for a heat sink on the inside, sponge should to the edge of the lens or the lens will crack. Use an old school soldering iron red hot to spot solder or buy some high heat JB WELD to set it in the panel. Be sure to clean the lens with alcohol be for using the JB weld. Best John

[Hudson29]

There is a retaining ring and what looks like it might have been solder joints in three or four places. Only the four o'clock point is holding now.

I like the glue idea. It would take some cleaning up to make the glue hold but would not involve heat. Glue might make a later real repair difficult.

I'm going to look around the shop to see it I can find a small strong magnet to bridge the retainer to the door. If so, it might make a temporary repair.

Here is another pic showing the retainer in place.

Paul

[perry kete]

If you clean up the area around the ring you can use a clear silicon caulking that will hold like glue but can be cut with a razor knife if you ever need to remove it.

[Hudson29]

Thanks, that is a good suggestion. Right now, I have it "fixed" with a name badge magnet from the shop. There are two magnets on one bit of steel and they are powerful, the magnet jumped out of my fingers and right into place. I may see if I can find another one to do the other side even though the joint was still holding.

In the last picture, there is a scrap of paper sitting in the bottom of the lamp. I wonder if this might have been an anti-rattle gasket? It is very thin paper.

Paul

[Allan]

Some lamp lenses have a metal rim spun onto the lens. This allows the rim/lens to be soldered in place. Properly cleaned at three points it should be able to be soldered back into place as original.
Or use black silicone to "glue" it back into place

Allan from down under.

[DanTreace]

On mine, the lens was loose and just slapped JB Weld over the edges. Can’t fall out now

(6v LED stop / tail lamp)


And, found that on bumpy roads the door flew open, a lace of wire fixed that.