1918 headlights

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Mikes 1912
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1918 headlights

Post by Mikes 1912 » Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:18 pm

Where is the location of the focus adj. screw on the early 1918 headlights? Center top or on the left side

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KWTownsend
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Re: 1918 headlights

Post by KWTownsend » Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:13 am

Yes.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: 1918 headlights

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:33 am

This is an area I have doubted everything I have ever read. What I think I know, is that somewhere about 1918, maybe late'17, maybe for a few months, and maybe for a couple years. Maybe only some cars for a time, maybe all cars for a shorter time. I "think" in conjunction with the combination horn/light switch, there was an odd headlamp. I have seen a number of them over the years. Never really worked on one. But the bucket was somewhat different. No flat spot on the back of the lamp, and the electrical input socket was about an inch and a half below the center back. I have been told there was some wiring inside between the bucket and the reflector. I saw such a lamp a LO-ONG time ago before I knew what I was looking at. It was apart, but I wasn't smart enough then to ask good questions about it, and frankly, I very much doubt that the fellow that had it knew much either. I have been told, and even read many years ago, that these were early '15. But that has since been disproved.
These lamps are rare enough that I don't think they were used on Ts for very long. I have seen only very few original era photos that show these lamps in a way that they can be identified. But the fact is, that most or nearly all photos are not angled to show that detail.
As I said, I "think" these lamps may have been used for part of 1918. And they do not have an external adjusting screw.
But all that is nothing to get very concerned about. I also think many 1918 Ts used the common style headlamps. Probably with the flat sided post mounts like the earlier headlamps. And, I suspect with the adjusting screw on the left side of the socket like everything that followed. I don't think many would argue with those. I base part of that opinion on the fact that I see a fair number of such lamps. So that in-between crossover style must have been used for a fair amount of time. Certainly, the funky taper on the bottom of the lamp post is much more common. But they were used I think from about '19/'20 through the '25 model year. So those should be much more common.

Someday, I hope to read a definitive timeline for all the headlamps used on model Ts.


Original Smith
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Re: 1918 headlights

Post by Original Smith » Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:46 am

You may wish to check the current edition of the MTFCI judging guidelines.


Erik Johnson
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Re: 1918 headlights

Post by Erik Johnson » Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:55 am

In case this helps:

My dad's 1917 touring, (July 9, 1917 motor serial number) has E&J headlamps. The adjustment screw is at the 12 o'clock position. July 1917 was the last month of the 1917 model year. This car was purchased in unrestored condition by my father in 1949 from the original family in Buffalo, Minnesota. The car was most likely assembled in the Minneapolis plant.

My unrestored 1917 roadster (May 25, 1917 serial number) has John Brown headlamps and the screw is at the 12 o'clock position. This car has a known history since new. The original owner resided in Cokato, Minnesota so this car was also most likely assembled in Minneapolis.

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