MTFCA Forum

I have this Ford / Brown electric tail light. What years were these used. I don’t have the curved clear lens. Was it a flexible celluloid?

Most of those, the ones with the little tabs inside for it to slip into and hold it in place did use a kind of clear celluloid plastic for a "lens". I usually use a piece of thin clear material cut out of something like a juice bottle. Not hard to find a piece flat enough in the needed size to fit and it works well. I have had a few over the years that had the original piece in nearly usable condition. The modern clear bottle plastic is very similar in appearance and texture. It probably won't yellow as badly as the original stuff did either.

I actually make real celluloid (nitrocellulose) as part of my day job, so will make a piece then. Here is the red lens for the light.

I'd venture to say from the advent of the electric starting system in '19 until the tin cup style came around in '24 or thereabouts.

Mark, I have never seen a Ford script tail light lens like that. Most of or Canadian sourced lenses were much darker in colour then that you show. They are characterised by a 1/2" round flat spot in the centre of the lens on the outside. There are many replacements available in the lighter red you show, without the flat spot. I suspect these were for the four sided, square, red, kerosine lamps used to mark roadworks in earlier times.

Allan from down under.

-Mark-
Without going out to the shop to check for certain, that sure looks like the tail light of our '26 TT Factory stake bed. It is used in conjunction with the rear license plate bracket, for the clear lens to allow light onto the plate. Hope that helps.

Hey Marv,

I'm pretty sure mine is made before 26-27 as it has the typical earlier cup shape. I’ve just never seen one with the script on the stamping and the lens.

I also have a "Brown" Ford taillamp - never have removed the lens to check if it's also scripted.

I bought a few of those electric tail lamp bodies at Chickasha in 2010, including two Brown made ones. Mated with a RHD version, and fitted with two pin sockets, they make a matched pair of left and right stop tail /lights. I have one left in stock, so I guess I can restore one more car!

Allan from down under.

That tail light was used from about 1919 until mid 1924, when a new tail light was made that was built into the licence plate bracket. The new tail light continued on until the end of 1927 with a new mount to move it to the fender in 1926.