Fog Lamps and Trippe Lights for 1920's Cars?

[tigersdad]

I'm looking at purchasing another car. Instead of the 30's I've found one I like from the mid 20's. Though I've never been a fan of the drum lights, this car has appeal. My question is............When did automobiles come equipped or start using the fog lights and Trippe lights? Maybe the simplicity of the front is what gives the car its allure?

Thanks!

Jay

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

There have been a variety of accessory electric "ditch lights" and other driving lights since the late Teens...

The Trippe lights that turn with the front wheels, and fog lights that are commonly seen on Packards & Caddys seem to have come into vogue around 1929 or so.

I have seen period photos from the late '20's /early '30s of lower-priced cars, often with one accessory driving / fog light, mounted at center or slightly to the right of center, sometimes the lamp is oval in shape.

The ubiquitous "Unity" fog / driving lights still available from Kanter and other suppliers date from around 1940 or so... supposedly pre-war cars wore 6" fogs, post-war had 5".

I have some MoPar fog lamps circa 1940 that have a squarish body...

Prior to the introduction of the shunt-wound generators with full voltage / current regulators (circa 1938-'39), cars charging systems didn't have a lot of extra capacity for things like radios, heaters, fog-lights...

Personally, I rather like "Drum" headlights... some are more handsome than others...

One of my favorite headlamps are the ones used by Locomobile from the mid Teens through about 1922... they are octagonal in shape with a rectangular parking lamp window on top...

Another favorite is the 1922 Packard Twin-Six Special, with its huge drum headlights and classic Packard radiator shell... :cool:

[tigersdad]

Frank,

Thanks a lot for the history lesson. I appreciate you taking the time to write such an extensive review. I had no idea that they were an accessory at such an early stage in automotive history. And yes, I agree with you on the Locomobile. I remember seeing one at the Harrah's Automobile Collection as a kid. I still have the book my parents bought for me showing a wide variety of the cars and in the back of the book, it listed all of the cars that were in the collection.

Jay Kingston

1931 Cadillac Town Car

1934 Buick 40

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I don't believe Trippe lights turned with the wheels,

. Pilot Rays did.

[Guest stude8]

A friend has owned this 1929 Studebaker roadster for decades and it came to him with a full house of extra lights including a pair of fixed Trippe road lights and the passenger side running board mounted "Ditch" flood light for country roads with out curbs or markers in those days. Stude8

[Mark Shaw]

Is the light under the outside mirror what you are calling a "ditch light"?

[Rusty_OToole]

Here's a funny story about adding lights to a 30s car.

The Auburn company had an advertising tie in with a dance band called The Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra.

They furnished the band members with new 1931 Auburn cars, any color scheme and options they desired. Coon and Sanders the band leaders got Cords.

One of these guys had his Cord equipped with every available running light, driving light and spot light available including a big moveable spot light mounted on a stand on the running board just outside the driver's window.

The first night he used the car, he came out from the venue to find his car wouldn't start. All the lights had killed the battery!

He had to return the car to the factory for a heavy duty generator before he could enjoy his illuminated chariot.

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Is the light under the outside mirror what you are calling a "ditch light"?

Mark,

The light on the Buick is what I have seen refered to as a "spotlight" or "sportlight"...

What I'm thinking of as a "ditch light", I believe I 've seen on mid '20s Willys-Knights, was a smaller version of the headlight (with the stylized bezel ), mounted down low (bumper), and a distinctive "half-mask" that kept the beam to the right-hand side of the road.

I'll try to find a picture...

De Soto Frank

[tigersdad]

So it sounds as if the Trippe lights were a late 20's ('28 or '29) accessory? Haven't seen them on any earlier cars. My '31 Caddy has them, but was looking to see if I could dress up a car from 1927.

Jay

1931 Cadillac 355A Town Sedan

[Restorer32]

I believe the large stationary Trippe lights were never a factory installed or authorized accessory. I challenge anyone to find a factory pic or factory literature showing these large Senior Trippe lights. They do look good on big Classics but I think they were actually developed for over the road trucks.

[tigersdad]

All Right! Here's a challenge! Someone out there has to have an early picture showing Trippes on factory literature or a factory picture. Thanks everyone for the input!

Jay

1931 Cadillac Town Car

1934 Buick 40

[Guest stude8]

Well, that's a tough question. The Trippe company was an independent parts supplier in Chicago, IL and even in the case of Studebaker if they were even mentioned in the accessories catalog (First published in 1931) they were a dealer installed addition and never illustrated on a vehicle in company literature. Attached is a Trippe installation sheet sent with new lights in 1930 era.

Stude8