edinmass Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I knew I was pushing the limit with the photos of the Pilot Rays, as far as the Trippe lights, I think I have a photo of a Packard, maybe a 35 or 36 with them, I'm still in Florida after Amelia, we are doing the Palm Event this weekend, then when I get home I'll search for the photo. I think way to many cars have too much junk hung on them, Trippe Lights, Pilot Rays, Spot Lights, trunks, step plates, mirrors, side mount covers, wire wheels added, the list is endless. I spend more time looking at a 28 Standard Eight Packard five passenger sedan that's black with no factory options to be seen. The pure line is what attracts my eye after 50 years of looking at cars, Ed Edited March 18, 2016 by edinmass (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe in Canada Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Look what I found ....................... 1930 Cadillac V16 Roadster Factory Photo ae0621-36WPF7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Those are not Trippe lights, they are Pilot Rays. And yes, they were factory accessories on some cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Here's a 1934 Cadillac V 16 coupe with the earlier style Trippe Light with the three little wings on it. It does have the curved bracket though. It appears to be a period photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe in Canada Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) On 18/03/2016 at 10:25 PM, AlCapone said: 1931 duPont Model H Merrimac Sport Phaeton Pebble Beach 2015. Were they expectable for the judges? Note the colour of the medallion's. Edited March 19, 2016 by Joe in Canada (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 K8096......... We have a winner! A pre war shot with a Trippe Light. And on a very rare and interesting car. Well done! Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Someone went to Western Auto Supply back in the 30's , purchased a Trippe Light put it on their car ant took a picture of it. To me, the evidence is not too compelling. A car getting an award at PB or any other show is less compelling. Please provide some factory documentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Yep, it's factory documentation we are looking for. The '34 Cad, while interesting, fairly screams aftermarket. One light mounted to one side? No one is disputing that those lights were somewhat popular and were used by owners and possibly dealer installed. Still not even one piece of evidence that they were factory installed or factory authorized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 The Model H Dupont Merrimack bodied dual cowl has to be one of the singular great cars of the 1930s. One of the only 3 Model H cars built by Dupont before they focused on Indian motorcycle. It is also the only known Model H to still exist. However, who can count the crimes being committed against this car in the photo? I count at least 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Trippes. white walls and Lalique ornament? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 It's my understanding that when it came to Trippe Lights, in most cases people installed them after the car was 3-4 years old - after the headlight reflectors became dull and the headlights weren't as bright as they were when the car was new. My father, and a couple other old timers in my area, always told me that one light angled towards the center was more common than dual Trippe Lights on a car back when there were first installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe in Canada Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 I can see why the popularity of custom body cars with customer's spending 10 or 15 times as much as a Ford Model A died off. Such as this Model H Dupont Merrimack when you when you could not even pick out your own accessories that you preferred according to this thread. Maybe that is why they only built four????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) If I'm not mistaken, the duPont is a 1931 model. The style of Trippe lights installed on it didn't come out until 1935. If you are going to install Trippe lights on the duPont, they should be the earlier type like in the 1934 Cadillac picture. Edited March 19, 2016 by K8096 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Trippe is still in business and now makes computer cables, inverters and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Dupont built 3 model H's and only one with this body. They stopped because nobody was buying their cars. Even though E. Paul was very wealthy, he didn't like the idea of subsidizing an entire car company. Most of the staff moved on to Indian. Sitting having coffee with my dad this morning he was very proud of the Lalique mascot he is putting on his Packard. I told him I would be changing my last name. Hanging doo-dads on the these cars is akin to putting a mustache on the Mona-Lisa. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 K8096 and all : A bit more old timer lore we all treasure : I have heard that common placement of a single aux. light was low on the r.h. side. I have second sourced the term "Ditch Light" for such usage. Seems to be a good idea when running at night to illuminate said ditch , the better to stay out of it. Another second sourced tidbit is the use of lampblack and kerosene to polish first surface silvered reflectors. Now when I am confident of this new-fangled format , I have a Trippe pic to post of an early "Badge" with rare nomenclature. And speaking of the badge : it and the grey "baffle" on Trippe bulbs reveal a wasted weakness in the clever optics of these lights. The center mounted badge gives an opportunity for a very useful improvement , making these lights far more practical. A small concave reflector facing a modern dual filament halogen bulb would make for vastly more efficient illumination. A bit of optical engineering for curvature and filament relocation along the axis , would make this what is known as a "Gregorian" system. Another optical layout would be a "Cassegrain" solution. This would employ a properly placed convex reflector. These small mirrors with a "close enough" curve should be available from Edmond Scientific as lenses , which could be aluminised inexpensively. Such an efficient high/low beam aux light might just keep you out of the ditch some night. Hmmmmmmm....... I better rig up a simple optical bench if I get back from my present long drive. Anyone experimented with this ? Maybe I don't have to reinvent the wheel here. My long distance cruising dad told me to always slow down at night. Sometimes that is not slow enough. Ask me about it some time. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Sitting having coffee with my dad this morning he was very proud of the Lalique mascot he is putting on his Packard. I told him I would be changing my last name. Hanging doo-dads on the these cars is akin to putting a mustache on the Mona-Lisa. This is funny, I know his Dad. Al senior likes white walls so much, he would like to have the entire tire white. While A.J. and I pull out hair out . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe in Canada Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 4 hours ago, alsancle said: Dupont built 3 model H's and only one with this body. They stopped because nobody was buying their cars. Even though E. Paul was very wealthy, he didn't like the idea of subsidizing an entire car company. Most of the staff moved on to Indian. Sitting having coffee with my dad this morning he was very proud of the Lalique mascot he is putting on his Packard. I told him I would be changing my last name. Hanging doo-dads on the these cars is akin to putting a mustache on the Mona-Lisa. I just do not know metal sidemount cover with rear view mirrors . Is he standing in front of that rad shell trying to hide something in his avatar??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Joe, the car behind me is a 34 custom Dietrich stationary coupe. Fantastic car in its original color which was bought as a birthday present for the wife of the man who built the Empire State Building. Anyways, I pointed out to my dad that this car has the plain Packard radiator cap on it. It looks great! Curt, I have him leaning towards black walls. Lost the battle on top color. Talked him out of the accessory fender lights. I'm about 50/50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 That's one of the cars we took the Rays off of. I would like to loose the side mount mirrors also. When you have a car with perfect design and proportions why mess with it? Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Who is the good looking guy behind the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Looks like a disgruntled chauffeur standing behind the car. Side mount mirrors do help a little backing the car up out of a trailer. My only complaint on the Packard is why not put shorter windshield wiper blades or arms on it so they can lie flat when at rest. Edited March 20, 2016 by K8096 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pathe_Baby Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 (edited) I know this forum is about Trippe lights, not Pilot-Ray. But I have a question. Pilot-Ray cobranded with Cadillac. Did they cobrand with other manufacturers? Do these lights look to be originals or re-pros? The last two photos show a headlight and tail light on the same 1931 Cadillac. Was CadCoLite made by Cadillac? Regards, Jerry Wagner Edited September 14, 2016 by Pathe_Baby (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 a) Juan Terry ? b ) Back before halogens (had a set of Marchals on a Devin Jag in 1966) I used to run Lucas PLs in the headlamps and a driving light on the driver's side and a fog lamp on the passenger. And then there was the Buick.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 On 3/16/2016 at 8:57 PM, Walt G said: Pilot Ray lights were offered as factory approved accessories in both the 1930-31 Franklin and 1932 Cadillac/LaSalle accessory catalogs I have copies of in my archives. The Trippe lights were in the 1932 Packard accessory catalog but not with the curved brackets we are all used to seeing, but with a straight vertical bracket that mounted to the round bar between the frame /chassis in front of the radiator. Pilot Ray lights were also a factory approved accessory for Packard. The Trippe light you mention as being in the1932 Packard accessory catalog is a totally different type of light than what most of us see today. So, not only is it a unique bracket, the light is unique, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 On 3/19/2016 at 0:28 PM, alsancle said: Sitting having coffee with my dad this morning he was very proud of the Lalique mascot he is putting on his Packard. I told him I would be changing my last name. Hanging doo-dads on the these cars is akin to putting a mustache on the Mona-Lisa. Saw a picture of the car the other day with that hood ornament. I have to agree that you should change your last name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 On 3/16/2016 at 9:36 AM, Joe in Canada said: On 3/16/2016 at 8:09 AM, alsancle said: I have always admired Wood Lights and were they ever a factory option or just on coach built body's? Woodltes were a factory option on Packard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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