Trippe Lights on Classic Cars

[Jim Skelly]

20 hours ago, Akstraw said:

Adding lights isn’t unique to Trippes on the classics.  I am thinking of those giant pedestal-mounted spotlights on the running boards of late teens and early twenties big tourers and roadsters.  And lately I have looked at two forties cars with dual spotlights on the A pillar; as mentioned above, difficult to undo if you don’t care for them. They both also had fog lights on the bumper.  The popularity of adding lights hasn’t seemed to have waned; today mainly on pickups as extra head/fog lights on or below the bumper.  My theory: perhaps when you are young and full of testosterone, you just want to bolt something on to your car to individualize it and make it stand out, regardless of the era.  (Before I had a car, I did it to my bicycle.)  I suppose that if horses had 6- or 12-volt batteries, and a place to drill two holes, they would have had extra lights, too, back in the 19th century.

My Dad had mentioned seeing Lorraine pedestal spotlights on some luxury cars in Detroit when he was a kid.  I've seen them a few times but can't find a photo on the Internet at the moment.  They were mounted on the front edge of a running board.

[edinmass]

Dave.......in the show world.........they look at the original design as pure art........and unless every model of the car had a spot light included in the base model.......adding one is considered altering a design. Think of it as over painting on a masterpiece. Think of it as a woman.........a natural beauty or one that has had fifty plastic surgery’s. Both are attractive..........but not equal. The circus wagon era is over......we are now in the era of original, preservation, and factory delivered restored cars. Is it better or worse? Depends on what you like. There is no correct answer.......just one person’s particular taste. Being a purist with cars is like listening to only classical music. It’s a “particular head” that people choose. I like all cars, and all music......with a few limited exceptions. Cars post 1975 have absolutely zero Intrest to me..........and post war cars in general don’t really appeal to me. Since I was a kid, I always wanted toys that no one else had..........that why my recent dallying in White Motor Cars has been so much fun. Didn’t go looking for them, they found me, and I really appreciate their unique build qualities. They are not the best car in the world.......but they are pushing the envelope in the era. I can run my cars with the big boys and their 800k jobs all day long..........but I am the only guy with a White at the event or tour, and my car gets just as many looks as the 600cid monster parked next to it. Puts me on a level playing field at working class dollars.........which makes it even more enjoyable. The clue to owning a good car? Buy what you like, to hell with everyone else......and their opinions. The only person who needs to like the car is the owner. I parked my 1917 White next to a F-50 the other day. The guy had no joy, he only bought it because he can tell his buddies he dumped 5m on a car.......... a check book collector. That’s what makes the guys here so much fun, and better in my opinion. The new 30/30 class has been very successful at the concours lately. Car owners under 30 and the car cost of under 30k. 

[Graham Man]

BLING is nothing new, I would ditch the giant bumper scrolls (in my opinion looks like a Kmart accessory), in favor of the Pilot Rays, but clean (in my opinion) still looks the best.

 

Its all about what is drawing you eyes attention, the giant bumper ends, force you to look at them, the extra lights draw your eyes to them, same with the white walls.  The only time you fully appreciate the cars design is without all the Bling. 

 

Also we should never agree on what looks best, it would be the last car show ever, "I just want to have the fun of driving"  well stated.

 

 

 

 

[Walt G]

I agree with just about all of what Ed states. True car people ( used to say car guys) have what they have for the love of the object. Not for the status, not for the investment , not  for the attention , FOR THE FUN and the history. The history part has only come to mean something more recently ( last 15 + years ?) to more collectors than it had to a few of us who have had this interest for many decades. Some of that history goes beyond an existing particular car , but is about the history of the whole picture - the people that made and designed the cars ( guys that worked on the line, test drivers, manufactures of components - like seat springs, the factory showrooms, service areas, factories themselves , test areas, who printed the sales material, who photographed the cars when new in assorted parts of the country here in the USA and in Europe etc ) Biggest thing is to even know or realize that the people or material existed - that is why a few of us who do know and can share what we know ( not hoard the knowledge as "experts") do what we do. Some of us take that to the extreme(??!!??) like going to see the location while on vacation of where a body builder once had their headquarters and facility, seeking out locations of showrooms where cars were sold but haven't been for 70+ years or more.  The ability to share what one knows or has in a meaningful manner that is a "good read" and not overly complicated or worded to comprehend also comes into play.  Run-on observation for Dec. 26th is now completed. 😇 thanks for your patience to read this.

Walt

[Walt G]

 I can agree with what Graham Man says to a certain extent - the designers of cars did what they thought was best, accessories were sold and approved by the factory that made the car ( and after market who didn't) as a convenience for owners or also as a place to earn extra $ . If the car you are looking at has vertical grill bars to add to the flow of the design my own opinion is to not to cover that with a basket weave stone guard. That stone guard pattern is a visual wall that stops you eye , even if only briefly. I had one on my 1930 Packard when I bought it, took it off instantly and added a grill/radiator guard with vertical bars that repeats/echos the shape of the radiator shell - click on the photo of my car to enlarge to see what I mean. This is not a stone guard. In fact I bought that grille guard long before I owned the car (or even knew about it ) at Hershey just because I loved the look of it and the quality of how it was made ( brass vertical tubes in a cast bronze frame - yes it weighs a ton)

My study of period material /accessories/ etc has guided my thoughts as well as my study of art ( I taught art for neatly 40 years sometimes 6 days a week)

 

[alsancle]

5 hours ago, AdamInNH said:

I had ‘em on my ‘35, as well. 
 

I have a pair of senior Trippe’s that I’d part with. Message me and we’ll chat. 

 

I really like the red disks with the black.

 

[SC38dls]

Ed, you hit the nail on the head as far as my opinion goes, buy and drive what you like. The main reason I fought to save the 38 from being totaled after the fender bender. It’s somewhat unique in design, I’ve been told it’s less than 100 surviving and less than 10 running. Mine runs great ( thanks for the distributor help I was lucky to receive from a master mechanic) but I don’t think there are just 100 out there probably 1000 or more with hundreds running but that’s not important. I took the 50’s front directional lights off and found original optional parking lights. It’s still got most of the original paint except the front fenders I had to fix. It’s fun to drive, it runs at 60mph all day and can do a little over 70 if needed. Gracie the 15 year old mutt can walk right into her back seat and loves to stick her head out the back wing window even at 45 miles an hour. In other words it’s fun to drive. 
dave s 

[Walt G]

I wonder if that sharp Packard conv coupe with the red discs and black paint on the fenders and body is the same car that was here on long island in Manhasset 60 years ago? It was owned by a close friend named Gates WIllard and eventually another friend named Adam Schoolsky . Gates got the car from the original owner and it was written up in the Westchester Region AACA newsletter. I know the car well if it is the same one. Should be very low mileage - that is original too as the car was stored in Southampton  NY and the tires donated to the rubber scrap drive during WWII !!!

Why do I remember all this obscure stuff?

[TexRiv_63]

My 32 Cadillac V-12 came to me with a set of Trippe Speedlights. I always felt they matched the wealth of chrome on the front of that in-your face car and liked them, but they would not have looked right on my base 34 Packard 1100. I always thought the pilot ray lights were overkill for any car.  

[Guest]

Agreed TexRiv, I think the Cadillac looks excellent!

[Captain Harley]

On 12/26/2021 at 4:15 AM, edinmass said:

 

Ok....a first for me here. I’ll offer my opinion on spot, tripp, and pilot lights. They suck. They ruin a cars looks. They are a pain in the ass. And they will cost you points on the field. Add in they are expensive and 99 percent of the time added on bling........they should all be tossed in the trash. Please remember.....it’s only my opinion, but I am correct.  😎 My 1931 Pierce Series 42 Dual Cowl came factory with dual spot lights.........I detest them so much, I removed them from the car the day my father gave it to me........they will never go back on it.....even though they were factory installed.

".....they should all be tossed in the trash."  What days are your trash pickups please?  I would like to know....🤩

 

Capt. Harley😉

 

Skirts are for women and not car fenders!

[Guest]

I'd forgotten I had pics of this 1931 Chrysler CD-8 in my cache.   Also equipped with a nice pair of Trippe lights.   I may be out of sync with others here but I think this car looks great with these lights.

 

[Graham Man]

 

1929 Graham-Paige 827 Roadster with Lorraine running board lights

[Chris Bamford]

Occasionally, one or two carefully-curated accessory lamps can transform the most mundane of motorcars into something magnificent...

 

 

[alsancle]

58 minutes ago, Chris Bamford said:

Occasionally, one or two carefully-curated accessory lamps can transform the most mundane of motorcars into something magnificent...

 

 

 

Is that actually a block heater under there?

 

[8E45E]

On 12/25/2021 at 11:47 AM, Matt Harwood said:

 And the guys who install BOTH fog AND driving lights? Yeah, awful.

You can put one of each on your TR2 as per the Accessories folder!!

 

Craig

[Chris Bamford]

2 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

Is that actually a block heater under there?

 

That overlong cord powers a battery blanket, coolant immersion element and a magnetic heater on the sump. 
 

It’s-29C / -21F here today. 

[Joe in Canada]

6 hours ago, Graham Man said:

 

1929 Graham-Paige 827 Roadster with Lorraine running board lights

Here is a good friend that brought his 28 Graham Page touring on the vintage tour in Kingston I am sure you know. With dual spot lights an single driving light. This is the way Mike bought the car some years ago and only refreshing the car up. 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[Graham Man]

1928 619 Graham-Paige with a Griswold "Sport Phaeton" body, beautiful car.

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

Has anyone ever seen a pair of running lights/head lights like the one's on the link below.

Single bulb with a reflector shoots straight up to a mirror and out the lens.