Mark Gregush Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Does anyone know the backstory/history on the use of greens lens for brake/stop lens? I have seen them for sale and often wondered about them. Now that I have an era tail light with that colored lens for brake/stop (need to find a red replacement), wondering why a color that means go, and has for a long time, would have been used? I did an internet search and didn't find anything. I have come across them more than a few times on eBay, not something modern, but 1920s (30's?) era tail lamps with the green lens. Either molded with the word stop on it, or with the cutout behind it. These can be stand-alone with just the word stop or combination with red tail light green brake light. Here is one sample; https://www.ebay.com/itm/115101253907?h ... SwUqthmTYJ This one shows it better;https://www.ebay.com/itm/174941515256?h ... Sw8CBhRRiC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 As far as I know the green and amber were just brighter using the same bulb number. Red tail lights were mandated, while early signal (brake) lights were an accessory or optional in the early years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 (edited) Although red is the predominant color, you will find them in quite a variety. I've collected stop signals over the years and have included a photo of a display of a few of them from my garage wall. I have a showcase with others, but as you can see, there appears to be little standardization of colors. When individual states and municipalities began mandating a "stop warning signal" be added to a car, there was no specific requirement it be a certain color (or shade of that color). Once it became obvious the result was a lot of variety (and confusion) laws quickly began to change to more clearly specify requirements. So-there was a brief span in the later teens and 20's when an interesting variety of such lights were available in auto supply catalogs, auto parts stores, garages, and even the local hardware store. It's an interesting item to collect, although prices have risen to crazy in the last few years. That $495 bolt-on junky one you sent a link for is about $400 over-priced in my estimation. Terry Edited December 29, 2021 by Terry Bond (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 29, 2021 Author Share Posted December 29, 2021 Yes, old = rare = $s! NOT! LOL I just got a few 1920s combination brake tail lights. Two are the Hall Ford Model T types (used on other cars like Dodge with different stamping), the 3rd looks like a Hall but with red and green lens. Somewhere, someone even found a reproduction bezel for it. The mounting holes for the lens/bezel are just off enough that the Ford type lens/bezel will not mount, but I have a drill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Mark, can you share a picture of your light please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 The light on the left is one in question, the right one is the Hall dealer supplied Ford Model T for 1926/27. Both have reproduction bezels, note mounting hole placement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 Last two Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 That is a very cool light Mark. I would run it as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 I've seen early Rickenbacker tail light assemblies that have a green glass stop light and a red glass running light. I may even have a bezel with some lenses still in them for an early Rickenbacker light. I'd have to check my boxes of stuff and see if I still have it or I've already passed it on to another Rickenbacker owner with an early car. One of my cousins has a '24 Chrysler with a red lens that says STOP when lit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) 31 minutes ago, GregLaR said: That is a very cool light Mark. I would run it as is. LOL Maybe, after I figure which holes to use to mount it! Thanks! Next time I am over at the shop, I am going to compare the bezel with the 1928/29 Ford Model A. It looks really close to that one. Edited December 30, 2021 by Mark Gregush (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 This early turn signal used green glass and an illuminated hand pointing the direction. Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFindlay Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 I'm looking for a 1915 - 20 era stop light for my 1915 Russell. If anyone has one they'd sell (maybe a "Topper" style?) please let me know. I kind of think the green would be neat to have. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstatman Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, Terry Bond said: ....I've collected stop signals over the years and have included a photo of a display of a few of them from my garage wall.... Terry Apologies to Mark Gregush, we've already drifted somewhat "off topic", but I have a question for Terry Bond. Regarding the stoplights in your display, I've highlighted one which I have an example of. Any idea of date/era, whether original equipment or aftermarket and if oem make/model? Edited December 30, 2021 by Ozstatman (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 It's an aftermarket light, probably mid to late 20s. Most in my display are aftermarket. There are two that are original to specific cars, one has Studebaker on the top lens, another says Huipmobile. The car names dont show easily in my photos unless the lights are illuminated. Guess I should figure out how to wire them up and plug them in. The display I made is at the top of the stairwell going up to the 2nd floor in my barn. I'll need to get a ladder up there for closer photos. I'll try to get a few photos of some others in a display case in my recreated old auto parts store and post them later. . Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstatman Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 Thanks for your reply Terry . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 10 hours ago, PFindlay said: I'm looking for a 1915 - 20 era stop light for my 1915 Russell. If anyone has one they'd sell (maybe a "Topper" style?) please let me know. I kind of think the green would be neat to have. Peter, are you sure that your car had a "stop" light? My 1916 Locomobile has a single red taillight, but it is not connected to the braking system. It is just for illuminated marking of the rear of the car, and isn't a stop light. I suspect that many cars of your 1915 era were the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 "Apologies to Mark Gregush, we've already drifted somewhat "off topic"," No problem, it's all good. Sometimes drift can keep the subject active. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) This wig wag light came with either green or red lenses. A picture on the box which unfortunately is too dark to attach shows the lights mounted on each side of the rear of a bus, but I couldn't tell which side was green. Could it be the red was on the right as a stop signal and green on the left designated the passing side? In 54 years of Hershey flea scrounging I never saw another light like this, only a red lens to one. Another thought, maybe only one light was on at a time and the vehicle was wired so that when the brake was applied the red came on and the green went off. Edited December 30, 2021 by Dave Henderson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 Dave on boats green and right are long words red and left are short words. Not that would be what the auto industry used but it may be. dave s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 4 hours ago, Terry Bond said: Guess I should figure out how to wire them up and plug them in. A string of LED lights that are battery powered would light them up just as well as those old, dim 6v bulbs and you wouldn't have to figure out how to get line power over to your display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregush Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 26 minutes ago, SC38dls said: Dave on boats green and right are long words red and left are short words. Not that would be what the auto industry used but it may be. dave s In the early automobile years, tail lights did have a green or blue lens facing to one side, as did trains on the rear marker lights, but not facing the rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFindlay Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 3 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said: Peter, are you sure that your car had a "stop" light? My 1916 Locomobile has a single red taillight, but it is not connected to the braking system. It is just for illuminated marking of the rear of the car, and isn't a stop light. I suspect that many cars of your 1915 era were the same. I'm sure you are correct, it would not have had a stop light. But someone has added a brake light circuit and a modern taillight so I'd like to put it back to something a little more period correct. I'm happy to have a brake light, even though I don't put a lot of faith in the other drivers to notice a single 6V light. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodatt2d Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Hello, I've been reading this chain regarding green stop lights and wanted to share the picture below. Does anyone know what this went to? I put LED lights in it for display, but other than that, it's all original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 The color is red but if you ever get to Coleman's restaurant in Syracuse, NY you will find their can be an ethnic order of things that must be maintained. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/explore-ny/2016/10/18/explore-ny-tipp-hill-traffic-light And the back dining room at Coleman's sure reminds me of my Grandma O'Brien's house. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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