1931 lasalle headlights

[31 LaSalle]

I recently posted a question on the Cadillac/Lasalle section

where my question was which side of the headlight does the green jewel go and which side the red jewel go

I originally thought they were only fitted to the Lasalle and Cadillac but have since learned Packards of that vintage fitted them as well

anyway to get to the point of my post what I would like to know is what was the purpose of these jewels in the side of headlamps

Thank You

[29StutzM]

31 LaSalle

My 29 Stutz M also have these jewels.  The red one goes on the drivers side and the green one goes on the Passenger side.

I think it has something to do with port and starboard???

[JACK M]

Well, if you look at an airplane flying above you at night, you can see which side of the aircraft you are looking at.

Port is the left side going forward and is red.

Starboard us the right side going forward and is green.

Works if you can see boats or ships at night too. You can tell what direction it is headed.

[wayne sheldon]

It supposedly also indicates "right of way" (although those little jewels my be tough to see in the dark?). With the red jewel on the left/port side, a driver approaching from your left should see the red jewel and know to stop because you are on his right and you have the right of way. The drivers coming from your right/starboard side would have the right of way over you, and you should see their red jewel while they see your green jewel telling them to go as they have the right of way. That all did originate in maritime rules (although I never got involved in boating and actually know little about it).

The 1925 Studebaker I had many years ago had the jewels in the cowl lights.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

The "g" in right can remind you about Green

[wayne sheldon]

As I said, I was never really into boats or boating. However, always trying to learn about almost anything, I have spoken with people that really were into those money pits (a small hole in the water one throws lots of money into I have been told!).

They have told me "port" and "left" both have four letters and end in "t". I was also once told Starboard and right both have more than four letters (makes sense?), and both have an "r" in them. To which I questioned that doesn't "port" also have an "r" in it? And by the way, doesn't "right" also end with a "t"? (I think one of them got mad at me?)

 

Regardless, the four letters and "t" works well enough that on the rare occasions I need to, I can quickly figure out what someone means. I think? 

The green or red I just visualize the right of way.

Of course, one should never count on the other driver to yield the right of way when they are supposed to. Way too many times I have had to avoid a collision when I clearly had the legal right of way. 

[Gunsmoke]

My easy way to remember these terms is all the short words go together (red, left, port) and all the long words go together (green, right, starboard). Since no one today will understand the port/starboard message, you might consider saving the original jewels and putting a pair of orange jewels in as side marker lights and tell people LaSalle's were way ahead of their time.

[edinmass]

What is a boat? 🤔

[28 Chrysler]

I spent most of my childhood on the Mississippi.

Red is for the port side. Most Port wine is red. Starboard is on the right while facing forward. White goes on the stern.

My two shepherds know port and starboard for turning on walks and hikes.

[JACK M]

1 hour ago, 28 Chrysler said:

Port wine is red

 

[zepher]

The '24 Chrysler roadsters have small marker light assemblies just rearward of the door openings with red and green jeweled lenses.

 

I would hate to try and source original jewels today.

[31 LaSalle]

1 minute ago, zepher said:

The '24 Chrysler roadsters have small marker light assemblies just rearward of the door openings with red and green jeweled lenses.

 

I would hate to try and source original jewels today.

I have a 1928 Chrysler 72 conv coupe this pair of lights came in box of parts

are they similar to the 24 roadster ones if you have a picture i would love to see it

[TAKerry]

Maybe adding my 2c where it doesnt belong (although very interesting information above) but the op is in the UK, would the colours be opposite there?

[31 LaSalle]

39 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Maybe adding my 2c where it doesnt belong (although very interesting information above) but the op is in the UK, would the colours be opposite there?

Good point  but the car being american right hand drive i would like to keep it as it was intended

only ever seen these jewels on american cars??

[Gunsmoke]

Opposite in UK, no, the red, left, port is international standard, regardless of any nations peculiar internal rules of the road.

[zepher]

7 hours ago, 31 LaSalle said:

I have a 1928 Chrysler 72 conv coupe this pair of lights came in box of parts

are they similar to the 24 roadster ones if you have a picture i would love to see it

Those look very similar. 

I will have to see if I can find a picture as my uncle owns the car and he doesn't live very close.

 

Edit: Zoom in an you can see the marker light assembly.  The jewels are not in them as this was taken while the car was being put back together after paint.

Edited November 21, 2023 by zepher (see edit history)

[31 LaSalle]

4 hours ago, zepher said:

Those look very similar. 

I will have to see if I can find a picture as my uncle owns the car and he doesn't live very close.

 

Edit: Zoom in an you can see the marker light assembly.  The jewels are not in them as this was taken while the car was being put back together after paint.

HI zepher  Thank you so much for the picture I would say they are the same lights

I have seen a few pictures of these lights mounted in various positions on Chrysler cars

which makes me wonder are these  Chrysler parts or aftermarket ???

NICE CAR

[TAKerry]

10 hours ago, Gunsmoke said:

Opposite in UK, no, the red, left, port is international standard, regardless of any nations peculiar internal rules of the road.

After I posted I got to thinking a bit more, and figured Right is Right, and Left is Left. Whether in the US, England or the Moon. DUH!!

[zepher]

5 hours ago, 31 LaSalle said:

HI zepher  Thank you so much for the picture I would say they are the same lights

I have seen a few pictures of these lights mounted in various positions on Chrysler cars

which makes me wonder are these  Chrysler parts or aftermarket ???

NICE CAR

My uncle purchased the car in the early 60's and those lights have always been on the car.

No idea if they were a factory item or an aftermarket item.

[28 Chrysler]

Different States/Countries had different rules and regulations on lighting, including parking on a street at night.

[Marty Roth]

12 hours ago, Gunsmoke said:

Opposite in UK, no, the red, left, port is international standard, regardless of any nations peculiar internal rules of the road.

Back in the 1950s Power Squadron course, we learned:

Red to Right on Return 

[JACK M]

3 hours ago, TAKerry said:

After I posted I got to thinking a bit more, and figured Right is Right, and Left is Left. Whether in the US, England or the Moon. DUH!!

We could throw the down under guys in the mix, but they would be upside down. Which would put their marker lights on the wrong side. 🤪

1 hour ago, Marty Roth said:

Back in the 1950s Power Squadron course, we learned:

Red to Right on Return 

These are navigational rules. Entering a bay (or port, or channel) the red marker buoys will be on the right side of the channel and green on the left side of the channel. These will guide you thru the navigable parts of the route.

Red, right, return. Pretty much always upriver.

I screwed this up once and found myself grounded in the middle of the Columbia River as the channel was way over near one side of the river.

In my defense, it was dark. And fortunately, only sand.