vintage Light Wands/Antennas?

[azpaul50]

Hey folks! I picked up a set of what look like electrical light wands. Imagine a short antenna except that the upper half is a thin conical plastic lens lit by a bulb midway up the antenna shaft. At mid-point they is a band of tiny plastic jewels where the base and top "lens" thread together at the bulb. They were an aftermarket dealy that some local codgers say they saw (many) decades ago on dressers. Anyone know anything about them? I'm especially interested in where/how they were installed.

[Kojack]

They're still made:
http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup...ore=All&page=3
I had a pair on my '76 FLH. They were mounted on the outer rear corners of my saddle bag guards on a light bar. I worried about the plastic cones shaking loose and put a drop of Loc-tite on each one. It caused the plastic to fracture all the way across within 10 minutes, just sitting in the garage. I found another set of cones at a swap meet but then the chrome stems eventually came apart from their fittings. I drug them down the road for a while before I found a spot to pull over but it was too late by then.

[azpaul50]

Ahhsooo!

I looked at the J&P Cycles version and the ones I have are a lot longer cone (1/2 of it) and more jewels. They do seem very fragile although uncracked. It is so hot here in Arizona, I think I'd have to take them off during the Summer for fear the cones would melt. 110 here yesterday. Thank you for the advice about the Locktite. My Duo came with a 6 bullet light license plate bracket that I took off but want to put back on some time. I only have 4 DH-49's and was thinking these wands would look cool in the outer spots. I have so many period accessories, I've written in the past that it looks like Liberace's FLHF. One last question I have... I wonder if these were on the market during or prior to '63. I have Superior/Dixie/Buco catalogs for the period and they aren't in there.

[Kojack]

The old rusty pair I found at the swap meet had longer cones than mine but the thread size was the same so they screwed into my poles. Both had 6 jewels although the older pair was a little different, diamond shaped jewels as opposed to round if I remember correctly. Both were 12 volt. Prior to '65 would have required 6 volts. I think I remember seeing them on an older bike but can't say for sure.

[schmittm]

and the Lord said: "Let there be light, and there was light"



there they are, just where Kojack said they should be.....

[LouieMCman]

Try the truck stops, I think they have always sold those thing. No idea if they are the same but worth a look see.

[azpaul50]

Wow! All of a sudden, I'm pretty conservative compared to the pic posted! I have a vintage tourpac with tube guards but it doesn't fit on my Duo with both white backrests (upper & lower) and rail on a buddy seat. I'll have to try some batteries to see what voltage the wands are. There is nothing printed on the bulbs or the poles themselves. I also just got a repro '52 Cushman custom 50/60 scooter and might put them on there instead of the Duo. It even has dual fishtail mufflers! My bike population is growing as we speak!

[LouieMCman]

How about a night picture of that bike? Would love to see all those lights lit up.

[schmittm]

Actually Louie I've never seen it lit up myself although I've seen the bike in 3 different states this summer. I took that picture in Hot Springs Arkansas at the H.O.G. rally in June, I saw the bike again in Indianapolis in July and again in Knoxville Tennessee last month and I've never seen the owner, just the bike.

If it shows up next weekend at the Mississippi state rally in Natchez I'll make sure I get him to turn the lights on for a picture!

mike