Beehive tail light

[IRONWOOD]

I have an early Beehive tail light i have been told it was for a servicar i guess my question is were they different than the bike tail lights

[Sargehere]

Call it the "Boat Tail" or "Streamline" taillight, as they were in their time ('39 through '46). You have a nice, old example. (wore round-wire spring clip inside holding the glass lenses in place).

The previous taillight, 1934-38, is properly called the "Beehive." It looks like one, just like the beehive on the Utah state emblem, I believe it is; a conical bees' home/hive.

Edit: Just to keep things clear, NOPE: "To my knowledge, only one of either taillight design was built by the MoCo at a time; a taillight on a Servi-car was the same as a taillight on a 45, as on a Big Twin." Correct info from Rub follows.

[Rubone]

They are not the same! The Servi-Car housing differs in that it is designed to fit a different radius fender at a different location than a BT. Is there any marking under ther paint on the bottom end (below the lens) on yours? Some servi-car units have a "G" stamped in them. That is the only area you do not show in your pictures is where it would be. You also show the base as the raised bulb type which would be consistent.
Robbie

[Sargehere]

Well there you go! I knew Rub wouldn't let that go.

[IRONWOOD]

They are not the same! The Servi-Car housing differs in that it is designed to fit a different radius fender at a different location than a BT. Is there any marking under ther paint on the bottom end (below the lens) on yours? Some servi-car units have a "G" stamped in them. That is the only area you do not show in your pictures is where it would be. You also show the base as the raised bulb type which would be consistent.
Robbie

Thank you both for responding i think i am more confused now...Robbie i see no G stamping below the lower lens and what do you mean by the raised bulb type exactly?? does the bulb go in facing up or down..I'm an Indian guy who should not be touching this Harley stuff i was looking to swap it for an Indian mag and the guy who must know what he is talking about like you two says it's for a servi car i have no idea as to value...
Thanks again
Ron

[Rubone]

Ron,
Here are a couple of pictures. Note how the taillight follows the contours of the fender in the first shot, and not in the second. The fender in the second is a package truck fender, the same radius a a Servi-Car one. The correct Servi-Car light has more meat at the bottom to fill the gap. I cannot tell from your picture which you have. The "G" stamping may not appear on all of them so that is not the final answer.
The last picture shows the two different bases, low bulb and high bulb. Do a search on this site for more info as I believe Jerry Weiland posted info on them in the last year.
Robbie

[bellbigdawg]

by the side radius shot looks to be a non-servicar tailamp housing. also the high bulb mount plate you have should be correct for 39-41. in the new product literature from harley they state the new bulb position was changed then.

[IRONWOOD]

Thank you all again for all this valuable info tomorrow i will take it over to Dave at Way Back Wheels and see if i can compare it to something he has there i will let you know my findings...
Ron

[Chris Haynes]

Which one looks like a beehive?

[IRONWOOD]

Starting to sound like a hornet's nest...What did Harley Davidson call it?? Besides a tail light.....

[Erdos]

I found the other thread about the bulb height but no answer was given Jerry said he had read something somewhere but it was packed away. Could the bulb position be an early/late thing or is it definitely a Solo/Servicar thing. On another note I see in the picture that Chris posted the light has no gaskets. Is that a early thing or is that one of his prototype photos?

[IRONWOOD]

Well the tail light matched up perfect with a tail light from a bike not a servicar...so i am calling it that ...thanks for all your input
Ron

[Jerry Wieland]

I believe that the bulb position is a year thing and not servicar/solo bike. If I remember right it is announced in the 1942 Introductory Literature. Jerry

[Erdos]

Thanks for the info Jerry. Do you have any info on my gasket question? The picture Chris posted has no gaskets around the lenses. Do you know when the gaskets were used or not used?

[Chris Haynes]

Starting to sound like a hornet's nest...What did Harley Davidson call it?? Besides a tail light.....

Harley called the 1934-1938 tail lamp The Beehive. The new lamp announced in 1939 was simply called The Streamlined New Tail Light..