Taillight Lens Original vs Repop

[Skirted]

I broke the original taillight in the Chief this morning in a careless action. I am sick over it but could have been worse and damaged paint. Anyway I would like to find an original replacement but wondering if anyone has compared this reproduction (on ebay) to an original. It looks pretty good and "claims" to be made on original mold.

taillight.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174843307343

[rms337]

I am interested in this answer as well. I believe both of my glass to be repop, but I have also not researched how you can tell them apart. The pictures in Hatfield's book are small and in black and white, so hard to tell any distinct characteristics. I was wondering if the shape of the glass dots (refractive portions?) inside the lens were any different then than compared to repop? It looks like early originals might have been more rounded like a dot or circle, where the ones I have are more triangular.

[PaulCDF]

I replaced my 6 volt set up (which I believe was original) w a 12 volt setup from Starklite.
I will attach picture:

Chief tail light lens org & repop 2.jpg
Also
Jacob Junker has just the lens for $20.00 plus S&H
I know nothing about the Ebay seller.

[JoJo357]

I bought from J. Junker before with zero issues--if that's any consolation.

http://www.vintagecyclebay.com/detai...ail-Light-Lens


*M.A.D.*

[PaulCDF]

Final thoughts

Spurred by curiosity I went on Ebay to check out vendor:
Looks Good:
100% Positive feedback and almost seven thousand sales,

Reading discription of item:
"INDIAN SCOUT FOUR CHIEF MOTORCYCLE 1938 1940 50 1953 GLASS TAIL LIGHT LENS"

"USA.... MADE GLASS TAIL LIGHT LENS WITH LUX SCRIPT"

LUX SCRIPT??? Hmmm Curious.
Went and checked Len(s) I have and also had same LUX Script. Who Knew!!!!

[Jim]

Final thoughts

Spurred by curiosity I went on Ebay to check out vendor:
Looks Good:
100% Positive feedback and almost seven thousand sales,

Reading discription of item:
"INDIAN SCOUT FOUR CHIEF MOTORCYCLE 1938 1940 50 1953 GLASS TAIL LIGHT LENS"

"USA.... MADE GLASS TAIL LIGHT LENS WITH LUX SCRIPT"

LUX SCRIPT??? Hmmm Curious.
Went and checked Len(s) I have and also had same LUX Script. Who Knew!!!!

Yep.... I did the same thing after reading this post. I checked my lens and mine also has that LUX on it.

[T. Cotten]

Well poop Folks,...

The two Eversure lenses in my case have no script.

That makes them worth more for display than I could sell them for.

....Cotten

[Skirted]

No LUX on any broken pieces. Just this. Can't make out all the characters. Any idea what it says?

[PaulCDF]

SE ISONITE???? Not sure. Checked my Starklite rep-op lens not there. Tried to check my older lens but tail light gasket and reflected all heat stuck/fused to the lens.

[Skirted]

After some searching I figured out its STIMSONITE. They made a lot of tail light lens in the 40s for automotive as well. Now to only find one

[govmule84]

Stimsonite. They were an early manufacturer of retroreflection-type glass. They make the reflectors you see on modern highways. Some info about them in the Palmer books if I remember correctly.

[FLFD7]

PaulCDF clued me in to this post, thought I’d add to the confusion. I was cleaning up a taillight for a 1941 Sport Scout and wanted to compare all the different lenses I had. I have one NOS lens that I know is correct for 1938-1940 (according to the 1940 parts list) 101278

E5AFD4BA-9259-4B1A-AB99-AB112F3B4A7F.jpeg

And I have two other styles of lens, what I call the LUX A and the other the LUX (no A)

28D2E62B-6EDE-4DC1-A1E9-7D00A89E070A.jpeg

From left to right the 101278, the LUX A and the LUX. The 101278 has no lettering at all on it.

A6B1A8E9-421C-461F-BD46-007A1D513BCC.jpeg

The 101278 has a larger pebble texture compared to the LUX A, and the LUX has a less round and more angular texture. The LUX glass is thicker.

910C43CC-93E5-4833-819E-031B46FAEF61.jpeg

The 101278 and the LUX A have the flat area end about 1/2” above the flange, while the LUX ends about 1/8” above.

7AF25A37-B790-4EE3-9785-31956C60417E.jpeg

The 101278 and LUX A have a much bigger license plate section then the LUX.

More comparison next post.

[FLFD7]

B5B454EC-D0FA-426A-9801-2607B1C6903D.jpeg

The 101278 is smooth around the inside bottom

980BC804-BA07-4556-A133-9FF710AF3CC9.jpeg

The LUX A has very fine lines (rills?) around the inside bottom.

22F6298F-BEF4-4139-9224-292078821181.jpeg

The LUX has deeper longer lines around the inside.

[FLFD7]

As far as lenses with the Stimsonite name I only have two, one is a LUX version

A004AEC3-ED67-4158-BA85-5B1B134438F6.jpeg

It is difficult to get a good picture cause the name is very fine and the reflection drives the camera crazy.

I have another Stimsonite lens but it is a car lens (Bantam I believe) with no license plate area but it is cool nonetheless.

6F427135-4811-4066-A35B-FD3D569F5034.jpeg7FBF0B9E-4D28-40EB-A381-64270A92F420.jpeg

It does not fit the pattern however, it is marked LUX A but has the smaller height above the flange like the LUX does….

[FLFD7]

So googling around the internet I found these repops

E074920B-DB5D-400B-849F-B5D1B5860AA8.jpeg

Greer (photo credit to Jerry Greer website) has the 101278 and while not dimensioned seems to show the 1/2” step from flat to flange.

B249394D-735B-4AD5-8C19-2828F6B9284E.jpeg

Starklite only has a head on picture (photo credit to Starklite Cycle website), but it is marked LUX A and seems to have the 1/2” step.

1DED1036-6DA9-42E1-90F3-92C99A354888.jpeg1B05C8FC-CD19-4747-A0A8-5C5508D998FC.jpeg

This one on eBay from Ollie’s (photo credit Ollie’s and eBay) is marked LUX and has the shorter step from the flat to the flange, but the license plate area is the large size like the LUX A and 101278.