Taillight Lens Original vs Repop

[ammorest]

I had a 1937 and a 1938 Willys that had those lights but I couldm't tell you which style lenses they had.
Dave

[FLFD7]

Got a chance to poke around in my fathers parts and was able to come up with the missing 101023 sunburst lens from Hatfields book

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This was used from ‘36-‘’37. Neat design, no flat section. He had a couple of these, the other being a bit darker…..

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I also made another neat find…

[FLFD7]

My father has one NOS lens in a box, and it is the LUX A (or A over LUX) version. Even better, the lens is in the 101278 part box, wrapped in newspaper, I would guess from the factory…..

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The newspaper is the Springfield Union from Springfield Mass (of course)

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and the date is….drum roll please….

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June 18, 1941!….

[FLFD7]

Here is the lens

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Interestingly, this A over LUX lens has the same markings as the lens that was on my fathers 1941 Sport Scout, makes sense if this lens was wrapped in 1941 newspaper (and supposing that the lens is original to the bike). I would think that the “1951” mark on the flange is not a manufacturing date but rather a lens part number (from Stimsonite?). And the C B 4040 mark is the Cocoran Brown base it fits?

Now compare this to the NOS lens that I have from my late friend Jules, the what I’m guessing earlier version with the bigger pebble texture and smooth around the inner bottom diameter. Jules got a lot of his NOS parts from the family of John Steele, the Indian dealer in Paterson NJ. Steele died in 1940, and his dealership shut down then. So if that earlier lens was from Steele, the newest it could be is 1940, so I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the unmarked lens was from 1938-1940 or 41, and the A over LUX lens was introduced in 1940 or 1941.

But where does that leave the LUX version?

My guess, because of the different angle of the flat section it must have been mounted at a different angle then the Indian fender, so to me it’s a car lens, like for a Willys or Nash or Bantam or Crosley.

Makes sense, no?

[rustynutz]

FLFD7 very nice! Could you please share any markings found on the 36-37 lens. Thank You so much!

[FLFD7]

Rusty,

There were no markings at all on the 1936-1937 sunburst lens.

[FLFD7]

Got my repop lens from Greer to compare

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The form is pretty much the same, it even has the A over LUX marking like the original, the only difference I see is the red is not as dark as the original.

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Very close, just not as dark.

[exeric]

That's good to know. I just bought one from Greer

[PaulCDF]

IMO Geer's makes really good parts.

[FLFD7]

I know this isn’t about taillight lenses but I was going through my parts and came across these and thought it was relevant to the earlier discussion about Corcoran Brown lights that Indian used. I had a 741 military scout a while ago and it did not have the right blackout lights. I was told at a meet many years ago that the Indian military bikes used the Corcoran Brown lights. I’ve seen others marked Guide, which I think Harley used, and also Yankee. So for a couple of years I went around looking for the right lights, all of which I found at different car shows. Never did put them on the bike, which I later sold.

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Here is the correct fender light, with the C-B on the front and the Corcoran Brown Lamp Division Cincinnati Ohio stamp on the top.

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Here is the brake light, again the C-B on the face and the Corcoran Brown stamp on top. I also have the convoy light with the C-B on the front, but it is not stamped on the body.

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Just something interesting to know for anyone who is doing a military 741, 641B or Chief.

[JTR249]

FLFD7,
Were we right (previous thread and separate topic) about the year 1935 being the name change year from Corcoran Brown to Electric-AutoLite?
If those are military 741 parts, doesn't that mean that CB was in operation making Moto Lamp parts '41-46?
It is interesting; I have never seen the stamps of the company before.
Do you know what literature ever advertised a Moto Lamp?

-JR

[FLFD7]

JR,

I really don’t have any info on Motolamp and Corcoran Brown and their (corporate) relationship. But I think when the companies merged sometime in the 1930’s the Corcoran Brown Lamp Division remained and became a part of the Electric Auto Lite Company, I say this because it says right on the box. I happen to have a couple of 741 motolamps in the original boxes…. F9A081C7-5DA2-472B-9D65-D7855979F0BF.jpeg1BB965E3-AD5C-4AFA-B3F8-3367532B3D19.jpeg

The proof is in the pudding as they say. I think they made motolamps up till at least the early 50’s as a division of Electric Auto Lite.

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The one box is still sealed from WW2 with the wax wrapped light inside. The other is opened because I actually used that light on my ‘39 Sport Scout, hey you can’t get better then new. The Motolamp shown is another I have, I just can’t bring myself to throw the box out so I might as well use it.
These 741 style motolamps have the Bakelite square in the back to hook the wires up to. I’m pretty sure Indian used these lights on the military 741s, 641Bs and Chiefs, and the 1946 Chiefs used this light. I think in 1947 Indian changed to the Deitz style sealed beam light and used them on the Chiefs till 53. But when they brought out the vertical twin and single Scouts in 1949 they used a Motolamp, but it was different. Instead of the Bakelite square it had a hole and rubber grommet with the wires coming out.
So while I don’t have an exact date, my best guess is Corcoran Brown made the Motolamp up till the early 50s.

[JTR249]

Now that makes perfect sense--company mergers, one absorbing the other and creating a division within, though keeping the name.
Yeah, the vertical Moto Lamps are a little different as you say. I've been rebuilding four of them and trying to find my last shell with a reflector is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
The vertical Moto Lamp does not have the square cut-out. Parker Indian of Australia restored one of mine and did an amazing job. They removed dents, sealed a crack and brazed/welded the inner unction block--really amazing work.
Thank you for the information.
-JR