Rear Lamp Location?

Richard Branch

19 December 2015 at 21:41 #51607

Chaps, could anyone say where the rear lamps on an 16/80 would have been located originally? On my car the previous owner made a number plate & real lamp mount which although very solid I feel rather clutters the tail of the car. I wonder how it would have appeared when it left the factory?

Attached files

Tim Wadsworth

19 December 2015 at 22:29 #51608

On page 163 of Arnold’s book Lagonda 2, 3, & 3.5 Litre including 16/80 1925-1935 there is an original picture of the rear end of a 16/80 Apart from the fact that it only has one light, it is not so different from the picture of your car. If you don’t have the book (which I can strongly recommend) I could scan the photo and e-mail it to you. Tim Wadsworth [email protected]

Richard Branch

20 December 2015 at 09:06 #51609

Thanks Tim, that’s exactly what I was looking for, I have bought so many Lagonda books since I got the car that I had forgotten that picture. There is what looks like a bracket on the n/s of the plate support so maybe there’s a lamp missing? Also that car appears to have something, perhaps another lamp, on the lower lip of the o/s rear mudguard. Interesting…

Tim Wadsworth

20 December 2015 at 10:13 #51610

I think I am correct in saying that in 1935 there was only a requirement for one rear lamp (and of course winkers were unheard of) so maybe that bracket was for something else. Car club badge ? It looks to me like a reflection of the petrol cap on the o/s rear wing rather than another light. Happy Christmas motoring !

Colin M34

20 December 2015 at 11:08 #51611

Hi Guys

I would like to add a little to this debate. I have used my HC 2 Litre speed model a great deal on long journeys in the dark, sometimes in foul conditions. I also know of one fellow Lagonda user who was badly injured when someone rear ended him in these conditions. I therefore mounted two light clusters tucked under the kick up of the real wings, along with reflectors and decent indicators. I have kept the original light board. The new fitment is quite neat and is clearly not original but is very visible and I feel safe at night.

T7 16/80’s such as as Richard’s car are more difficult and my drophead has the same issue. Both have those lovely sloping rear wings, and fortunately Henry Ford has come to the rescue. Model A rear tail lamp brackets seem to be a good solution. For example eBay item number 271453008939 shows the brackets and the lamps that go with them are equally neat – see item number 261206571495. These can be either chrome or painted.

I have seen 1930’s UK-built Rolls-Royces fitted with these and I think they would look equally neat on a 16/80. I hasten to add that that M45s were fitted with Buick Tail Lamp Brackets but to the best of my knowledge were never fitted to 16/80s where I think they would probably look out of proportion.

Colin

Richard Branch

20 December 2015 at 14:21 #51612

Thanks chaps,some good ideas there. I was aware of the Buick items used on the M45 but as Colin says, I don’t think these were ever fitted to the 16/80s. The Ford Model A mounts look similar to teh Buick ones but I am torn with regard to those, are they a touch bling or would they add a certain something to the rear end? Maybe I will trim down the existing plate mount so there’s less surplus metal on show and spray it black then add some red LED brake & tail lamp bulbs (Dennis has fitted indicators in these too). These are significantly brighter than the usual filament bulbs and consume far less current.

Colin M34

20 December 2015 at 15:25 #51613

I think Richard has a point about not wanting to be too “blingy.” The attached picture shows the rear end of my 16/80 with some fairly sober rear light mounts that I made when I first got the car. The body is currently being restored and I don’t know whether I keep the ones in the photo or go for the Ford brackets. If I decide to use the Ford ones, I also don’t know at this stage whether they will be chrome or painted.

Spoilt for choice I think….

Colin M34

Attached files

Richard Branch

20 December 2015 at 15:28 #51614

Thanks Colin.

Bill LG45

20 December 2015 at 17:55 #51615

Recommend looking at the legislation that applies ( Road Vehicles Lighting Regs 1989) and talking to a friendly / experienced MOT man as you don’y want to fit something that doesn’t comply and find yourself in the poop after an accident…..
A pal of my was rear ended recently in his prewar car and seriously injured, there was an inquisition afterwards and fortunately for him his car did comply and had been scrutineered only minutes before by a VSCC official as he was taking part in a trial….
I believe there are two cut off dates relevant for vehicles of our era : 1931 and 1936. As far as i know there are a number of things that you might not be required to fit but you might feel are sensible and if they are fitted must comply, for instance direction indicators are not a legal requirement for a 1933 car but are probably wise and if fitted need to comply…
I believe reflectors are a must and there are rules about position and in particular the distance from the outside edges of the car.
I suspect your current reflectors don’t comply .
Hope the above helps
Bill

Richard Branch

20 December 2015 at 18:26 #51616

Thanks Bill, I fully intend to get the car inspected (as per an MoT) when it’s with Bishop Gray in January. You are almost certainly right about the reflectors, they should be closer to the edge of the car.

John Stubbs

21 December 2015 at 21:41 #51617

Dunno that it helps much, but the idea was, I think, that you had a rear bracket that could carry a lamp on either side, but the legal requirement was that it should be fitted on the offside. When you went foreign, you just swapped it over to the new ‘offside’. Saved an amp or two… Later on when two lamps became normal, both ends were used.

John