Some dates and identifications please

Normanby wrote:

I grew up in the 1950s and my father had a 1926 Chev with a ute tray back and as V8Ian says I can recall it had only one Q number plate on the back. Another odd thing I now recall is the tail light could only be switched on/off near the tail light. My father said that was a regulation in Queensland but whether this was a fact or just an urban legend I don't know. I learnt to drive in that vehicle long before I was old enough for a licence. My parents were in the cab and my sister and I sat in the tray many times on trips visiting relatives a few hours drive away. No seats or seatbelts just some cushions and maybe a rug or blanket. Thanks all so far for your comments and information.

I believe the external switch was to operate the tail light, or only the right side tail light if two were fitted, independently of the front lights. At the time there was some regulation concerning illumination of vehicles parked on the road, during hours of darkness.
Pommie cars had the same, for the same reason and my Father told me, in the UK illumination was exempt, if parked under a street light.
Bear in mind, until the FE Holden was released in 1958, all Holden only had a single tail light, in standard form.

I have read that the external switch for the taillight was a regulation designed so that the driver could be sure the tailight was working. It appears to me that it would encourage drivers to drive at night without bothering to switch it on!

The two cars to the right in the first photo certainly are 1929 or 1930 Chevrolets. I do not think anyone could tell from a front-on picture whether a Chev was a '29 or '30. The only visible difference was that the '29 had rod operated brakes and 20 inch wheels, while the 1930 had cable operated front brakes and 19 inch wheels. The pickup on the right was probably built like that from new, as many body builders made them. It is similar to my 1929 Ute but mine has a truck cab and truck-type steel hubcaps. The tourer beside it has spoked wheels, an option in Australia as the Americans sent all the wooden wheels overseas. I doubt that the wheels are wire spoked as they were a very rare option, even in the USA, on the 1929. The car has optional genuine bumpers and mudguard-mounted spare wheel.
I should remember what the emblem in the headlight bar on the car on the far left but my failing memory refuses to tell me. I will go with the suggestion of Studebaker. Al the other cars look American as well but I can no longer identify them.

Morris, it could have a 6, or an 8 in the bar between the headlights.
I am looking for a 8, currently.

Jarrod.

I still think the sedan is a Buick. I reckon that badge between the headlights is square, and if you look at it in the second photo, the headlight posts match the '29 tourer. I haven't been able to find a photo of a '29-'30 Stude with headlight posts.

Brett.

South Australia . . . I used to own a '47 Ford Sedan (American) with a switch near the right hand tail-light, It was always my understanding that it was required for vehicles parked on the side of the road at night, particularly where there was no street lighting. That having been said I also owned a 1950(ish) Ford Pilot and several Ford Customlines none of which had the switch on them, which could suggest the practice was phased out around 1949.

Good way to ensure your six volt battery would be flat when you needed it in the morning (if it was of dubious quality)!? Just as well you could still crank start them at that time. :pinch:

I dont think any battery would keep a tailight running all night.........I recall having a flat battery /no crank next morning from just the interior light left on......and if you left the marker lights on ,no crank in a few hours...that was in a IH truck.........6 v lights took a lot more power than 12v ,because the bulb filament was thicker ......this also gave resistance from breakage on rough roads,and is why US cars had 6v systems.

180wannabe wrote:

I still think the sedan is a Buick. I reckon that badge between the headlights is square, and if you look at it in the second photo, the headlight posts match the '29 tourer. I haven't been able to find a photo of a '29-'30 Stude with headlight posts.

Brett.

I had to look at it on the computer to see that. I think you're right.

Jarrod.

The bike is a Rudge 500 single.....or maybe a 350 ..of the same date ...1928

Wouldyou

As PDU mentioned, I also think the tail light switch was to allow the vehicle to be seen if parked without flattening the battery with the headlights or front park lights. Looking at a wiring diagram from a 1938 Austin they had two circuits. One connected to all the lights as normal and a stand-alone wire for the tail light external switch.

Lang

Probably before reflectors got real good this was a common thing

Old reflectors are dull at best

Paul