“Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.”
Ronald Reagan
Veterans Day 2021
Some Things Never Change . . . Like Headlight Glare
A New York Times article from earlier this year about the unpleasant intensity of LED headlights contained the following hilarious quote:
“Complaints about headlight glare are not new, and date back at least 20 years.”
Um, yes, complaints about headlight glare do date back at least 20 years. Or over 100 years. Whatever.
During the mid-1910s, state legislatures began addressing the problem of headlight glare. In July of 1917, a new California law took effect that required headlight beams to rise no more than 42 inches at a point measured 75 feet or more in front of the car. The following year, the New York legislature passed a law that contained the following specific requirements:
Some motorists were trying things like bending the headlight brackets or painting part of the bulbs to lessen glare, but there were other options. In conjunction with New York’s 1918 law, the New York Secretary of State actually named 45 anti-glare devices that had already been developed and that would put a vehicle in compliance. One of the devices appearing on that list was called the Osgood lens, and I recently found a couple of survivors:
The idea behind this lens was the use of 12 horizontal prisms to direct all of the light outward and downward. The company claimed that the Osgood lens provided 74% more brightness on the road than regular lenses because none of the light was wasted by being thrown into the air.
I am not sure who deserves the credit for these innovative lenses. According to the patent number embossed on one of them, they were invented by a man named Emerson Clark. Newspaper stories and ads at the time variously said the lenses were “perfected by,” “designed by” or “invented by” this handsome man, James R. Cravath:
Cravath was described as “one of America’s foremost authorities on illumination,” and that appears to be an accurate depiction. The Illuminating Engineering Society still lists one of his 1908 papers on its list of 100 Significant Papers. A 1918 issue of Electrical Review described Cravath as a consulting engineer and executive in the electrical industry as well as the editor of publications such as Electrical World.
This story illustrates why I love this era of American history. There was a problem (headlight glare), at least 45 people had already developed devices to solve the problem and those devices were made right here in America. Also, men’s hairstyles were better.
Happy Halloween!
How To Turn A Studebaker Into The Most Expensive Car Ever Made: Dip It In 24KGold
Awhile back, I wrote about the extravagant 1917 St. Louis auto show and some of the fine automobiles on display such as offerings from the Ben Hur Motor Company. That auto show included another noteworthy and opulent entry, a gold-plated car that was, at that point in time, the most expensive ever built.
The car was a Studebaker Series 18 seven passenger touring car with a Victoria top and a 6-cylinder engine, and it must have been an absolute vision in gold and white. The chassis was gold plated as were the other metal parts including the radiator, springs, lamps, wheel hubs, door handles and running boards. The body was gold and glistening white enamel. The Victoria top was made of the finest white leather with gold brackets. The upholstery was also white leather. The steering column, clutch, accelerator, emergency brake and other metal parts inside the car were also coated in gold. Even the speedometer was white with gold numbers.
In total, 400 ounces of 24-karat gold were used to gild the stunning Studebaker, and that much gold was valued at more than $30,000 in 1917. The Detroit News-Tribune effused, “That Croesus chariot – the golden car – gleams its prosperous presence behind a gold railing,” and it did draw a crowd. The floor of the display was covered with a rich velour, and on top of that sat on a huge French plate mirror. The Studebaker was parked on the mirror which reflected the chassis construction.
After touring the United States, the gold car went overseas, heavily guarded and even more heavily insured. After traversing the globe, the car was delivered back to South Bend, Indiana, via Pacific Mail steamer in 1919. It was reported that, “For the benefit of all posterity it will henceforth repose in all its golden splendor in the famous museum maintained by the Studebaker corporation at South Bend.” So is it still there? Perhaps someone from the museum can weigh in . . . .
An Early Defense of Automobile Travel
Packard Hood Ornaments by Year – the 1950s
I hear from many people seeking help with the identification of Packard hood ornaments, so I have started putting together a guide. I have begun with the Packards of the 1950s, which you will find below. If you are looking for the 1940s or earlier, either check back here later or heed Packard’s slogan and “ask the man who owns one.”
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1918 Republic Truck
This fantastic old truck is a 1918 Republic, and it was part of the annual Old Trusty Antique & Collectors Show in Clay Center, Nebraska:
By the time 1918 rolled around, the Republic plant in Alma, Michigan, was the largest in the world devoted exclusively to the manufacture of motor trucks. With a thousand distributors in the United States and representatives in other countries as well, Republic had already sold 25,000 trucks throughout the United States and beyond. The company was continuing to expand and set an ambitious goal of 40,000 new trucks to be manufactured in 1918.
The Republic line included seven models of trucks in varying capacities to suit every business, and for every conceivable kind of hauling. This ad has pictures of those seven models, the Dispatch, 3/4-Ton, 1-Ton, 1-1/2 Ton, 2-Ton, 3-1/2 Ton and 5-Ton.
In addition to the dependability of the Republic-Torbensen Internal Gear Drive, Republic also advertised that their truck frames were built stronger, in proportion to size, than a railroad bridge:
Republic struggled in the years after the war and eventually merged with American LaFrance in 1929, so this well-preserved 1918 model is really representative of the company’s heyday.
Sources:
Jaquith Motor Co. Advertisement. The Daily Argus Leader [Sioux Falls], 8 Mar 1918, p. 7.
Prough Bros. Advertisement. Bakersfield Morning Echo, 8 Sept 1918, p. 4.
“Republic Motor Truck Company Give Alma World Wide Fame.” Lansing State Journal, 15 Oct 1917, p. 13.
“Truck Firms Unite.” The Pittsburgh Press, 21 April 1929, p.5.
Ford Truck In A Kansas Field
A great photo of an L-Series Ford truck, surrounded by cows and sunflowers, that my daughter snapped as we were driving through Kansas:
More Classic Horsepower In the Nebraska State Patrol’s Stable
I have written previously about the Nebraska State Patrol’s Fox Body Mustang, but the NSP also has this 1950 Ford in the lineup:
1950 was an important year in the annals of police car history because Ford introduced the first police package that included “heavy duty” parts like springs and shock absorbers, clutches, and interiors as well as “extra heavy duty” parts like generators and batteries:
The police car brochure included testimonials from various chiefs of police including Omaha’s own Chief Fred “Fritz” Franks:
Franks died in 1954 at the age of 67. According to his obituary, he immigrated to America from Danzig, Germany as an orphan and worked in Omaha’s Metz Brewery before joining the force in 1914. He was nicknamed the “Dutchman” and was a big, gruff man known for his granite jaw, good work ethic and thorough approach to detective work. In the letter above, Franks states that he was personally driving a new ’49 Ford. I hope he got to try out the ’50 Ford with the 255-ci 110-hp police-only engine. Franks once said, “You gotta be tougher and smarter than the dirty crooks, ” but it helps to be faster, too!
Reminder: Nebraska Junk Jaunt 2021
The Nebraska Junk Jaunt is coming up September 24-26. The Junk Jaunt is 350 miles of garage sales and vendors along a route that loops through the central part of the state and the uniquely beautiful Nebraska Sandhills.
You will find an amazing variety of antiques, collectibles and primitives along the way including lots of classic car parts. Pro tip: Don’t skip Cairo, a veritable hotbed of Junk Jaunt activity!
See you there!
