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What Does the BLC Stand for on Those Old GM Parts?

You have probably heard some incorrect theories ventured regarding the meaning of the “BLC” logo on old car parts. For instance, here are some things it does NOT stand for:

Buick LaSalle Cadillac

Bright Light Company

Best Light Company

British Light Company

The BLC on those old parts actually stands for “Brown-Lipe-Chapin,” named for Alexander T. Brown, W. C. Lipe, and H. Winfield Chapin. Although Brown and Lipe’s brother, Charles, had gone into business in the 1890s, BLC was not incorporated until 1910. Located in Syracuse, New York, the business specialized in the manufacturing of automobile differentials, transmission gears, and clutches.

In 1917, it was announced that General Motors was in the mood to buy and would be acquiring BLC:

The purchase of BLC fell through due to “legal difficulties,” but some of the other “automobile accessories concerns” referenced in the above article and acquired by Durant and GM included familiar names like Klaxon, Delco, and Remy. BLC continued to prosper and was frequently mentioned in automobile advertisements like these:

Chevrolet used BLC gears, too. This 1918 advertisement makes the point that Chevrolet utilizes the same parts used by America’s finest cars, and it states that BLC gears were adopted as standard equipment by 80% of automobile and truck manufacturers:

By the early twenties more than 50% of BLC’s output was going to GM, and GM announced that it was purchasing BLC in December of 1922:

The BLC factory closed during the Depression and then reopened in 1936 as part of GM’s $50 million expansion project. BLC became a division of GM’s Guide Lamp and, instead of gears, began making chrome parts like bumper guards, lights, and hood ornaments.

This is an interesting snapshot of the GM empire in 1937:

Like the rest of the automobile industry, BLC soon retooled to join the war effort. By December of 1940, it was reported that the company was equipped to turn out machine guns en masse. BLC manufactured Brownings including the .50 caliber “stinger.”

BLC became its own division again in 1942:

After the war, BLC returned to making automobile parts, although it was also awarded the defense contract for the making of the Curtis-Wright J-65 Sapphire jet engine in the 1950s.



The last chapter of BLC’s history was written in December of 1961 when it was consolidated into the Ternstedt Division, making Ternstedt GM’s third largest division. The BLC logo lives on, however, on so many old lights, bumper guards, and emblems.

Sources:

Advertisement. Chevrolet. The Pomona Progress, 5 Feb. 1918, p. 3.

Advertisement. Davis. Houston Daily Post, 19 Nov. 1916, p. 25.

Advertisement. Daniels. The Allentown Morning Call, 27 Oct. 1915, p. 8.

Advertisement. General Motors. Detroit Free Press, 6 Jul 1943, p. 14.

“Auto Men Put 100 Millions into Expansion.” The Herald Press [ Detroit], 6 Feb. 1936, p. 3.

“Auto Plants Are Geared for War Production.” Morgan County News, 30 Jan 1942, p. 3.

“Company Incorporated.” The Buffalo Enquirer, 3 Feb. 1910, p. 2.

“General Motors Acquires Brown-Lipe-Chapin Co.” The Buffalo Enquirer, 29 Dec. 1922, p. 5.

“General Motors Buys Brown-Lipe-Chapin Co,” The Muncie Morning Star, 29 Dec. 1922, p. 17.

“General Motors Empire Harried by Strikes.” Chicago Sunday Tribune, 10 Jan 1937, p. 2-8.

“General Motors Factories Start $61,000,000 Machine Gun Order.” The Boston Globe, 18 Apr. 1941, p. 34.

“General Motors to Have New Division.” The Minneapolis Star, 25 Jun. 1942, p. 28.

Greenburg, Abe. “’42 Auto Models Seen Certain, Despite War.” Daily News [New York], 29 Dec 1940, p. 217.

“More for Motors Co.” Muncie Evening Press, 11 Oct 1916, p. 6.

“United Motors is Earning $9 a Share.” The Wall Street Journal, 30 Apr. 1917, p. 6.

“United Motors is Parent Now for Big Added Firm.” Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov 1916, p. 2.

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Fun Accessory from the Rocket Age

Do you have any idea what this is?

The markings on this piece indicate that it is a “Jet Aerial Booster” and that it was made by the Fulton Company in Milwaukee:

As you can see from the following 1950 advertisement, this rocket-shaped accessory fastened to your car antenna and was supposed to improve radio reception. It was available in four colors: red, green, blue and pearl-gray.

This one even has what appears to be the original vinyl streamers. I do wonder if this device actually made the radio stations come in any clearer.

Just for fun, here is the rest of that 1950 advertisement. As someone who grew up where it is blazing hot in the summer, frigid cold in the winter, and with a father who protected his car interiors at all costs, I developed a strong dislike for those awful plastic seat covers.

My Dad’s ’55 Chevy (parked behind my ’78 Mustang). Photo was taken some time in the late 1980s.
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New York Was a Dangerous Place for Pedestrians in 1920

The November 1920 issue of Motordom magazine reported that 173 people had been “run down by motor vehicles” during the month of October alone. Check out the chart that follows, and you will realize that number pales in comparison to some of the previous months.

That same year, a number of media outlets reported that the Chief Clerk of the City Engineering Department in Rochester, New York, had proposed a “Traffic Code for Pedestrians.” I can’t find any evidence that such a person actually existed, and I think maybe the newspapers and magazines that reprinted it fell for a hoax. It is pretty funny, though, especially if you like dark humor. This is how is appeared in 1920, but I will re-type it after the image in case it is difficult to read:

Traffic Code for Pedestrians

Proposed by Eddie C. Wilman, Chief Clerk, City Engineering Department, Rochester, N.Y.

Rule 1 – Pedestrians crossing boulevards at night shall wear a white light in front and a red light in the rear.

Rule 2 – Before turning to the right or the left the pedestrian shall give three short blasts on a horn at least three inches in diameter.

Rule 3 – When an inexperienced driver is made nervous by a pedestrian he shall indicate the same and the pedestrian shall hide behind a tree until the automobile has passed.

Rule 4 – Pedestrians shall not carry in their pockets any substances which when broken will be apt to cut automobile tires.

Rule 5 – In dodging automobiles pedestrians shall not run more than seven miles an hour.

Rule 6 – Pedestrians must register at the beginning of each year and pay a license fee of $5.00.

Rule 7 – Pedestrians will not be allowed to emit cigarette smoke on any boulevard in an offensive and unnecessary manner.

Rule 8 – Each pedestrian before receiving his license to walk upon a boulevard must demonstrate before an examining board his skill in dodging, leaping, crawling, and extricating himself from machinery.

Rule 9 – Pedestrians will be held responsible for all damage done to automobiles or their occupants in collision.

Zomrod at 2018 Cruise Nite in Kearney, Nebraska
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Some Vintage Advertising Brimming with History

This 1920 one-page advertisement for United States Rubber Company’s Royal Cord tires contains so much history:

The text of the advertisement reads:

“Two great aids in the advancement of motor travel –

U.S. ‘Royal Cord’ – the height of perfection in modern tire construction, insuring the traveler ease and riding comfort.

The Modern Hotel – monument of engineering skill – a haven of rest at the journey’s end.

U.S. ‘Royal Cord’ records for long service and dependability are worthy of your consideration.

United States Tires are Good Tires”

The “modern hotel” shown at the center of the picture is the Commodore, named for “Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt and built to service Grand Central Station in New York in 1919 with 2,000 beautiful rooms. The Commodore was renovated by Donald Trump in the 1970s and rebranded a Grand Hyatt. It is now apparently scheduled to be demolished and replaced by something new. United States Rubber was one of the 12 titans of industry that comprised the Dow Jones Industrial Average at its inception in 1896, and the company’s longtime slogan, “United States Tires are Good Tires,” makes an appearance in this particular ad. In the 1960s, the company changed its name to the more familiar name of Uniroyal and became known for its iconic Tiger Paw tires.

This 1964 advertisement references the Pontiac GTO as “the wildest thing in Detroit, ” a tiger that obviously needs tiger paws.
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The “Ruptured Duck” in License Plate Topper Form

During the first half of the last century, license plate toppers were a popular way to show pride in things like your profession, club membership, military service, and the places you lived or visited. The topper pictured above is a representation of the army’s WWII honorable discharge insignia, an eagle perched within a wreath; however, many thought it looked more like a duck. The emblem became popularly known as the “ruptured duck” since it denoted leaving the service and there was a popular saying of the day that went something like, “he was out of there like a ruptured duck.” It was a necessity as servicemen left the service wearing their uniforms, and the insignia let MPs and others know they weren’t AWOL.

Emblem was sewn over the left breast pocket of the uniform.

The symbol was sewn on the uniform, but it was also worn as a gold lapel pin. Newspaper stories from 1945 complained that any “grafter or grifter with the cash” could purchase this token of honorable discharge. Stores were required to obtain a license from the U.S. Army Adjutant General’s office to sell the discharge emblems, and salespeople were supposed to see discharge papers before making the sale, but frequently no attempt was made to determine the service status of the buyer. The limiting dates were September 9, 1939, and December 31, 1946, and some individuals did encounter legal problems by wearing the insignia when they were not entitled to.

By 1947, newspapers were reporting that the ruptured duck would soon be extinct; so many were eligible to wear it that it was no longer seen as a badge of distinction. However, they were apparently still seen on college campuses where eligible bachelors would wear them upside down as a signal to co-eds that they were available and unattached. The ruptured duck also made a comeback in 1949 due to a tightening job market with job applicants using the honorable discharge emblems to get an edge with potential employers.

In regard to license plate toppers like the one shown above, they were being manufactured as early as 1946 as evidenced by this advertisement published in the classifieds section of a Valparaiso newspaper in January of that year:

Sources:

Advertisement. Keene Tire Service. Vidette-Messenger [Valparaiso], 8 Jan 1946, p. 7.

Nial, Major Thomas M. “Ruptured Ducks of Service Men Go Out of Style.” Ogden Standard Examiner, 25 Feb 1949, p, 6A.

“Ruptured Duck in Comeback, DAV Head Says.” Deseret News, 26 Oct 1949, p. A-2.

“Ruptured Duck Wearer Arraigned.” El Paso Times, 1 Mar 1946, p. 11.

“Ruptured Duck Will Soon Be as Extinct as a Dodo.” Newark Advocate, 21 Aug 1947, p. 12.

Whitney, David C. “Non-Vets Join Market for Ruptured Duck. ” Wisconsin State Journal, 16 Dec 1945, p. 12.

1956 Cadillac with a Holdrege, Nebraska topper
1954 Ford with a House of Yesterday (museum) topper
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The Liberty Lens, Manufactured by the Macbeth-Evans Glass Company

It never ceases to amaze me how many glass headlight lenses have managed to survive the rough-and-tumble of the last one hundred years or so. We purchased a large box of such lenses the other day, and two of them were marked “Liberty Lens” with patent dates of 1914 and 1920.

They were manufactured by Macbeth-Evans, a glass company that formed in 1899 when three separate companies combined. That move gave the new entity control of the five largest “lamp chimney” factories in the United States. Like all manufacturers, Macbeth-Evans had to adjust with the changing times, and that included the manufacturing of lenses for automobiles.

States were enacting laws in the teens and twenties regarding headlight glare and acceptable lenses, and Macbeth-Evans wasn’t afraid to use fear of law enforcement as a marketing tool. The advertisement below declares, “State Highway patrols will accost all motorists whose lights do not comply with the new law. Everybody violating the new law will be subject to arrest, a $25 fine, or 5 days’ imprisonment.”

The Liberty lenses were flat with “seven horizontal and six vertical prisms” that controlled and distributed the light, free from glare.

These lenses were available for any motorist to purchase, but, according to these advertisements, they also came as standard equipment on some makes. This ad from 1923 specifically mentions Studebaker:

This advertisement from 1920 enumerates the many different makes that utilized Liberty lenses as standard equipment, including Packard and Nash, so you might keep an eye out for a pair if you own one of the automobiles on this list:

1918 Case Six with a Liberty Lens on the passenger side. This car is located at Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska.
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Story of Burkett’s Ride: Automobile Goes on the Warpath and Creates a Sensation in Nebraska Town

This dramatic headline appeared over an article in the Omaha Daily News about a trip made by H. E. Fredrickson into Blair, Nebraska, in his new steam-powered automobile in October of 1900. The story, slightly edited, goes something like this:

Undertaker H. K. Burkett had impressed Fredrickson and his automobile into service to get to Blair on an urgent call, inasmuch as he could not catch a train until much later in the day.

Fredrickson deposited Burkett at the place where he wanted to go and then went downtown to snatch a bite to eat. He stopped his vehicle before the eating place and forgot to hitch it. The sight of the horseless wagon naturally attracted a whole lot of attention, and before long five-sixths of the population was gathered about it.

“By gum, this yere’s a funny wagon,” remarked a prominent citizen as he stored a hunk of tobacco in his face. “Where do you suppose he hitches his mules?”

This interesting topic was being discussed with gusto when the automobile gave vent to a snort of steam. Most of the crowd drew back, but the bolder spirits held their ground. “Gee whiz, Bill, the buggy’s on fire,” yelled one of them. “Go call the fire company.”

He went closer to the vehicle to investigate and accidentally struck the propelling lever. The machine started and the investigator grabbed hold of it to stop it, but it pulled him along.

“Hully gee, help,” yelled he when he had been pulled some thirty feet down the road. During the whole performance up to this time, the crowd had stood rooted to the spot with their eyes sticking out of their heads. The yell awakened a dozen sturdy men, however, and they started off in pursuit of the mobile and its victim.

Half of them grabbed hold of the wheels and tried to pull it to a stop. The other half went to the front and pushed against it. The latter were run over for their pains, inasmuch as the automobile persisted in going ahead.

It was a moment of great excitement, and Fredrickson, attracted by the hubbub, rushed out from the restaurant. He saw his mobile jauntily sailing down the road with the mob of men clinging to it and sized up the situation in a moment. He touched only the high spots in pursuit and meanwhile yelled, “Pull back the lever. Pull back the lever!”

Somebody heard him and yanked back the lever. He, however, pulled it back too far. The mobile halted for just an instant and then backed suddenly, throwing a half a dozen men to the ground and running over them. A score grabbed hold of the machine again, while the rest of the crowd stood in the middle of the road trying to stop it with upraised arms and jumping up and down. The mobile paid no attention to them, and Fredrickson was about ready to bid it adieu when it suddenly ran up against a store and came to a halt. No damage had been done to the machine, but half a dozen Blair citizens believed that they had broken arms or legs until a physician told them they were all right.

A shudder ran through Fredrickson when he was relating his experience upon his arrival in this city. “For a few minutes, I was mighty glad that I had an undertaker with me,” he declared.

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American Pickers at Pioneer Village

The episode of American Pickers that documented their visit to Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska, finally aired last night. The entire episode was dedicated to this spectacular museum located just a dozen miles south of I-80, and it was really decent of the show to use their platform to give a boost to this local treasure.

This Ford Model K was featured during the episode. I wrote about this car a few years ago, and, if you want to know more, you can read about it here: Ford Model K – American Car Historian

This car is located in the main building at Pioneer Village, as are many others, but there is so much more. There are, I believe, four other buildings packed full of automotive history. You will find more Ford, GM and MoPar products than you’ve likely seen in one place. You will also find a plethora of Packards, Studebakers and more unusual things like a Marmon Roosevelt and a Sears All-State. Seriously, if you are the type of person that has motor oil coursing through your veins, you need to plan a vacation around a visit to this place.

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The Fords Tell Their Plans for 1939

The above advertisement featuring Henry and Edsel Ford appeared in November of 1938. It concludes by saying, “With new cars, new plants, new equipment, the whole Ford organization is geared to go forward.” The “new cars” referenced were the first Mercury 8, as well as two new Fords that were “better cars and better looking” for 1939. Presiding over the design of these cars was Bob Gregorie, the man Edsel had put in charge of Ford’s first separate design department in 1935. That was a smart move considering the beautiful automobiles produced by Ford Motor Company in the thirties and forties. Gregorie bookended his time at Ford with boat design, and you can see how that experience influenced the streamlined Ford Motor products during his years with the company.

This ’39 Ford Deluxe was designed to “share a family likeness with the Lincoln Zephyr.” It was streamlined, with a deep hood unbroken by hood side louvers, a low radiator grille and teardrop-shaped headlamps set into the fenders. The radiator ornament extended vertically downward to conceal the hood handle.

The steel bodies of the Ford Deluxe were offered in six colors (Black, Jefferson Blue, Dartmouth Green, Cloud Mist Gray, Folkestone Gray, and Coach Maroon Bright) and six body types, including convertible coupe, convertible sedan, Tudor and Fordor sedans, a station wagon and, of course, the coupe:

Two engines were available in ’39, the “thrifty” 60-hp and the 85-hp found in the Deluxe:

The following page is taken from the Ford brochure. Notice the last sentence which specifies that a rumble seat is standard equipment for the Deluxe convertible coupe. This marked the end of an era, for it would be the last time Ford offered a rumble seat.