1936 Hudson Fender Lights

Browniepetersen

Looking for a set of fender lights for a friend. Anyone out there that has a pair they can spare? You can contact me at: browniepetersen@readytek.net



thanks

Richard E.

These are extremely rare items. They were used '34 - '36. I am in the process of having new bases cast and these should be ready in a couple of months (I got behind over the holiday.) I have managed to find 5 good light bodies, which are spun brass, nobody is currently producing these. However a guy in Australia was for awhile?? K-Gap had a plastic replacement lens for these, but I bought the last 4 that they had. I don't know if they plan to get anymore. I know a member of HET who has an original glass lens and he has been searching swap meets for more like it, so far with no success. I plan on having 10 sets of bases cast and they are all spoken for. So I will end up with a set for my '36T and 3 extra complete lights when I am finished. HET member Carl Webber believes that this same light was used on another '30's era car, maybe Buick?? You might ask him. He told me that it took him 8 years to find a pair for his '35H cv, and he attends a lot of car swap meets. Good luck, or check back with me around May!!

Park_W

A couple of years ago I attended the big British automotive flea market at the Beaulieu event, down near Southampton. There were several vendors selling (new) lights very similar to the '34'36 Hudson ones. Same size, similar lamp housing, and similar base design. Some of these would be good substitutes for the Hudson originals.

PAULARGETYPE

BROWNIE I JUST TALKED WITH CARL WEBER YESTERDAY AND HE TELLS ME JIM DiGIORGIO FROM MASS. IS LOOKING IN TO HAVING SOME MADE UP HERE IS HIS EMAIL ADDRESS HE WILL BE GETTING AN EMAIL FROM ME ALSO I WANT A PAIR OR 2 1934hudson@charter.net

Jon B

It's a long shot, but you might try Classic Accessories' website http://www.classicaccessories.org/ and scroll down to COWL AND FENDER LAMPS. All his stuff tends to be expensive, I think, but you might find something that would at least "pass" for the real thing until it comes along....

[Deleted User]

BROWNIE,



Do as Paul mentioned, call Jim DiGiorgio. He has a set of lights but will only trade for a 1934 Dealer catalog.(he has a beautiful 1934 convertible). They are the Holy Grail of Hudson accessories, I looked for years to find a set. Good luck.

Richard E.

Jon, I think that I have chimed in on classic accessories before, the guy is impossible to deal with. I have exchanged much email correspondence with him and even had an appointment to meet with him in Santa Barbara (he was a no show.) I finally gave up. It seems that most of the stuff that he lists resides in deceased people's estates and is hard to access for various reasons. He does have a near complete '38cv that he is looking for parts for and I believe that he is also a member of HET and formerly from the North East, Carl Webber knew him??

Jon B

Yes, I just checked and apparently he is an H-E-T member, living in Calif. (Didn't realize that until just now.) In the early 1970's he lived in Orange, Connecticut and was dealing in antique cars and parts; I looked at a '35 Dodge convertible he had for sale but later opted to spend the same $500 on a Terraplane convertible from someone else (the rest is history, etc. etc....).



I did phone him 2-3 years ago, out of the blue, and had a nice conversation with him (about the old days) but have never actually attempted to buy parts from him so am not in a postion to either confirm or deny what you say!

essexcoupe3131

Hi Brownie, keep on eye on this guy at Vintage auto http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Auto-Parts-Inc__W0QQ_sasiZ1QQ_sidZ3550963?_nkw=head+light+glass&submit=Search



He has Essex and Hudson glass off and on, currently has 27-28 28-29

and 38 Essex/Hudson glass



I brought some new lenses for the 31 couple weeks ago 1 was absolutely perfect and 1 had a scratch on it but these were just for spares in case I needed them



Mike

Browniepetersen

Thanks to all for your help. I am in the process of looking for a friend. The lights on my Hudson are near to perfect. I rechromed them and got a set of the plastic lense from K-Gap so I am good. I was having a hard time finding lenses for them and was considering using those from a 32 Chevrolet. They are easy to find and not that expensive. I even took my lights down to a friends house to compare them. They would be wrong, but they would have worked until I could find a set. Anyway, I am good. I picked up the driving lights for $20.00 on eBay. they turned out quite good. My friend is still looking however. Here is an inprocess photo. Put in the windshield today.....

PAULARGETYPE

Brownie where did you get the horns? I'm looking for a set for my 34 hudson sedan

Browniepetersen

PAULARGETYPE wrote:

Brownie where did you get the horns? I'm looking for a set for my 34 hudson sedan

Paul, I was lucky that the car was 99 percent complete when I got it. It was totally disassembled and the wood was shot, but all the parts were there except the driving lights. Naturally, the lights had been converted to seal beam, the electrical wipers and horns do not work and there were various other things to contend with, but working with a complete car with no rust (aluminum body pannels over ash wood frame) is new to me and a very pleasing experience. There are a few of those parts that need to be replaced that it will take a few years to find the right stuff, but it will be presentable by late spring... (I love retirement!!)

[Deleted User]

Hi, first time logging in. I have located a source to manufacture a mold and manufacture EXACT glass copies of the fender lamp lenses used on '34-'36 Hudsons & Terraplanes. The tooling is quite expensive and they will require a minimum order of 100 lenses. The tooling and lenses will be made in the good old USA. They will be exact copies of the OEM lenses. Let me know if interested as I'm trying to decide if this is a feasible project. Thanks, Jim

[Deleted User]

this is the lense...

onerare39

Brownie,

It looks like it's coming together nicely.



John

Richard E.

That is the lense alright, where do I sign up for some?

Richard E.

Brownie, Your car is fabulous!

Browniepetersen

Lense looks the same. Your base is sure different than mine. Were they different year from year? Any idea on the cost of the class lense.....

Jon B

Should worse come to worse, the lenses can be make in clear acrylic much cheaper (I think) than the glass. Obviously, the "real thing" is desirable, but in a pinch, the acrylics would hold the fort, until the real thing came along...

PAULARGETYPE

Jon a plastic lens is made by kgap already but they don't hold a candle to a real glass lens jim as i told you on the pone put me down for 2 sets thats 4 lenes good luck on the project



brownie same light 34,35,36 just like jims

Browniepetersen

I looked mine over and you are right. They are the same light. Since the folks at Coachcraft did the build I have noticed that there are a lot of things that I thought would be Hudson made and are not.

PAULARGETYPE

I spoke with some packard guys and i think i'm going to have some 334,35,36 hudson fender lights made up they already make the base i can buy that and i'll have the upper light shell spun out of brass i'm working on the reflector and the inner light parts i'm just thinking how many should i have made

Browniepetersen

I cut up a couple of plastic flashlights that I picked up at the dollar store for my reflectors so if you make a set of these I'd love to get something more original with the springs and all....

[Deleted User]

Hi all, I'm collecting names of those that are interested in lens for the '34-'36 fender lamps. Cost will be $50.00 per lens. The mold is very expensive: $2,000 to $3,000 so, before I commit $$$ I want to make sure there is sufficient interest.



If you need 'em and are not happy with the plastic copies that are out there - send me a note. My contact info is in the latest WTN (this issues Classified section or, see the 1934 H & T Registry listing).



Jim

[Deleted User]

Hi all,

Just a quick update on the 34-36 Fender Lamp lenses... if you have not heard, I went ahead with the project and received the first batch of 100 lenses last month. I've shipped 60+ lenses in the past 4 weeks and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive - these lenses are EXACT copies of those originally used by the factory on fender lamps.



If you are interested in purchasing these lenses - the price is $50/each plus shipping.



I do not plan to run another batch (unless demand dictates) so, if you want a pair - don't wait!

Jim

dholck

I know this thread is 8 years old, but I note people out there are looking for 34 - 36 fender lights even now in 2018.  We see here that bases were made - saw them in WTN for sale for awhile, and that glass lenses were made.  As the "Holy Grail" of accessory parts, it is curious that nobody is reproducing these. Seems like it would be a money-making endeavor. 
I guess I really lucked out to find a pair a couple years ago on EBay for $600-ish.

lostmind

A pair of new 36 buick ? lights was on AACA for $100Looked like they would work , although not original

bob ward

The Packard side light base from that era is very very similar I'm told.

As to re-making the whole sidelight I had a look at this a while ago and it just got too expensive. If someone had a workshop geared to this sort of work, i.e. metal spinning and metal pressing/stamping and spring making, and the associated skills, and was willing to put a free week or 2 into making the various dies and fixtures the price could come down.

But even after a free tooling set up I could still see an hour per item plus materials plus plating, so maybe $150 or $200 per item. PLUS a glass from Jim diGiorgio if he still has any PLUS a base.
$600 for a good pair on eBay is starting to look cheap

barrysweet52

I have for sale a pair of KGap lens for a 1936 - bought by mistake. I reply only to HETozhudson@gmail.com.  Delete the HET

dholck

I see your point, I guess. You'd have to have enough expressions of interest and then see how much people are willing to pay.  It just seemed like people are wanting them all the time - described as "extremely rare items" and "the Holy Grail of Hudson accessories" it seemed like they would be popular. 
There was a single beat-up 34-36 fender light on EBay for $999 - price then lowered to $499!
Somebody needs something and reproductions get made, but then go away. So if somebody makes reproductions you can use, you should get one - DO NOT WAIT.
I'm glad I have spare 34 Terraplane hood ornaments, spare taillight housings, and had a set of 34 fender skirt emblems (sold through the HET club store at one time) for 20 or 30 years before I finally got the original-type (curved) reproduction fender skirts.