Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Lomerc1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 14

Hello from a new member.
I am restoring a 1931 Rolls and would like some advise regarding the Lucas 1130 Bulleye side lights which are fitted to the car and need restoring. What would be correct for this age car as I have also bought 2 others at a swap meet and although they all look the same they are all different. One of the ones on the car has a red Lucas name badge on the top, the rim has a screw on top to hold it on and the back of the bullseye lens ( cracked) is cloudy. The other one on the car has a chrome Lucas badge on top and it also has a spring loaded reflector inside, the front rim does not require a screw in it to hold it on and it has a clear bullseye lens (also cracked). The two others have chrome badges on top but no reflector inside and not bullseye type lenses.
Any advise would be appreciated
Thanks

David

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh

Hi David,

Welcome to the forum.

I can't advise you but you might be able to get the advice you seek from http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/hodge?opendocument&part=6

See also: http://www.completeautomobilist.com/parts/lamps+head+spot+side+rear/side/

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4104 Location: South Cheshire

Hi David and welcome to the forum.

Had a look in the Lucas Master Parts List 1930-1939, unfortunately in the vehicle section Rolls are not listed so no specific answer, however below is the page with side lights on if this is any help.

Cheers Dave

Lomerc1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 14

Peter & Dave, Thank you for the replies.

Peter, I will contact these people and see what they know about the lights

Dave, Great to see the Lucas equipment sheet. The lights I have are the chrome plated 1130A lights shown and it would appear from the picture on the sheet that they have the lens fixing screw on top like one of mine has. They would not be listed as Rolls Royce equipment as Rolls only supplied the headlamps. All other lights etc would have been supplied by the Coachbuilder which in this case was H.J Mulliner.

David

Glenn Crawford · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Dorset, SW England

David, before you go to any expense getting the 1130 lamps restored, do a little research because I believe that this pattern of light was not introduced until about 4 years after your car was made. Prior to the 1130 design which bolted flat to the top of the wing, I think Lucas sidelights tended to be like miniature self-standing headlamps, similar to those shown in the second row of UKDave's wonderful Lucas book.

This theory is based on my observation of Riley cars (about which I know somewhat more than I do about R-R!) but the sidelights they fitted changed from self-standing to 1130 style during the 1934 model year - I believe. (Happy to be proved wrong!)

If you want your restoration to be faithful to the original you might need to dig a little deeper.

traction39 · Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 399 Location: South Wales

Were Rotax sidelights and headlamps used on earlier Riley's?
_________________
Alistair

Citroen Light 15 1953, "12" 1939,
Riley 9 Special 1932

Glenn Crawford · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Dorset, SW England

Yes they were, but as time went on the Rotax components became almost indistinguishable from the Lucas ones - I don't know the history but I imagine that one company might have acquired the other's products, or made them under licence. But I'm guessing now and am open to correction and/or abuse for getting it wrong!

Lomerc1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 14

Glenn, Thanks for the input. I believe that the 1130 lights were avalible by 1931 as I have a some photos of Rolls Royces from that time period fitted with these lights and also some with the standing lights as you described. I'll try to add a few photos to this post which show the different ones

David

Lomerc1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 14

I'll try those photos again again

David

Glenn Crawford · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Dorset, SW England

Glad you persevered with the photos, WHAT a motor! Well worth taking every care over restoring it.

Having re-read your original posting, may I offer an opinion on the various lights you've accumulated: I have never seen an 1130 with a spring-loaded reflector or indeed a reflector of any sort, neither have I seen one with a bulls-eye lens (I assume you mean glass which is a lens, flat one side and convex the other), and I think those may be the oldest. The newest would be those with no reflector and with curved but not bulls-eye lens, and these are commonly found on cars of the 1940s and 1950s (and available as new reproduction lights from various sources).

This may all be complicated by the likelihood of parts such as red and chrome medallions and different types of lens being interchangeable, and possibly having been swapped about over the years to repair damage.

Mr Lucas was fond of stamping date codes (usually month/year) in inaccessible places - if you look hard you might find some evidence of this.

Jim.Walker · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield