Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-16-2020, 11:30 AM   #1
rfitzpatrick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Coral Springs, Florida
Posts: 547
Default Cowl Lites

Did the model A Driver really use cowl-lites -- or where they there to be seen?
Certaintly not today's driving
rfitzpatrick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2020, 11:45 AM   #2
Bob Bidonde
Senior Member
 
Bob Bidonde's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,429
Default Re: Cowl Lites

I am a Model "A" driver, and I use my cowl lights as turn signals and as running lights near dusk. I have a friend that turns his cowl lights on for all daytime driving.
However, I think you are asking if the cowl lights were used by drivers when the Model A was a new car. I don't think you will find many original Model A owners to answer your question.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Bob & Kathy @ Gilgo Beach w LO 570kb.jpg (85.8 KB, 17 views)
__________________
Bob Bidonde
Bob Bidonde is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 02-16-2020, 12:45 PM   #3
DBrer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Washington
Posts: 175
Default Re: Cowl Lites

I also use my cowl lights as turn signals.
DBrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2020, 05:06 PM   #4
barnstuf
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Cape Cod MA
Posts: 2,840
Default Re: Cowl Lites

The original purpose of cowl lights was as parking lights.If your Model A was new and was a Standard model it had parking lights in the headlights. They were not intended to be a driving light.
barnstuf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2020, 05:24 PM   #5
Garagekulture13
Senior Member
 
Garagekulture13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 179
Default Re: Cowl Lites

My cowl lights illuminate my Motometer tempt gauge. Without them on I can not see what temp I'm running at.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Garagekulture13 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2020, 06:44 PM   #6
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,367
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Laws required parking lamps to be on more in certain states depending on where the car was parked.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2020, 06:53 PM   #7
whirnot
Senior Member
 
whirnot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Bend Or.
Posts: 1,053
Default Re: Cowl Lites

It depended on the model. Some models had two bulb headlights, with parking lights in the headlights. Others had cowl lights, and single bulb headlights.
__________________
Bill Worden

1929 Roadster
1929 Briggs Town Sedan
1930 Closed Cab pickup
Smith Motor Compressor
1951 Ford F1

High Desert Model A's
whirnot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2020, 09:22 AM   #8
desotoguy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Greenwood SC
Posts: 293
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Don't think a driver could see past the front bumper with the original cowl lights on a dark night. That said I bet some nut tried it.
desotoguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2020, 01:00 PM   #9
katy
Senior Member
 
katy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 5,004
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Quote:
The original purpose of cowl lights was as parking lights.
Ditto
__________________
If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!.
Got my education out behind the barn!
katy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2020, 01:08 PM   #10
aford193031
Member
 
aford193031's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Pearland, Texas
Posts: 85
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Parking lights is what I have heard in the past. I have always wondered how many people parked their car and left the parking lights on. Battery drain?
aford193031 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2020, 02:53 PM   #11
Tudortomnz
Senior Member
 
Tudortomnz's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Canterbury, New Zealand
Posts: 1,242
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Just about all countries in the world had laws that required cars to have lighting when parked. Often in those days, streets were not illuminated well like today. Probably to avoid other moving vehicles driving into parked vehicles at dusk etc.
All modern cars still have them, so the laws still exist. I use them if dull or misty during the early morning but most modern drivers just use headlamps. It is not illegal to have them on [ parking lights] when driving.
Tudortomnz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2020, 06:30 PM   #12
updraught
Senior Member
 
updraught's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,966
Default Re: Cowl Lites

I read somewhere that in the early days of motoring the lamps near the windscreen were called opera lamps, and were different colours so you could find your car after returning from the opera.
Anyone old enough and sophisticated enough to remember?
updraught is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 02:13 PM   #13
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,367
Default Re: Cowl Lites

Modern cars use 4-way flashers. They didn't have the technology for that back in the day so park lights were the norm up until the 1960s. If your 4-ways crap out then you still have park lights. It's better than not being seen at all.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:44 AM.