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Getting ready for spring


Todd B

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Forgive me for forgetting, but do you have the old mechanical semaphore turn signal arm on the truck? I recall a few trucks of about that vintage around when I was a child that still had those.

 

My understanding is that they are not legal now, at least being used as the turn signal, but if you have regular turn signal lights it seems like you could get away with having one.

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I never seen one of those.  Looks like someone was being creative.  I believe that is for when a cop approached your truck not a side marker.

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Todd B, on 10 Jun 2014 - 4:57 PM, said:

I never seen one of those.  Looks like someone was being creative.  I believe that is for when a cop approached your truck not a side marker.

 

Actually...these are very much a take off on what the English used in the 50's 60's and are called trafficators..on the export models to the US they were blanked over with a cover panel and the electrical is not installed...

 

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0LEV1rFfZdTq3QAMBxXNyoA?p=english+trafficators&fr=yfp-t-901&fr2=piv-web

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I think I've seen ads for them in some of my 1920s and 30s automotive trade magazines.

 

As I understand it, it often was not possible to see the truck driver's arm when they were hand signaling turns so they used devices like these to show the old hand signals further out from the cab. The neighbor's big truck that I remember as a child had a lever in the cab connected to the arm and it had at least two positions it could be set too, one straight out for left turns and one up for right turns.

 

It could well be that they were all aftermarket accessories. Or it could be that they were required in some states but not others.

 

Here is a slightly set of them all different from one another which suggests multiple manufacturers:

1936%20chevrolet%20leo%201.jpg

3313263650_235538b255_z.jpg

434271-681-0.jpg?rev=2

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  • 4 years later...

Old topic but,

 

I would love to see Semifore ( spelling seems to be either with a or a i )  signal used in some of trucks and cars, just ones already modified as stock is Great!

 

New one with flashing bulbs are available with a search on these.

 

DJ

Semaphore Signal Arm.html

automotive semifore - Google Search.html

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A European thing, but I think that there would a big talking point on old American cars and trucks that are already modified, Just me!  ?

 

DJ

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