The Cat's Meowww

[larryconnors]

I just hooked up the hood ornament light on my P15 so that lights with the headlight low beams. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the lighted hood ornament. When you drive you feel like the hood ornament is leading the way and you're following it. I know I'm the only one on my block with a lighted hood ornament. What was the heyday of lighted hood ornaments and what cars had them?

[Young Ed]

Where what how did you get it lighted up? I've been meaning to do that to mine but haven't gotten to it yet.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed for 5.00 I will tell you where to buy a 3.00 light that is a direct mount to the hood ornament for a perfect fit and nice warm glow...(correct answers cost you know...lol)

[Dodgeb4ya]

The original light kit was a narrow 3-4" long piece of metal with a cheap bulb socket on the end. If I had a P-15 and wanted one , in an hour it would be done and lit up. Nothing to them.

[Plymouthy Adams]

long ago I posted the aftermarket lighting kit common to the era....like Bob said, it is really a nothing thing to make...wiring is simple you have the option of running it off parking circuit, low beam or even high beam as another forward indicator that you have the bright lights on..different colored bulb/bulb covers (yes they are available) will allow you to match your body décor..

[pflaming]

I believe the Indian head on the Pontiac lit up on the '50/s models. Don't recall any others.

[Don Coatney]

I simply wedged a 2 pin 2 wire aftermarket light socket into the nose piece. It has never fallen out.

[knuckleharley]

Anybody else remember the big chrome swans with the lighted wings that J.C.Whitney used to sell? The wings lit up in a choice of colors,but for some reason pink seemed to be the most popular,followed by blue and purple.

 

Or at least that's the way it was in the black neighborhood adjoining the neighborhood where I lived in Virginia Beach,Va in the 50's and 60's.

 

Never saw one on a car being driven by a white man..

[Oldguy48]

I just mounted a white LED in mine.  My P15 is now 12 volt, but 6 volt varieties are available too.

 

Wayne

[Plymouthy Adams]

I know where there are two of these still new in box...one is red and the other is amber or yellow..cannot really recall..sort of a imitation of the Packard Cormorant...Packard was not a swan those most folks think it is..

[greg g]

I believe mine cost me $1.79 with the bulb included.  GM soft plastic side marker bulb holder and bulb.  Its a 12V amber bulb that on 6v is not overpowering.  Powered it from the coil ign terminal.  Just squeezed it in and wired it up.  I will send you an invoice for the advice, and no I don;t have the part number.

[Mark Haymond]

Cheap thrill. I enjoy the little lamp in my P-15 hood ornament, it is one more thing that sets it apart from other cars on the road. I wired mine to the toggle switch that controls the instrument panel lamps.

[Niel Hoback]

   My hood ornament light is powered from the switch side of the coil. That way I can enjoy it all the time.  I had  49 & 50 Desotos with lit up Hernandoes, also some 50-54 Pontiacs with amber chiefs on their hoods.  

[wayfarerstranger]

I have a flash light duck taped to by hood ornament /

[TodFitch]

I have a flash light duck taped to by hood ornament /

 

So, are you related to Red Green?

[BobT-47P15]

They also made an Indian head ornament with full headdress that lit up.............aftermarket item.

There were other lighted ornaments, but I don't recall what some of them were now.

 

I hooked my P15 ornament light to low beam headlights.  However, I put an allligator clip on the end

of the connector wire..........that way I can change the hookup and turn on the light by itself at a night

time car show or cruise-in.  

[Plymouthy Adams]

don't forget the jester thumbing his nose at the world

[GlennCraven]

   My hood ornament light is powered from the switch side of the coil. That way I can enjoy it all the time.  I had  49 & 50 Desotos with lit up Hernandoes, also some 50-54 Pontiacs with amber chiefs on their hoods.  

 

I long for a DeSoto with a light-up Hernando. 

[old rat 49]

Took mine out of a trailer side marker light. It had a long metal strip that had a hole for the forward mounting screw and looked like the original. A slight bend and it fit great. Wired it to high beam switch so it does double duty.

[casper50]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-light-up-head-bulldog-hood-ornament-/181329956195?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a381b8d63

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1947-PLYMOUTH-LIGHT-UP-HOOD-ORNAMENT-Free-Shipping-/271404924300?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f30fe7d8c&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Aftermarket-Lighted-Hood-Ornament-12V-Ford-Chevrolet-1955-1956-1957-1958-up-/141195842492?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20dfed93bc&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1947-48-Plymouth-Rare-Automobile-Chrome-Plastic-Light-Up-Hood-Ornament-/360760511867?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53ff008d7b

[Dan Hiebert]

The earlier post war Hudsons (46 and 47 that I know for sure) had the white triangle in the Hudson emblem hood ornament light up.  My Grandpa told stories about being extra careful when driving around town (Centralia, IL) at night when they saw that white triangle on the car behind them, because the city PD used Hudsons.

[Plymouthy Adams]

to my understanding, the triangle that is in the grille..does not light up..the hood ornament however did light up...but then..they had a couple different model and I may not know this unit..

[steveplym]

The earlier post war Hudsons (46 and 47 that I know for sure) had the white triangle in the Hudson emblem hood ornament light up.  My Grandpa told stories about being extra careful when driving around town (Centralia, IL) at night when they saw that white triangle on the car behind them, because the city PD used Hudsons.

 

Centralia, IL huh?  I go there for work quite often.  Not a bad town. 

 

Staying on topic I need to do this for my car too.  Probably going to wire mine to a toggle switch to turn it on and off when I want to. 

[pflaming]

 My hood ornament light is powered from the switch side of the coil. That way I can enjoy it all the time.  I wonder if one could put lights in the eyes of the Ram's head. Then I could wire them to the coil and since I'm getting hard of hearing, I would know if the engine was running.   

[casper50]

Just for you Paul

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAM-Head-w-Lighted-Eyes-HOOD-ORNAMENT-Heavy-Chrome-Metal-NEW-Dodge-or-/390772423230?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5afbd9fa3e&vxp=mtr