1940 and up information on Autolite Sealed Beam headlight bulbs and Autolite Bullseye bulbs

[desoto1939]

I am trying to create a power point presentation that reference the change over from the single 6v prefocused bulbs over to the sealed beam bulbs.

 

I do know that in 1940 - 1955 or 56 the sealed beam did not have the three alignment tips and these tips started around 1956

 

I do know that the bulbs from 1940-1953 did not have the tips and most of these bulbs were a number 4030.

 

Do know that Autolite also produced these 6volt sealed beams without the tips upto 1948 and then from 1949-approx 1956 they used the Autolite Bulsseye bulb as the standard bulb that was installed on the MoPar cars.

 

So i am trying to get any documentation that anyon emight have as to what was the standard Autolite bulb used from 1940-48.

 

Also do notice that on som eof the Autolite sealed bulbs  there are different numbers used that are at the top at 12 oclock and thes e numbers do change over time.

 

So do they correspond to specific years of manufacturer.

 

Also known fact is that the 6 sealed beams that we get today are the 6006 with the dual filament but these have the three alignment tabs.  If they are used on a 1940-19556/56 and the car is being judged then these are not correct becasue of the alignment tabs were not used during this time fram.

 

Any help would be appreciated and or any literature would be apprciated. I will pay for shipping and copy costs.

 

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Young Ed]

I've got an original bulb out of my 48 if that will help any. It's stamped in ink 1948 on the back within a few days of my coupes build date

[Dodgeb4ya]

My 1948 Chrysler has original Corcoran Brown headlamps.

[greg g]

The official name for the aligning points on sealed beams was "gizmos" .  Heard that somewhere within the last couple days. 

 

Maybe do a dark room test to ascertain if there was a real advantage to the bullse Eye or if they were just marketing..  A photo of the patterns on a white sheet on low beams  at 20 ft for comparison  sake, of all the variants would be neat.

 

Wonder why bulls eyes went away if they were supposedly superior to their regularly lensed contemporaries.  Or did the feds get involved to standardize light beams and patterns thereby banning them?

 

My father was always complaining about the headlights in his 60 Dart.  These would have been 12 v standard sealed beam 4 bulb set up..  His complaint was that the low beams were inadequate and the high beams too bright for driving on the new interstates as you couldn't use highs in moderate traffic with a car in front.  At 65 you were to close to the car ahead, but low beams didn't project far enough for safey at that speed.  This compared to his 54 6v Dodge with what might have been bullseyes. 

 

I do recall he added what he called passing beam auxiliary lights to the 54 which he used instead of high beams on the newly being built interstates and turnpikes as he said they illuminated the shoulders and exit ramps better than sealed beams, and could be used  at highway speed without blinding the car in front. 

 

 

[chrysler1941]

On 9/23/2021 at 1:00 PM, desoto1939 said:

So i am trying to get any documentation that anyon emight have as to what was the standard Autolite bulb used from 1940-48.

Am I the only one not understanding your question? You state you know they had sealed beam from 1940-53, so what do you mean by standard Auto-Lite bulb 1940-48?

[desoto1939]

4 hours ago, chrysler1941 said:

Am I the only one not understanding your question? You state you know they had sealed beam from 1940-53, so what do you mean by standard Auto-Lite bulb 1940-48?

From 1940-48 Autolite produced 6 volt 7 inch round headlight bulbs. In 49 to 56 they used the Bullet Style bulbs.  Does anyone have any documnetation or catalogs that cover the Autolite bulbs from 1940-48.  I see that there are different numbers stammped on the lens of these bulbs.

 

My Atlas catalog states that there replacement bulb was a 4030 bulb so trying to document what wa the correct autolite bulb number or if there is any information on this topic.

 

Most peole use the 6006 6v volt dual filament bulb from 1940-56  but that is not the correct bulb becasue these 6006 have the alignment tips and they did not start using them until 1956 on car.

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Dodgeb4ya]

Here are a couple pics of Corcoran head lamp bugs that came on at least the 1946-48 MoPar cars...probably back to 1941...

Says "Corcoran Brown" at the bottom. Sorry on picture rotation...cannot fix.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Dodgeb4ya

[Bryan G]

I don't recall ever stumbling upon any Autolite bulbs; I did have some 50's vintage NOS Eveready sealed beams made by GE. The packaging promoted that they were "the headlight with the built-in spotlight" but I could never figure out what they were getting at. The lens looked normal to me.

[chrysler1941]

14 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Sorry on picture rotation...cannot fix.

Don't worry, gave me a reason to lie on couch to be able to read it

You're correct, started in 1941. Bear in mind all exports to Europe did not have sealed beams as mentioned in an earlier post.

[desoto1939]

Here is some more information to evenmake it more confusing:

 

On ebay there are tow Autolite Bullseye 6 v headlight bubs. One has the number 796 and th eother has 816 that is stamped  or even part of the glass lens at the very top of the bulb.  So what do these number means. Anyone have any information on why you see different number on the lens.

 

Both bulbs are the Autolite Bullseye bulbs.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

 

 

 

[greg g]

Here are some pics of my stash.  One is nib nos, so not breaking the seal.  The other is just the box with 6006 sealed beam.  Now, .I gotta look for the other ieebullseye..

[greg g]

The tung sol labeled one is 6006, same as most auto parts places 6v 7 inch bulb. But prominent is the spot light low beam label.

[Ivan_B]

Is anyone able to enlighten me about what were the OEM lights on the 1940 cars (make and model)? It looks like my Ply has two different later-style GE lights. The images in the user's manual are too small and it does not list the manufacturer

I assume that using the separate bulb/reflector type lights from 38-39 should also work?

[Young Ed]

Not sure on a 40 but the P15s used Corcoran brown bulbs. They look more similar to a modern bulb than the bullseye lights but still without the alignment pips

[Ivan_B]

Like the one posted by Dodgeb4ya 7 posts up?

Thus far, Tung Sol 6006 seem to be the only "reasonably vintage" replacements, readily available 🤔

Edited September 4 by Ivan_B

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

Like the one posted by Dodgeb4ya 7 posts up?

Thus far, Tung Sol 6006 seem to be the only "reasonably vintage" replacements, readily available 🤔

Yes but now that I said that I am questioning if that was true across the lineup. Somewhere at home I have an original to my 48 bulb. It's got a date stamped on the back that is within a few days of my build date. 

[Ivan_B]

1 hour ago, Young Ed said:

I am questioning if that was true across the lineup.

I see. Well, at this point, I am probably interested in at least getting something from the 40s-50s. Since I cannot find the OEM, and do not even know what the OEM was 🤣

Thus far, the TS 6006 appears to be more vintage than the GE, what ever the number is, available for sale.

[desoto1939]

On 9/4/2024 at 5:23 PM, Ivan_B said:

I see. Well, at this point, I am probably interested in at least getting something from the 40s-50s. Since I cannot find the OEM, and do not even know what the OEM was 🤣

Thus far, the TS 6006 appears to be more vintage than the GE, what ever the number is, available for sale.

The 1940 -48 Headlight bulbs did not have the aiming tits. The correct bulb number was 4030 for MoPar's

Then in 1949-55 they all used the Autolight Bullseye bulbs still 6v with no aiming tits.

 

Then in 1956 the headlight manufacturers starting making the 6006 dual filament 6v bulbs with the aiming tits.

 

Pre 1956 mopar should be either using the Autolite Bulls eye bulbs or the 4030 bulbs. and occasionally you see the Corcoran Brown bulb on cars between 1940-48. I currently have one of the Corcoran-Brown bulbs if anyone needs a spare. 

 

Then the 12 volt headlight bulb were then produced and some cars either had dual headlight or 4 headlights depends on where the car was registered.

 

Rich hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Ivan_B]

Okay, thanks. So, I should be looking for a pair of early 4030 with no "tits" then

[greg g]

I started driving my own car in 1965.  NY state required an annual safety inspection.  I think the charge was 5 bucks.  Key points of steering, brakes,suspension, tires, and lights were checked for wear or damage.  A true and proper inspection would require use of the lift and half an hour of labor. Obviously no garage could cover expenses especially when 3 bucks went to the dmv, and the garage had to buy the windshield stickers from the state also.  So if your car was going to pass, a lot of shops would add 2 bucks for "correcting head light aim using State Certified Aiming Gauge which used the  nibs ( tabs, tips, gizmos, pips, nubs, joggers, doodads, etc) whether they had a gauge or not.  By the way an annual safety inspection is now 10 bucks.  If vehicle has emissions, the charge is 21.  And yes antique or historic plated vehicles still need a yearly  safety check.  My headlights have never been aimed by a shop.

[desoto1939]

16 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

Okay, thanks. So, I should be looking for a pair of early 4030 with no "tits" then

Ivan-B:  The period correct headlights would be the 4030 bulbs dual filament. If you are having your car AACA judged on judged at a Plymouth, chrylser, dodge or Desoto car show then these are what should be installed in the car. If you are not doing a full restoration and you are trying to have a drivers car then the 6006 sealed beam with the tits or nibs will also fit into your headlight buckets. The 6006 or 4030 are basically the same light. Also yes the 6006 bulbs can be found at a Tractor supply and if you have a local car show and swap meet you can also find them there.  Try to get a matched pair made by the same company so there have the same prisms lines in the glass, but different manufacturers and can be sued will not be of any major concern on driving at night.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Ivan_B]

Rich, thanks for the advice. My car is not restored and I am not aiming to get the museum-quality exhibit, I just like to keep things as original as possible

Not driving at nights or rain either. One of my bulbs is an early GE with no tits. I'll try to find a match for it, first. If nothing comes up, I'll probably get another matching pair of 6006 from the 60s.

[greg g]

For those purists who may be involved in POC judging, I received a deduction of 5 points for non standard equipment for having the audacity of having bulls eye lamps mounted on my 46.  While technically not available in 46, they should have been seen as safety enhancements available when replacements were needed during the cars operational time line.  If seat belts are OK, why not enhanced lights?  Fog lites were ok.

Edited September 9 by greg g

[desoto1939]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

For those purists who may be involved in POC judging, I received a deduction of 5 points for non standard equipment for having the audacity of having bulls eye lamps mounted on my 46.  While technically not available in 46, they should have been seen as safety enhancements available when replacements were needed during the cars operational time line.  If seat belts are OK, why not enhanced lights?  Fog lites were ok.

Greg G: i have read your posting. But the POC club is very strict in their judging and have more information than even the AACA. So their deduction of 5 points for having the Bullseye headlight on a car prior to even when they were first produced makes sense. I think the AACA deducts 10 points.

 

Rich hartung

desoto1939@aol.com 

[Plymouthy Adams]

avoid the disappointment, double speak and click by avoiding the clubs....enough folks do that they go the way of the dodo....they are basically dying off now due to age of ownership.  Like Happy Gilmore said, If I saw myself dressed like that, I would kick my own butt. (insert correct word for dramatic effect)