1951 Parking Lamps

**raycow** · 08-11-2012, 12:51 PM

Factory sales literature shows 51 models to have parking lamps mounted on top of the fenders. However, I have never seen a car with these lamps either in real life or in pics on this forum. Does anyone here actually have a car with these lamps or know the facts about them?

http://oldcarbrochures.org/var/album...g?m=1306450686

I asked this question on the body forum some time ago and got no answers, so I was hoping there might be more 51 owners who look here.

Ray

**clownpuncher** · 08-11-2012, 06:12 PM

I've never noticed that I wonder if any of them had it?

**JR9162** · 08-11-2012, 11:23 PM

Never seen any or pics of any with them. However, note the art shows different turn signal lights on the dagmars than what was actually produced...

**raycow** · 08-12-2012, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by JR9162

Never seen any or pics of any with them. However, note the art shows different turn signal lights on the dagmars than what was actually produced...

I believe the art shows decorative cover plates rather than lights. There wouldn't be any need for lights in the bumper in addition to the parking lights/turn signals on the fenders above the headlights. Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing this for sure unless I can find a car with these lights still on it. I am pretty sure the photos in the following link are of an actual car (no Photoshop in those days).

http://oldcarbrochures.org/var/album...g?m=1305465773

Ray

**Straight Eight** · 08-12-2012, 08:31 AM

Ah yes, I remember it well, it was the time of the "Korean Conflict"
and due to material shortages from the war, the parking lights were moved from the fender tops to the bumper guard insert.

**raycow** · 08-12-2012, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Straight Eight

Ah yes, I remember it well, it was the time of the "Korean Conflict"
and due to material shortages from the war, the parking lights were moved from the fender tops to the bumper guard insert.

Wow! You scored a winner there. I never thought about the war before now, but it makes perfect sense. The material in short supply was nickel, which was needed to make stainless steel and also as an underlayer for chrome plating. The military needed it for jet engines.

This is one of the reasons I like Team Buick so much - the priceless collection of knowledge possessed by the members here. Many thanks for your help.

Ray

**krinkov58** · 08-12-2012, 05:42 PM

I noticed that as well...looked like '41 style parking lights as opposed to the longer '49 style. I wanted to replicate this look on my '51 and use the parking light bullets as fog lights, plus I liked the '41 style headlight bezels and wanted to use those as well. Even sourced all the parts but the fender geometry was off and the bezels were a different size...a doable project for sure but a pain in the *** for sure. Would like to see somebody pull it off though.
Korea was gearing up at the time and it absolutely did affect our automobile industry.

**Jenz38** · 08-12-2012, 09:19 PM

@ Krinkov (sorry Ray,for hitchikin your Thread

) ,please clean out your PM Cage,nothing from me arrives you.

**krinkov58** · 08-13-2012, 05:28 PM

Done, Jenz...here's a photo of a '41 Buick with the parking lamps on the fender for comparison with the prototype '51's lamps.

**Brandonking** · 10-30-2012, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by raycow

Factory sales literature shows 51 models to have parking front page lamps mounted on top of the fenders. However, I have never seen a car with these lamps either in real life or in pics on this forum. Does anyone here actually have a car with these lamps or know the facts about them?

http://oldcarbrochures.org/var/album...g?m=1306450686

I asked this question on the body forum some time ago and got no answers, so I was hoping there might be more 51 owners who look here.

Ray

Those lamps are nice but I make use of LED lights.