D-lamps - Chrome or Black

[Aaron IIA]

I am just about to buy some D-lamps. My question is - are the D-lamps used on Land Rovers meant to be chrome or black.
Aaron.

[Bigbjorn]

I will ask the silly question. What the FH are D-lamps?

[Bigbjorn]

Well, never heard them called that before. Must be thousands of them languishing in sheds and wrecking yards from cars of 1920 to 1950 provenance. just used to call them tail lights.

[slug_burner]

Brian,

I am sure that there are plenty of tail lights about, not sure many of them would be D Lights

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Brian Brian Brian

They are called "D" lamps, because they the lens looks like a letter "D".

The tail lamps on the later series 1s were called "pork pie" lamps because they resembled a pork pie!

There are "D" lamps with a bar and "D" lamps without the bar. The later were required in the UK from the 1950s, after the Government over there specified a minimum area for the red of the tail lamp. The bar section was too small, even though the lamps had been used on the MG T* series and other cars such as Rover and Jaguar from the 1930's.

On a Land Rover the original specification was black.

For a supplier of reproduction D Lamps check out Vintage Car Parts in the UK. ( rear | lamps | Vintage Car Parts )

Diana

[Bigbjorn]

Diana, they were used on the ass end of just about everything from 1920 to 1940. They were just a bloody cheap tail light. Repeat, never heard called them called a D-lamp.

[master chief]

Hello All,the "D" type tail light was fitted onto a lot of english cars in the 40,s and 50,s.early holden utes also had them.
standard 80" and 86"-107" Landies had black ones.The only Landies that had chrome ones fitted from the factory were the 80" Tickford station wagons.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Diana, they were used on the ass end of just about everything from 1920 to 1940. They were just a bloody cheap tail light. Repeat, never heard called them called a D-lamp.

Brian I'm not doubting that you have never heard them called "D" lamps, or what they were previously fitted to. I remember that just about everyone used to make a copy of them including Hella.

What I do know is that they are commonly refered to today as "D" lamps to differentiate them from every other number sequence that Lucas ever made. You only have to go to Vintage Car Parts, Classic Bulbs, Holden's Classic Parts or even eBay to see that the current term used to reference them now is "D" Lamps.

Cheers
Diana

[Bigbjorn]

Brian I'm not doubting that you have never heard them called "D" lamps, or what they were previously fitted to. I remember that just about everyone used to make a copy of them including Hella.

What I do know is that they are commonly refered to today as "D" lamps to differentiate them from every other number sequence that Lucas ever made. You only have to go to Vintage Car Parts, Classic Bulbs, Holden's Classic Parts or even eBay to see that the current term used to reference them now is "D" Lamps.

Cheers
Diana

I don't buy from them, Diana, in fact, never eard of most. Too rich for this tight ass old restorer. I did put about a dozen of them in the back of the last vintage Dodge, original 1928 Standard Six,I sent off to a collector in Gippsland about five years ago. Some had the arliest plastic lenses, and some had red glass lenses. Glass lenses in vintage lamps are worth good money nowadays. Red Glass were made with gold chloride and are no longer available except as old stock or good used.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I don't buy from them, Diana, in fact, never eard of most. Too rich for this tight ass old restorer. ... ... Glass lenses in vintage lamps are worth good money nowadays. Red Glass were made with gold chloride and are no longer available except as old stock or good used.

Brian

Your quite correct, there are some very silly prices paid for NOS Lucas D lamp lenses on eBay. Have seen in the $50 to $60 dollar mark.

Interestingly the Vintage Car Parts site in the UK advertises replacements for £8.50 plus shipping D amp replacement red lens :: Vintage Car Parts they are specified as "glass" not just "lens" so I am assuming they are not plastic. Don't have a need for one just yet (have some spares) so have never ordered from them. And I do prefer to but from Anthony Pearson of Classic and Vintage Bulbs in Adelaide Page Title if only to support Aussie businesses and to keep the dollars in country.

The other spares that I am interested from the UK are the springs etc which are frequently rusted or missing.

C Ya
Diana