Use of FoMoCo script bulbs late '50s-'60s at Wixom Assembly

[AlT63bird]

I thought that those who are interested in late '50s-mid-'60s Lincolns might enjoy this thread.
I am attempting to get to the bottom of the use of FoMoCo-script headlight bulbs in cars built at Wixom Assembly Plant and would like to solicit input/help from Lincoln owners. Over the past few decades I have been involved in studying the history of assembly of T-birds and Lincolns at Wixom, decoding ROT/build sheets, deciphering factory inspection markings, and pulling together information for Vintage Thunderbird Club International's Original Factory Specifications books series ('55-'57, '58-'60, '61-'63, '64-'66, '67-'71, '72-'76 and '77-'79). Up until recently, while revising the '58-'60 book and studying assembly of T-birds and installation of Lincoln 430s in T-birds, our assumption had been that FoMoCo script headlight bulbs were used from the late '50s-mid '60s. Several exchanges I've had with '62-'63 T-bird afficionados claim that no FoMoCo script bulbs were used at Wixom in T-bird/Lincoln production, at least during '61-'63, adding that only TungSols were used in '58-'60 and GEs for '61-'63.

From examining low-mileage, unrestored T-birds from '58-'60, I'm confident that at least GE and TungSol were supplying 5-3/4" bulbs for Ford/Lincoln. For '61-'62 it appears to me that GE, TungSol and Westinghouse-logo'ed bulbs were being installed. I suspect, based upon observation and documentation of some low-mileage/unrestored cars from the period by others and myself, that factory-installed bulbs at least in early-mid '62 had the text "Made for Ford" stamped onto the back side of the reflector but with no FoMoCo logo on the front of the lens, and some time during the spring of 1962 FoMoCo-script bulbs, i.e. headlight bulbs with a FoMoCo oval trademark, began to appear in production, again with the "Made for Ford" text on the back - first with black-painted graphics on the center of the lens, and that either before or some time into 1963 production the trademark was molded into the back side of the lens. Again, I have run into those who think non-FoMoCo trademarked bulbs were not installed at Wixom, but continue to get reports of cars and headlight assemblies having these installed.

There was no dispute with those I've been corresponding with that '64-'66 cars built at Wixom had logo'ed bulbs, using molded logos through the late spring-early summer of '65 (this assumption based upon what Mustang Club of Amercia has documented for the 7" bulbs used in '64-1/2-'65 Mustangs), then going to an etched logo on the face of the lens. One post I found in this forum's archives referenced use of TungSols '67 and prior without the FoMoCo oval trademark. As some of you are aware of, reproduction bulbs sold today typically are produced by Wagner (whom I believe acquired TungSol some time after 1967) and have a different faceting pattern that what was offered in the '60s.

I pursue this topic because I have heard that there are people out there who can recondition old bulbs with new filaments, I think with halogen guts versus sealed-beam-style with tungsten filaments. I know that there are still surviving cars out there still outfitted with original bulbs, along with people who have been collecting old bulbs off of salvage yard cars for use in restorations, and I'd like to chronicle their authenticity and use before they burn out and are discarded.

I wanted to bring these questions up for those who were willing to provide additional input. One of the things I'm asking owners of low-mileage/unrestored T-birds and Lincolns who are confident that they still have original bulbs in place (both high/low and high beam) is to chronicle manufacturer (logo usually found in center of bulb or at 6 o'clock, esp. if FoMoCo TM is present), codes molded into the lens at 10- and 2-o'clock, and correlation to the car's build date. This is in an effort to figure out how to decode the date/manufacturing codes on the bulbs. There is also text and other codes on the back of the bulb - if these can be noted, please include info. Feel free to contact me directly if there are more questions. Thanks in advance.

Alan H. Tast, AIA
Past President, Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l.
Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years"

[ckanderson]

ill check tonight. One of my high beam headlights says FOMOCO on the front and isnt burned out.
67LCS

[toddallen]

I have an 11/62 built '63 Lincoln and it has the GE bulbs for the hi beams. The car has about 140k miles on it, I am sure the lo beams have been replaced (Sylvania). No Ford script on any of them.

You may be on to something. My GE bulbs say "sealed beam" under the GE words and logo, at the bottom of the bulb. Next time I am out at my parts car I will look at those also.

[linc64]

I'll check my '61 more closely the next time I visit it. I think the high beams are original Tung-sol with a raised "TS" logo at the six o'clock position. The low beams are authentic "Atlas".

[ckanderson]

Yes my high beam is a General Electric and in the middle it says "made for ford"

[linc64]

Alan, sorry it took so long for me to check the bulbs on my '61. I have one low beam tung-sol bulb and one high beam. I was confident that they were the original bulbs, since my car has a little over sixty four thousand original miles. When I removed the bulbs, I found "Made For Ford" stamped on the back, and the Tung-sol logo in the middle of the bulb, "Tung-Sol" embossed at the bottom. Here are pictures:

IMG_0267 (2).JPG (56.83 KiB) Viewed 1186 times

IMG_0273 (2).JPG (52.17 KiB) Viewed 1186 times

On another note, I recently bought these Tung-Sol low beam lights for my '64. They have the tung-sol "ts" logo in a circle at the bottom. I'm hoping that these would have been correct for my '64. They were described in the auction as being correct for mid sixties Fords.

IMG_0286 (2).JPG (78.31 KiB) Viewed 1186 times

[Dan Szwarc]

From a 64 Lincoln with 1019 miles:

[linc64]

Dan, can you find out the maker of the bulb, and what is written on the back?
The black "Fomoco" script doesn't look like it would last too long with regular washing. There may be some who have the original bulbs and don't know it, if the script has worn off.

[Dan Szwarc]

Dan, can you find out the maker of the bulb, and what is written on the back?
The black "Fomoco" script doesn't look like it would last too long with regular washing. There may be some who have the original bulbs and don't know it, if the script has worn off.

That's one of Tim Wilson's cars: the 1000 mile 1964 sedan.

Most of the headlights I'd seen with the Ford logo were sandblasted on. This is the first time I'd seen one stamped.
Reproducing the stamp would be easy.

I could ask him what is on the back of the bulb, but he is busy preparing for the Columbus meet.

[AlT63bird]

Which company made that black-marked bulb? And is it possible to get images showing the codes at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions as well as on the back side? Try to get as much info as possible - every little bit helps. Thanks.

[linc64]

Which company made that black-marked bulb? And is it possible to get images showing the codes at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions as well as on the back side? Try to get as much info as possible - every little bit helps.

Yes, that's what I'd like to know also. It would be nice to find out that his are Tung-Sols like the ones I just bought. Then all I'll need to do is add the black Fomoco script to them.
Hopefully, Tim will find a few minutes, before the meet in October, to check.

@AlT63bird--A friend of mine just gave me a number of bulbs that he has collected over the years from 60's Lincolns. All of them have "Made for Ford" printed in black on the back, they are Tung-Sols, GEs, and Westinghouse. There is one with the etched "Fomoco" on the front, one with the molded in glass "Fomoco", and some with no "Fomoco" script at all. Let me know if you'd like a more detailed description of each one.

[TimLinc61]

Good Moring from Ohio

Well we are about to build a Lincoln Ark - flooded here pretty bad.

OK...I will take one side of the headlights out over the next few days and take pictures for both you and Reijer for the decals.

I will do my best to get this done in the next few days!

Peace,



Tim

[linc64]

Thanks Tim!

[AlT63bird]

AlT63bird--A friend of mine just gave me a number of bulbs that he has collected over the years from 60's Lincolns. All of them have "Made for Ford" printed in black on the back, they are Tung-Sols, GEs, and Westinghouse. There is one with the etched "Fomoco" on the front, one with the molded in glass "Fomoco", and some with no "Fomoco" script at all. Let me know if you'd like a more detailed description of each one.

PLEASE do. Especially important is to note info specific to each bulb including manufacturer, style of FoMoCo TM (etched, molded, printed), info on back, and the molded-in codes. Part of what I'm trying to do is decipher date coding to determine when molded logos changed to etched. My problem then turns to trying to dig up where I packed all my headlight info as part of my move from Kansas City to Omaha

[linc64]

Okay Alan, I'll list the ones I have, as I have time.

For the first one, it has an etched Fomoco logo in the center , "TUNG-SOL" molded in the glass at the bottom and "SEALED BEAM" is embossed below Tung-Sol. At the ten o'clock position the numbers 1, 0, and 8 are molded in the glass vertically. At the two o'clock position is 1 and 2 vertically. At the very top, in very tiny print , K24 is embossed with a large 1 just below.

On the back is "MADE FOR FORD". Below that a circle with 12V, 4001 an F-4 vertically. On one side of the circle is EXTENDED and the opposite side LIFE. Below the circle is SAE H-64. Embossed in small numbers just below the center is 112 and B17 vertically.

That's it for the first one, more to follow.