Bits & Pieces...

First up on the Bits & Pieces file is our old friend LUCAS part number 524887, the LBD-109/2 side lamp.

Fitted on the Singer Roadster from 1939 to 1956, it is one of the constants of Roadster production. This little unit mirrors the shape of the headlamp and includes the red LUCAS dot medallion on the top, which glows red at night with the lamp illuminated. This lamp was also used on a number of other British cars in the same period.

A reasonably rare find for many years, the 109 has now been reproduced and is quite widely available. Beware, though, because the unit used on the Singer has an angled threaded mounting tube. Many are straight. This can probably be corrected by dismantling the mounting tube from the lamp and filing the square hole in the lamp body back a bit.

There are also various mounting base plates available and a number of NOS lamps that I have bought over the years came with the long, chrome Singer type and a round ‘washer’ type. The 109 was available in black paint or with a chromium finish.

Eugene Abondello, a Roadster owner down Washington-way, is presently experimenting with fitting a special 2 filament bulb in a 109 to allow for turn signals instead of mounting extra unsightly lamps on the Roadsters pure British lines. More on that in upcoming posts as Gene makes sparks fly!

Try the following leads if you are looking for LBD-109’s:

http://www.gregorysautoparts.co.uk/catalogue.php?t=0&c=430 (Original units)

http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/part.phtml?PartID=1445 (Repros)

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/ (Repros)

http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/hodge?opendocument&part=6 (repros)

http://www.completeautomobilist.com/part.phtml?PartID=1445 (Repros)

Stay ‘Tuned’ for more Bits & Pieces.