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Last night I had occasion to turn on my high-beam headlights while driving (not a Packard, but a Toyota pickup truck) and the question struck me: When did Packard cars first have combination high/low beam headlights? I guess, initially, cars only had single intensity headlights.

as always
Garrett Meadows

Good question. I don't know the answer but it was prior to 1921 (dual filament headlight bulbs show in the 1921 parts list) and probably only a matter of a few years at most after acetylene headlamps gave way to electric, about 1912 or so. If someone can pin it down closer than that, I'd find it interesting.

One of the first optical headlamp lenses, the Corning Conaphore. Selective yellow "Noviol" glass version shown.

A Wikipedia record will get us a bit closer:
"..."Dipping" (low beam) headlamps were introduced in 1915 by the Guide Lamp Company, but the 1917 Cadillac system allowed the light to be dipped with a lever inside the car rather than requiring the driver to stop and get out..."
So between Wikipedia's 1917 and Dave's 1921, in those days when a Packard was embellished with drum headlights the high/low beam came into ... beaming.


1917 advertisement for the Corning Conaphore headlamp lens shown above



image source: 100 Years Osram

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Thank you for the info. I appreciate it. To be honest, I had no idea that low/hi-beam headlights were around as early as 1917-1921.

You made mention that the hi/low beam headlight controller used to be a lever inside in the car. When I was a kid in the early sixties, I remember the controller being a button on the floor-board that was depressed by the foot, which I think I would still prefer.

as always
Garrett Meadows

Garrett, you might find this interesting. 1933-34 Packard and 1932-34 Cadillac used an interesting and unique (to those 2 makes and years) headlight arrangement with triple-filament bulbs; a low (city) beam, a high (country) beam, and a "tilt" beam that threw the illumination towards the side. Bulbs were Mazda 3001 (Cadillac, '32 & '33) and 3003 (Packard, '33 & '34), 32 candlepower each filament. Headlight switch control was on the steering column alongside the horn button with 5 positions; off, parking lights, city beam, country beam, and tilt beam; the actual switch itself was at the base of the steering column. For many years up until The Packard Club had the bulbs reproduced the bulbs were (as Dave Flack would say) made of "unobtainium", even used ones sometimes selling for several hundred $. For their time prior to sealed beams these were very effective headlamps.

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Hello Owen:

Not to put too fine a point on this, but the reproduction of the 3003 bulb was actually a project of Motor City Packards (a region of PAC). More specifically, it was done by Bruce Blevins ("Mr. 1933") with the stipulation that all profits go to the restoration of the Packard Proving Grounds. Happy to say that we sold nearly 1,000 bulbs and donated a little more than $30,000 to the PPG.

Not only did we have the 3 filaments, but we also replicated the "beehive" shaped dome on the to of the bulb.

Now those bulb are NLA and those that bought them are re-selling them for a nice profit.

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Thanks for the "fine point", Roger. Actually the "bee hive" shape of the globe is critical to the functionality of the bulb. Here's the 33-34 accessory bulb kit.

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Triple-beam headlights?! My goodness, they was the extreme in paying attention to detail. What I found fascinating was the five-position setting for the exterior lights. Such nuances--if that is the word I want--speaks volumes about the kind of driver Packard targeted. A driver who was both discriminating and perhaps a stickler for detail.

Thank you, also, for the pics.
as always
Garrett M

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In the 1960 they were common in Germany and survived in the Eastern bloc countries until the end 1989/1990. They worked well, I agree.





image source: www.sausewind-shop.com

Later on, including the 1935-39 junior cars, Packard (and maybe others) used an interesting three setting headlight beam control until the sealed beam bulbs were made mandatory with the 1940 models.

First, both bulbs burned the low beam filaments (like traditional low beam); second, both bulbs burned the high beam filaments (like traditional high beam); and there was a third mode where the left hand headlight went to low beam while the right hand headlight was on high beam. This third setting provided good light without blinding oncoming traffic.

Two filament bulbs with separate reflectors and lenses were used as was the practice at the time. Bulb filament alignment with the lens was critical to providing correct light pattern.

(o{}o)