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Antique timing light
- Thread starter oilboy123
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nice find! good coffee table conversation piece.
I think my dad still has one in his garage somewhere.
Used one like that for years. Nice find for the collector.
Yup, my dad has one just like that.
I remember those being advertised as "Xenon" timing lights, as if that was something special. Those were the cheapest ones available, at about $10, IIRC.
My dad has one similar to that and he was going to sell it at our last Garage sale, but I told him not to because its a piece of history that goes along with his other ancient tools.
He has all kinds of sockets and ratchets that are still in working condition that are 40 years old when he first started out in the trade as an apprentice.
I told him I want them in the Will.
(Joking of course)
He has all kinds of sockets and ratchets that are still in working condition that are 40 years old when he first started out in the trade as an apprentice.
I told him I want them in the Will.
Most of my tools are pretty old. I have a whole bunch of Pre-Craftsman "Sears" Wrenches and Screwdrivers and stuff that I inherited. Last time I checked, they still fit and turned bolts.
This light is from my Dad's dad. I did not know him well because my growing up years were in Hawaii, and he lived in Seattle where we moved to when I was 11 years old.
I did not know him very much at all, though I wish that I did more as I get older, I will be 50 in a couple of years.......My Mom says I take after him to a T. Weird because I even have the same teeth as he does.
He worked on the Space Needle and worked for Todd shipyards where he was probably exposed to the stuff that gave him cancer. Although lots of stuff he was around probably contributed. He actually was knowledgeable on all kinds of things that I wish I could have learned from him. He was healthy as a horse till cancer knocked him down and out in the late 70s.
My Mom's Dad is where I got some things from as well. I have about 50 items that have a lot of meaning for me that would be nice to know the value of. I don't want to really sell anything though. To me it is history and that is cool. I thought that this Timing light was pretty rare, but even if it's not that is fine.
Thanks for the comments. Dedicated to my Grandfather RIP Carmen
I did not know him very much at all, though I wish that I did more as I get older, I will be 50 in a couple of years.......My Mom says I take after him to a T. Weird because I even have the same teeth as he does.
He worked on the Space Needle and worked for Todd shipyards where he was probably exposed to the stuff that gave him cancer. Although lots of stuff he was around probably contributed. He actually was knowledgeable on all kinds of things that I wish I could have learned from him. He was healthy as a horse till cancer knocked him down and out in the late 70s.
My Mom's Dad is where I got some things from as well. I have about 50 items that have a lot of meaning for me that would be nice to know the value of. I don't want to really sell anything though. To me it is history and that is cool. I thought that this Timing light was pretty rare, but even if it's not that is fine.
Thanks for the comments. Dedicated to my Grandfather RIP Carmen
Thanks for sharing.
Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
I remember those being advertised as "Xenon" timing lights, as if that was something special. Those were the cheapest ones available, at about $10, IIRC.
It's probably a xenon filled arc tube. A regular incandescent would be too slow, and would give you a false timing reading. An arc lamp should have no delay.
I remember those being advertised as "Xenon" timing lights, as if that was something special. Those were the cheapest ones available, at about $10, IIRC.
It's probably a xenon filled arc tube. A regular incandescent would be too slow, and would give you a false timing reading. An arc lamp should have no delay.
I have never even used the darn thing. I assume it works, I will try it out sometime. I should have used it on my brothers old Nissan P/U a couple of weeks back. That is the last time I used a timing light in a very long time.
I used one once. The flash was so weak and blurry it was useless when there was any ambient light at all, or the timing mark was hard to see. That is why I get such a kick out of the XENON!!!!, XENON!!! marketing ploy.
Yep, still have my timing light which worked much better in the dark than during the day! And you had to put the plug lead pickup in line with the spark plug wire as this one was too old (cheap?) to have an induction pickup. Mid sixties, I think...
My 1/2" socket set came from my Dad, too. Montgomery Ward circa 1947. Still have the original, now non-functioning, ratchet and had to buy a newer one about 20 years ago. If you aren't using cheater bars or wrenching daily for a living, tools last forever. Dad took good care of his stuff.....
My 1/2" socket set came from my Dad, too. Montgomery Ward circa 1947. Still have the original, now non-functioning, ratchet and had to buy a newer one about 20 years ago. If you aren't using cheater bars or wrenching daily for a living, tools last forever. Dad took good care of his stuff.....
I had a similar timing light that I used frequently on my 1956 Ford Fairlane, 292. At 17, I was convinced that there was a "perfect advance" setting that was going to make the thing a rocket. The timing light wasn't very bright though, so when I used it, I stood at the front of the car and gently pulled the hood down as far as I could, resting it on my head. With the hood shielding the light, the beam was bright enough for me to see the timing mark. Thanks for the posting and picture.
I used this kind of timing light in the '70s and '80s for my VW Beetle and Chevy Nova. It is filled with neon gas and glowed an orange light when activated. I dunno if the Xenon light mentioned above was a brand name for this thing, but it's definitely a misnormer. Real xenon light source has a bluish white light. That said, the orange light of this timing light as above was weak, and I could only use it when it was almost twilight or night, LOL. I had to mark the timing marks with white chalk, Liquid Paper, or white paint to see them clearly. But it was simple, practically indestructible (unless you dropped it and shattered the glass) and cost was unbeatable. Now, if only I can find my old unit in the old shop .....
The xenon was not a brand name, it was referring to the technology. But my memory may be incorrect, it may have said Neon. And as you say, it was only usable under ideal conditions.
Kestas
Staff member
I bought one when I was starting out wrenching on cars. I couldn't see a darn thing and immediately returned it for a good xenon timing light that you plug into a 120v outlet.
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