Headlamp Flashers....

What is your best recollection of when headlamp flashers first became popular? Were they with red high beams or regular high beams? I know that the red high beams were never allowed in NJ, since our 1970 Superior Cadillac came equipped with them, but it was failed for inspection until we removed them.

I can only speak ref California but headlight flashers were not legal in California until January 1984. To date, it is still unlawful to alter any original equipment / lighting on vehicles unless otherwise permitted (i.e. red high-beams).

“Dunn-Bar Nunn” aka Unitrol, had a feature on the early model which was labeled “High Beams” which in position 3 of the slide switch turned on the vehicle’s high-beams (steady burning). And I am almost sure they manufactured the 1st true headlight flasher, Model 131 which was driven by a 537 alternating flasher. They did not work or last very long and were affected by heat.

I first recall seeing them in CT around 1978. Jerry J's 1974 combo has wig wag headlights that appear to be factory. The label on the switch matches all the others. Like Mark mentioned the flasher is a 537 style on a heat sink.

Paul Steinberg said:

What is your best recollection of when headlamp flashers first became popular? Were they with red high beams or regular high beams? I know that the red high beams were never allowed in NJ, since our 1970 Superior Cadillac came equipped with them, but it was failed for inspection until we removed them.

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Dual headlamps were introduced on production vehicles for the 1958 model year; shortly after that, people figured out that the bright (inner) beams could be replaced with red ones. The PD in my hometown (Wheaton, IL) had them on vehicles as early as 1959, and used them as long as dual headlights were available (1991 Fords).

Flashing Highbeam Headlights

In the city that I live in (Dearborn Heights, Michigan) I can remember that when the fire department took over the ambulance service they had a 1962 Ford station-wagon that had red flashing lamps over the highbeams. Also I can remember that the police department in about 1965 or 1966 strated using them on their patrol cars once again red lens over the highbeam lamps.

Anthony J. Rzucidlo