Porch (scare) light 1950s

[MustangGuy]

Hi

Does anyone have one of these fitted? If so is it above the door? I have the guttering (correct term?) above the door so the light would be blocked.

Cheers
Niall

[Bubba L]

Niall, the 54 Safari seems to have been manufactured in Ohio only and did not have the suicide door configuration. Looking at the online vintage Airstream picture archives, scare lights were rare on that model. They seemed to be used more on the 55s. Maybe someone else with a 54 Safari with a scare light can shed some light, so to speak. I would be interested in knowing. Also, the trim above the door and windows are called drip caps and sometimes eyebrows. Good luck

[Bubba L]

Also, looking at some past posts on selling 54 Safaris, some do have scare lights. Whether they are original or installed by the owner during a renovation, I like the location and look. It appears they were placed about 8” below the aft edge of the door drip cap. That would make sense to illuminate the door handle and steps.

[MustangGuy]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Niall, the 54 Safari seems to have been manufactured in Ohio only and did not have the suicide door configuration. Looking at the online vintage Airstream picture archives, scare lights were rare on that model. They seemed to be used more on the 55s. Maybe someone else with a 54 Safari with a scare light can shed some light, so to speak. I would be interested in knowing. Also, the trim above the door and windows are called drip caps and sometimes eyebrows. Good luck

Thanks Bubba. I’m going to have to get one for practicality but just wanted to keep it as original as possible. Thanks for the eyebrow and drip cap definitions. Being an absolute beginner I also don’t know what a suicide door configuration is either. Could you elaborate please?

I’ll keep looking at ‘54 pics to see if anybody else uses the light.


Cheers
Niall

[Bubba L]

Niall, a suicide door referred to the Airstream doors that were hinged on the left side of the door as you viewed from the street. They could and would open into the wind when towing. So, they coined the term “suicide door” since it was an accident waiting to happen. Many have installed dead bolts to keep the door secure. Others, me included, just add a door “thingy” wedge that secures the door. I have read before that one of the reasons for this configuration was so it wouldn’t block the window on the right side when the door was held open. Yours is not a suicide door. Don’t know the reasoning behind Ohio’s design.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Niall, a suicide door referred to the Airstream doors that were hinged on the left side of the door as you viewed from the street. They could and would open into the wind when towing. So, they coined the term “suicide door” since it was an accident waiting to happen. Many have installed dead bolts to keep the door secure. Others, me included, just add a door “thingy” wedge that secures the door. I have read before that one of the reasons for this configuration was so it wouldn’t block the window on the right side when the door was held open. Yours is not a suicide door. Don’t know the reasoning behind Ohio’s design.

Actually the term “suicide door” carried over from cars, where some people may have actually been injured or killed when the door swung open to the back of the vehicle. This was before the age of seat-belts and some people may have tried to grab the door while it started to open or just fell out or maybe just feared falling out afterwards.

[Bubba L]

Originally Posted by Wazbro

Actually the term “suicide door” carried over from cars, where some people may have actually been injured or killed when the door swung open to the back of the vehicle. This was before the age of seat-belts and some people may have tried to grab the door while it started to open or just fell out or maybe just feared falling out afterwards.

Thanks, I never thought of that. I remember the old Lincoln Continental had reversed doors for the back seat.

[newas4mark]

I have a 54 Flying Cloud (manufactured in November of ‘53). The scare light, which looks the same as the one in your post, is about 8” above the top of the window and about 6” forward of the leading edge of the door. Mine is the door in door style, hinge to the rear.
Trying to post photo….
I have no reason to think it is not original.
Good luck,
Mark

[MustangGuy]

Originally Posted by newas4mark

I have a 54 Flying Cloud (manufactured in November of ‘53). The scare light, which looks the same as the one in your post, is about 8” above the top of the window and about 6” forward of the leading edge of the door. Mine is the door in door style, hinge to the rear.
Trying to post photo….
I have no reason to think it is not original.
Good luck,
Mark

Great help! Thanks Mark. I’ve ordered it so it should be in the U.K. soon.
Cheers
Niall

[Bubba L]

Originally Posted by newas4mark

I have a 54 Flying Cloud (manufactured in November of ‘53). The scare light, which looks the same as the one in your post, is about 8” above the top of the window and about 6” forward of the leading edge of the door. Mine is the door in door style, hinge to the rear.
Trying to post photo….
I have no reason to think it is not original.
Good luck,
Mark

Mark, when time allows, please do post a picture of the light. I want to compare it to the one on our 55 FC. Ours was original and we had it re-chromed. Yours appears to be in the same dimensional location as ours. Thanks

[newas4mark]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Mark, when time allows, please do post a picture of the light. I want to compare it to the one on our 55 FC. Ours was original and we had it re-chromed. Yours appears to be in the same dimensional location as ours. Thanks

I will be happy to do that but I’m away from it for a couple weeks so won’t get right to it….
Mark

[newas4mark]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Mark, when time allows, please do post a picture of the light. I want to compare it to the one on our 55 FC. Ours was original and we had it re-chromed. Yours appears to be in the same dimensional location as ours. Thanks

This is the best I have right now….

[newas4mark]

Originally Posted by newas4mark

Attachment 425887

This is the best I have right now….

You

Bubba, hope these help. Back home and actually taking the interior out starting today. Looks like I will have to replace the entire subfloor even if the frame is usable….
Let me know if I can give you any more/other help.
Mark

[InsideOut]

We have that scare light/porch light on our '56 Safari. It's installed just below the roof panel seam on ours. We do have the suicide door & no window in the kitchen (because our gas fridge has a vent stack in that location) so our placement is a little different. I've seen them installed in various locations - just depends on where the hole was drilled the day the trailer was made. Airstreams were literally "handmade" in the 50's - no two were exactly the same.



Also, the door handle in my avatar under my name is also lit. It has a lamp in the top inside of the handle that shines down towards the step.

Shari

[Bubba L]

Mark, exactly the same as what originally came with our 55. Shari is correct about various positioning back in the 50s when they were assembled. Mine is more at an angle where it shines on the steps as well as the door handle. I don’t remember, but we may have modified an LED to fit. We did install with rivnuts instead of sheet metal screws. We also had ours re-chromed along with a few other items. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Hittenstiehl]

Not a 50's answer but our 61 Globetrotter has it on the left front side of the door and door opens in a right swing (when facing it).

Our 62 Overlander has it on the top right side of the window next to the door with the door being a left swing.