Hot Rods ENJ headlight why they are popular?

28 Ford roadster with 38 Ford standard grill and E&J's.

 

I'd like to think that I'm pretty open minded when it comes to thinking 'outside the box'.
and I have not seen one hot rod yet whereas the use of these lights enhanced it's overall look.

It also reinforces the old addage that money doesn't always buy good taste.

 

NITROFC,
Let's see- Flat Paint/check, Distressed Sign on door/check, Red Wheels/check, E&J Headlights/check. Even got an old fog light. Man, that's close to the perfect car!
Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Larry T

 

Never liked them myself

 

Found a set 20 years ago (before the advent of Ebay) and thought they were the coolest thing since sliced bread. I thought I had the only set on the planet. Some years went by and then I started seeing them everywhere and didn't think that much of them anymore. Once they started re-popping them I lost interest in them and sold the originals. I will say that the workmanship and the fit and finish of the castings (done 80 years ago) was quite impressive.

 

Ok guys,
Thanks to you all for these interesting reply, I can see E&J headlights are not so popular in America and they seem to be hated or loved (if I well understand!) and you have posted just one vintage hotrod picture equiped with them, that's mean I guess they were not so used a the time and is the point of this thread.
Today I think to keep or not my ENJ on my deuce, I have one old pair of Guide headlight waiting in my garage, should I change them hmmmm I keep thinking.

 

They are a great part to OWN...current fads keep value going up, and someday mine will probably produce a trade for some part that I couldn't buy. These are 1920's luxury car pieces, and seldom translate well to other types of car.

 

Since "the man" requires headlights, we have to include them on the Legion Special. The only headlights that seem to fit are E&Js.

I have seen maybe a handful of hot rods that look good with E&Js. To me, they are more of a status symbol today than a traditional hot rod part. Which sucks, because I would love to have a real set instead of trying to whittle something acceptable out of the shit-cast ones we're using from eBay. I'll be spending HOURS just getting them to look OK.

So why am I putting them on the Legion Special? One, they'll just plain look good. Two, I don't consider it a "hot rod" in the usual sense. It's modeled after cars that were "hot" before the term was really used.

I agree with..."Ifn you wanna go aero, go aero on the whole damn car, eh?, not just one part." People need to stop just slapping shit on their cars for "look at me" or "look what I can afford" value.

When it comes to hot rods - LESS IS MORE!

 

IMHO, they look like an afterthought,never did like them

 

Ebay...it turned the old practice of "finding some neat parts to put on my hotrod" into an International Competitive Event! You get into the finals by lunatic level outbidding, then slam the world series by hanging everything onto a deuce three window, also assembled in an orgy of international bidding!
These people frequently perish when they discover the "Neat Wheel Trap" and their heads explode...
They win auctions on NOS Halibrands, perfect Kelseys, a set of "Milk Trucks", and NOS V8 60's...then realize there is no way to get all onto one car.

 

Somebody refresh me on the name...what the E and the J represent. Cannot remember the names!! Gonna go on a patent hunt, see if I can get actuial information...

 

Edmunds & Jones, Detroit, Michigan.

Bob

 

To me they look like a strap-on dildo on a dyke - may get the job sorta done, but it ain't natural...

 

I agree with what most are saying, this is why i decided to change my E & J's for some origianl 27 t headlights and saving them for another later project down the line. I first wanted to put them on my roadster because of the rarity value of OG ones, but soon realized they don't fit the look i'm going for... so they went bye-bye

Kirk, your legion will look great with them!

 

Kind of like putting earrings on a pig. Sorry but there are just butt fu*king ugly. IMHO, I could be wrong, but I'm not.
******************************************************************
Like I told the kid, "Your music's not too loud, its just like OKC, it sucks, big time!"

 

They'll look great on your modified Kirk. I would scallop them like the car itself. I think half the problem with E&J's are how people run them. Most folks polish the stink out of them and then hang them on a primered or painted car, they make them look like warts on a witches nose.

 

We're actually going to paint them body color with polished bezels.

 

I can remember seeing them on a few orphan makes long ago. The first thing any of the Horseless Carriage Club guys would do is get rid of them if they came on a car. Then they'd end up for sale for around $50. I bought a couple of sets and have one near mint set left. When you consider what they were replacing you have to appreciate them. Usually some crappy drum, flat glass headlights that were prone to stress crack. I like them, they were a true, aftermarket custom item to set your car apart. A little over done now, but still...

 

When I think of E&J Type 20 lights, the Frank Mack Roadster is the only car that comes to mind. They belong there because of adverse possesion, have been there sooo-long they belong to the car now.

Don't need to see the anywhere else. Don't need to see any Woodlights either.....

Johnnie.

 

Is it just me? . . . cause when I look at this car, I see something with schizophrenia - it doesn't know which personality is on first base. I see traditional, I see a little gasser stuff, I see custom, I see street rod . . . I see old, new and everything in between . . just too many different themes in one car for my taste.

 

Now, ifn you could drive a belly tanker on the street, those would be the head lights to use! Gary

 

Those lights are just plain sexy. The reproduction lights are made by Allan and Craig Fountain, down under, Australia.

What kind of sicko washes his dishes if Barf?

 

Say what you will, but when I went with Cyclone Kevin in his '34 to the SoCal open house in '07 and saw the two guys driving around in this car, camera(s) in hand and absolutely having a ball, I thought to myself that's exactly what this old car hot rod thing should be about. Yeah, it might be sporting some/all the current trends or cliches, but these guys were having so much fun that I have a sneaking suspicion that your haughty "I'm above all this" critical sarcasm of their car couldn't possibly dent their enthusiasm.