My First Emergency Light

[348]

I stumbled across this old Ebay posting for a Vintage Equality Roto-Flasher Emergency Light. This photo looks to be the same as my very first emergency light. I ordered it from a Johnson Smith novelty catalog. There were two versions. One that ran on C or D cell batteries and this one that plugged into the cigarette lighter. It came with red, amber and blue domes. The blue dome looked more purple to me. The suction cup base was not very reliable as I recall. The light was only as bright as a flashlight (not as bright as real emergency lights of the day). I think I bought mine in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Does anyone else remember this light?

 

[dmathieu]

Yup, there are many different versions out there. Common Mart sold light, late 60s 70s.
I've thought of making a collection of this type light in its different brands, versions, and variations. There were so many out there. You can find them easily on ebay, and relatively inexpensive too.

 

[MtnMan]

Oh yeah. My best friend in elementary school had one, which we stuck on the hood of his fire chief pedal car. Dim, noisy, and pretty much the coolest thing in the world for 7 year olds.

 

[Maxim2Eng]

I tried to figure out how to mount one on my mom's (now mine--restored) '61 Oldsmobile Starfire sometime in the mid '60s. Cig plug and red dome (cops in KY hadn't yet changed to blue). Nostalgic trip down Memory Lane (in my case, a short drive to Half-heimers Blvd. aka CRS).

 

[bmd224]

I see them on eBay and at flea markets from time to time. Are you wanting to buy one? If so I'm guessing they're $5-$8 without the box at flea markets, & if you want me to I'll pick one up for you.

 

[Skulldigger]

I had one of these when I first started driving. It actually put it on my 1953 Willis Jeep. Lol.. I was just a want-a-be then. It was made by Medallion, I still remember the little auto parts place I bought it at. When I became the real deal I moved up to a Smith & Wesson L-11 pancake that came from the JC Penney catalog.... Lol... Still have it too.

 

[bpollard]

Mine came from the local Western Auto store here in Newberry SC

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Yes, I attached one with the enclosed bracket to the front of my Sting Ray (with a tiger patterned banana seat no less!) and cruised around the neighborhood responding to "emergencies." Got a second one and attached it to the top of an extended sissy bar for dual effect--muy cool. The seeds were planted early for this quirky hobby!

 

[dmathieu]

At least your first rotated. Mine just flashed.
http://elightbars.org/forums/threads/my-very-first-light-appx-53-years-ago.61428/#post-503486

 

[Skulldigger]

We need to start a thread for vintage novelty lights or lesser emergency lights. I have a few of them.

 

[TDC]

Yes, Johnson Smith. Battery powered.
The suction cup was replaced with a piece of 2x4 which placed the light steadily above the lip of my wagon.
I don't remember what happened to it. I did get another a few years ago.

 

[Wailer]

I got my first 'emergency lights' when I was ten years old. One was a Royal "Reflexscope" and the other was an Ash Flash "Blinker Lantern". Both were shaped like flat top beacons and had red domes with flashlight lenses to the front and blinking lights in the rear. The flash effect looked rather lame, but they were good enough for make-believe play.

Almost ten years later I had one of those battery operated Roto Flashers like the one mentioned in this thread. It had an amber dome. I was playing with a rock band at the time and I had a mic stand that could hold two mics. I mounted my vocal mic on the tilting boom and the Roto Flasher on the straight stem. I liked to run the Roto Flasher whenever I played a guitar solo.

 

[Wolfie]

We used to have so many of these. They were only a few bucks. I remember a model that took 2 D batteries and had a black sliding switch for power. They were great for our bicycles.

 

[Abacus]

Yes ! This was the first light I ever cannibalized ! Removed the suction cup and replaced it with 3 mini magnets I broke off one of those mini car flashlights that were sold at the time.