Early Badger Solar Light on Kingsbury Special

[Hoodoo]

The Kingsbury special continues to evolve. I finally found a reasonably priced antique motorcycle lamp for the kingsbury. Also found a 1913ish advertisement with this exact lamp (for motorcycles...I thought maybe it was a bicycle lamp but it was also used for motorcycles, not that there was a huge difference back then)...

This carbide lamp will need some refinish to it's original nickel or should I let it keep it's antique patina? Somewhat conflicted. i do living history and it in nickel (or painted silver) would be more true to the original but that old lamp also has a lot of character. I go for ambiance, not authenticity.

A friend manufactured a mount. A small headlamp I got fits in the cavity so till will be actually working, not going to restore it to it's old carbide days.

I did not realize how much fun just the tweaking of this bike brings.

 

[GearNut]

I say leave it's finish as is.

 

[Hoodoo]

I say leave it's finish as is.

I am leaning your way.If it's silver it just looks like a modern headlight and with it's patina it comes across as "antique". There are a bunch other cosmetic improvements I want to do on this bike anyways, like get a front fender on (that Husky front fender is a pain and I left it off), I think I will mod it to attach to those new forks.

 

[james65]

badger lamp

I have the same light on my BTR. I polished and was amazed how bright the nickle finsh came out. However I now wish that I had left it original!