What is it?

[teblomgren]

I have been going through my garage.  There are tools in there that are at least 50 years old that belonged to my father and grand father.  Found this and don't know what it is....or if it's worth anything.

My brother is thinking it is an old timing light?  It appears to be a light or lens on the end of the item.  Any help you can give would be appreciated.  There are no numbers etc. on it.  All it says is "Made in the USA".

Thank you.

[Billman49]

Looks very much like a timing light that went into the HT circuit for the No1 cylinder (unplug the lead from distributer to the the spark plug, and insert the two ends of the lamp). The lamp would flash every time No 1 cylinder fired. Usually a timing mark on the crankshaft pulley and a corresponding mark (or three) on the crank case...

[Mel Larsen]

I agree that it is a timing light
Mel

[Bill Houghton]

Looks like it to me, too.  They were pretty primitive; when the lights that were powered from the battery came along, those kind of faded away.

Of course, if you say "timing light" in a room full of people under the age of, say, 30, you're likely to get a lot of blank stares.

[Lostmind]

Heres a photo of the one I have , about 1960.

[teblomgren]

Lostmind, Bill H, billman49 and Mel...thanks for the responses.  Bill H - lol - under age of 30 don't know what a "timing light" is... true...maybe  1 or 2 know...my son is one - a stretch that I actually know what a timing light is..AND what it's used for!!! 

[Bill Houghton]

...my son is one...

I maybe should have said 40; not sure what the exact cutoff age would be.

My son's another who knows what a timing light is.  His daily driver is a 1951 Chevy panel truck.  But we raised somewhat out-of-the-mainstream kids.

[geneg]

Beyond timing lights, few know what points (ignition)  are.  The ritual of changing the points & condenser, setting the dwell and timing, and adjusting the carburetor  pretty well left us in the 80's.  Electronic ignitions hit hard in the 70's & carbs left in the 80's.  Its now a jump in and drive world. 

[Bill Houghton]

Beyond timing lights, few know what points (ignition)  are.  The ritual of changing the points & condenser, setting the dwell and timing, and adjusting the carburetor  pretty well left us in the 80's.  Electronic ignitions hit hard in the 70's & carbs left in the 80's.  Its now a jump in and drive world.

I'm glad I learned how; I'm also glad this is no longer a regular maintenance item.  I can spend my time on other things.

[william_b_noble]

I'll add an addendum to the discussion - this particular light is the "cheap kind" - neon tube coiled up with a lens, relies on the spark energy to put out a dim light - works "ok' in a dark garage, useless in the daylight, and you always risk your wrist getting smacked by the fan when you try to get it close enough to the crank pulley to see the timing marks.

The better units had a Xenon flash tube, hooked to the battery for power, and had a clamp on sensor that you would clamp around #1 plug wire for the trigger.  In the "intermediate" category are those with Xenon flash but a direct connect to #1 plug for the HV trigger pulse for the flash tube.