Oldest faces?

We are intrigued about a philosophical question: When did the automobile start to have a "face"? I mean, two eyes from the ligths, and occassionaly evident nose and mouth from the radiator, the motor trunk, and the start device (even a tongue!). But mainly two "eyes".

Most modern pictures of classic cars show the lights, but sometime I am in doubt because they seem to be detachable, either optional devices or perhaps late implementations due to posterior traffic regulations. So the question should perhaps narrow to the drawing board: when do the engineers start to include the "face" in designing cars.

Yours,

Alejandro Rivero

Reply to
Al.Rivero
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Early ones were detachable because they were either oil or acetylene and had to be removed for service. The earliest gasoline car I've seen was an 1890 Benz Velo. It had two headlights as standard equipment, though they were mounted on the sides similar to those on horse-drawn carraiges.

Here's an 1894 model --

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One or two of the very early cars had single large headlights, but I think you're barking up the wrong tree. The earliest cars were simply modified horse-drawn carraiges. The old carraiges had two lights, so the horseless variety also had two.

George Patterson Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

Reply to
George Patterson

Earliest minis - with the slight hoods over the headlamps giving an eyelash effect...

Reply to
R. Murphy

George Patterson ha escrito:

Yep you are right! The carriages had lateral lights because, obviously, the horses were there behind, so a central light was not possible. I had not thought about it. From the picture you point out, and anothers, it seems that cars simply continued the tradition. Now, while I have seen some pictures of early cars with a central light -as contemporary, and modern, locomotives-, it seems that the traditional "eyes" position was somehow favoured. I can not tell if favoured by public, by regulations (as actually is), or by engineering (for the engine to breath).

Reply to
Al.Rivero

You see a face in a car's front end because you want to. It's a known fact that humans will see faces where there's none intended. Some psychologists say that's why so many people keep seeing the face of Jesus on a potato chip, or the Virgin Mary on a window, or whatever... it's human nature to want to see faces.

-- ~~R.Banks Help the victims:

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Reply to
Robin Banks

Keep in mind that a train stays on a track and does not deviate from its path. A car moves all over, and when you're approaching one on the road at night, a headlight on either side of it helps you to judge how wide it is and where it is. If you've ever approached a car with one headlight out, you'll know what I mean -- it's tough to tell if it's on the right side of the road, or is veering over into your path, especially if there are no lines on the road.

Rabbit

Reply to
Rabbit

Nor can you judge distance.

Reply to
Chris Bolus

The main purpose of a headlight on a locomotive or multiple unit is so that it can be seen by PW staff and people on stations, level crossings, etc. The train driver has no hope of being able to stop within the distance illuminated. With horse-drawn carriages the same probably held true, but of course it helps if the driver can see the horse. With modern cars you need first and foremost to see where you are going.

Actually in the UK most trains have either a pair of headlights (although only one may be high intensity) or one offset headlight or three marker lights on the GM freight locos. Steam locos and early diesels used paraffin lamps in place of or behind headcode discs which indicated the class of train to the signalman. We never had the US-style large headlight in front of the chimney.

Reply to
Richard Porter

I would guess that two lights were originally fitted so that when one failed (as it inevitably would) the driver could still see with the other.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

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