Recently I had a chance to visit the Peruvian car museum, a private enterprise owned by a collector called Nicolini, that has more than 200 cars, starting with 1901 models.

Two Rugbies are shown there a 1927 and a 1929.

Some of the headlamps of other cars of that age had tinted lenses with a violet colour that I had not seen in Durant products up to now.

My curiosity arose looking the pictures of the last Durant Partner, where is shown a car with one headlamp lens with the same violet tint I had seen in the Peruvian museum.

Were those tinted lenses used in Durant products?

Regards

Ricardo

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes 1928 M2 touring Rugby

Are those lenses tinted or coloured by age based on the makeup of the glass ingredients. I think you will find orig they were clear. Collecting old bottles and glass items, you get the same violet / greening colour in a lot of them ,based on sunlight. Gramma's time, old preserve bottles now are turning green / violet if you check antique shops or barns / sheds. Some retain the clear no colour, regardless of age. I have what is referred to as a purple petticoat insulator used on the electrical poles for wires. The deeper the purple the more desirable. Its from sitting in the sun that changed it from clear to the purple colour. The 28 / 29 D's used basically plate glass lenses. You can find early Ford T lenses turning that purple colour as well. Don't quote me on this but wasn't magnesium used in some glass manufacture that causes this discoloration ? Gold added to glass gives you red cranberry glass collectors of that stuff, prize.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Ricardo.... I'm guessing that you saw the picture of the Flint owned by Frank Sims in the last partner. Frank's car appears to have "Smith" lenses. While I can't speak for the other brands used on the Durant products, I have gathered a few of these Smith lenses that also appear to have changed to a violet or rose colored tint during their aging process. Norm... I have heard your explanation for this before and it makes perfect sense to me?
Might try checking with our own club "Lense Lady" and Durant Partner editor....Carol Fogarazzo. With 1000's of lenses in stock, she might be able to shed a little "LIGHT" on this subject? Jim

Hi All.....

Norm & Jim I agree with your versions of the color change. Some of my Ford T's have the original lens that have turned a pink / purple color. Can't recall seeing any Star or Durant ones that have changed.

Maybe Billy used a better or different glass

Frank ---

Do You own a car built by Durant? 13 Durant & Star cars & a Durant-Dort buggy

Ricardo,

As Jim mentioned, that was my Flint with the purplish lense and they are Smith lenses. They are the original lenses, the car belonged to my grandfather. As Norm said, it is the sunlight (ultraviolet radiation) on either magnesium or manganese that causes this to happen. The quality control wasn't too great back then and one lense had more of one of these minerals than the other. The other lense is now starting to change a little.

I was telling Carol, when people ask me about this, I jokingly tell them it was to keep from blinding on coming drivers. When the true is, they are barely bright enough to see to drive with at night.

Frank

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Flint E-55 touring

When I was younger we put bottles and insulators outside so that UV would make them purple. Although I had a major in chemistry many years ago, I can not remember what the element in the glass was to cause this color change. I do remember that whatever element caused this was no longer put into glass after sometime in the 30s, I believe. Thus, we were always told to collect only glass made before this point ( which I can not remember exactly now), in order to have it effected by the U.V. in the sunlight and thus have the blue color.

I guess I need to go back to my chemistry notes or maybe in this modern era google the information for this.

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

I was told one time that the lead (Pb)component in glass made them turn a violet with sunlight exposure over time. This was in regard to cut glass and antiques (dishes, etc AKA lead crystal - nothing to do with autos) but it's likely the same. So the story is basically correct - it's an ingredient, probably a metal, I'd bet lead. Grime, garages and greenery probably sheltered some lenses from sun and resulting purple tinting. But it's kind of cool, too. And since it can only happen with time, you know they are authentic.
Wayne

Nope not lead ..Lead is used for clear glass especially for lead crystal to make it sparkle.
Here you go. A few drops of metal oxide and you get ...

copper, selenium, gold for ... reds
nickel or manganese ... purples
chromium or copper ... greens
cobalt or copper ... blues
carbon or nickel .... browns
iron ... greens, yellows
selenium ... yellows, pinks
tin or zinc ... opal, or milk glass
iron or slag ... black
uranium ... greenish yellow

This is confusing I would agree, it depends on the orig mix. Manganese produces purple, clear and black glass. Copper reds and blues.
Lot of sand, with a little soda and lime, plus 2500 F you get glass. Potash or wood ash replaced soda in some parts of the world and gave us the greens and browns naturally.

No not an expert but out of my Bottle Collecting book which contains the history of glass making etc.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Thanks a lot to all participants, curisity is satisfied and I think that a lot of Durant fans now added more knowledge to their backsacks.

What other questions may be asked to challenge knowledge to be shared?

Best regards

Ricardo

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes 1928 M2 touring Rugby

You see the star touring on ebay ? 220221850676 Lenses have gone pink on her.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan