Blue dot in headlight/taillight

[Bullett]

Just curious, what is the history or significance of the blue dot that I have seen in different tail light lenses and different fixtures I have seen on ebay. I figured I would eventually find information explaining its purpose but never have.

[Irishbleueyes]

Originally Posted by Bullett

Just curious, what is the history or significance of the blue dot that I have seen in different tail light lenses and different fixtures I have seen on ebay. I figured I would eventually find information explaining its purpose but never have.

Pretty sure they're from the 50s and they turn your brake lights purple.. just a little cool somethin....

[63burban]

Originally Posted by irishbleueyes

pretty sure they're from the 50s and they turn your brake lights purple.. Just a little cool somethin....

x2

[tincan1966]

Personally, not for me. Never really cared for that look.

Also in Kansas ANY forward facing red or blue lights are a quick ticket- local police me be lenient, but the KS Highway Patrol has no sense of humor about them at all! LOL!

[markeb01]

From what I saw as a kid in the 50's, blue dot tail lights were always illegal, but both looked very cool and worked way better than standard red. The blue mixed with the red and when seen from a distance they were indeed purple, a very bright purple that could be seen for miles beyond the visibility of a standard red lens. It was a nice safety feature considering how small tail lights were back in the 1950's. They were rather self defeating however, because they could be seen so much farther away than regular tail lights, cops had no problem seeing them and giving the driver a ticket. I only saw a few sets on the streets during all of the 1950's.

To the best of my knowledge blue dot headlight brackets recently came into existence to mimic the bluish tint of the HID lights. Some states have approved running blue dot tail lights on cars over so many years old, but I doubt any blue colored headlights will ever be legal, since federal law requires all headlights emit white light.

[NEWFISHER]

There is so much mystery surrounding them.

Early 30s lincolns had them on the v12 cars

Doctors and emergency vehicles ran them in the early days when there wasn't much street light to distiguish them from others so the police ( also ran them) wouldn't pull them over in route to a "call".

Hot rodders caught on and used them at night to try and slide out of getting pulled over. Shortly after, the doctors , police, fire and emergency vehicles stopped running them and they became illegal.

Although blue is a darker color than red, when back lit it is brighter, hence the blue lights on police cars.

The glass dots do work better/brighter than the cheap plastic ones.

Add them to your favorite urban legand collection or your truck....I run them on most of my vehicles

[RockTonka]

got to run the blue dots...

[Sharps40]

Blue dots, front and rear. Blue Dots forever. Laws be damned, specially the stoopid ones!

[63 & 64 Bowties]

I know the history of blue dots has been discussed a lot before, but I don't think I've ever seen a good answer. I remember seeing a lot of late 40's to early 50's Chevys and Fords that had them (non-hot rodded cars, just mom & pop cars.) I always thought they were factory on some cars, maybe an option?
They've been around for a long time. This picture was taken in 1942....