Lighting, Battery, etc.

Head light

The head light is made by Riemann. It is easily recognised from the logo at the back of the lamp housing, showing an oak branch with three leaves and within a circle the text:

 “·HERM. RIEMANN·CHEMNITZ-GABLENZ·”

On the inside of the lamp housing, on the support bracket, “Riemann” is stamped with oak leaves in a circle at the right side; later lamps had a number stamped, e.g. 184A, above it.

“Riemann” head light.

The head light housing is attached to the support bracket with expansion rivets. The external rivet heads, used on the 1934 head light housing, have a diameter of approximately 8 mm, for later head light housings the head of the rivet was increased  to a diameter of about 10.5 mm, while, at the same time, a lamella was fitted between parabola and head light housing, serving as an earth connection.

 101.

The parabola is made of nickel plated brass and is entirely smooth. On the back a text is printed with blue printing ink, e.g.:

BILUX
20 / 15 W
1 34

 stating the make of the bulb, the power of the bulb and the month and year of production of the head light housing.
With later models the power of the bulb, “30 25 W”, was stamped in the fitting.

The headlight glass has vertical longitudinal ribs and is slightly curved outward. This curved headlight glass can be found in a version with the trade name “Riemann” at the lower end of the glass; it is unsure if this was fitted in the head light of 1934.

The ring around the glass is made of chrome plated brass.

Horn

The horn is made by “Riemann” and can be recognised from the “Riemann” logo, an oak branch with three leaves, in the middle of the front cover.

“Riemann” horn, front and back.

102.

The 1934 model horn is different from subsequent models, the circle around the “Riemann” logo is missing and has a profile on the back, shaped like crossed double bars #, to increase the strength of the cover.

Later “Riemann” horns for the Nimbus came in two different versions.

Battery

6 Volt battery, originally made by “Noack”

Tail light

The first Nimbus tail lights did not have brake lights and therefore had just one bulb for both tail light and license plate light.
From various old brochures it can be concluded that the tail lights were longer than the later tail lights with a “lump” and they were probably made of steel because they were always painted black.
No details of this model of rear light are known and, as far as we know, none have survived.

Tail light with “lump”

 103.

From No 1400, the brake light was introduced and with it the brake light switch and the so called “lump tail light”.
Lump tail lights, cast of aluminium, are shorter and have a cast divider between brake light and tail lights / licence plate light.

The 1934 model tail lights always have a 6 mm hole at both sides of the housing, the reason probably being that the electrical wires to the brake light and the tail light originally entered the housing here. Later “lump” tail lights do not have these holes.

The tail light glass is made of 0.5 mm thick red celluloid bearing the text “STOP”, which is applied in mirror writing on the inside.  

Brake light switch

The first 1934 models did not have a brake light. The brake light, and switch, was introduced around No 1400, in the autumn of 1934.

The brake light switch is attached to the frame with a 6 mm brass stud. The stud is cast in the housing of the brake light switch, about 7 mm from the edge of the housing.  Starting with No 1551, the distance was changed to 2 mm, simultaneously with the reinforcement of the material around the cast-in stud. 

The pull rod of the brake light switch is nickel plated and has an adjustment screw.

  104.

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