Thread: turn signals integrated into model A headlight bar

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I am still trying to figure out some kind of signal lights for front of the roadster pickup, other than bolt on "aftermarket" lights. I took a couple of measurements today, and it seems like my headlight bar is about 3/4" too short. This gets me thinking, if I got to put a peice in my ratty old flea market headlight bar, maybe I can get creative and machine some mild steel housings that will accept a readily available amber lens, and integrate the housings into the headlight bar???? Has anybody done that, or seen it done?----Pictures????

Are ya going fenderless or fendered? If ya go fendered, you could smooth turn signals into the fenders, it would look clean, simple and cool.

I am going to run full fenders, but the bodywork is all done, and I don't want to start messin with it again.

It was worth mentioning anyway. How about putting an amber colored light bar into the headlight bar by notching the bar out a little then putting the light bar in the notch, I saw somthing like that b4, can't remember where., or wolden't that work.

Denny--I don't think that I could add them between the headlight and the end of the bar that attaches to the fender, as this portion of the bar is a solid forging. The 2 forged outer ends are attached by a hollow tube which starts just inboard from the center of each forged light "cup" which are in the forged ends. I am using the headlight bar off a 28/29, and it is a straight center tube, not curved like the 30/31 model A's. If I was rich instead of good looking, I would buy a set of the 32-34 commercial headlights which can be ordered with a set of signal lights built into the housings. (the signal light hides behind the headlight lens and is only visible when turned on). Trouble is, a set of those babies is over $300, whereas a set of chrome king-bees with 7" sealed beams and no signal are less than $100

The ones I put on my 32 were mounted just inside the fender where it meets the frame rails. There are about 2" square. If you don't like the square ones, take a peek at some of the ones that they use on the motorcycles, which are 2" round bullets shaped similar to the headlights. This might be a little tough to see in this picture. If you want to see what the round ones look like, you'll have to wait till Monday when I get back to work to take a picture of them.

The attached .jpg is a solid model that I just created with my engineering software, showing what I was thinking of. This would be turned on a lathe from a peice of 2" round stock, and one face milled flat, then the cavity milled out. A bulb would be inserted thru the back side, and an amber lens glued or screwed into place in the front. The 2 ends which are turned to 3/4" dia would be butt welded into the headlight bar, after an equal length of headlight bar was removed.

I stole your picture, and I'll see if I can make a prototype out of aluminum on Monday. If I can do it without too much trouble, I'll see if I can do it in steel.

Denny---your right, That is not a bad look, with the signal light cloned onto the headlight bucket. I believe that originally most of the early Chevs had "guide" headlights with this type of signal light. My roadster pickup will have very little chrome on it------------headlights, baby moon hubcaps and beauty rings, on wheels painted same colour as the body. I know that I can buy chromed king bees, but have never seen them offered with this signal light option. I could probably chase down a set of early Chev headlights, but they wouldn't be chrome, and I am too cheap to have a set chromed. By the way, the last 3 cars I built had 32 grill shells, and I made the grill insert myself from cold rolled 3/16" steel rod, painted flat black.----looks great, costs less than $25

Pro60Chevy---I just love your 60 Chev---my first real drag car was a 60 Chev Impala, 2 door hardtop. I paid $850 for it used, in 1967. It had been modified by a previous owner, to a 283 high performance engine with double bump heads and a Borg Warner t10 four speed. I was 21 years old, was in my second year of an engineering apprenticeship, had the prettiest girlfriend and the fastest car in town. I thought I was a God. I loved to race this car---there was so damn much car hung out past the rear tires that it was almost impossible to break the tires loose. I used to run against 396 Camaros, and while they sat in the lights and smoked I could pull a 3 car length hole shot on them before they started to move. Two times out of 3 they would pass me in the last 300 feet of the quarter mile, but Oh Man, did I ever brag about the other third, when I shut down cars 7 years newer than mine. Now I'm an old guy, 58---the car has long gone to that big crusher in the sky, and the girlfriend who became a wife has been gone for 23 years, but your car brings back some great memories. Thank You

I saw these at a show and plan to use em on my next build, turn signals built INTO the headlight http://www.yogisinc.com/Detail.cfm/-...1C/product.htm

If you want to go with round lights instead of rectangular, might I suggest amber side clearance lights from any '68 Mopar. The only year they were round.

I've got a 31 Ford Coupe with stock headlight buckets lenses and trim rings, I bought a quartz kit from All Fords in San Jose, CA for $97 in 2002. The kit comes with reflectors, h4 bulbs, 1157 running/turn bulbs, wiring and cork gaskets. The kit has H4 bulbs for bright/dim headlights and 1157 running/turn signals bulbs in the reflector just above the h4 bulbs, looks cool. It's a nice look, and clean.

I'll try to get you a pic this weekend!

Can't post any pictures, I get a 240 second error message. My connection must be to slow. I will try again late sunday night.