Thread: Quick headlight question

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There are currently made kits that have similar hardware, they typically run $75-85 bucks. The challenge is finding the stainless outer bezels, that's why I have the later model commercial units, it gives me all the parts.

As for filling the 8" hole, look at the "buckets", they have a flange that fills that space, but again, you need the bezels to complete the deal, and to my knowledge nobody is making those......probably because the market is too small.

Where's the quick you "promised"?

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

There are currently made kits that have similar hardware, they typically run $75-85 bucks. The challenge is finding the stainless outer bezels, that's why I have the later model commercial units, it gives me all the parts.

As for filling the 8" hole, look at the "buckets", they have a flange that fills that space, but again, you need the bezels to complete the deal, and to my knowledge nobody is making those......probably because the market is too small.

Where's the quick you "promised"?

That's the problem with being a newbie..just when I think I figured something out 10 more question come up.

ready for it?...How is the stock '35 stainless outter bezel different from the one I would need to use with a sealed beam converstion? So that old kit on ebay is basically the same as a newer $75-85 kit? Where are those offered? I found nothing online. Does anyone have a picture of a standard, non sealed beam headlight so I can make sure I know what I have?

Thanks

Look at the pic of the '36 3w in my gallery, click the bigger 101 kb size. The '35 lights are very similar though their lense is not as much convex shape. The problem is the opening of the stock bezel is about 7 1/2" and doesn't roll in enough to mate up to the nearly flat sealed beam shape.

I did a search yesterday and found several ads that showed hardware similar to the one on ebay I linked, but for some reason I can't find them today, must have forgotten what search parameter I typed in. The closest I can come is this; https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/shop/s...kip=440&Max=40 it's about 1/3 of the way down the page and doesn't show the component detail, just the finished light assembly, but it's the same description I saw yesterday elsewhere.

With all this back and forth you can see why most people use the halogen/reflector conversions. Unless you can find the commercial units I referenced earlier, but then the going price (at least a year or so ago) was around $200 for those. Besides, the originals look better to me.

I am familiar with the 35 vs. 36 headlights. I hadn't really remembered about some of these newer kits being less convex shape to them. Do the regular halogen reflectors have a similar shape to the stock 35 ones? In other words when doing just a halogen convertion are people able to use stock trim rings?

I am now leaning towards doing the halogen conversion with or without turn signals built in, but doing the sealed beam/LED turn signal kit is getting pricey with the sealed beam conversion kit on top of the $175 reflectors. I am going to a car show this weekend so I'll stop by the vendors and see what they have as well as take a closer look at some cars.

Thanks Bob...If I had not stopped by here first I would have ordered the ones w/ LEDs and I would have probably been boxing them back up to send back.

I had forgotten about this company, another alternative: http://www.headwinds.com/mm5/merchan..._Code=02010205

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

I had forgotten about this company, another alternative: http://www.headwinds.com/mm5/merchan..._Code=02010205

Bob- I am unsure what this kit is actually an adaptor for? . The description is not very clear...at least to me, but they also don't list the '35 anyway just '36. Thanks

So after all this talk about sealed beam conversions and after buying the Vintique kit I was looking through old parts preparing to reintall some things and I decided to take a look at the old headlights. The first thing that caught my attention was "sealed beam" on the lense. Then looking at the rest of it it looked like I may already have a sealed beam conversion. Keep in mind that during this discussion I did not have access to the old headlights and it has been about 4 years since I last looked at them. Bob or anyone else, could you confirm what I have here? Thanks!

Yup, that would be very similar to the one I first showed on this thread. Just remember, we're laughing WITH you, not at you...............

it's ok, you can laugh at me . I just remembered that the bucket had not been modifed in a permanent way (like I thought it would have been) and...well you know what they say when you assume..

I would still have the problem of the trim rings so I'll just use the headlights I bought and keep these stashed away to maybe use another time.

Thanks!

Ok so after actually opening the box for the Vintique halogen reflector conversion kit I ordered, I realize it does not include lenses (it does not say it does on the site, my mistake ) and they want $42 for those. At that point I'm in $140 and I may as well get the kit with the LED turn signals for $175 now that I know I have a sealed beam conversion already anyway .

So what I need to know or at least feel better about before I order is whether or not the LED kit posted in the first post in this thread will fit with my stock trim rings? Bob- you have me thinking about whether or not I would need new trim rings. If I do I will just order the lenses for the kit I have and be done with it. I called Yogi's and they did not know..

You probably need to start by measuring the ID of the trim rings you've got if you haven't already (and probably should make sure they fit the housings you've got while you're at it). If they're bigger than the 7" for the seal beams then you've got to decide whether you want to hunt down some that do fit the seal beams or the originals. If what you've got are the originals then it may make more sense (and maybe fewer bucks?) to go with the reflector kit/stock style lense knowing that you'll probably have slightly shorter light beam than with the sealed beams. I don't have any '35 parts to measure for you as all the pieces I have are '36 or '40+ commercial (which fit the '36 housing). If you want those dimensions once you've checked what you've got I can do that for you after Sunday when I get back up north.

Edit: after looking at the last pictures you've got up of the seal beam conversion there's one other possible alternative. I can't tell for sure because it's a side shot, but it appears you may have a "filler ring" to make up for the difference between the 7" seal beam and the stock trim ring (that black piece)? If so you can swing either way if you don't mind that look.

What you call the filler ring in the last post I believe you referred to as the retainer ring earlier in this thread if you are talking about the same piece than I think you are right that that ring takes up the space between the lense and the trim ring (looking at it from the front). If I have the right image in my head I can see that black ring being visable when its all together. Is that what you mean at the end of you post when you say if you don't mind that look? That is not ideal, but something I could probably live with. The whole sealed beam assembly that was on there did not fit that great at all really. I need to see if I can adjust it (probably further into the bucket) so that the trim ring is more centered around the lense. I hadn't even thought of the inner diameter of the trim rings being too large so I will have to measure that this weekend.

All that said, what I was trying to ask in my last post was not about the diameter, but the curve of the trim rings vs. the curve of the lense. It seems like some of the newer lenses are very flat while the ring curves out more and may not contact the newer aftermarket lense. Am I making sense with that? I think this came up a bit earlier in the thread. I realize you may not actually know that answer to that not being familiar with this particular kit with the LED turn signals, but you have given such great responses to this point I figured I would give it a shot or maybe drag someone in with first hand experiense with this kit

Thank you!

Yes, you've got the idea on the filler/retainer ring. I agree, you may have to play with the pieces some to get them to fit neatly. As for the black color you can go other ways on finish. If you're going with polished stainless original bezels then you could have those rings chrome plated. If you're going to paint the bezels body color, then the rings would almost disappear painted likewise. Or similar concepts whatever other ideas you might have.

As for the curvature match up I'm a little lost on what your concern is. Here's a picture of one of my '36 headlights. In this case the lense is very curved and the bezel sort of flat. That sounds like the opposite of what you're describing, but '35 is different. Maybe a picture of what you're concerned about would help.