Thread: Headlight Options for 34 Plymouth

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Hello all,
I'm about to purchase a 34 Plymouth. It doesn't have headlights. What type of lights would you use? How would you mount the headlights? How about tail lights?

Appreciate any other 34 Plymouth info too.


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I'm new to street rodding. I have owned a 65 Mustang from '78-'02. You can guess the year of the photo from the cars in the background.

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I'm ready to have a hobby car again.

AA6

I'm also looking for a good rod and custom shop in the Birmingham, AL area to help me get this car street legal.

Welcome to CHR!! I used these SS Dietz type - Stainless Steel Dietz Type Headlights, Halogen Bulb - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop

Lots of different mounting brackets. Here's one - Aluminum Headlight Mounting Brackets, Polished - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop

Thanks for the reply. I've been on the Speedway web site. My problem is there's only round tube in the front area. Most of the mounts on the site are for square tube mounting.

The main problem stems from the racing style chassis this car has. Headlights can be mounted but it will take some engineering and figuring out how and and where to build the brackets. You probably will need to run a new exhaust as well. Not sure about inspection laws in Al, but I doubt they will allow zoomies.
I would check with exactly what you need to make this car leagl for the road first, then start your re-do.

This is a tough one for me. If you were a good buddy that I knew I'd be saying something like, "Yeah, she'd be a good one night stand, but a bitch to live with!" If you've still got your gold in your pocket you need a cooling off period.

That being said, something about it made your blood boil, and that's why we do this stuff, so maybe she's right for you. There will be many things necessary to make her a fun car IMO. As for mounting head lights, those upper shock mounts might be a good spot. Might need some lengthening of the spud, but doable. Something like these:Stainless Steel Headlight Mount - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop Also, you might want to do some mock ups of headlight sizes. The small ones like the Dietz could work, or biggies like '32 Fords, or somewhere in between.......depends on what please your eye.

Yeah, those shock mounts that Bob posted are what I used, but then my upper shock mount goes front to back where your's goes side to side. Might work, but maybe not without considerable tweaking - not at all sure that there will be room for the light with your bolting arrangement.

I can't disagree with what Bob says. Taking a car that was built for the strip and making it good for the street is going to be a big challenge, especially trying to get things in proportion and pleasing to the eye. Of course, beauty's in the eye of the beholder, right? If it's the one that stole your heart then it's the one for you and you're not going to care about the path to get there. I'd say that the rod shop you choose is going to be very happy to have you as a customer.

I agree it's not a wise purchase. Everyone is telling me to get something streetable with PS/AC. This is a very streetable ride:

I love all his youtube videos. The flamethrowers are great. The owner didn't do the work and doesn't know the full history of the car. I thought it was a little high priced too. It also didn't meet my criteria of being tubbed.
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I'm looking for a radical street car that will be limited driven. I'll have to add lights, tires, and alternator to the '34 Plymouth. The 5-gallon fuel cell with be a pain. I'm prepared to change the exhaust similar to the '31 below. I regret missing out on this one (already sold). Price was right too. 1931 Ford 5 Window Coupe

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I was interested in this car. But the owner will not let you drive it or take you for a ride. He'll fire it up and put it on your trailer. It has a nothing radiator and way too high compression. The chassis is dated and hasn't and probably wouldn't pass a tech inspection. I love its' look though.

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Appreciate the replies. It's fun looking for the right ride. You couldn't buy all the parts for the sale price of the Plymouth. Plus, it was a professional race shop that built it. And your right - a shop's going to love me!

You could do what I did and attach your headlights to the grill shell, assuming the shell is strong enough. I used mounts that go between the headlight and the shell, but I cannot remember where I got them. I thought they were from Outlaw, but they do not show them on their website.

IMO you'd be a whole lot better off finding a really nice street car that has the look and features you want and then spending the money to tub it than to find a tubbed race car and try to convert it into a nice street machine. Race cars are purpose built, and often their street manners are questionable at best. Sounds like you're planning to pay a shop to do the work as opposed to building yourself, so why not start with something you like and have minimal modifications to pay for (narrowing the differential, new wheels/tires, tubs and body mods to match). Just my $0.02, and it's your money.

Bobby Alloway is in Alabama

For the Plymouth--you will not only need tires but probably a differential for street
Lights and wiring----
Exhaust system----

You might also want to start with another frame for what is there--get a frame already made for the tubbed rear end the width you need for the stuff on the Plymouth

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Bobby Alloway is in Alabama

Correction for Jerry, Bobby Alloway is in Tenn, near Knoxville. I'll bet you're thinking of Alan Johnson, his shop is in Gadsden, Ala. Both are very 'high end' builders of numerous award winning cars.

Mike

Rum, that is what the current owner suggested. He said the shell was fairly thick. I'm sure sometype of bracing would be needed on the backside of the shell.

I like the idea of a car with bad manners. For me it's part of it. I realize there'll be no family Sunday afternoon drives in the country.

I've ran a spool on the street before (my tires were not as wide or sticky). I don't beleive 40 spline will break on a turn.

I'll check out Alan Johnson's shop. thanks.

Appreciate the replies. I'm driving to see the car this weekend.

no, you won't break the 40 spline spool/axle on the street, but you probably won't be able to steer it around corners with small front tires that are lightly loaded-----------

A couple of points: the car could be a neat street car that would be a royal pain to drive....if you're into pain, it would fill the bill nicely and look cool. ADVISE: go to your state's rules on a car driven on the street. IGNORE all the advice about "my state" and only look at the official ALA rules. Some states may require a safety glass windshield for instance....mine may but yours may not. Zoomies may be OK and your state may have a noise law so, if you comply, your zoomies stay. Some states may have an emergency brake law....yours may not and mine may so IGNORE my state examples. ALABAMA is the rule you need to follow. Period.

For the headlights, they should not be mounted to the grille shell....they will shake like a pregnant nun if you do. A solution is to weld a vertical post to the frame on each side of the radiator inside the grille shell and mount the headlights THRU a hole in the grille shell. These posts can be sized to fit the available space and should be rigid enough to support the light in a stabile manner.

Good luck.