VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 removing headlight conduit from the bucket

I'm removing the radiator from my '32 and need to disconnect the headlight wires. Does the headlight conduit typically have a push/ pull or twist connector where it enters the back of the headlight or would I have to go in through the front and remove the lenses, reflectors, etc. and look for a connector inside ? ? Thanks !

You should be able to push in & turn counter clockwise...Joe

The connector to the headlamp is retained much the same as a modern bulb-pin in slot-push and turn as described above. They are usually pretty tight so I use a glove with rubber covering to grip.

I tried turning both with a decent amount of force. One seemed to just spin back and forth, probably corroded onto the other half. The other one didn't want to budge. Neither backed out to where I could see the connector.
I wonder if there's enough slack inside the bucket to pull off the reflector and attack it from the inside ? If not, maybe just cut the wires and make a separate project out of it ?
Should the reflector pop out with a little help from a small screwdriver ?

It's also possible that whoever assembled it did not restore to original specs. The reflector should just pop off. The H/L socket connector has a short wire harness that connects to the inner side of the socket in the bucket and mates with the outer connector. If it is different someone has rewired it for one reason or another.

Disconnect battery. Spray some PB Blaster around the connector let give time to soak in. The connection is just like removing a headlamp bulb.
You can remove the headlight ring. The relector is next. There is enough room to see the back connector inside the head lamp. The rear connector has a tab that needs to be bent back closed to allow the removal. When I opened my headlights the rubber had dry rotted around the wires. I replaced all the parts (filling station). Also the electrical contacts are actually nails. I think I got those at a ford supply house or the electrical wiring company in Rhode Island. Restoring is tedious work especially trying to keep original. Best of luck!

Looks like the previous owner wired the headlight wires off the main harness direct into the bucket skipping the step to install a connector on the conduit. The rubber grommet thing is in fair condition and appears to have kept moisture out so I'll just put it back together for now. I'll snip the wiring harness somewhere along the run so I can get on the with radiator removal.
Thanks for the explanation !

Charlie,
I redid my headlights with new connectors in the lights. My harness was new from RI Wiring and it had new bayonet housings already wired in. I can help you with that one day and parts are available from RI Wiring. (You've been there! LOL) I also have to redo my Olds wiring harness and my headlights.

Ted, I spoke with R.I.Wiring this AM and they do not supply the connectors. If you got a harness and it had them you were very fortunate.

Sorry Steve, my harness was almost 20yrs old, NIB that the OP had purchased from them. I guess they used to supply them back then. Sorry for the bad info. I forget, what was "new" to me when I worked on it, was already a kind of old even though it was NIB! LOL

Well if they had them I would have jumped at the chance to get new ones. The previous owner may have sent his harness to them and they might have fabricated a new one using his old connectors.

That's the way it was when they did my harness 3 years ago...Joe

I've made new black plastic inserts on my lathe at least. I know my connections were not used but brand new on the end of my harness. Maybe the PO found some NOS ones way back when.