Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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#470181 05/26/22 03:51 PM
Joined: May 2022
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Has anyone had any experience of converting 39 Master headlights to sealed beam, my reflectors are shot (rusty at the bottom) so am wondering about converting them. I'm already on 12V.

Last edited by Roddabaz; 05/26/22 03:55 PM.
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There were aftermarket kits to convert some Chevy’s to sealed beam headlights. The conversion had already been done on our ‘37 when we got it. The original reflectors, lenses, and trim rings were in the trunk.

The kit included new head light buckets with retainers and adjusting springs. There were some holes drilled in the flange of the headlamp housing to accommodate the screws. The wiring harness ends had to be replaced with a standard sealed beam headlight socket.

The tricky part is finding a solution for the parking lights. You lose that function when you remove the reflector. Some people add fender mount lights and wire them to operate as parking lights. On my car whoever did the conversion added a small light in a housing on top of each headlight housing.


Rusty

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The guts of the 1939 head light are very different from the1937. Because the lamp body is fixed to the fender the lights are adjusted by moving the reflector only. There are ittle openings in the light body to accomplish this....


Gene Schneider
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Shade Tree Mechanic
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Originally Posted by Rusty 37 Master
There were aftermarket kits to convert some Chevy’s to sealed beam headlights. The conversion had already been done on our ‘37 when we got it. The original reflectors, lenses, and trim rings were in the trunk.

The kit included new head light buckets with retainers and adjusting springs. There were some holes drilled in the flange of the headlamp housing to accommodate the screws. The wiring harness ends had to be replaced with a standard sealed beam headlight socket.

The tricky part is finding a solution for the parking lights. You lose that function when you remove the reflector. Some people add fender mount lights and wire them to operate as parking lights. On my car whoever did the conversion added a small light in a housing on top of each headlight housing.

Here in the UK sealed beam units are available with a parking light option, they leave a small window in the silvering and the bulb holder is supported by the headlight bulb holder. Thanks for replies.

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You might want to install the classic dynamo and regulator LED globe in your existing APF fitting. These are from UK and bypass the halogen step you are contemplating. I think they are 2400 lumens and i have used 10 in my oldies. 6-24V pos or neg earth. I previously bought chinese LED's with fans on the back of the globe but they fail quite quickly.


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