1935-36 headlight differences

K

kustoman

Junior Member
From previous posts I understand that headlight bucket for 1935 & 36 passenger cars and some pickups are the same apart from mounting studs, so then the diameter where the glass retaining ring fits is the same.
I see that the stainless steel band that mounts the glass is quite different, and the 35 glass is a lot flatter, but is the glass diameter the same, where it fits the band?
I have a 1936 5 window coupe and am looking at fitting 7" sealed beam lights. I have seen these fitted directly to trim rings, are these factory or aftermarket?
 
473067

1935 Ford V8 Headlights.
 
Those sealed beam conversions were standard equipment on about '41 big trucks, which used the same h'lite buckets as 35-36 passenger cars.
 
They would take a bit of finding now, I guess. Some guys are putting sealed beams behind original fluted lenses, but that does not seem a good thing to me.
 
Hi Randy,
I have a Bob Drake reflector kit, but apparently they don't focus well, so the sealed beam route seems better.
I am interested in what your kit is like, the conversion has to look good, so otherwise I might be able to take Brian's suggestion and see if I can find some big trick trim rings, the rest is available.
 
It is possible to get quartz halogen bulbs that fit the original reflectors. I've run them for years, means you can use your original bulging 36 h'lite lenses
 
kustoman said:
Hi Randy,
I have a Bob Drake reflector kit, but apparently they don't focus well, so the sealed beam route seems better.
I am interested in what your kit is like, the conversion has to look good, so otherwise I might be able to take Brian's suggestion and see if I can find some big trick trim rings, the rest is available.
Click to expand...

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I had a look at the conversion kit I have today. Can't post pictures - in the process of moving to a new computer and need an adapter to upload to the new one. Here's a scan of the original instruction sheet that came with the kit. Hard to guess how well it would look without actually putting things together - my guess is that it would look fairly good with a bezel from 1935 car or the later trucks. 1936 bezels are so much wider it's hard to say. I assume that the spring assemblies in the kit are to allow adjustment to make up for the different bezels. This kit is specifically stated to be for 1935 & 1936 Ford.

Probably should have done this by Private Messaging. Have a look, see how you make out alternately and let me know if you might be interested in these.

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Hi Randy,

That's a real piece of history you have there, I have seen a few cars with this type of kit.

I think you are right about the 36 bezels, I have been looking at options and I can get repo big truck bezels that fit 7" halogen or sealed beam lamps without needing an adaptor space ring. The rest of the bits are standard parts that I can buy locally in New Zealand, so thanks for your help Randy and thanks Brian for the hot tip about the big truck bezels.
 
Hey, not sure this is gonna go anywhere since it’s been years for the original post. However I have 40 Chevy headlights on my 36 ford..I dont want the sealed beam look. Does anyone know what would be needed to use the 40 Chevy buckets with 36 ford bubble lenses? Or any any 30’s bubble lenses and bezels?
 
I have 37 pontiac buckets on my 34 jalopy, converted to sealed beams by cutting the front face off some rusty BLC lights to position the bulbs, then the BLC, or Guide trim rings fit the pontiac buckets. Point is, the pontiac reflector and lense would probably fit the GM sealed beam bucket in reverse. All of the GM lights in the 38 to 40 era were made by Guide, same as BLC, and all about the same size.

Hard to say exactly what will work without having them in hand. There usta be a headlight only guy, Axlerod I think, google it
 
sinisterhotrod said:
Hey, not sure this is gonna go anywhere since it’s been years for the original post. However I have 40 Chevy headlights on my 36 ford..I dont want the sealed beam look. Does anyone know what would be needed to use the 40 Chevy buckets with 36 ford bubble lenses? Or any any 30’s bubble lenses and bezels?
Click to expand...

Just a thought but how about acquiring a pair of '36 Ford lamp assemblies?
Or are the Chevy assemblies more in the hot rod "taste"?
 
Just to update where I got to after the original thread, I got some 41 big truck headlight rings, from Juliano's, some UK Lucas 7" H4 halogen lights #LUB383, these are for 60's classic Mini's and similar, and plastic light buckets & light retaining rings to suit, these were adjustable, but to get the depth right, I wound them right in and trimmed some bits of plastic off. They look more like 35 lights now, than 36, but the result is tidy and will work well.
 

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kustoman said:
Just to update where I got to after the original thread, I got some 41 big truck headlight rings, from Juliano's, some UK Lucas 7" H4 halogen lights #LUB383, these are for 60's classic Mini's and similar, and plastic light buckets & light retaining rings to suit, these were adjustable, but to get the depth right, I wound them right in and trimmed some bits of plastic off. They look more like 35 lights now, than 36, but the result is tidy and will work well.
Click to expand...
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