37-39 headlight lens

S

swoopNZ

MEMBER EMERITUS
Were the glass headlamp lens the same for LHD and RHD cars or was there a difference to allow for dipping the light away from oncoming traffic ?
Thanks,
Chris.NZ.
 
Chris, to be clear, you’re asking about 3 different lenses, 78; 81A; and 91A. Each was used in pairs on both left and right headlight buckets of their respective Ford models ‘37; ‘38; ‘39 Standard; ‘39 DeLuxe.
 
The aiming of head lamps of the pre-sealed-beam era took place with adjustments on the housings or reflectors and did not separately involve the lenses.
 
I also didn't think there was until I saw a Barner looking for RHD lenses for his 39.
PN's seem to be the same.
 
Yes, I told that barner the lens were the same but he was adamant that he was right!!
 
It will be an fruitless hunt. A big clue is that there are no XXF-prefix headlamp lenses listed in any of the chassis parts catalogues of the era that include RHD parts.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
Find a "metric" version of that "left-handed" monkey wrench and you might really have yourself something!

Coop

.
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This reminds me of an apprentice that was hired into the tool room. He was told to go to the tool crib and check out the brass magnet. As you guys well know, it's the only magnet that will pick up aluminum chips.

That was fun at his expense.
 
ford 38v8 look harder their out there! the lights dip due to the placement of the filaments in the reflector [parabolic geometry] the Fresnel cut is what focus the light into a tighter beam the cut is also related to the angle at which the light enters the lens so a lefts will need to be different to a right dip so i dont know if the made them hence the original Question ARE THEY AVALIBLE ? and by the answers i would say not. The answer seams to use clear lens and a late style H4 sealed beam light with a free form reflector
 
aussie merc said:
ford 38v8 look harder their out there! the lights dip due to the placement of the filaments in the reflector [parabolic geometry] the Fresnel cut is what focus the light into a tighter beam the cut is also related to the angle at which the light enters the lens so a lefts will need to be different to a right dip so i dont know if the made them hence the original Question ARE THEY AVALIBLE ? and by the answers i would say not. The answer seams to use clear lens and a late style H4 sealed beam light with a free form reflector
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The question was whether there was a different lens for L or R, not reflector focus or filament, or what may have been available aftermarket with a jury rigged seal beam. The answer is no, there was only the single lens used on both L and R. If there had been, the difference would be noted by two different part numbers for each application. They may be out there as you say, but were not available from Ford at the time.
 
The top thread for adjusting the reflectors stand out less on a 37 than a 38.
I think it's to do with the the angle of the headlamp in the fender.
37's used the 1/2 round reflector locators. 38 and 39 std have the full circle ones.
So does the 39 deluxe ( and I guess 39 mercury ) but the top thread on these is recessed like the 37's.
 
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