Convert 1939 Pickup Headkights to Sealed Beam
- Thread starter Dan 1939
- Start date
Karl Wescott
Well-known member
The best way is to find a pair of 1940-41 Truck/1940-47 Cabover headlights. These were seal beams with the same bucket as the 1938-39.
Otherwise go with the kit you found, I am not sure these are even being made anymore.
Otherwise go with the kit you found, I am not sure these are even being made anymore.
blucar
Well-known member
The Ford trucks are very easy to convert to sealed beams. I used a truck conversion to convert the head lights on my '36 coupe.
I would suggest that you eliminate the original rotary switch on the steering gears and use new wire to hook up the lights and dimmer switch which would be floor mounted. Utilize a relay in the wiring so the off/on switch is only energizing the relay, that way the lights will have full voltage and be very bright.
Proper grounding of the system, head-lights to the frame, frame to the engine is very important on 6 volt systems due to the fact that 6 volt systems have high resistance.
I would suggest that you eliminate the original rotary switch on the steering gears and use new wire to hook up the lights and dimmer switch which would be floor mounted. Utilize a relay in the wiring so the off/on switch is only energizing the relay, that way the lights will have full voltage and be very bright.
Proper grounding of the system, head-lights to the frame, frame to the engine is very important on 6 volt systems due to the fact that 6 volt systems have high resistance.
blucar
Well-known member
An alternate way to convert your lights to sealed beam would be to use Guide 682-C lights.. They were a very common headlight in the mid to late '30's on trucks.
There are several Guide lights listed on eBay and Speedway lists several styles of the 682's in their catalog.
The neat thing about the 682's is that they have a really neat marker light on top of the pod which is very retro looking and doubles as a turn or park light.
I have a set of them on my '37 GMC..
The 682's will accept either 6 or 12 volt sealed beams..
There are several Guide lights listed on eBay and Speedway lists several styles of the 682's in their catalog.
The neat thing about the 682's is that they have a really neat marker light on top of the pod which is very retro looking and doubles as a turn or park light.
I have a set of them on my '37 GMC..
The 682's will accept either 6 or 12 volt sealed beams..
Clem Clement
Well-known member
My 39 has been converted. Dunno whose lights but they had the parking light on the top which worx for turn signals. I may have extra rings
blucar
Well-known member
As a general rule the head light pods with marker/park lights on the top are Guide 682-C's. The original 682's of the 1930's came with side or bottom mounts for adaption onto either style of mount location. GM's usually mount to the grille shell, where-as most other trucks mount to the fender adjacent to the grille shell.
The 682-C head lights were very common on the Diamond T trucks of the 1940's because of the top mounted marker/turn lights.
The 682-C head lights were very common on the Diamond T trucks of the 1940's because of the top mounted marker/turn lights.
