headlight question

[Willynch]

How can I tell is my headlights are chrome or stainless?

I want to polish them. Does it matter if they are stainless vs chrome to polish?

 

[Russell in Tulsa]

What year are you talking about? Should be Nickle or stainless if original.

 

[CarlG]

A magnet should tell you.

 

[Bob C]

30-31 should be stainless unless somebody chromed some
commercial shells, which is unlikely.

Bob

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Only the repro 28-9 shells are stainless.

If they are original 28-9 nickel shells most likely there will be pits or rust somewhere on them.

 

[brito36]

The color should tell you. Chrome is a lot brighter than stainless.

 

[Big hammer]

Pictures would help us tell you SS or Crome

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Only the repro 28-9 shells are stainless.

If they are original 28-9 nickel shells most likely there will be pits or rust somewhere on them.

Actually I worded this wrong and should have written "the only stainless 28-9 shells are the repro ones"

Of course the 30-1 shells are stainless, and the ones for trucks are usually painted steel.

 

[Charlie Stephens]

A magnet should tell you.

I thought you post was straight forward until I put a magnet onto my headlight buckets and grill shell on my '31. There is a slight attraction, but if you didn't have anything to compare it to you might reach the wrong conclusion. Compared with a regular steel part there is only a very slight attraction.

Charlie Stephens