How to assemble 35 headlight

C

Coupe35

Senior Member
OK, I give up. How in the heck do you assemble a front car headlight assembly? There are 3 clips that are on the edge of the reflector. I guess these are supposed to help wedge the reflector between the lens and body but you need 3 pairs of hands to get all this stuff together. I must be doing something wrong. When I compress the clips they fall out. And I’m not sure that’s what they are for, help please.
 
You may be missing the paper/cork gasket that goes between the lens and stainless trim. That should tighten up the space for the clips.
 
I found that the repro glass would not fit properly. Could not get the clips to stay. I used the black guey stuff that they mount windshields in with, works great. Took the cork gasket and tossed it. JMHO Frank pkny
 
I have a '38 pickup, '38-'39 trucks use same complete headlight assembly as '35. Are you talking about the W-shaped wire clips that lock the lens into the stainless ring? Or the flat metal clips that attack to the back of the reflector and locate the reflector in the bucket? I have '36 lenses and rings on my truck, but the answer to your question is the same whether you're using '35 car/'35-'39 truck lenses and rings or '36 car lenses and rings.
 
Has anyone while assembling the headlights ever had to replace the inner ring that is spot welded to headlight bucket? If so are these inner rings reproduced and where can they be purchased?
 
I'm having the same issues. I hooked the 3 reflector clips on the little nubs and pressed them into the 3 gaps in the bucket. Got them to stay but there is a little space between. Are they supposed to be springy? I tried to put the w shaped lens clips on the lens but they're too loose to hold without the gasket and I cant get the gasket to stay. Will get some gasket cement today and try again. Don't know if any of this is correct. Any tips would be appreciated.
 
Can't answer them all, only thing I did was cut the gasket to length and super glue the ends together so the gasket held its self together, put safety glasses on and begged they little lady to hold on tight while I attempted to break something, I gave up on aligning the holes and just pushed it together :confused:
 
on 35 there is no paper gasket. Yes the reflector should have some room, when the lens and ring are installed they will push the reflector rearward. The W clips have the wide ends toward the rear of the ring and the center of the W fits into the depressions in the edge of the rear of the glass lens. There is supposed to be a cork or rubber gasket in the outter rim of the reflector and the reflector is marked "TOP" on the rear edge in embossed letters.
 
Now I'm confused about the gasket. Does it go between the reflector and lens or between lens and trim ring? I assumed it went under the trim ring to take up som space so the w clips would fit tighter, But when I tried that it was too tight and I couldnt get the clips on. That windshield urethane mentioned above makes a pretty permanent seal so I was gonna try silicone rtv in place of the cork. Thank you for the replies.
 
The reflector has a grouve all the way around,that is for the gasket(3/16" square X approx 12"long).Used to be they were cork and a bit thick.I use the rubber ones supplied by Drake.There is no gasket between the trim ring and lens.The current lense clips furnished by the suppliers are not like the originals.It takes a bit of doing to get all three on without the lens popping out.Those other flat clips with the "u" in the middle go between the reflector and headlite bucket.The "u" goes into the square hole.Hope this helps.
 
Don't know if either of these diagrams from the Green Bible are helpful. There wasn't one specifically for 35.

45241979.jpg
 
I posted something that might have helped on the old site but I cant find it. Anyway, what I did was take some "small" binder clips that you can buy at the stationary store and took the arms off the springy thing. I bent the arms out to about a 45 degree angle, put the round part that will fit into the 3 notches in the glass into a vise, then bent the arms to about a 30 degree angle. The top edge ofthe arms fit intote rim like they where made for it. Adjust the 45 degree angle until the contraption snaps into place. That holds the glasss into the rim.

As far as gasketing goes, it's really easier to take a piece of rear window molding which is U shaped and wrap it around the lense. This seals the lense to the glass and to the bucket. Even for a trailer queen - nobody will know.

Shade tree mechanics know how to cheat!

Fat Fenders Forever.
 
These pics may help. The glass goes in the trim ring without a gasket and is held in place by the three clips. There are three spring clips on the reflector as shown. The small loop part of the three spring clips on the reflector then fit in the three slots on your headlight bucket. The gasket then goes between the reflector face and the glass lens when you put the trim ring on.

Wayne
 
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This has been challenging and confusing without much resources to help. You guys have really made it easier for future headlight assemblers. Thank you very very much!

I might add that this was a halogen conversion. There were originally 2 metal rings (one chrome and one painted ) that were discarded.Also putting those wire clips on the lens is a bit tricky - an extra pair of hands is handy.
 
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These pictures are wonderful!! Thanks. I'll be getting into mine soon, and now I have a place to go for reference.
 
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