Okay, piraya2, here are the measurements for a '53-54 Merc inner trim ring. Outside diameter at the front = 200mm. Inside diameter at the rear about 182-183mm. Depth = 33mm. From looking at the photo of your headlight I'm guessing the depth is going to be the biggest problem? The way I see it you have three options: 1. Figure out how to mount the headlight bucket from behind the fender opening to increase the recess of the headlight. (This is how classic frenched headlights are mounted anyway, including the ones on my car.) 2. Trim the ring until it matches the depth, or keep looking for a ring that fits. 3. Cut off the Hagans and mount up some genuine or reproduction '53-54 Merc headlight bezels. Your car is in primer anyway so this would be the real deal. I have posted photos of the ring with a ruler below.
Depth These photos are of a reproduction ring. The contour is different but the dimensions are identical to the originals. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
My Merc has a set of Hagans on it as well. My plan is to cut the Hagan's off and reweld on a stock Merc headlight bucket mounting lip that got cut away to put the Hagans in originally. Once I am back to square one, I will go the 52/53 Merc headlight ring route. I'm thinking the outside diameter of the Hagan assembly is quite a bit wider than a stock set and quite a bit shallower than the 52/53 Merc rings, so not sure you will have much success trying to find a different ring that will look better. Your best bet with the least bit of work and parts hunting is probably the set up Cleancutcreations showed from Speedway with a much nicer looking inner ring. Just cut the Hagan assembly out of your fender and slip in the Speedway one and you should be good to go.
Well, I stand totally corrected. Just for grins, when I got home this evening I compared a 52/53 Merc inner ring to the Hagan in my car. The outer diameter, as stated by atomickustom is pretty close. I snapped the hagan ring off and put the Merc ring in the hole and it fits pretty close, even the depth. The big deal is right around the headlight with the way the Hagan kit mounts them. If you could work out a better bulb mounting ring, you could maybe just make the Merc rings work without a whole lot of hassle. Pardon my poor cell phone pics, I had to do this quick and get back in for supper. (I'm still going to cut mine off and put factory buckets back on with the full 52/53 ring. ) Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Wow, that is weird: I would have sworn the merc rings on my '53 Chevy fit snug to the headlight bulbs on the back side? I did not realize the Hagans have some odd/special way of mounting the headlight bulb that somehow gives it the smaller diameter. I think I'd have to look at it in person to even understand how that is accomplished. I guess that is one of the reasons they look so odd! I always thought it was just the odd dished trim ring that made them look so out of whack.
I was quite surprised by how close the 52/53 trim ring came to fitting. What appears as a thinner ring around the bulb in the middle picture is really the edge of the bulb right before the lip of the glass starts where you clamp it. The Hagan set up uses a flat ring to clamp the bulb vs. the stainless ring you have on a stock set up. So, really, the stock clamoing ring fills that gap you see there. The Hagan trim ring also overlaps the bulb by quite a bit.
They I have them in my 52 chevy ! I think they look good . Maybe not in a merc . I guess everybody is different Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Oh, that's why they make the bulb look so small. I cannot imagine why they did it that way when almost every car ever built has the bulb proud of the mounting bucket? Could an enterprising fellow replace the inner bucket with an original, or is it welded in as well? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
There's not really an inner bucket on the Hagans, just a set of clamping rings. Not sure if a stock bucket would fit in the can or not, haven't thought of that.
I could bring a 51 Chevy headlight bucket to next May's Stray Kat 500 if you want to give it a try! If the original mounting lip from the front of the fender is still intact, I don't see any reason why you couldn't bowled a headlight bucket in from behind? That's how mine are mounted (from behind, stock bucket) Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks for the offer, however, I already will be redoing the whole front end of my car, so will redo the headlights at that time. I much prefer the 52/53 Merc rings to the flat look the Hagan bucket leaves the front of my car.
The improvement with the 52-53 rings is huge! Looks like they could be swapped in without ruining a paint job/bodywork too, that'd be the way to go. You might try the stainless portions of a '54 Ford die cast headlight ring in place of the 52-53 rings, the '54's are a bit more shallow and they seem like they step down in diameter a bit more than the 52-53 rings do, I noticed that when I put '54 rings in my '52 (which I actually have to swap out, for just that reason).
My 53 Chevy has hagan cans they are not fun to adjust I hate the look of them so I modified them to use 53 ford mainline headlight rings and 68 Chevy headlight buckets and retaining ring I will post a pic from my phone no pics on iPad little too late but if I were to do it again I would have done like atomic did that's the way to go but once it's all together it's virtually the same outcome Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Well at least we all agree that those things are butt ugly with the rings that come with them. I'll say one thing, the guy who designs a set of proper looking rings to replace those fry pan reflectors with will have a more than ready market.
I agree. Thank you, jeffyg for confirming that the bucket & ring swap works. Looks fine to me. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Any detail pictures on how you mounted the buckets? My wayfarer has Hagens that I installed when I was young and dumb. I thought I'd have to cut them off and repainted, but your solution is much better and I'd like To copy it.
I left the bottom plate that screws into the hagan cans which has the adjusters in it and a rolled edge hole in the middle, took buckets from a 68 Chevy truck along with the stainless ring that clamps the headlight to the bucket I also used the spring off the truck too.. U must trim off the back of the truck bucket to make if fit good like 1/2 inch or so, then comes the fun part putting it together this will take patience not much room to work u will need a pick to hook up spring I used Allen headed bolts for the adjusters cut slots for the tab on the bucket this makes adjusting a lot better, next is take a 53 ford main line and drill three holes for mounting and predill the cans, three small counter sunk sheet metal screws and wala... Since taking these apart is a bitch I used a 2.75, I believe, hole saw and cut a hole in back of the hagan can and put h4 conversion headlights so I can replace bulbs from the back I plugged the holes with some64 impala cowl plugs Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I will look through my build pics but don't believe I have any of this step... Also I test fit 54 ford Victoria trim ring the also fit fine just shaped slightly different inside Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
This is the only pic I got shows the ring and a screw and u can see the bucket spring sorry for the lack of pics
I have not used his head light rings, But I think a long long time ago some of the KOOLEST 57 ford car customs used 56 ford pickup headlight rings, that look a lot like what he produces. It's like a lot of things joe sees what al did so then he does it. But I do like and use his door hinges.
Wow, maybe its easier to just get some Hawaiian shirts and a pair of sandals… No, thanks for great ideas. Of course i could cut them out but at the same time i like the shape of the fender like it is now. I realize its just the rings i hate.
I've done the switch to something better by rolling aluminum rings polishing them and pushing them way back so theyre with the headlight bulb, also check out 41 to 48 ford rings they can be dropped in that big tincan and will look better, not great but better.
throw the Hagans as far as you can, then drive over them !! three times, then into the garbage can...the worst thing you could put on a custom... did I mention, I hate them.?? and that is my 2 cents...
The Jalopy Journal
