Has anyone out there ever put 32 Ford headlights on their Model A or have any pictures to share? I'm just looking at the options out there and realized I haven't really seen one with them on. Perhaps this is a total no-no, but thought I would try and get some opinions. Thanks!
I for one really like the rounded? (not flat) lenses in the '32 and up headlights. Commercials are better yet. Do it if you want. Tim
Virtually all post WW-II hotrods ran sealed beam headlights. King Bee, Dietz, or Guide buckets, but NO one used "old" big-ass headlights on a "traditional" hotrod until the late '60's when guys kept them on their totally stock looking "Resto-Rods" to look, stock.
Original 1932 Ford headlights on a Model A are too large and would look out of place. King Bee headlights really look good on a Model A. Arrow headlights have a nice look to them as well.
Yes ,they look big To me also , I do have a Bob Drakes dop bar I guess I will be install now that I will have more time ,, Guy's you need a woman that like HotRod's & Race cars Speed !!!!! But where R they at,????
It's not traditional to use the biggest headlights you can find, as DrJ says. P/C says do what you like.
@DrJ and @X38 are right on the money from an historical perspective. 7" sealed beams were starting to get popular around '41 or '42 and were pretty widely used by '46-47 (check out all the King Bees used in the "Lakes Pictures P.R.C." thread). I've even seen some late 40's/early 50's pics of guys running 5 & 6" fog/driving lights (as headlamps), so it seems that the trend at that time was to go smaller, not bigger. That's not to say that large lights don't look good...stock (large) lights are right at home on a pre-war style rod and 'nostalgic' (if not period-correct) on a later style build 5" lights on this circa 1950 Texas 'T';
^^^I agree with J here, I am going from memory which has been distorted a time or two but I don't recall the stock headlight thing happening in the late '50s or the '60s. it doesn't seem to me that it became a real deal until the '90s for hot rods. The resto rods had them but I never really considered them to be a hot rod personally.
IMHO IF YOU PUT THE BIG HEADLITES ON YOUR RATTLE A YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR A TAX EXEMPTION IN YOUR STATE FOR THE MOSQUITO ABATEMENT PROGRAM....
Those looks awesome. I'm just wondering if the larger lights would be easier to pull off on a 30-31 rather than 28-29 like I have. Not sure why I have that in my head, I just do - and probably shouldn't!
See I wasn't sure if guys used them in the 60's or not. I'm for kind of an early to mid 60's style. Good info.
Thanks HRP. The IFS is the reason that roadster has fenders... I had the chassis and needed to use it.