A couple of months ago, we brought you a great little article from Custom Cars magazine that covered the basic custom treatments of '49 to '52 Chevy grilles. Today, I thought I'd do something similar focusing on headlight treatments. Dig these pho... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I've always liked the "hooded" look. Won't work on my '48 Chrysler without major fender mods, but I find something to put them on.
me too, but im not good with metal yet so i havent tried yet... im kinda wish-washy about frenching... i think the right cars can pull it off...
Some of those are great! And some are really funky! I've always been partial to the '53-54 Buick setup- ..and one you don't see done much at all, the '56 DeSoto/Chrysler. Dodge also had a nice headlight shape for '56.
Next to custom taillights, headlights modified well can really make or break it for me. They're a great area for artistic expressions. These are mine, '54 Merc rings, done the old way. Bought them at a swap meet cheap, and welded them on. Lights adjust from the rear. First set I've ever done (so far)
For my money (some of which is tied up in a really ratty '49 Ford Club Coupe) I'd have to say: frenched using stock rings. That's what I'm planning for my shoebox. I like the hooded look too, but I just can't bring myself to use it.
My all-time favorite headlight treatment is frenched '52-4 Ford or Merc rings, but they don't work on everything. '55 & '56 Olds (not the same) were popular in the day, too, but seem to be more popular now than when they were new:
'56 Olds headlight rings are the cat's ass........esp. on Shoebox Fords and '49-'52 Chevys......doesn't get any better......
Frenching is great on a few cars, i.e. shoeboxes, '49-'54 chevs, but other than that I think cars look better with rings.
I always liked the look on the Ron Dunn '50 Ford - think that was '56 DeSoto bits. Guess it was a mid 50's thing as almost all of the Detroit cars had a version, and no doubt the designers were looking at the customs being done.
how about 55 Buick rings with the eyebrows stock lites recessed behind the fender about 2 inches chrome half shields 4wd headlite screen mesh covers home made stainless tunnel still 6 volt... always ran with the dome light on on moonless nites on a 52 Buick Riv coupe and those are 58 chev back up lenses in the parklite holes they are bullet shaped
im putting 55 Chevy headlights in my 49 Ford and after looking at the artical i might consider the 55 and 6 olds.
I've got some 56 Packard headlight doors hanging up. Always thought they'd be cool to use on something.
Don't forget the headlight rings from mid 70's Codobas with round headlights, look similar to the Oldsmobile ones.