Does anybody know what the difference is between "car" and "truck" headlights in 37? I have a car here, but no truck to compare them to. I was looking at some repro bezels, but they are "truck" and supposedly won't fit a "car" headlight bucket. Also, can somebody post a picture of an original, unmodified 37 Chevy headlight bucket from the front, with the bezel removed? I'm trying to see if mine have been modified. They have sealed beam bulbs in them, so I think they have been, but I'd like to confirm that by seeing one that hasn't.
I don't think they're Guide 682-C, but the truck buckets don't look as long (deep?) as the car buckets. But it's only the front edge of the bucket that matters for mounting the bezel.
I use to part a lot of 1937-8 Chevy's. 1937 headlight buckets are 1 year only. The insides and the trim ring are the same as 1938 but the bucket bolts to the radiator cowl totally different then the 38. Truck buckets are a different shape. If your car has seal beams in it then someone has already converted it. Stock original headlights had a bulb that twisted in the reflector. Back in the day Bear Cat, Western Auto sold the conversions for the buckets. Maybe someone is making them today. Hope this helps some
I ended up getting some new bezels from I&I. I installed H4 lamps from Chevs of the 40s (actually from United Pacific). To get them to fit, I had to spend some time with my die grinder clearancing the edge of the reflector, and a bit of the clamping mechanism on the bezel. My buckets had already been modified for sealed beams.
Ressurecting the thread - reproduction rings from I&I or chevs of the 40s are unavailable at present and it seems have been for a while. In this thread someone mentions 49-59 Harley Panhead rings https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-would-you-fix-this.1143130/ The other option is Guide 682 rings, which are available here - http://www.otbgear.com/GuideBLC-682-C-Prime-Trim-Ring-P66C31.aspx not 100% sure that they are the right size. A '37 ring when the screw is tightened is 7.25" across the ridge on the back that helps secure it to the bucket. Does anyone know the size of a 682 ring ?
The headlight buckets are different in their basic shape. The car has a longer bullet style that use a cast mounting flange to connect them to the radiator shroud. The truck headlight housing is much shorter to allow clearance when opening the hood. It also uses a cast mounting flange. Both headlights use the same type and size of lens and ring. Since the 70's I have had several 37 Chevy cars and trucks. I have always eliminated the inside reflector and glass lens. A standard seal beam is the same diameter. If you correctly orient it in the housing, mark the housing where the 3 tabs are on the back of the seal beam and cut the notches in the rim of the headlight housing. Place the bulb with the tabs locked into the notches so that it will not move. A stock or aftermarket trim ring will work to finish it off and hold everything in place. Aiming the headlights on the 37's is easy. Simply loosen the headlight mounting nut, aim the headlight housing and tighten. Image is my current Sedan and my old Panel truck I had in the 80's.
if you have the 3 notches for the bumps on the bulb to locate into than for sure its been modified. i'm quite sure they are guide made buckets as they made the gm lights in that era. that would mean any guide or blc rim would fit the bucket. however, i just converted a set of 37 pontiac lights to sealed beam by cutting the front lip off a rotten old blc bucket and bolting it on to the face of the 37. that gave me a location for the bulb, and spaced it out towards the front just a smidgion so it looked correct when done. i bought new rims on ebay and they dont fit right, the bracket with the threads to clamp down the rim is incorrectly made. i dont think i have a photo of the conversion, but here's the light, note the gap at the bottom of the bulb in the rim
Hello! Do you think the rims you bought would fit 37 Chevy passenger car buckets? I really need rims for my car, but can't find them anywhere. None of the shops that sell them have them in stock
off the top of my head i would have said yes, however since i do have some "stuff" around here i checked, and no, the chevy bucket is a slightly smaller diameter than a common guide or blc rim. a clever fellow could remove one rivet and shorten the rim by 1/2" or so. maybe some one you know would have a junk rim for you to experiment with, or you can have this one that i stole the bracket from to fix my shitty ebay rims. free, you ship. i think you would want to have one to check the depth before buying new ones
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