I have looked at lots of pics on here and need a little push before I drill holes. Am I close on where these should sit? I still need to bend my upper shock mounts and make sure they don't interfere.
I still need to heat and straighten the left horn. That's next on the list. Wires are loomed through the grommets just to get them out of the way until mounted.
No replies in hours.. Best idea?>>Do what looks good to you. If you are asking what was once done ?...those low placements and being stock lights are not what was used on postwar builds. That style you have is Y2K, or following the trends. Mount both of them and work on something else.... after a while you will either like it or change it. Roll it outside for a few hours if you can, look at it from a distance & different view angles, that will tell. . .
Yeah that is a personal taste thing. Put them both on and spend time looking at it. If it looks good to you then it's right.
I have to agree with fourspeed2quad there. The stand back and look or even sit back an look for while to see if that is exactly how you want it and your aren't settling for how it looks just because you are tired of fooling with it. Damn that's perfect beats the hell out Yea, that will pass.
Set both up first before standing back so you can take in the full picture. They need to look right as a pair. I'm pretty sure that is what the Bishop said to the Barmaid right....
This is what I was looking for, to get a idea where to start. Do I need to source some BLC"s? I don't like the big stock lights either. What type of mounting would you use on a post war to get them higher? I have a set of old King Bees laying around.
Again, what I am looking for. This stuff is new to me. I am not trying to make a exact replica, but I do want the post war kinda look. thanks so far for the comments.
This was on a fendered ford but it a lot of ideas were presented. I agree, don’t get into any fired up hurry placing them or even changing them. By the looks of your build you have plenty of time to make this minor decision. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lets-critique-headlights-on-the-34.1045058/
I,m with everyone else move them back. This is my Pops roadster, we set his lights up just a bit in front of the radiator shell.
IMO look too far forward, but as said, YOU have to like them. Have you checked with tires on, turn lock to lock for clearance? Another example for you; Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I agree with the others. You need to fix that driver side frame, then put your shock mount brackets on. Their presence will fill some of the visual void. Then try to move them back about an inch. Personally, I think they'd look correct with only about an inch -to- 1 1/2 inch of the headlight sticking forward of the grill shell.
That's like asking the Bar Tender if you should go talk to the Blond or the Red Head. When he says the Red Head your reply is "but the Blond has nicer Boobs" instead of Thanks. The Wizzard
I like them back and close to the shell.Alot depends on the size of the headlights. These are the 682-c lights on my coupe. they are a large light .I would maybe prefer they were a bit further back but i would have had to bring them out toward the wheels to clear the grill shell and that didn't look good to my eye.Like others have said,spend alot of time moving them around and looking from every angle and with different lights if you have others available .Maybe you have some hot rod friends with some spare lights that you can borrow for comparison.I set mine up with a set of 903-j's at first,which are a smaller light. It really changed the look but i eventually settled on the 682's but it took a while to decide.I personally am not a fan of model A or 32 lights but in some cases they look great.The pic posted by Rusty Rocket of his dads roadster is a perfect example. To me it doesn't get any better.bob
For best of all worlds, if top of headlight is at or above front tire top,they work well,lower then that not so well an looks like poor engineering to those that know. How far forword is about what you like. With flathead motor you can use the big old type lights,it fits OK with style,but we mostly replaced the big old ones,do too them being bad at lighting the road after 7in. sealbeams came out=good light an looked racyer/more hotrod.
Older fellow told me that they used to mount their lights on the fender braces with the fenders and upper half of the brace removed, as the local constable didn't seem to notice it was a rod, like he did the lowered lights... hotrod geezer's history... be a good book !
Headlight size and placement are very much a matter of personal preference, but since you asked, I'll share my opinion(s). At 5 days short of 81, I'm older than most any of you, and lived the age yall are try to emulate. As Dana said, one of the first things to go were those big old headlights and 7" sealed beams replaced them, something like the Dietz and King Bee lights Speedway sells now. The resilvered reflectors and high power halogen bulbs of today weren't available and you couldn't see shit with those old lights As for placement I, like Dana like fenderless cars to just have about a third to a half of the diameter of the lens above the front tire, and the lens to be centered on the grill shell if it's an "A" or '32 grill shell.A '33/'34 is sort of the same.
>>>need a little push before I drill holes>>> You already got a hole there. Use it with a piece of angle iron or whatever to mount the base on. If you don't like it. Then use another arrangement using the same hole. Jack E/NJ
Kinda traditional placement; Guide 903 lights on hot rod headlight stands. Not too big, not to small, not too low, or oversize either. Arrow 775 lights would be another medium size choice, too.
^^ Those 904 "percolator" lights were the final part I found for the build. That really made my day at the Milltown, Mass swap where apparently nobody wanted them.. .
Post war 95% would have sealed beams... don Montgomery books are an excellent source of pre and post war pics of hotrods 100s of pics of things like headlight placement, stance shocks ect
>>>I do want the post war kinda look>>> Here you go. Correct headlight placement ca. July 23 1947 Jack E/NJ Habitual traffic violator
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