I would not have a problem cutting the fenders for a hidden door setup, I thought I had said somewhere that I wasn't sure how I could attach the mechanism to the fiberglass fenders. I even thought about a revolving door type setup on the side of the hood. As far as not cutting up the fenders, I already cut the fenders up to get rid of the stock divits for the factory lights. Maybe that's what I was referring to when someone mentioned putting the stock lights back on, because I would have to cut them again to do that and that's not happening.
If I did that then someone might accuse me of having a street rod Because I'm a builder not a restorer, I like making what I like, no sheep here.
I remember the Desoto while I didn't study it I had a peek and the lights were fixed and the door/covers rotated top inward. They were attached by a pipe or bar so both were fixed together and moved as one perhaps by cable in the center area. The mechanism to move them not sure but I know your crafty so a wrecking yard would be your best source perhaps. Obviously you can fab up this whole setup based on inspiration of Desoto per say as its obvious the shapes of things are close but different and how many parts car Desoto's are kicking around... The Cord on the other hand has both lights and covers fixed together rotating as one. The great thing is since both are period an inspired setup could be made using a more modern hideaway unit. Yeah your fender structure poses attachment challenges but this is what builders such as yourself meet and find solutions to. If you look at the black Cord it really looks great as a finished attachment closed. I am pretty sure the light behind the grill was done many times in the past but has discussed handicaps. My buddy did a 57 Buick grill in his 57 Chev and put signal lights behind the grill and it worked...ideal no but it was the settled for compromise.
As I mentioned in my earlier post, I like the lights you came up with as shown in your first post. They're perfect...... and it's hard to improve on perfection. The pods, the stalks, the 7" eyeballs, are all things I'm partial to. One very important "but", however. But they need to be rock steady, not dancing and vibrating with every little wrinkle in the road. That would ruin it and look like stink. I also very much like the front fenders with an acre of smooth. It's scary just thinking about that vistage filling up my rearview mirror like a freight train letting me know it's time to get the hell off the track. Any trapdoors etc. would be out of character and extra clutter that you don't have now.
The hidden lights is really the technical challenge side of deciding to go with a stripped down purpose built racing look which isn't necessarily pretty or aesthetically appealing. He wants that look. Vibrating assemblies that is part of the challenge. Cords raced at the lakes...Rockerhead drove one. Obviously those assemblies were already engineered robust. Your right it's a choice...extra clutter that's typical on a street version of a race inspired and a technical challenge that can be achieved.
I'd stick them behind the grill and try'em not a lot of modification envovled. If you like it and don't have any problems you're golden. Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
That was the plan all along, just bolt those model A stands on and try it out. I just didn't want the grill to look like Starbuck off Battlestar Galactica...ha ha ha
You know I'm sitting here watching the movie HOT ROD, was Sonny Munn Starbuck's partner on the Galactica ???
Just thinking out loud swade. What about creating a way to mount the head lights behind the fenders , and then cut openings in the fenders . Using the cut outs and a lite weight mounting bracket with some form of quick release fastener make Cord like covers. All you would need to do is flip the front end forward, release the covers and you have lights. Just a thought. Larry
Possible mounting method: https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAX-Black-...t-Headlamp-Emarked-DOT-Approved-/181920183502
Same link twice but those would work in the side of the hood behind a door. I keep thinking if I cut a rectangular piece out of my hood side, put a vertical pivot point on the inside of hood in the middle of that piece it should revolve a full 180 degrees. Mount the light on the inside facing backwards, push the rear of the panel and it would rotate exposing the light which now would be in the forward position. Maybe put a one inch tab on the back inside of the panel, that would act like a stop in both direction of the revolution. Maybe glue a magnet on each end of the hood side that the tab would make contact with to hold it in its respective position. Man the wheels are turning..ha ha ha
Sonny Munn was played by Grant Goodeive, he played the oldest son on "Eight is Enough". Starbucks partner Apollo was played by Richard Hatch, he played Karl Malden's partner on "The Streets of San Francisco" for a season or two.
I'm thinking that if you ran two sets of those Max lights behind the grill any loss from grill bars on one set would be made up by the adjacent set. Light beam overlap. That truck looks evil with no lights on the fenders. Lights behind the grill give it a spooky look.
https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/...1-mercury-stengel-custom-by-coachcraft/729967 This is a Custom done back in the 40s just thought I'd post it up. When I saw it I immediately thought of what you were proposing. The Custom is in that Sotheby's Auction and they did switch them out to the conventional style at some point perhaps due to performance but that's only an assumption by me. So @swade41 have you decided on what your going to run with?
Like I said back on page 2 I had a pretty good idea of where they were going and I'm sure to Dick Stevens surprise it isn't where he just knew where I was going to put them....freaking know it all..ha ha ha They are on the hood sides combining the looks of the 40 and 41 model years together. As soon as I used the 40 truck stanchions with the lights, replacing the chrome Dietz stand offs that stuck out further and seemed spindly, I knew that was the look I was after. I reworked the stanchions to pull the lights in tighter and slightly moved them as compared to the lead photo but still would like them a bit tighter yet which would involve reshaping the housings. I have since moved on to trying to decide on cutting the hood sides out for blower viewing pleasure and letting some heat out. Thanks for checking back in.
Need a head on pic. You have to do what you have to do, but I was really into where you were originally headed.
My vote is to go with lights behind the grille. The smooth front end looks way cool. I cant think of another option that looks that awesome. Build it the way you like it. Just my 2 cents. Todd
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