Late 40's Plymouth frenched headlights?

I know I can buy expensive kits to "tunnel" my headlghts on the 48 Plymouth. I also know that there are several instructions on DIY frenching them in for cars, which I prefer the look of. My question is if anyone can give advice on frenching or have actual pictures of this being done on their late 40's Plymouth? Does anyone have experience in doing this? I started removing my trim piece today and really started noticing some of the compound angles going on there. Not sure how to make the flow from fender to headlight look right.

Any advice and pictures would be great. Thanks.

 

what does the trim look like and what is it made of? on lots of cars you mount the headlight bucket to the fender from behind (be sure your headlights are aimed correctly first) and weld the headlight trim to the fender... so long as it is made of steel.

don't buy one of those "kits".

 

Right, and then paint the chrome trim ring to match the car? I thought about doing this, but I don't think the flow of it would look right. If you look at the picture, the fender's silhouette line is so much higher than the trim ring would be, I think it would give it a stair step look and not the traditional nice "flow" that I've seen. Maybe I won't be able to get the look with this car. I don't know yet. That's why I'd like to hear from some others with a Plymouth that have done it.

Also, I believe the trim ring is pot metal anyway, so I'd have to solder or TIG it on I think.

 

There's gotta be some Plymouths out there with frenched headlights. Come on and let's see em.

 

Like this? This is on a 40 Plymouth so the shape is a bit different. The buckets & rims are from a 49-52 Chevy. Sorry, no pics of the job in progress. Jay

 

I know digging up an old thread, but someone else might want to see this. Frenched lights on a '47.

 

50 Desoto had bugeye kit installed...buckets installed from behind,,, I moved them back to the front.. I would weld steel rings on , they made them cast and in steel...i have both types...mount buckets from behind,,,you don't need a kit...middle pic with an original ring on for comparison... View attachment 6164693 View attachment 6164694

 

My 41 ply here.I used mid 70's chrysler rings and fit them in the fenders.sinks the lights in about 1 1/2 inches.

 

I did this 20+ years ago. Cost me $1. No, $2. There were two of them. Absolutely no body work. The rings are off IH Travelalls from a Pick-a-Part.

As an aside. I have a national full page ad on the "new" 1954 Plymouths, like mine. "Now longer . . . " Actually the 53s had a quarter ring the stuck out about 3/4". The 54s a had a tunneled wide ring for about 1-1/2" out front, along with different taillights to count for the "longer" bodies. (I'd bet that the bumper-to bumpers might be the same.

 

Nice examples of frenched headlights on the 50’s cars posted. The problem is mainly with 42, 47 and 48 Plymouths as the face of these cars are very flat. The Plymouth that Quakerchevelle posted is a good example of what can be done by extending the buckets out a little.

 

There are some nice jobs here.

I prefer the headlights moved into the fender vs building out from around the headlight. I like the smoother flow of the fender vs the protruding tunnel.

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