Deuce or Model A Headlights? Illuminate Me

Here's the dilemma...I have a '29 Coupe with a Deuce grill with the Guide Headlights,...I'd like to see pics of some Model A Coupes with a Deuce grill and the lights you have on your car for ideas....I kind of like the bigger Deuce lights,..or how about the '34 commercial lights or how about....Thanks for your help.

 

IMHO BLCs are perfectly proportioned. Not too big, not too small, no excess bling... just my 2¢

 

Detonator,
Thanks for the pic,...I like the like bar...Tom

 

IMO I think the big headlights are the wrong era for most of the cars on here, maybe on an early 40's era car. From all the old books and magazines I've seen almost all hot rods built after WWII had the small headlights on them.

 

Personally, i like big lights... I think stock 32's are about the coolest looking headlights you could put on a hotrod, regardless of era. Bottom line is that you choose what YOU like, I don't really think you can go wrong either way.

 

I second what ambman said. Smaller seems to look cleaner, atleast to me. Its all what you like

 

Here's the same car with small lights, vs. 32 lights... To each his own, but I think it looks way better with the big lights. Placement is actually more important than anything else though.

 

My 31 with 32 Grill and Guides

 

Gentlemen,
Thanks for the pictures.....I appreciate the responses. Tom

 

The Guides look right on that car. On the comparison shots the Deitz lights look right for a 50s to 60s era car. The big stockers seemed to gain popularity along with the resto rod faze of the 70s and 80s and have held on. You will rarely, if ever, see those big lights on a hot rod in an original 50s or 60s car magazine.

Give me the painted Kin Bees with a chrome ring every time.

Tom

 

Absolutely. It's amazing how many cars blow it because of this....

 

I like the look of the big lights but the smaller ones are more correct. My roadster has Deitz but moving them forward and in closer helped the looks a bunch.

 

The Guide and B-L-C lights and others commonly seen on big trucks in their time use 7" sealed beams and often have the parking lamp on top of the bucket.
The Model A lamps are either shortened bullet shaped, 28-29, or teacup shaped, 30-31.
The 32s are the biggest of the Ford lamps.
The 33-34 Commercials are the same size and use the same lens as the Passenger Car headlamps.
The Arrow and KingBee lamps are pointed in back and use the 7" or 6" sealed beams depending on model.
The Dietz lamps are round backed and use either 7" or 6" depending on model.

 

The small light gained favor back then because they were sealed beams ... and the Model A and 32 lights looked a little funky with sealed beam conversions.

The sealed beams were a safety upgrade because of superior lighting ability. The magazine type cars used them ... ( because ... then as now ... ) they were the higher budget cars. Lots of regular guys ran the Model A and 32 lights because that's what they had and could afford.

I prefer the big 32 lights myself ... and with the new BoB Drake reflector and a Sylvania SilverStar H4 bulbs ... they are very bright and throw a LOT of light.

The Bob Drakke reflector kit is on sale now for $100 ... from Bob Drake and it was designed by a lighting engineer. Vast improvement over the other halogen conversion I had in my 32 ...

 

Thanks joeybsyc for posting the comparison pics.
That makes it easy for me to decide what I like.

Ed.

 

Bigger Is Better ..... thanks DR

 

heres mine with 33/34 lights

and my other with generic small sealed lights

and here's ThomasS&C's with aftermarket seal lights

sorry for such large pics
Zach

 

I think they both look good so I have a pair of each on hand. Then change them around every so often. Variety is the spice of life.

 

my 30 coupe with 29 lamps, 32 shell....I like the bigger lamps myself, but it aint the only look on the block either...so have at whatever YOU think floats your boat, guy. Its what makes the world go round.

 

This is my uncles deuce roadster.It was built in the mid 50's with these headlights.Hope it helps you out.

 

oops.The picture wouldn't up load.It's in the classifieds though.Check it out.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236193&highlight=deuce

 

Alright,Alright.I'm a dumb ass.I found figured it out.

 

I wanted the larger one for my 32 and finally got some orig. ones . Put one on and changed my mind. I like the smaller ones like king bee's.

 

Although I don't have a photo of them, I am working on a pair of Peterbilt truck lights for my '31. These feature a 7" sealed beam and have the turn signals built into the trim ring. Bob Drake has an example if you look through his catalog and the lights are still made for old Peterbilts by United Pacific. I think my car will look better with these than with the current King Bee headlights and the usual hotrod rectangular turnsignals.