I think the ***le says it all. But, we have a 38 Chevrolet with stock headlight buckets. We would like to convert to sealed beams, later a mod to modern light units. Before a m*** of fabrication begins, is there a kit available? Or, alternatively, how did you do it...maybe simpler than I would design. Thanks!!
Thank you for the reply. However, the car had been converted to halogen bulbs by the previous owner. I should have been more specific.....we want to convert to sealed beams and lose the halogens. The reflectors are not in very good condition and were lined with aluminum foil. If we can find...let me rephrase that....we are looking specifically for a sealed beam bulb conversion kit. I am quite certain that the buckets in other cars...Pontiac and so on, are the same. We have dynamite bulbs that are a direct replacement for sealed beams. I very much appreciate the link sent. Thank you.
TRY THIS. THEY HAVE FRENCHING KITS, BUT YOU CAN USE THE MOUNT WITH YOUR RINGS, AND STILL GET THE STOCK LOOK WITH SEALED BEAMS. http://www.haganauto.com/category_s/2.htm
I spent many many hours trying to do this just last year for customer that wanted the original look but seal beam lights. I hand made all kinds of stuff that did not work. The 38 has smaller buckets than most models and there just is not enough room to place a regular round bulb in the bucket and then make it adjustable. At least I never figured out how to do it. Smaller seal beam bulbs might work but then you have to deal with how the front of the bucket will look and the trim ring. You can not put a seal beam light behind the stock lense and get enough light because of the double refraction. I think Hagan makes a frenched headlight kit for the 38. You might try that. I bought new reflectors from either I&I or Chevs of the 40's and used the halogen bulbs. The reflectors they sent me were not direct replacements and they had to be modified to fit the 38. In the end I think the way I did it provides adequate light for night driving but it is not as bright as modern headlights. If you need to know more about how I did it, just ask. John
I and I reproductions traded me some stock stuff to get my sealed beam kit several years ago. The intension was to reproduce it. Check them out, they may be available by now. That kit was a little closer to stock than the Hagan kit!!!
Something to try - get a sealed beam-to-halogen conversion 7" kit off ebay or similar. This will have a gl*** front and a plastic reflector back. Remove the gl*** with your choice of pliers (one piece at a time, probably), leaving you a plastic reflector with a bulb holder in the right place. Put that behind your existing headlight lens, voila, done. If you have adjusters, you can probably jimmy them up to work with the plastic reflectors too, maybe put them inside your existing reflectors. Also the reflectors are probably silver; you can take them to a plating company and get them silver plated (or do it at home with kits you can order), polish them real good, and clear-coat them to prevent further tarnish. Try that first - simpler than anything else, looks more stock.
I'm currently building my 5th 38 Chevy right now and I've put sealed beam headlights in all of them. Occasionally, you will find a sealed beam conversion kit on Ebay and those work. If not, a trip to your local wrecking yard is your next best bet. You'll want to find a single headlight car or truck - 7 inch and remove the inside parts of the headlight bucket that holds the bulb from the backside. You'll need to weld that part to your headlight bucket. While doing this you will need to do your headlight aiming in your driveway against your garage door as this will not be an adjustable set-up. Then you'll be able to hold your bulb against the bucket and slip your headlight ring over it and tighten down. I've had good luck doing it this way and I'm doing it again right now. Marv
Thanks Marv Of course, the owner had the car painted not long ago. Don't really want to weld if I can aviod it. Although, to get the exact look and fit, I probably will convinve him to do it that way. I didn't know if there might be a direct bolt-in kit available. Beenaway from rods for five decades and always a Ford guy. Thanks to you and all who offered help.
The welding required is very minimal, a few tack welds and would only be to the inside lip of the headlight bucket and wouldn't be seen when the headlight ***embly is ****oned up, Marv
Mine has sealed beams. If I had my choice I would use the original lights converted to halogen just because the original fluted gl*** looks alot cooler that a sealed beam round headlight, just my 2 cents.
Sealed beam headlamp parts.The buckets to put in the 38 shells are in most chevy trucks and vans.Any junk yard would have them.All the adjusters are self contained.It's as close to a kit you can find.We did one tonight at garage night.The diagram shows the unit that with some t******* and a little welding can be made to work.I'll post photos later. You can see where the ring on the headlamp bucket has been cut, and the 38 headlight housing has the lip trimed back.Tack and weld.
on my 39 chevy..this aint the right way to do it im sure..but my method has worked great....i used the stock bulb mounting bracket had to glue the brackett to the back of the bulb with windsheild glue the black stuff..let it dry then was able to screw the brackett to the headlight bucket..works great..if the bulb blows just repeat the process... something else i did ''again not the right way but looks and works out just as good'' the chrome ring around the headlight bezel was rusty and looked like **** and there kinda costy so i used that chrome strips that goes on the edge of the doors ..it looks just like the new original trim.....the trim im talkin about has some glue inside it so it doesnt fall off the doors or trunk lid ..i will try to get a pic to show you how it looks...probably cost me 4 or 5 bucks for the 2 trim strips then the windshield glue for about 7 bucks i think...and looks great
I've got 2 38 Chevy's and all I done was get a sealed beam halogen headlight and clearenced the lip of the factory bucket a little. You only have to cut out a little for the raised alignment tabs on the back of the sealed beams. I used the factory headlight rings and it works excellent for me. I didn't have any alignment problem on either cars & you can see good at night.
Didn't they make kits to convert cars back in the day, when sealed beams first came out? Probably scarce as hell, though.
Bringing this back up to see if any other methods have worked. There is some sort of foam thingy that is supposed to allow this conversion. Anybody do it this way?
I like the look of the stock lens with a 5" sealed beam behind it .. Looks factory but has the benefit of a sealed beam....
Looks great only issue I see is you need to rotate the bulb 90* . You will not be able to see squat with the flutes turned the way you are showing them . Maybe it’s me . Someone else give me a straightening out .
The 37 I had I had no issues , I ground a small bit of room for alignment tabs where needed and used stock stainless rim . Same as stated by others no alignment issues at all . Not sure but 37 lights may have more adjustment from the mounting bolt than a 38 does , I’m not sure .
Hnstray, never had that problem in any cars I've done like that.. Many model A's, 38 Chevy, my current 38 Ford and others.. Have always been able to see fine.. But then again I'm cross-eyed...
I have the sealed beam conversion stuff that was in my 37 when I bought it. Was gonna take it to the big 3 swap for the 3rd or 4th time this year...Probably dates back to the 50s . if any Hambers are interested PM me, free to a good home, just pay shipping.
Yes I think I got mine from I&I worked Ok for me . The reason I didn't use my old sealed beam conversion is that the bulb stuck out a little too far from the bezel for my liking. And there seemed to be enough adjustment built into the original buckets to aim my headlights. Have driven it to work at O dark thirty several times.
My 37 came with sealed beams. I removed them and went to United Pacific H4 lamps. Had to clearance the “bulb housing” a bit to get the trim rings to fit, but was otherwise not difficult. Plenty of alignment in the buckets to get them aimed afterward. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I am going from memory, as I sold my 38 Chevy a few months ago. But I think this is exactly how I did it on my car.
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