Frenching headlights on 52-54 Fords - What to use?

This might of come up already so if it has my apologies.

I have a 1954 Ford and want to french my headlights. What type of headlight rings are most of you guys using?

The 54 Merc rings seems to look the best but as you early Ford owners know, there is a slight ridge on the tops of the fenders then again on the sides. In other words there is a slight ridge at 12 o'clock , 3 o'clock, and 9 o'clock.

Do you hammer down & eliminate the ridges when using 54 Merc rings, or have you guys left the ridges and still weld on the completely round 54 Merc rings on to the fenders?

Any input on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much

 

Hagens are nice.

Sorry couldn't resist.

 

Magnet didn't stick? Is there bondo or a ton of paint?

 

The later Ford pieces were pot metal.

Check Night Prowlers for suitable steel parts.
http://www.execmall.com/Night Prowlers/NP-Headlights & Spots.htm

 

1954 Ford bezel housings are cast potmetal. Personally, I'd just bond those to your fenders with fiberglass or JB Weld. (Before you do, be sure to remove your headlight buckets and mount them from the inside of the fender!) Some have had luck welding potmetal to their steel fenders but I would think that would crack later down the road.

Otherwise, use the '52-54 Merc and make the rims match the fender. 1952 and 1953 Ford are stamped steel, but I think the outer shape is all wrong for your fenders. I had a set of '52 headlight rims and a set of '54 Ford rims at the same time, and the shape at the rear wasn't even close. That would require a lot more body work and skills.

I did a little of each on my '53 Chevy - on top I made a small filler piece to bring the top of the fender up to the level of the rim, and on the sides I used small pieces of steel tubing to continue the raised line in the fender. The result looks really nice, but I didn't have a ready-made, nice-fitting rim like you do. (I don't like stock '53 Chevy bezels and didn't want to use '54 Chevy either because I wanted the bright inner trim ring like Ford/Mercury). If I had a '54 Ford I would just french the originals and call it a day.

 

are the merc rings a little deeper?

 

That answers it for me. All I have is 52-53 rings. The 54's are a different shape. I'd try using 52 or 53's and use filler pieces and "mold" it...you know? Even if you don't have the skill now, you gotta get it sometime so why not now?

 

You need early shoebox headlight rings . All the later fords are that cast crap .
Maybe even early 50's Chevy rings might work too .

 

The polished inner ring is deeper on '54 Merc than on '54 Ford, but it's the same on '52-54 Merc and '52 Ford. (I'm not sure about '53 Ford - I believe they're the same as '52, not '54 but I've never had a set so I can't promise it.)

 

I bought a set of 52 fords cause I needed an inner ring on my 53 and it was the same...that is unless the guy sold me 53's . Naw they should be the same.

 

I'm sure the subject has been beaten more than a dead horse on this forum! But I'll ask anyway. I want to "French" the headlights on my 51 Pontiac, Traditional French not tunneled. What trim rings should I use? Everything I find is stainless steel. I found an old set of Ford pickup truck headlights that are steel but they do not match the fender.