I just scored a pair of Guide 903 lights in fantastic condition for next to nothing. What I'd like to know is what cars used them?
They came on big trucks. That's why they cost so much, hot rodders aren't the only ones that want them.
I have a couple pair of 903's but they don't have the signals!! the signal guides are 682's. Guide's were totally aftermarket I was told... I'm no expert though!! Squirrel would know for sure!
You're right chaddilac they were an aftermarket headlight and the 903's are the ones on my car. Better looking imho.
Guide is a part of GM, but in addition to supplying lighting components for all GM vehicles, they sold headlights through the aftermarket and supplied big truck makers. Big truck manufacturers generally outsourced parts like headlights. The ones that didn't use Guides used BLC's, so the same Guide or BLC headlights may be found on dozens of different makes of big trucks.
I thought the 682 came in c and j style. One had the turn signal the other one didn't. And the bucket was deeper on the 682 than the 903. correct me if I am wrong...ghost
Some models pre-war Diamond T used 903s. Probably more were sold aftermarket than on new vehicles due to the 1940 intro of sealed beam lamps - lots of cars & trucks were easier/cheaper to convert by replacing the whole****embly.
327-365hp; That first picture must be the biggest trailer-queen I ever saw ! A little OT by the way: Guide made huge amounts (actual figures are vague because lots were delivered covertly to the resistance in europe, but probably close to a million or more) of the M3 and M3A1 'Greasegun' submachineguns in WW2
Local antique auto guy used to have several nos guides. Some with park lights some without. They were the same buckets. Some were chrome rims other were black.
I recently got a set (903-J) at an auction for 3 bucks they were mint condition, just had to strip all the safety orange paint off them. They came from a state snow plow truck and use sealed beams .Keep an eye out at those state and villiage surplus auctions.
I scored a pair this fall of the 682C's. They were mounted on the head gear of a huge 1.5 - 2 ton International plow truck that I'm sure belonged to the state back in the day. I paid quite a bit more than 3 bucks, but still dont feel I got ripped off considering the condition and price of repros. On a side note, I would love to have that plow truck for my driveway ... it would make short work of what takes 2 hours in my Bronco and that poor truck has had the snot kicked out of it with my icy driveway... boy wouldn't a 2 ton International cut through that***** with ease ... ah, in dreams. I suppose if I had the money to fix up that old truck to plow, I couldprobably afford to have someone else destroy their truck plowing my driveway ... or live somewhere I didn't have to plow at all. Anyway ... I love the guides with the marker lights ... almost the best looking light for hot rods I've EVER seen.
I have heard that 1937-39 chevy car or truck headlights use the same headlight trim rim as Guide & B-L-C headlights. Is this true?
No Guides and B-L-Cs are sealed beam headlights. I got these Guide rings from a 40s era Chevrolet truck parts house. The ring has a tab that fits in the slot shown here. A screw at the bottom holds it in place. They also carry the gasket and clips to hold the gasket that keeps the water out of the bucket. B-L-Cs have a recess around the bucket that the rim fits into. There is a horizontal screw at the bottom that squeezes the ring into this recess. I've read that this type is also repoped but I can not confirm that. People keep trying to date these to the 30s but sealed beam headlights first appeared on production vehicles in 1940. Before that it was small bulbs, reflectors and glass lenses.
Looks like that is what i have also, I've wondered what they were off of. I picked these up at a swap meet for very cheap. Guide 903-J
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