Help-Frenching Headlights on Shoebox w/ Nightprowler's Merc Rings

I have a set of re-pop'ed '52-'54 Merc headlight rings from Nightprowlers that I want to use to french my headlights on my '51 Ford Sedan. The problem is that -- even with the headlight buckets mounted inside the fenders -- the inner Merc bezels don't clear the Ford's bezels/rings that hold the headlight in. I can't 86 the Ford rings; cause otherwise, the headlights won't stay in the buckets. Has anyone used these Nightprowler Merc rings-n-bezels on a Shoebox Ford before? If so, let me know if you've encountered a similar problem and what you decided on for a work-around.

The only thing I've come up with is use long screws and several washers to move the headlight back into the fender more; therefor creating more clearance for the Merc bezel.

 

i move the bucket back to give a 1/4 inch gap between the trim rings