Customs Mercury custom headlights - Issue

Rikster has been doing a lot of great photoshopping of my car for me, and it's giving me a lot of great ideas as well as helping me confirm that I've made the right decisions.

One thing that he noticed, and I sorted had thought before, was that my current headlights are kinda small.

If that is the case, what headlights can I buy to make mine look like the Sam Barris Mercury. I want my headlights flush-mounted, not tunneled in.

Thanks!!!

 

I believe Sam just frenched the stock '49 merc lights.

 

Okay thanks, are '51 headlights different from 49-50?

 

The bezels are.

 

Would I need anything else in addition to 49-50 headlight ***emblies?

 

Well I am not sure but I would think you need the headlight buckets and a set of the bezels.

 

Thanks guys I will start making the rounds to find these parts, any leads are welcome.

 

Do I have small headlights?

 

pics courtesy of rik's site...

 

Okay I see it now Rik.

 

I don't think your headlights are small I just think they are kinda like this /~\ It's making them look small.

 

I would agree that they look on the small side. If you look at the straight on view and look at the distance between the light and the grill surround and compare it to the Barris car you can really see a difference in diameter that is not the result of a conical headlight ring.

Edit: I still can't get over how perfect Sam's Merc was/is. I was like a giddy school girl when I saw it in person at Paso where that outdoor picture was taken.

 

There are a few things I believe that make your headlights look small. First is the narrowed grille set back in the cavity & the heavily rounded hood corners. It looks like someone used those steel headlight frenching rims that night prowlers used to sell, the ones on the car now look deeper than stock 51 merc bezels. Oh yea. Ditch those gay headlight covers too.

Billy

 

I don't think you'll even need new buckets, just the '49-50 outer bezels themselves. I'd bet your buckets are located in the stock location (only from behind) and those rims on your car are almost certainly the "deep" ones from Nightprowlers.

 

John,I think its the way they are tunneled.If you want a traditional 50's look,they have to be molded like the Sam Barris Merc.Tunneling lights came later on.

Joe

 

Not really true a number of 50's built Merc's including the Bettancourt Merc (built at the same time as Sam) had tunneled headlights not as deep as Johns but still tunnelled.

 

Frenched means sinking in to the level of the surrounding sheet metal in a smooth plane across headlamps and taillamps. It has been misused in the last 5-10 years to mean that and tunnelled. Here is the example of the difference in these photos on this post.

 

They are all 7" diameter headlight bulbs. There were no other sizes. I agree with whoever said they look off because they're tunneled, the grille bar is narrowed, and they have the cheapie cats-eye covers on them.

Get them flush mounted and ditch the covers, they'll look right. A set of Lucas bulbs would help a lot too, like what BobK has on his Chevy.

 

All you need is the '49 rings. The buckets don't matter as long as they work. Youll find your headlights arent actually tunneled (I don't think, tough to tell in those pics) there is fender added on top of the headlight to make it look tunneled, does that make sense? Whatever the case, you're in for some cutting and welding. Make sure the bucket is mounted from inside the fender, not from the front. Then position the '49 ring so it looks good and the headlight is centered. Weld the ring on to the fender and smooth it all out.

 

I thought it was the way the headlights are in the fender and teh stupid cats eye things, but I'm not sure...They look awfull small..

There are basicly two sizes of round headlights, the big ones are 7 inches and teh small ones are like, 5 or something. Stick a tape measure on yours just to make sure..

Here's mine..


Got any fresh pics???? -Abone.

 

You may be right and it might just be an optical illusion but if you look at this picture of Sam's car and look at the area between the headlight and the grill shell about a 45 degree angle from the bullet on the grill and to me it looks like John's car has quite a bit more space there.

 

flamedabone you have a very nice merc

 

I think it's the molded in bezel that's throwing you.

 

Hey ,

I'd advise against using stock stainless steel headlamp doors on your Merc "Frenching project"! Stainless steel, when in constant contact with carbon steel (the fender ends) will set up an electrolytic force (current) and soon begin to rot. Look for examples of this anywhere that stainless makes contact with carbon steel. The rear window trim of 60s GM products were notorious for this.

This probably isn't a biggie if you're goin' primer or matt top coat, and plan on not doing "real" paint, but for the cost of materials & labor to finish a vehicle to 'top drawer' level why go lookin' for trouble?

S****ey Devils C.C.

"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"

 

So use what pimpinpaint?

I'll measure the headlights.

Those cats eye things are lame, but I did NOT put put them on the car you guys know me better than that right I ditched the faked spots and the fake lake pipes too.

I want my headlights flush fit, not tunneled.

Thanks again muchachos.

 

What would have Sam used that lasted 50 plus years without it reacting? I always thought he used the original rings but maybe not.

 

Mine were frenched back in 50's.Do they look small?

 

I have heard that the Chevy headlight rings from 49 and 50 were used, too, to french the headlights "flush" like you are wanting. If I remember correctly, some of those were chromed steel and that not all of the Chevy ones were stainless those years.

 

Chevy rings fit nice on there. SamF used that, looked nice and I cant imagine they are expensive.

 

This can't be true.
Lots of our cars have stainless trim and they last for many years with no problem.
the rot around Chevy rear windows is poor design