Moving headlights on a 39 olds

Hey guys i want to move my headlights from where they are to the square grille under them. I cant stand those squares. Either way they are gone . Im running a 4.3l with a lower stat, dual pass rad, and a shroud which it never had so it will run cooler so not worried about reduced air flow. The grille is just curved square so filling it is easy.problem is ive never grafted a headlight so i dont know how to mount a bucket be it in the fender like a 40 ford or where the square grille is. Anyone know where to look.

 

It would be different . If you are going to do that to make it look nice you should do several other body mods to go along with it . If it were mine and I hated the square grlles, I would remove them... those headlights look pretty cool as they are , if you want to move in the fender look at a 39 plymouth headlamp... those are cool , or 37-39 ford ...

 

If you drop the light into the middle of that grille, I think the hood will look too high,


if you must do this, how about sinking the existing bucket straight down, maybe 4"-6", leaving some of the bucket intact?

Balls of steel to do the cuts to find out what it would look like. The problem I have is those are bulb lights rather than sealed beams, and I don't know how good they are at night.

 

That might be cool for a custom, but for an old stocker, it just wont look right IMO.

 

How will removing the square grills affect air flow to the radiator? You may have to do something to increase the airflow through the grill if you fill in the side grills.

On the headlights rather than going too outlandishly radical, how about sinking the headlights down a bit into the fender and molding them into the fenders in the same general location that the stock headlights are but a bit lower and maybe set back just a bit. Something similar to what they did on the 40's headlight wise where the top of what would be the headlight bucket flows back into the fender but doesn't drop down a lot making a headlight bucket.


You have to visualize a bit but it would work and could make a lot of difference. I wouldn't french the lights but make it look like it came that way to begin with.

 

41-46 Chevy truck headlights would do the same job without cutting up the stock ones.

 

Photos, scissors and tape are your best tools before you pick up the axe.
Or some photoshop type stuff, if you know how to do it.

 

Don't do it !!! GM Design Studio Cars such as your Olds are very clean and artistic. Also "How Many Do You See" at a local Cruise. Try to concentrate on wheels and tires. possibly paint and definitely a good custom interior.
These cars are gorgeous as they were designed to be..................Jeff

 

I would just leave it exactly how it is.

That is a really cool car.

 

That's a awfully nice black paint job to cut into. But I think removing the squares and lowering it would look real good. Idk if I would mess with sucking in the headlights.

 

Thats a pic of the day i got it right after i washed it but it could be that shiny when i rub it out. Its now on an s10 frame with the back half channeled over the frame. It will be sitting about 6 inches off the ground on camarol zl1 wheels when its done. The chevy truck light idea is a good one. And just dropping the assembly down like mr48chev said. Thanks guys for the ideas

 

And i didnt feel bad on the s10 frame. The original frame had rust holes through it and the rockers, trunk pan, and floor pans. I want to drive it to florida and not worry if it breaks down. Thats a glamour shot there.

 

...if you don't like those square grilles, buy somethin you like and sell that sweet Olds to someone else.

 

Unless you plan on doing a lot of other custom modifications the car will look odd,,the car looks pretty good as is. HRP

 

Moving the headlights that low will look "streetroddy", not to mention you will only have a pair of oversized foglights left. Design changes like that have to really be thought through...

 

I also have a 39 Olds, mine is a coupe that is a gasser. I hate the side grilles as well and plan on cutting the top half of each grille and filling it in with metal. i'm going to leave the stock headlight assemblies alone but change to an aftermarket capsule that has turn signals in the bottom of the lens. I've done the cut and paste thing and I think these mods definitely improve the look.

 

My '40 Buick looked a lot worse than that when I got it and the frame is fine. Go figure.

 

I think it would look terrible. But it's your car, do what you want.

 

The grilles are ugly, but moving the headlights down there will give your car a late 40's appearance, which I think would not be a good look. If it was mine I'd fill the grilles in, and leave those good looking headlight housings where they are.

 

Mercedes or Mini Cooper lights would be right at home along with the Camaro wheels on your street rod. Maybe you should look up the definition of a traditional hot rod before posting further....

 

the car now has a bone stock body. just lowering it and adding wheels should not make it a street rod. I have no expensive chrome or fancy things. their are plenty of customs on here with torque thrust 19's and 20's. I don't see how those are traditional but my Camaro wheels are a sin ?

I am going to fill the lower squares in but I prolly wont move the headlights for now. ill just drive it a fair amount and take in all the angles. thank you everyone else for the ideas.

 

whats the "gm design studio cars" ? ive never heard of that. I will be redoing the interior as far as fabric and buckets. I love the dash. it was in a barn for 20 years s o the inside was rank with rat pee. I had to get rid of all of it. smells nice in bare steel.

 

I'd flange steel panels to bolt in where the grilles were and save welding and painting. I'd louver them, too.

 

Louvers would be cool, even a plate like you said and adding small slots it it would work. Those grilles are ugly. I dont know if just 2 plates would louvers would look odd. Id louver the hood if it wasnt so rounded.

 

I like this idea. The louvers would add a touch of functionality and this would also allow you to get rid of the parts you hate and give you time to think of a permanent solution. I think if the car is going to be lowered and you put the headlights down there you will affect how well the headlights work.

 

That was a great idea and since i dont have a louver press and its square i can mail order them from someone on the alliance page.

 

On the other hand, what about welding in the side louvered grille panels from a '39 Chevy? They're not as tall as the Olds grilles and a bit more subtle than your standard punched louvers.

I've also 'shopped how your car would look with the grilles removed, as well as removed with the headlights moved down about 3". My Photobucket account is tied up until the 29th so I'll try to PM the images.

 

I couldn't stand the bug eye look on my 36 Chevy where headlights are mounted to grille surround. I moved them down on the fender and blended them in using 41-46 Chevy pickup headlight buckets. The results might look a bit "street roddy" to some but they work for me.

ps. my very first car in 1955 at age 15 was a 39 Olds 2dr. Sedan. No where near as nice as yours and all I could afford to do was own it. No modifications, just buying parts at the pik n' pull to keep it running for a few years.

 

I also think it would look odd,that grill section will look like the front of a freight train without the lights where they are.

 

Don't do it. I hated those spots on my 41 olds when I first got it home but they grew on me , I love it now and wouldn't change that look .


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