1952-59 Ford Weird Question Headlight Doors

I have a 53' Mainline with a 52 front end (grill, signals, fenders), so basicly I have a 52' up front. I really want chrome or stainless headlight doors, which ones interchange? Merc? Truck? Thank you for any info and or help, or if anyone has them and is willing to part with thenm let me know.

Blake

 

The inners are chromed on most '52 - '53 Fords, stainless on most '52 - '54 Mercurys. The outers are steel on '52 - '53 Fords and can be chromed. Same with '52 - '54 Mercs, though I've seen some Mercs with outer rings that appear to have been chromed since new.

'54 Ford inner and outer rings are completely different and do not interchange. The '54 rings are made of pot metal and can be chromed, but by a different method than steel. And, because of their shape probably won't look too good in chrome.

Hope this helps.

 

ive seen accesory ones for mercs chromed out, look kinda gaudy in my opinion

 

Thanks for the opinion, it is hard to see without having them on the car. Are the mercs fully interchangeable, or do the have extra bumps or such. Yeah I have some 54's on it now, as I like the slight "eyebrow" but don't think I will be able to make them work.

Blake

 

Dutchoven, I had a 1954 Merc in high school that had the chrome headlight bezels. I have a picture of it in my album under my many cars that you can check out. The picture shows them but not real clear. I am not to sure if they were aftermarket or not as they were on the Merc when I bought it back in 1964. Ken

 

Thanks Ken, that will help. this is gunna be a fun problem to solve. I like the eyebrow of the 54' headlight doors and plan on frenching them if I don't go shiney, any other rings good for using for frenching?


Blake

 

I saw a '54 Customline at a car show that used '57 Ford headlght bezels to french the headlights with and it looked really good,it was parked next to a '57 Fairlane had to take a second glance.

 

I've seen '57 rings used too, but thought they looked a bit "bug eyed"...

You can't french the '54 rings, Dutch, they're pot metal and can't be welded. You can probably glue them on, as Daddy-O's-Diner did, using automotive body panel adhesive, but there are drawbacks to this method. Primarily you'll get faint "shadow lines" through the paint where the parts join together. He claims they are visible, but I've looked at photos of his car many times and can't see 'em myself. It's a car-nundrum.

Custom Crestline used '55 Olds headlight rings on his, but that's a lot of work. There's a how-to story on this operation in the new Street Rodder magazine. Check it out and you'll appreciate the amount of work in CC's Victoria even more.

 

Thank you for the tips, and new places too look. If i brazed the pot metal on would I still end up with the "shadow lines"? Also i don't mind doing work if ithe end result comes out right.

Blake

 

You can't braze pot metal

 

Well that stteeles a whole lot of questions thank you all.

Blake

 

What about the frenching kit available from Night Prowlers? For an all chrome unit guys back in the day used the units from a 1954 Dodge on '52 & '53 Fords because they were round like the Ford fenders('54 Fords have a peak) Google 1954 Dodge and click on images.