39 Plym original head-lights

[blucarsdn]

When I was in the process of rebuilding my '39 Plym conv cpe one of the major problems I encountered was the conversion of the head-lights from the 'Arrow' sealed beam conversion to the original rectangle (square) bulb/reflector type.

The task of finding correct '39 head-lights proved to be just as difficult as many aspects of the '39 Plym because many components of the car are 'one-of' items that were only used on/in the '39 conv cpe's/sdn's. There are two versions of the head-lights, early, one screw holding the trim .bezel and late, two screws holding the trim bezel. The various components of the light assembly are also left and right, which can only be found out by trial and error or by reading the info contained in the February 20, 1939 Plymouth Parts List, on page, (Plate 15).

Anyone that has ever dealt with the original reflector style of head-lights, 1939 and earlier, knows how difficult they can be. They don't light the road very well and the reflectors have to be polished with silver polish on a semi annual basis. Nobody in the parts aftermarket industry services the reflectors so the motorist is on his own for replacement parts. 

The process to obtain, rebuild and maintain reflector type headlights is a long, labor intensive process, therefore, I am going to break this topic up into segments. Stay tuned in, I have invested over sixteen years in this project. I will cover re-plating the reflectors, bulbs, halogen conversions, and back to original. Wm.

Edited April 30, 2020 by blucarsdn
spell

[Pete]

I feel your pain. I rebuilt my '39 Plymouth headlights back to stock a couple of years ago. The hardest parts to find are the 6 small clips that hold the reflectors to the buckets. I also had a hard time finding the rubber seals that go under the headlights as none of the aftermarkets ones fit. I made my own.

 

I tried LED bulbs. They were amazingly bright, but were not focused well and didn't penetrate the dark very far. Right now I'm back to stock headlight bulbs, but will use halogen once I

convert to a 6v positive ground alternator. I have the combination in '38 Dodge pickup and it works well.

 

The reflectors were the easy (but pricey) part. There's a guy who uses a newer, non-silver process that never tarnishes. Here's my info on him:

 

Uvira, Inc.
PO Box 1137
Merlin, OR 97532
Telephone: +1.541.956.6880
Fax: +1.541.476.9096
email: uvirainc@gmail.com

Bill Atwood owner. Uvira has a process to put a glass covered polished aluminum coating on headlight reflectors. They will stay in good condition for years (perhaps decades). Much better than silver plating. Shipping address: 357 Shan Creek Road, Grants Pass, OR 97527

 

You need to have the reflectors nickle plated before you send them to him. That's the pricey part.

 

Don Axelrod is a good source for various pre-sealed beam headlight parts:

 

hdlthqtrs@aol.com

Donald Axelrod
Headlight Headquarters
35 Timson
Lynn, Massachusetts 01902
781-598-0523

 

Let me know if you have questions,

 

Pete

 

[plymjim]

  Just read an article in the May/June issue of The Antique Motorcycle club

magazine on how to do your own nickle plating. The process looked pretty

simple & does not require electricity. I have no personal experience with it

but it may save you some $$  if you use the vendor Pet suggested. There

is a web site www.caswellplating.com for more info. Good luck!

[desoto1939]

there also is another issue that no one has talked about:  These cars use the 2331 headlight bulb and there isa a 2330 headlight bulb with the prefocused bulb.  They both look alike but the difference is that on  the 2331 which I use on the 39 Desoto and also used on the 39 Dodge/Chrylser and I am also assuming the 39 Plymouth Is that these bulbs have a right to left orination for High Beam to low beam.  The 2330 have the standard high beam is upwards and the low beam is down.

 

Both bulbs use the same socket but the only difference is that the two contact are either up/down  12/6 o-clock position 2330 and the 2331are left to right  or 3/9 position. Just by switching the  inner contacts to the proper orientation is a simple pigtail change.

 

But Also the headlight glass has the prisims cut into the glass for the left/right on the 39's verus othe other cars have the 6/12 orientation.

 

So if you convert to halgin bulbs and use the 6/12 up down then you will not have great lights unless you have the proper halogen bulb either 2331 or 2330. Or if you put in the aftermarket halgen bulbs that like they do on Model A's with it own socket then you need to adjust the socket so that the high low beam for the bulb is a 3/9 orientation.

 

Also suggest that you nickel plate and polish the reflectors and then have them replated with the Uriva plating. But you need to make the necessary modifications and then convert to a 6 v positive ground alternator.

Also Don Axlerod is the only one that has re-poped the headlight sockets they are not cheap but if you need them than he has them

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Pete]

Hi all,

 

I got my LED headlight bulbs here:
http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/

 

They have 2331 positive ground bulbs. These are very bright, but I did not like then as much as halogen as the light is very diffuse and doesn't penetrate the dark like the halogens do. My old eyes need bright lights. The plus side of the LEDs is low heat and you can use your original generator/regulator.

 

I got my halogen bulbs here:
https://www.lbcarco.com/mg.html

 

They have 2331 bulbs in 35/35 candlepower. They used to also have 35/50 candlepower, but I don't see them on their site now. I would run a 6v positive ground alternator with these due to the higher current draw. Their halogen bulbs did not seem to care whether the car is positive or negative ground.

 

If your headlight bulb sockets are original you need 2331 bulbs. Someone in the past may have switched them to 2330. These sockets may be more common as I believe they were used on F*rds and Harleys. As Rich said you can switch the pigtails and be happy.

 

The high & low beams were the correct orientation for my 2331 sockets for both the LED and halogen bulbs I bought. Both were just a bulb change from the original tungsten bulbs to the LED & halogen bulbs.

 

Question for Rich: How do you tell which lens goes on which side on the '39s? I have a couple sets and none are marked L or R.

 

Pete

 

[desoto1939]

from what I can tell there is no right or left front lens on the Ply/Dodge/desoto or Chrysler.  I do know that on the rears on my 39 Desoto there is a right and left taillight and also chrome trim for the taillights and also r and l taillight buckets.

 

I also know that on some of the 39's there were right and left chrome trim rings but on my 39 desoto there is no designated r or l trim for the headlights.

 

Rich

desoto1939@aol.com

[blucarsdn]

Wow, I am surprised and pleased that my head-light topic achieved so much play so soon... I knew that I was not the only person that had experienced trouble and frustration with the late '30 reflector type head-lights.

Based on the information that "Pete" supplied in his contribution to this topic, I called Donald Axelrod. Most of the info about Uvira was good, I have dealt with them before. he told me that the good original type  sockets for the 39 headlights are no longer available, and the replacements that the vendors are selling are junk. Wm.

[desoto1939]

did don tell you the replacement headlight sockets were junk or someone else.  If you can not get originals then the aftermarket is the best that you can do or purchase a NOS headlight wireing harness for each light witht he appropriate sockets.  These will run you well over $100 each.  I have a couple witht he spring and sockets but not cheap.  Contact Don for a price on the headlight sockets I got some from here several years ago and they were of good quality.

 

Rich Hartung

[T120]

My 1937 Chrysler has the stock headlights, lenses and reflectors fitted for halogen bulbs with parts from Speedway Motors.While my Chrysler is now  12 volts, ....using 6 volt halogen bulbs along with a headlight relay I believe should work okay for a 6 volt system.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by T120
added word

[desoto1939]

I agree but with some of the MoPars as I explained in the above posting the high/low movement is a left to right movement with the original style 2331 headlight bulbs.

 

So with your diagram from above the you still might have to move the socket or rotate it so that the bulb is in the correct orientation to get the headlight lens to properly send the beam correctly to being either high or low beam.

 

You need to check your lens and current bulb to make sure that you have any modifications made to get the correct beam.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com