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1938 Dodge Business Coupe - headlight


Mel

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I am doing a full restoration on my wife’s 1938 Dodge Business Coupe D10 (Cdn version), and am looking to address the rusted headlight buckets.  The inner rings are in pretty rough shape, and the headlight buckets themselves have pin holes along the bottom.  I can get around the issues wrt the buckets, but the inner rings are more problematic.   I am open for suggestions from those more skilled than I.  

 

Thanks 

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   I’ve used Lab-Metal with their solvent, to repair some parking light holes and pin holes on floor panels. It can be thinned to a paint consistency and applied with a flux brush. It is made by Alvin products.

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Great suggestions.  The light bucket does come out, and I will see what I can do with it.   I also like the idea of the conversion kit, and the way to address the pin holes.  All good ideas which gives me some direction to pursue a variety of options. Thx

Edited by Mel
Grammar
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Mel. Your buckets look to me to be equipped for the sealed beam units as they are a bit different to my 6 volt bulb and reflector lights. Will get some pics for you when I can. You may have all the reflector support hardware in behind the front ring. I am not sure. Maybe the rusted ring at the front of the bucket is also included in those sealed beam conversion units. Regardless, take plenty of pics of your disassembly. Those rings should be either replaced or repaired. Clean them, trace around them to make patterns and if you have to refabricate them there are plenty of metal work examples on the forum. Westaus with his 1938 7 seater in Australia has some good pics of his build showing detailed metal work as does nickpictoo. Good luck with your project. Keep us in the loop with updates. Am nearly finished my D9 right hand drive sedan that has been a big, long saga. Have learnt a bit along the way though and happy to help if I can. ?

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Mel......I also agree with Pete, your headlight buckets do look to me like they are setup to take sealed beam headlights as the rusty inner rings have the three indents to take the sealed beam 7" headlight...........but........I am no expert on the pre 1940 headlights..........what did the car come with?..........non sealed beam headlights?, do the reflectors have those 3 indents to allow the reflectors to sit onto the rusty inner rings?...........andyd.

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Gents.  The car is equipped with the sealed beam retrofit and the inner ring that I was concerned about must be part of that conversion.  After the helpful hints on this post, I did more research and it seems that I can simply replace the inner rings from another conversion kit.  The existing inner rings held the headlight just fine, but given that I have come this far on the vehicle there is no point in putting rusted parts back in.  

 

What started out as a simple paint job has turned into a 2 year full off the frame restoration.  After sandblasting the old paint off I discovered rust in places that were unknown.  New inner fenders, a complete new floor, and countless other body parts needed to be fabricated.   I am ok with a wrench, but am not a body guy. I was fortunate to find a body man with 45+ years of experience that works out of his shop at his home and is only 20 min from where I live.  He meticulously remanufactured whole sections of the car at a very reasonable rate.   He isn’t fast because he is a perfectionist but he also doesn’t charge much either so it’s all good.   While he worked on the body, I had the frame and reworked everything that was required on that element.  I am replacing all the wiring with period correct wire as the car was pretty Mickey Moused together.  She will be awesome when done.

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