Converting headlights

[phat46]

I have a Model A headlight that i would like to convert to better bulbs. I don't want the sealed beam look with the smaller lense, I want the look of the big original lense. I thought maybe a guy could take one of the modern separate lamps and mount it inside the model A bucket.  Seems simple enough, am I missing something? I've never seen it done.

[wayne petty]

before you go cutting into anything....

filament spacing and alignment is critical...

if you can mark the centerline of the height of the original filament on the outside of the bulb ...        then measure how far back from some accessible point on the lamp reflector...    and measure where it is centered..


then see if there is any way to mount the new bulb and holder with its centerline at the exact same location...


do the model A lamps come apart?    have you got a lathe???  and a mill....    

perhaps..  figure someway to make a die so a glass blower could drop a glob of molten glass in and squeeze it into shape...

the front half of the bowl... would need to be one piece.. with the center stem hole properly located...  the rear half of the mold would need to be 2 or 3 pieces so the halogen retainer could still be used...

there are lots of custom mirror manufacturers that could do the silver on the internal surface...

this all depends on if the bulb assembly that you are going to upgrade is a 2 piece unit... forward lens  and rear reflector and bulb holder....

and i got the idea from watching them make pyrex on how its made on tv...   so it may be possible... it all depends on what you have and how much time..

[enjenjo]

Bob drake has a conversion with the bulbs, and the correct focal length reflector.

I used to use a Suzuli motorcycle headlight bulb, don't remember the number, but it fit right in the stock socket, and was Halogen.

[phat46]

Bob drake has a conversion with the bulbs, and the correct focal length reflector.

I used to use a Suzuli motorcycle headlight bulb, don't remember the number, but it fit right in the stock socket, and was Halogen.

The reflector is in pretty good shape, has a good bit of shine to it still, but the socket is shot. I think I'll get a pair of $9 lamps I have seen and mount them where the original lamp was ans see what happens.

[freddrew]

I used a conversion from C. W. Moss to put halogens in my Model "A".  It uses an H3 hallogen bulb.  The light is much brighter and the bulbs are quite durable.  I am still using the original H3 bulbs that came with the kit.  If you can work it into the headlight bucket, add another socket and amber bulb for Parking lights, 4-Way flashers and Signal lights.

Fred Drew

[phat46]

I used a conversion from C. W. Moss to put halogens in my Model "A".  It uses an H3 hallogen bulb.  The light is much brighter and the bulbs are quite durable.  I am still using the original H3 bulbs that came with the kit.  If you can work it into the headlight bucket, add another socket and amber bulb for Parking lights, 4-Way flashers and Signal lights.

Fred Drew

Geeze Fred, I shoulda remembered that you had those same lights on your RPU.

[chimp koose]

Check this out. KB426 had a lighting problem quite a while ago and I mentioned an article I had seen about focal length. I found it again, http://idisk.mac.com/forever4/Public/pages/Aheadlampreflectors.htm