rewireing headlights, '37 Terraplane

Hudsonrules

:cheer: I want to thank everyone who has given advice on the headlights for my '37 Terraplane. Now, I know how to remove the lens, but how about the reflector, and where to get new gaskets for the reflectors. I have heard of a place in Oregon that resilvers reflectors, but I do not know thier name. Any other ssource would be appreciated, and finally, who has the six volt halogen bulbs. I plan on going with the dual relay if I can find one,a new dimmer switch and I was thinking of using the headlight junctions blocks from a step down, does anyone have a couple they would like to find a home for? Again I want to thank everyone with so much information and support. Arnie in Nevada. I plan on attending the National in Gettysburg in 2012, but without a Hudson. Hopefully, I will have a Hudson at the 2014 National which I think is going to be in Northern California.

[Deleted User]

2013 will be held in San Mateo, CA, which is on route 101 between San Francisco and San Carlos. We are working on matters right now and hotel is already booked for the meet. We waited for Oklahoma National to be over, and now we will start our write ups for the meet. Walt.

Jon B

The company in Oregon is UVIRA. You yourself must have your reflectors nickel plated before you send them to them. They then apply an glass-coated, vapor-deposited aluminum coating on the reflectors. The result will be not quite as reflective as if they had been silvered, but it will never tarnish (and thus get less reflective) as silver would. Uvira, Inc., P.O. Box 1137, 310 Pleasant Valley Rd. Merlin, OR 97532-1137. Tel: 1-541-474-5050 / email: uvira@terragon.com

That said, I had my reflectors silver plated about 10 years ago and frankly, they look as shiny as they ever did. Whenever I change a bulb I wipe them with a cloth and actually someone suggested waxing them (with an automotive body wax) and I think I did that once. The place that did it for me (it was then about $60 a pair, postage included -- but certainly would be more, nowadays with the price of silver!) was Craig Riker in Toledo, Ohio. He advertised to do Model A headlights but agreed to do my Terraplane ones. But I haven't noticed any ads from him lately so he may be out of the re-silvering business. He has an insurance company, you can drop him an e-mail at Craig_Riker_Agency@nwagent.com .

There are other companies that do re-silvering but I looked at one on the internet and they want over $100 EACH for 6 inch reflectors. Of course, UVIRA is going to charge a lot of money too, then you have to add the cost of having someone nickel plate your reflectors first! So in the end, a good re-silvering may be the cheapest and brightest solution.

For your 6-volt headlights go to Little British Car Company at http://www.lbcarco.com/ . They are the U.S. distributor for the bulbs, which are made in Australia.

For the headlight gaskets I went to a model train company and bought the H-O scale roadbed which comes in thin strips, it's a sort of cork material. I cut strips (using a mat knife and straightedge) in the width of the channel around the reflector, and then just force-fit the gasket. It must have worked because the silver is still shiny!