Terraplane headlights

Beforemytime

Will a standard 7" round U.S. headlight fit in the "teardrop" headlamp housing on my '38 Terraplane?
And...
How does one access the inside to change the lamp or replace the bulb?

Thanks
David

Jon B

When you say "standard 7" round U.S. headlight, are you speaking of the traditional sealed beam units?  The answer is "yes".....if your car has (or if you can lay your hands on) a sealed beam conversion kit.  These were available starting in 1941, and could be retrofitted to most U.S. cars.  However, due to the large attaching rims and the flatness of the sealed beam bulbs, the visual effect somewhat detracted from the look of the original headlamp -- especially in the case of the "teardrop" lights in the fenders of the 1939's.

If you are fortunate enough to have the original "guts" within your headlight shells: the glass lens, silver plated reflectors, and the various clips that held all of this together -- you can simply purchase either an original headlight bulb (still available from old car parts vendors) or one of the new quartz-halogen 6-volt bulbs that fit right in the original sockets.  However, you would do well to have the reflectors re-silvered, to inspect or replace the wiring, to ground the sockets and to install headlight relays, for the maximum brightness.

To gain access to the headlight for re-lamping, unscrew the screw at the bottom of the headlight shell (it's toward the front of the shell) and -- when you feel the lens become unloosened -- push the bottom of the lens inward (maybe 1/2") and downward, at which point the top lip of the glass lens is exposed.  You can then take a piece of rigid plastic (like an old credit card) and carefully pry the top of the lens outward at the top, working from side to side to gradually pull the lens further and further out, until you can seize the top lip and carefully raise the lens up and out of the shell.  You must place blankets and pillows on the top of the bumper and fender below, in case you drop the lens during removal.  It is a given that you will drop the lens.