Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-13-2012, 03:01 PM   #1
Chris Haynes
Senior Member
 
Chris Haynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA
Posts: 2,962
Default Sealed beams inside lens.

I was thinking about these sealed beam kits that put a regular automobile sealed beam behind the lens. I head that the distortion from light going through two lens diffusions really screws up the beam of light. I have seen sealed beam lens, not for automobiles, that have no diffusion pattern in the lens. Has anybody tied using that type of sealed beam? Any thoughts?
__________________
1921 Runabout
1930 Tudor
Early 1930 AA
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?
Chris Haynes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2012, 03:04 PM   #2
700rpm
Senior Member
 
700rpm's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 6,039
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

Unless you're driving in the country without street lights, I'd say stay with stock. City lighting is so bright that your headlights are more for being seen than seeing.
__________________
Ray Horton, Portland, OR


As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.
700rpm is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-13-2012, 03:25 PM   #3
steve s
Senior Member
 
steve s's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kalamazoo
Posts: 1,656
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 700rpm View Post
Unless you're driving in the country without street lights, I'd say stay with stock. City lighting is so bright that your headlights are more for being seen than seeing.
Sealed beams behind the original lens are great for being seen--the light comes out of them every which way!

Steve
steve s is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2012, 03:28 PM   #4
steve s
Senior Member
 
steve s's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kalamazoo
Posts: 1,656
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Haynes View Post
I was thinking about these sealed beam kits that put a regular automobile sealed beam behind the lens. I head that the distortion from light going through two lens diffusions really screws up the beam of light. I have seen sealed beam lens, not for automobiles, that have no diffusion pattern in the lens. Has anybody tied using that type of sealed beam? Any thoughts?
Why not go the other way? Use a regular sealed beam behind a flat glass lens. I bet a glass shop could cut you a piece the right size, and it's easy to find regular sealed beams.

Steve
steve s is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2012, 04:38 PM   #5
John LaVoy
Senior Member
 
John LaVoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 1,219
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

By using the halogen bulb that is made to fit the original reflector you get excellent lighting and keep the original lens. You are correct the diffusion of sending the light through two lenses really defeats the light output you are attempting to get by using the sealed beam. Just be sure to focus the headlights any time you change the bulb.
John LaVoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2012, 03:30 PM   #6
Jim Brierley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,251
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I run sealed beams behind the original lenses and have better lights than 90% of Model A's on the road. They still focus well. I live in an area without street lights, and I can see the road, as well as skunks and other critters, very well at night.
Jim Brierley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2012, 04:28 PM   #7
milo
Senior Member
 
milo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 236
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

I agree with Jim^^^.. The seal beams work fine behind stock lenses.. Both low and high beam........
__________________
You're born, you die, in between you build hot rods
milo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2012, 04:33 PM   #8
Kevin in NJ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South East NJ
Posts: 3,398
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

Quick, simple, cheap, and reliable headlights for driving 50+ MPH at night on backroads with the stock electrical system.

Use original reflectors with original sockets and the halogen bulbs made in Australia. Properly focus the system and drive the car till you wear it out.

Some sell halogen bulbs made in India and they are clearly not the same quality.
Kevin in NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2012, 05:26 PM   #9
ajbcc2
Junior Member
 
ajbcc2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: western massachusetts
Posts: 12
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

although not for guys n gals who want the stock look...this is what I did for my hotrod that I call "FrankenStude Too" On Utube there are a bunch of build videos i put up...one was how I put $10 halogen sealed beam headlamps in the 29 Ford buckets..I went with the sealed beam units versus the halogen bulb conversion because if the halogen bulbs get just a drop of water on them they blow out...the sealed units wont...this is the link-->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWyM6-qLARA

Last edited by ajbcc2; 01-15-2012 at 05:35 PM.
ajbcc2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2012, 07:08 PM   #10
1931 flamingo
Senior Member
 
1931 flamingo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: new britain,ct 06052
Posts: 9,428
Default Re: Sealed beams inside lens.

ajbcc2: Not for a fine point car but great for a driver if someone doesn't want to go the halogen bulb route. Thanks for sharing.
Paul in CT
1931 flamingo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:29 PM.