headlight assembly

[peanut1943]

Is there someone that can help me with the assembly of my 1930 Model A headlights?? There are two lights.. thanks

[Tom Wesenberg]

Are you using original stock type parts, or are you doing some type of lamp change?

[Joe K]

Snyders Antique Auto has a good pix. See http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/up...IGHT-10354.pdf

You will need to make sure you have the clips for the lens into the ring. There is a difference between 1928-9 clips and 30-1 clips but I think all the clips being sold now are "universal." Use needle nose pliers to bend into position.

Also you need to have the reflector in it's proper orientation. You'll see "indents" on the reflector rim and "catches" on the bucket flat part that hold the reflectors in place.

Also you'll need the "spring" in the top slot of the shell. This varies also between the early/later model years IIRC.

The bulb socket assembly is usually put in first. Single screw at the back of the bucket and insertion to include the power socket through the bottom rear (although some drivers "gut out" the socket and use loose wire connectors or solder the wires directly to the bullet ends of the harness and use shrink tube) THEN the reflector goes in place OVER the sockets. You may want to use some scotch "stick spray" to attach the cork gasket to the reflector and keep things in alignment (if it's not stuck already.) THEN the bulbs. Then the rim/lens assembly by hanging from the slot/spring at the top of the bucket and putting the latch T-bar in place in the fork at the bottom.

The key to reflector insertion/assembly is those "catches." If your shell is corroded and you don't have catches - you may be able to drill and tap for small screws to hold the reflector in place. BUT you have to have the orientation correct or you'll get high for low beam - or something else sideways (left-right beam?) When the reflector is properly assembled into the shell, it stands as its own unit the only thing left being to put the rim/lens on the front.

The back socket/spacer/ferrule is where a lot get hung up. Check over Snyder's (or any other) parts company and you can see pix of all the parts.

I don't like Henry's idea of an electrical connection in this area and do the driver shrinktube mod as I've indicated above. But you have to remove the inner parts of the bucket socket so it simply becomes a ferrule itself - and this gives you a place to attach the conduit on the outside of the shell.

Hope this helps. I imagine this has been covered in many of the "restorer type" literature. Maybe I've saved you some discovery time/cost?

Joe K

[peanut1943]

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yes I'm using parts from snyders.