MTFCA Forum

On one of my first drives with my 26 touring car, I lost a headlight rim and lens without realizing it. The kids and I heard a weird clunk at a stop light, and I was convinced some important part of the car just fell off. I hurriedly got out and looked underneath the car, and I didn’t see a thing, but I was worried about traffic behind me and didn’t look in front of the car. Hours later I saw the headlight missing, and when we went back to the intersection to check it was as I feared. The ring was smashed flat among flecks of purple tinted glass. The car is a 26, but it was once restored, so I don’t know if the rims are original, but can you tell from this picture what they are/were? (Sorry I’m out of town for a few weeks, so I can’t get another picture for now, just figured I’d ask so I could order a new one while I’m gone.)

here is the picture this time

The originals were nickel and chrome is far brighter, easy to tell.

A 26 model is most likely to have brass rims which were nickel plated. I have yet to see evidence that anything on a model T was chrome plated. chrome sure is a bit easier to maintain, but it just looks wrong to my eye.

Allan from down under.

That looks like nickel to me, it looks like it has that “richer” tone, not the harsh brightness of chrome.
Your radiator shell should also be nickel, how does it compare to that? (Looks like a match from here.)

I don't think Model T's had any chrome plating on them. Nickle plating is correct. Chrome does not match nickle. Ford used nickle plating on brightwork trim items through 1929. The 1930 models featured stainless steel exterior brightwork. Bumpers may still have been nickle on the 1930-31 cars. I believe Ford still used nickle plate on interior trim items through the Model A era, and perhaps beyond.

Many chrome plated items are available for Model Ts. They look pretty good on candy apple purple T-buckets and such.

Whichever it is, and it looks like nickle to me, you should match it or it will stand out as being different and you don't want to re-plate the whole car to match one headlight ring.
Norm

If that’s all that’s available are chrome headlight rims then match them. But if you can find a good nickel one that’s better to match.
To me all chrome parts such as headlight rims, radiator necks, radiator shells, interior trim parts on a closed car is like giving a T a super nice paint job that looks like plastic just doesn’t look right. It’s to slick looking. My very humble opinion.

It is Nickle over Brass. Repro's come in Nickle or Chrome. If your looking for one to match, I have some that might work (a bucket and rest of the parts too if you need them), need more pictures of yours without the sunlight on them. I have a few purple lenses but doubt if any are as dark as yours, always hard to tell, best to put the lens on white paper as a backer

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Thu May 12, 2022 10:01 pm

Many chrome plated items are available for Model Ts. They look pretty good on candy apple purple T-buckets and such.

ok yeah thats a good visual for me, its not that kind of shiny.

Ned L wrote: ↑

Thu May 12, 2022 9:09 pm

That looks like nickel to me, it looks like it has that “richer” tone, not the harsh brightness of chrome.
Your radiator shell should also be nickel, how does it compare to that? (Looks like a match from here.)

I'd say it matches the radiator shell, and I believe Brent Mize has mentioned that the shell was nickel plated when he's helped me with the car, so that says it for me.

My wife said the replacement glass arrived the other day, so hopefully I can get a new rim ordered and put it on when I get home.

Thank you all for the help.

Just a FYI - normally the lens is mounted with the script at the top.

There was a "too long a rivet" issue on the repro rims some years back - don't know if it was ever rectified but you might take a "look-see" if you purchase a new one.

Shortly after I bought my 1927 T I decided to replace the headlight rings. The replacements were Chrome plated and didn't fit worth a da-n. I then had the originals replated in Nickel. It was a good decision. The rings fit the way Ford intended, and they look great.

FWIW, historical note: chrome plating did not appear on production automobiles until 1930.

Methods of identification
Nickle over brass (not magnetic) - If they are original, they may have hairline cracks on the outer rim. Original are heavier than repro's
I had a set of Nickle repro's 4 years ago that had a slightly raised edge - returned them.
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Chrome is over steel thus the rim is magnetic. Rim is lighter in weight and may show sings of rust on the inside, but not from the headlight bucket.