MTFCA Forum

Is anyone making the correct headlight lens ring these days ? I bought a new set of plated rings and even after grinding all 4 of the little studs on the inside they still don’t fit ! They’ve gotten better but will not twist all the way over to lock into place. I have a black original set that I may have to use but since it’s a 1927 I’d like to use the plated set. Plating the original set isn’t a option at this time.

Will take a look tomorrow for you.

Hank

Thanks Hank

I've also encountered "issues" with the repro rivet length - I'd suggest, if you haven't already, grind the repo's down to the same as your originals then try another attempt.

RajoRacer that’s exactly what I’m trying. Its Helped but no cigar yet.

Where do you have the notches in the reflector located? If they are now located in the area where the pins go in and locks, try turning the reflectors so the notches are past that area. Your pins may be going into the notches and getting behind the reflectors some how not allowing them to drop in the slot.

The original headlight rings don’t always go on easy either. In my case I’ve gotten some decent originals that needed repainting at swap meets, repainting them and finding out they are a bear to put on. Usually it’s about the reflectors, ring pins, the rope gasket, or the slot being bent in the shells to where they won’t let the ring twist in and lock correctly.

GG,

I looked with no luck, sorry I could not be of service. Will keep my eyes opened for good used ones.

All the Best,

Hank

Thanks again Hank ! I have a decent set of black ones that do fit, guess I’ll use those until I find a set of plated rings or I get these to fit.

Mark, you may be on to something about the pins sliding behind the reflector.

How about a slight drift question?
Does anybody make the special stepped rivets in brass for the clips with the pins to hold into the bucket's slots?
I have a brass (nickel plated) rim I would like to repair for my '15. But the pins are worn so badly that I think they would likely break though and come off after awhile. It is in bad shape, needs almost twenty cracks welded up (done that before!), but not worth the trouble if the pins are too far gone to use the thing.
Otherwise, I guess I will try drilling through the rivet and soldering a pin into place?

I suggest you use proper Ford descriptions, so I can understand what you are talking about!

I have a brass (nickel plated) rim I would like to repair for my '15.

Why? 1915 rims are supposed to be brass, not nickel. You can buy brand new ones.

Too broke to buy new brass rims. Too many things I need that I can't afford to buy. The later nickel plated rims I bought years ago for cheap in a lot-purchase of headlamp parts, many of which I needed. I have repaired three of the rims, but would like to do the one more so I have a spare pair, not just the single spare. By the time I weld the cracks, about half the nickel is gone anyway. So cleaning off the rest is fairly easy. The little rivets that hold the lens clips in place also have a stepped pin in them to lock into the slots on the headlamp buckets, a true special purpose rivet. I would imagine whoever makes the new brass rims must have new rivets, maybe they would work on the old rims, maybe not.

But isn’t there a difference in the Ford script used on the brass 1915 and the nickel plated brass runs of 1927 ? If Original Smith saw the smaller script (1927) with the nickel plating buffed off on your 1915..... he wouldn’t like it.

Now, George...

Awwww.....everybody knows I’m just ‘tongue in cheek’ ...

Heck I have the 26/27 brass ones on my 21. They had the plating stripped off when I got them. Right now they are sorta tarnished, but will give them a shine up before the tour season starts, the old girl need a bit of bling.

Just a thought. If you have nickle plated headlight rims (for H glass) you should sell them and use that money to buy Brass ones. Repro's go for about $25ea. A pair with a good patina (shiny for some - worn for speedster builders) can get $50.

Original Smith wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 17, 2020 9:46 pm

I suggest you use proper Ford descriptions, so I can understand what you are talking about!

Always one in the group, looks like it’s you today.

I tend to be with Larry on the calling things what they were and should be called. However, in this instance, I don't know WHAT to call that special rivet? It certainly isn't a standard type common rivet with that added pin, and it would take a special setting punch to leave the pin in place while peening the lower/outer area down to hold the lens clip in place.
As for what is a "correct" brass rim? I don't think the new reproduction rims are much more correct in details than the '26/'27 rims are. Besides, a lot of '15s do have the '26/'27 rims on them. And at least they are almost a hundred years old now, as opposed to just a decade or two, or less, for new repros. The '26/'27 rims I have, do have differences in the original script? A couple have only "Ford", one has "Ford Brown". (One has no script because a couple cracks went through the middle of it and by the time I got the weld done, the script was gone.)
The rims I am using, are ones I got in a bulk lamp parts purchase several years ago. They were cracked badly, and generally not worth fixing. The nickel was poor enough to not be worth trying to salvage (patina not withstanding), and I didn't figure anyone would want to repair the cracks and then re-plate for a '26/'27. Me? I need them brass, and I am crazy enough to weld the many cracks.
I have repaired three of them so far (wanted a spare or two handy). One came out pretty nice. I will need to decide which is the better of the other two, and put the best half upside where it shows.
I thought tagging onto a thread about headlamp rims might catch the attention of someone that may know if such rivets are available somewhere. However, frankly did not expect a good answer. All good stuff! Discussion is good. Friendly chiding is all good. And I have no illusions about my runabout ever being near perfect. But it will have more visible era original parts than most '15s on tour these days!

Wayne Sheldon
My point is some of us new guys aren’t as knowledgeable as others. Wouldn’t it be easier to try to answer the question instead of trying make a fool out of the guy asking the question. I mean come on, the guy acted like he didn’t have a clue what I was asking but in truth he did...and if a person didn’t know then I believe I would have kept quiet. Wayne, you have been helpful to me in the past and I appreciate it but I’m here to learn and not be made a fool because I used a term that’s not correct.