Frenched headlight kit

[Ricos54]

Hello new to the forum, I'm building a 54 Chevy Truck from the ground up been working on it for almost 6 months now done a lot of work and I keep running into obstacles. This last one is the headlights, I knew I wanted to do something different with my headlights. I ended seeing the frenched headlight kit 2 days ago on Youngrodder's truck and I knew that was what I wanted to do. I didn't realized they were welded in. My problem is I've been doing body work on my fenders and wanted to know what to do so I can install that kit?


Thanks,
Rico

[oldman3]

Based on you pics, right now would be the time to install. They are easy to do with good instructions. My kit was from Hagan, there are other company's, but make sure to check them out. You can look at my build (in signature) on page 5 post 101-104. Not a lot of detail, but you'll get the ideal....Jim

[Ricos54]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Based on you pics, right now would be the time to install. They are easy to do with good instructions. My kit was from Hagan, there are other company's, but make sure to check them out. You can look at my build (in signature) on page 5 post 101-104. Not a lot of detail, but you'll get the ideal....Jim

What a great build Jim, man you have a lot of talent. How did you learn how to do all of that work? All I can say is awesome work

My question for my truck is should I DA some of the bondo away from the light hole since I will need to weld on it? If so, how much or how many inches away from the light hole?

Thanks for sharing your build with me

[mr48chev]

52/54 Mercury headlight rings are the way to do it right. This link shows reproductions units. https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id=700

That is what I have had on my truck since the early 80's. I don't like the haugen kits as they are butt ugly and totally wrong as far as frenching headlights go.

Kool rides had a pair of rings that don't have the stainless inner ring https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...c860da633ded44 that may not look too bad.

[Ricos54]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

52/54 Mercury headlight rings are the way to do it right. This link shows reproductions units. https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id=700

That is what I have had on my truck since the early 80's. I don't like the haugen kits as they are butt ugly and totally wrong as far as frenching headlights go.

Kool rides had a pair of rings that don't have the stainless inner ring https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...c860da633ded44 that may not look too bad.

Are those weld on's? One thing I want is something I can paint, I not putting any chrome on my truck! I see there's 2 different kinds I wish I could see pic's of both on a car.
The second link are paintable right?

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by Ricos54

What a great build Jim, man you have a lot of talent. How did you learn how to do all of that work? All I can say is awesome work

My question for my truck is should I DA some of the bondo away from the light hole since I will need to weld on it? If so, how much or how many inches away from the light hole?

Thanks for sharing your build with me

Rico Thanks for the compliment, I answered in you pm.

Originally Posted by mr48chev

52/54 Mercury headlight rings are the way to do it right. This link shows reproductions units. https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id=700

That is what I have had on my truck since the early 80's. I don't like the haugen kits as they are butt ugly and totally wrong as far as frenching headlights go.

Kool rides had a pair of rings that don't have the stainless inner ring https://www.koolrides.com/catalog/pr...c860da633ded44 that may not look too bad.

Mr. 48 is right the Mercury headlight rings look much better. He would have to answer on if you use stock inside parts for the light, I'm not sure...Jim

[skip99]

I used the mercury rings on our 51, I trimmed them down a bit, lots of pics on the build section..... Rings ere from
http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/store...ct_detail&p=44

$79 pair.......

[MARTINSR]

Let's get this straight, THIS is a "frenched headlamp".





You do it with the parts the truck came with, making the headlamp install and adjust from the back, that is what a "Frenched headlamp" is.

Here are a few articles on making this mod.

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/.../photo_04.html

http://www.marcnischan.com/my-full-c...ed-headlights/

And one on an AD http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=591399

You can buy the "kits" that are sold, but they aren't really a "Frenched headlamp" but just a different headlamp ring is all they are.

Brian

[skip99]

The mercury ring replaces the "part the truck came with" it is just thicker metal with a nice inside lip, easier to weld in, and yes, you have to install the lamp bucket..the original one.....from the back.
And here's a pic of a converted bucket, see how the nuts are welded . So you can adjust the light from behind?
I did mine a little different, I just cut a slot in the back of the original adjusting screw, so a flat tip screwdriver will fit, then just drilled a hole in the bucket to line up. I just turn the original screw from behind, and I can put a plug in he hole, so nothing gets dirty. I'll take a pic....

[Russell Ashley]

I would call the lights on the orange car above and also on the smaller black and white pic flush mounted, not frenched. I've always thought of frenched head lights as being recessed back into the fender some distance.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I would call the lights on the orange car above and also on the smaller black and white pic flush mounted, not frenched. I've always thought of frenched head lights as being recessed back into the fender some distance.

I believe "Frenching" is simply as the ones above where the body flows up to the light. What you are referring to would be "tunneling" like these.



Brian

[mr48chev]

I beg to differ a bit on the concept of what is frenched and what isn't Martinsr.

These rings weren't a kit as I bought them off a 53 Mercury in a junk yard in 1980.


As you can see they are welded to the fender and finished off. That is one of the more common "frenched" headlight setups along with welding the stock ring to the fender and putting the headlight bucket in from the back. A lot of guys prefer that look to the bug eyed frenched look though. I think Rico plans to use the Merc style rings that don't run a stainless inner ring and set the light in a little but not a lot. If I was redoing that part of mine I think I might want to run those myself.

I'm going to use Skip99's adjuster trick on mine or change them so they can be adjusted from the back as I hadn't thought of that before.

[MARTINSR]

I don't think we disagree about anything, those are frenched but simply using a different ring.

I love the photo by the way! I have one with my truck in 79 at the NSRA Western Nationals in Santa Maria (southern Cal) it was chopped, red and parked next to a tent out on the grass. LOL I'll have to scan and post it.

Brian

[mr48chev]

I found another one posted by a member of a Facebook hot rod group I partake in.

Photo credits to Kiyoshi Tomitsuka. Those are pretty close to what you are looking at Rico.

[Ricos54]

Yes that is exactly what I'm looking for

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I found another one posted by a member of a Facebook hot rod group I partake in.

Photo credits to Kiyoshi Tomitsuka. Those are pretty close to what you are looking at Rico.

Do you have any other photos of that truck or the name of the owner or something so I could search it? I'd like to see more of that truck.

Brian

[mr48chev]

No, the photographer just posted that one photo on Facebook and I am not sure that he is even in the PNW as he may be in Japan. He posts shots of some great looking rigs that i have never seen before.