1939 Buick headlight housing adjustment snap in button

[Guest CCB]

Shouldn't there be two small headlight adjustment holes that have snap in chrome buttons on the headlight housing? I find no evidence for these on my Buick.

[JCK55buick]

My '39 Limited has them.  There is also a '39 2 door coupe at our local Classic Car Collection.  It has them, but somebody got them reversed when they painted the car.  They should be on the inside facing the nose, and the coupe has them on the outside of the headlight pods, OOOPPPs!

[Guest CCB]

I'm thinking this is yet another incorrect feature of this car. A 39 Buick is supposed to have those headlamps with the adjustment holes. I can't imagine though that they are replacements, they fit perfectly and the bolts underneath don't look newer. It is baffling.

[BuickBob49]

Here's a photo of my 39 Roadmaster showing the buttons.

 

Do you have a sealed beam conversion? Maybe you have reproduction buckets.

[Guest CCB]

Yeah they are sealed beams. They seem very old and rusty inside to be a reproduction but maybe. Another strike against this car.

[BuickBob49]

Don't get disillusioned with your 39 Special. Every old car needs some time for the owner to sort it out.  I just drove my 39 Roadmaster this afternoon.  It has taken me two years to address some deficiencies, but it still has a twenty-foot paint job and some other issues that I need to figure out. However, I have fun driving that car, and there is a world of difference when I compare it with the original unrestored 49 Super that I have owned for nearly forty years.

 

Regardless, when I flick that ignition switch in the 39 Roadmaster and step on the gas, and that big straight-eight engine roars to life, I'm in another world! Just think, the prewar technology in your Buick, and other cars from that period, was really something when one compares it with what was cutting edge only three decades before!

 

You'll get your car where you want it, someday.  In the meantime, enjoy what you have, for the moment!

[Bob H]

Colin: Can't tell for sure but the headlight buckets look correct for the car. Also, have no idea how much they were butchered to install sealed beams. Someone who has done this conversion can tell you if it's practical to make them "original" again. The trim strip on top looks wrong, it is supposed to be a polished stainless piece. One solution would be to install 6 volt sealed beams if you are reversing the 12 volt conversion, replace headlights with originals at your leisure. Bob H

 

 

[cxgvd]

My '39 Century has been converted to sealed beams, someday I hope to revert to form, as Bob H says.  My headlamp buckets have the chrome adjusting caps.  Best of luck, Gary

[Guest CCB]

Mystery solved. They filled the holes with bondo from the inside when they converted to sealed beams. I can see the bondo spots. And they obviously repainted over the chrome trim.

[BuickBob49]

Great news!  Once you remove the paint, those stainless steel strips should buff up nicely.  

[Guest CCB]

Yeah definitely! I chipped a little paint off and saw the nice shiny stainless underneath 

[Guest CCB]

I can probably drill the bondo out and buy replacement chrome caps to be more correct. I've seen them for sale.

[Dynaflash8]

You can find those headlight adjustment screw hole plugs in an electrical supply, but you may have to have them plated.  At least some years ago, I was able to do that.

[Dynaflash8]

17 hours ago, CCB said:

Yeah definitely! I chipped a little paint off and saw the nice shiny stainless underneath 

I think the originals were chrome plated brass. 

[Dynaflash8]

On 5/27/2017 at 3:23 PM, CCB said:

Yeah they are sealed beams. They seem very old and rusty inside to be a reproduction but maybe. Another strike against this car.

Pep Boys, Western Auto and all those types of stores sold those sealed beam replacement kits by the time WWII was over.  I've taken out plenty of them and threw them away and put the lights back to original.  Sold a few to hot rodders too back in the day.  Even into the 60s J.C. Whitney was selling them.

Signed Methuslah

[Dynaflash8]

On 5/27/2017 at 3:08 PM, BuickBob49 said:

Here's a photo of my 39 Roadmaster showing the buttons.

 

Do you have a sealed beam conversion? Maybe you have reproduction buckets.

 

[Dynaflash8]

That's really a pretty car (no, beautiful) BuickBob49.  All you need are the optional fender lights or it to park in my garage, and I have just the thing there now, four pair standing by.

[BuickBob49]

Dynaflash8, I have contemplated adding fender lights, but I hate to think of drilling holes in those nice fenders. Some day, maybe.

 

Glad you like the car!

Edited May 29, 2017 by BuickBob49
Typo (see edit history)

[Dynaflash8]

Make sure you make measurements and a template from an original car that has them first.  Remember, too, your fenders are larger than mine.

 

[BuickBob49]

Thanks!