Help with 1956 Chrysler Windsor headlight rings

[Matt Harwood]

Does anyone have a 1956 Chrysler (or knowledge of one or books) that can be used to show me how the headlight rings should be installed?

 

My problem is that we have some fairly badly pitted headlight rings on Melanie's wagon and since it's not a restored car I don't want to re-chrome the headlight rings and make them too perfect. As a result, I've amassed a significant collection of nice but not perfect ones that should look right. The problem is that there appear to be at least THREE different types of headlight rings for 1956 Chryslers and I just can't tell what's right anymore.

 

Right now, the car is wearing headlight rings (or doors, as they're properly called) that have TWO mounting holes, top and bottom. However, it appears that the mounting tab for the upper screw is homemade. It doesn't quite look factory even though it's quite sturdy with complex curves. The angle and the way the hole is just kind of punched into the bracket looks kind of amateur. But it works and the rings are held in place securely.

 

 

I recently bought a really good (but not perfect) set of rings that fit the contours of the fender perfectly but they only have ONE mounting hole at the bottom. Hmmm...

 

 

 

So as I'm looking at the fender where the headlight ring mounts, and examining the back of the single-hole trim rings, it appears that there should be some sort of clip that secures itself in that slot in the fender and using a screw or blind nut to hold itself in place. Then that clip serves almost as a "hook" for the trim ring, which appears to have a slot in its upper mounting bracket, which is obviously part of the original assembly. Hard to explain without being in person, but these images show it somewhat:

 

 

 

 

I can envision what such a clip should look like and I can probably even make a U-shaped hanger clip and secure it in to the fender using that mounting hole. But is that correct? Just what is correct on this car? It would be nice to know if such a clip exists and to put everything together properly. Or is my 2-hole Windsor unique compared to the New Yorker or Imperial, which maybe used just one mounting hole? The headlight rings themselves appear to be identical in size and shape with the only difference being the upper mounting hole (which is original--there's a boss to reinforce it on the back of the trim rings so it wasn't just drilled by some hack in the past).

 

Can anyone offer some guidance? I have a shop manual, but it doesn't cover things like this and I don't have a body or assembly manual (if such things even exist). Anyone have a '56 Chrysler where they can remove the headlight rings and snap a few photos?

 

Thanks!

 

[TerryB]

Any MoPar numbers on your headlight doors?

[TerryB]

My parts book shows 1642096 as the part number for the 1956 Windsor.  No detailed photo in the book.

[TerryB]

Found the above number in a Glenn Mitchell book, MoPar parts book shows same number for both 1956 Chrysler and 1956 DeSoto.  Again no picture of the part.  New Yorker and Imperial were painted headlight doors.

Edited November 17, 2020 by TerryB (see edit history)