Headlight gaskets

[Aussi John 1]

I am looking for headlight gaskets that go between the rim and the lens for a 29 FH President, can anyone help.

[hidden_hunter]

Shouldn’t be too hard to cut your own given it’s not really size critical, guessing it would have originally been thin cork?

[41 Su8]

You could go to a trimmer or an upholsterer and ask for very thin welting cord.      John

[hidden_hunter]

49 minutes ago, 41 Su8 said:

 

You could go to a trimmer or an upholsterer and ask for very thin welting cord.      John

 

Wouldn’t have thought you’d need to do something that fancy though

[Flivverking]

I buy thick sheet gasket cork and cut my own.

[Dandy Dave]

You can get some cork headlight gaskets from any Model A Ford parts house.  https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/cars/lighting/headlight/b-13066-headlight-lens-gasket?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17520899884&utm_content=&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_viWBhD8ARIsAH1mCd59E0o6zRNMEICg0CyNBD65jKG6ciLa0xZ884xVCGBluw3GV3ljcZgaAokfEALw_wcB

[JFranklin]

I used some cotton cord and dipped it in melted floor wax and it seemed just like the gasket that I replaced in a '20s car I had. Dandy Dave's idea might be good if it takes a square profile gasket.

[28 Chrysler]

I did some work on the head lights on a 1934 International PU.  Boot laces had been used for the gaskets. The cotton was rotten but it was still sealed. 

[41 Su8]

10 hours ago, hidden_hunter said:

Wouldn’t have thought you’d need to do something that fancy though

Not fancy, just the inside cord. 

[Dave39MD]

I used the round plastic that secures window screens into there  frames. It was a suggestion from this forum.

 

Works great.

 

Dave

Edited July 25, 2022 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[Tim Wolfe]

Restoration Supply Company sells it.

www.RestorationStuff.com

800-306-7008

[Aussi John 1]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I was being lazy and hoped I cold buy a ready made product. I can cut them out of cork. It is a long time since I made them.

 

I think I may have filled the groove in the reflector with Silastic and oiled the lens, so i can get them apart. AS  piece of sash cord fixed in with silicone, should also be good. John.

[JFranklin]

I have heard that silicone gasket in the tube can be acidic and may cause corrosion, check that out it may just be rumor.

[Bloo]

It's not a rumor. Most silicone caulk or uncured gasket material contains acid.

 

If your reflectors are silver plated, outgassing from whatever you use could be a real problem and tarnish or damage is likely. I don't know what material was used on an FH President as exported to Australia, but many American cars of the period use a rectangular section piece of cork similar to the Ford A parts @Dandy Dave posted. As I understand it, this should be pure cork, not cork suspended in rubber as often found in gasket material, due to the outgassing of the rubber. I got my material for the 36 Pontiac several years ago from https://www.stevesautorestorations.com/ in Oregon. I don't recall if it was interchangeable with the Ford A material.

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by Bloo (see edit history)

[Aussi John 1]

You can buy non acid silicone.