MrEarl Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Have had some of these hens teeth in the parts closet for years, 1953-1955 1/2 12V Guide Sealed Beam headlamps. How do I test high and low beam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 55er Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 You need 2 small test wires. Connect one wire from a negative post of a 12 V battery to the center prong of the headlight. Then run the second wire from the positive battery post to each of the other two outer prongs one at a time. You should get a high beam & a low beam. If the headlight unit fills up with smoke that's the end of it. 3 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 9, 2022 Author Share Posted November 9, 2022 1 hour ago, The 55er said: You need 2 small test wires. Connect one wire from a negative post of a 12 V battery to the center prong of the headlight. Then run the second wire from the positive battery post to each of the other two outer prongs one at a time. You should get a high beam & a low beam. If the headlight unit fills up with smoke that's the end of it. Excellent description, even I can understand. Thanks @55er 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 No joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 My 54 still has these lamps. They work. Sadly the reflective material inside is coming off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 My 54 Roadmaster has them too but haven’t turned them on in years. When I was bringing the car home on a trailer from Kansas we detoured down to Plano TX where the Buick National was being held that year. A guy with a freshly restored ‘54 Skylark offered me crazy money for the headlamps so his car would be more correct. I declined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 I have several of these and have always wondered if there is any way to transplant their glass onto other bodies. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine Gun Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 12 hours ago, MrEarl said: I have several of these and have always wondered if there is any way to transplant their glass onto other bodies. ? Kinda like cataract surgery for cars! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 11, 2022 Author Share Posted November 11, 2022 4 hours ago, Machine Gun said: Kinda like cataract surgery for cars! Kinda I guess. 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 21 hours ago, MrEarl said: No joy Does that mean neither filament lit? If so, you might want to have another look at your test setup or try a more modern bulb. It seems unlikely to me that both beams would be out in both bulbs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 21 hours ago, MrEarl said: I have several of these and have always wondered if there is any way to transplant their glass onto other bodies. ? I understand that some have used an appropriate hole saw and opened the lamp from the rear to remove the filaments, then glued in an LED substitute lamp. Now, I will say I have never seen one in person, but it sounds possible. Not sure what an appropriate hole saw would be or look like. One other observation ( and theory only ), it appears to me that these old bulbs work for a long time as long as the lamps are in the vertical position as is mounted on the car, while in storage. If you lay em down on their face for storage it seems they stop working. Not certain if that is a coincidence, but my 56 still has a working T3, and another working aftermarket bulb, from when I got it in 1975. Meanwhile I know someone who saved a bunch of T3's that worked at a junkyard and then didn't work after several years in storage. Not quite sure how to explain that as the only difference is they were stored laying on their face. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 11, 2022 Author Share Posted November 11, 2022 3 hours ago, Bloo said: Does that mean neither filament lit? If so, you might want to have another look at your test setup or try a more modern bulb. It seems unlikely to me that both beams would be out in both bulbs. Neither worked Bloo. I had spark on my test set up, same set up I used to test the antenna. Thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted November 11, 2022 Author Share Posted November 11, 2022 46 minutes ago, JohnD1956 said: understand that some have used an appropriate hole saw and opened the lamp from the rear to remove the filaments, then glued in an LED substitute lamp. Most of the backs are in poor condition, having lost their silvering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 1 hour ago, MrEarl said: Most of the backs are in poor condition, having lost their silvering. Ah ha! Nothing to lose by trying then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 @MrEarl a quick google search led to this thread: cutting a round sealed beam headlight. | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne R Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 Tha continuity tester , i have used for many years , it can be used on all soughts of items in the classic car world, .I have a very good one with a buzzer, think i purchased it at a AC hard ware in CA years ago. If after testing on head lights before fitting, and tests good both high and low beam,, then if they dont work, means there is a problem in wiring or dash, . 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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