HEADLIGHT RINGS

[Terry T]

FROM MY '51----IS THIS THE TYPICAL INSTALLATION?
note the wire clips

Looks like the inside ring is black vinyl coated formed thick wire

[Fid]

The ring pictured is not Henry J, that's the issue.  The Henry J type have no inside ring or "insulator" and are split at the screw hole, of which there is only one.  They're the same as 1947-51 Frazer and 1947-52 Kaiser.  No clips on them.

There's a set on ebay right now and they look pretty nice -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-Henry-J-OEM-TWO-2-Stainless-Head-Light-Bezels-Surrounds-Hoops-Rings/323100259662?hash=item4b3a46b54e:g:97cAAOSwqNFakxQO&vxp=mtr

[Gordie]

The head light rings on the 1947-48 Kaisers and Frazer's were chrome plated but by the 1951 models in both Henry J and Kaisers they seem to be all stainless steel.  Does anyone have information on the 1949-50 years?  I believe that they were chrome plated but am not sure.

[Terry T]

well---knock me over

old farmer in IL was pretty resourceful

thanks

[Fid]

The head light rings on the 1947-48 Kaisers and Frazer's were chrome plated but by the 1951 models in both Henry J and Kaisers they seem to be all stainless steel

Interesting. We owned numerous examples of 1947-50 KF products and all of them had stainless. I've never seen a chrome one.

[Terry T]

mine are stainless

[Fid]

All said Parts Books list only one number in section 7.540 - PN 200807, head light door.  Of course that doesn't mean they were all constructed the same.   A few years ago I pulled all of them from the KFs at a salvage yard in western MN.  Most were from 1947-50 cars and all had stainless steel head light rings. I've since sold all of them. 

Attached is a pic I found from that place, of a car we did not grab any parts from.

This was an interesting '47 Kaiser. It had the one piece script on the hood but the seperate letters on the trunk lid.  A close look at the pic shows what appears to be rust on the head light rims which is strong evidence that they weren't stainless steel!  I know the '48 Frazer I had had stainless.  Perhaps there were multiple suppliers out there and you could encounter some of each?  Not unusual for KF cars.

[Terry T]

what is background on the description as "headlight door"?

[Gordie]

what is background on the description as "headlight door"?

With sealed beam headlights they all basically used one style of headlight rim from 1940 through the eighties, some painted or plated or stainless.  After sealed beams went out of style the headlights often changed shape and the rims seemed to get the name Headlight Door as some of them got pretty large and retracting headlights still had rims but the part that covered the head lights were called head light doors.  All of the American  manufacturers switched to sealed beam headlights for the 1940 models.

[Terry T]

I cannot use the correct HJ rings cause the mounting ring is for the Kaiser stainless steel ring that is installed.
I have a pair of HJ rings by cannot mount them.
Could it be that this car was built with full size Kaiser rings?

Note that this is an unrestored car that I bought with only 28K miles--even had original brake cylinders.
Another unusual feature  is that 2 wheels use wheel studs, 2 used stud nuts.

[MarkH]

...................Could it be that this car was built with full size Kaiser rings?

Note that this is an unrestored car that I bought with only 28K miles--even had original brake cylinders.
Another unusual feature  is that 2 wheels use wheel studs, 2 used stud nuts.

My '54 (leftover '53) Aero Lark also had 28k when I got it, and there's times I've wondered if it was built with whatever was in reach as it got built. I think it may have originally been destined to be a '53 Falcon.