Opening Cowl Lights - UPDATE

[Pilotdave]

See post #11 for the update.

After a bunch of searching I haven't found much information on this topic. I'm hoping there is some experience out there that can help.

I need to remove the lens and rim from cowl lights. One light has a small (<1/8") hole in the bottom that I'm guessing provides access to a small screw. The other light has no hole but there must be a way to remove that rim. I'm reluctant to try to pry the rim off - I'm afraid I will damage the housing or the rim or both.

Thanks for any advice!
Dave

[burner31]

What year and model are we talking?
Mine have a small screw on the bottom that holds the bezel on, this on a '31 sedan

[1930artdeco]

You are correct there is a small screw holding the bezel on.

Mike

[twilder]

Sorry, can't help much. My cowl lights both have a small screw at the bottom to remove the lens. Have had both off a few times. I wouldn't pry them off as there is a little tab that fits in a slot on mine

[jw hash]

the with the hole in the ring just use a screw driver on the back side of the ring and it should come right off. the one with OUT the hole in the ring. there should be a screw on the back side of the light. is so it is an early 30 cowl light.

[Kurt in NJ]

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The early 30 type has a screw from the back center, later ones a screw ear the arm on the bottom

[Pilotdave]

Thanks for all the responses! Both lights are on my 400A (late '31 SW). But this car appears to have been assembled from a stash of whatever parts were on hand!

I was wondering about loosening the center-back screw on the one without the rim hole but was thinking I might end up with parts loose inside a light unit I still couldn't get open if loosening that screw was the wrong thing to do.

Thanks again!
Dave

[figment]

I have a set of the early 1930 cowl lamps. The screw that is in the center of the housing is the one to remove. There is a special bracket that fits in the rim. It can be tricky to get them all together. I don't think that anyone is reproducing the special bracket. Let me know if you need any photos of anything. Norm

[Pilotdave]

Thanks, Norm. It helps to understand how the rim attaches to that screw! I'll holler if I need pix.

Dave

[Pilotdave]

One more question: I THINK the lights on my car are repros. If so, was there a repro of the early '30 type wherein the rim comes off by loosening the screw at the back of the housing?

Thanks!
Dave

[Pilotdave]

After a phone call with Norm, I've opened both cowl lights. Both appear to be set up in the early 1930 style mentioned above. Here are two photos. One shows the bracket that snaps into the bezel, clamps the reflector in place, and is attached at the back of the light case with a short screw. The other shows the power lead attached to the bulb with solder. There is no socket in either light. One of the lenses is labeled "Twolite" and the other has no labeling. Neither case has the tab at the top for the bezel to hang from.

So some of the parts are from the early 1930 era while others are (perhaps) from the later 1930-1931 period - or just missing.

I'm wondering if I can add sockets to these lights using those I see in the catalogs. They wouldn't be riveted to the case as that's where the screw that attaches to the bracket comes through. I've considered converting these to the 1931 style, but that would get complicated.....might be more practical to replace the lights.

I'm interested to know whether these parts are indeed the early 1930 style and in any input on adding sockets as described above.

Thanks very much!