Question ? First year seald beam and park lights on ford pickup ?

[pat]

I say 39 ????????????????---------i have one appears unmolested !-----p.s. My avatar !

[Vic Piano]

I don't know about the trucks, but Ford cars came equipped with sealed beam headlights in '40. Both my '39's, Ford and Lincoln Zephyr, have the bulb style headlights with the parking lights mounted in the headlight reflector.

[TJ]

1940 was the first year.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I always thought it was 1940 on the Fords.

Pat, if your '39 pu has sealed beams, they could have been added using an aftermarket conversion kit.

[blucar]

Generally speaking, the law requiring sealed beam head lights went into effect in 1940, on all vehicles, car or truck.
The majority of the 1940 vehicles generally have a separate "parking light" on top of, or to the side of the headlight pond. Most '40 and later cars have the headlight incorporated into the fender, whereas trucks stayed with a headlight pod attached to the fender or the grille shell.
I would doubt very much that your pickup came from the factory with sealed beam headlights, they could be dealer installed, at the purchaser's request, late in the model year or even after the '40's had come out.

[pat]

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park light in stand appears very original including original wire loom . thinking mabee 40 / 41 3/4 ton ? like you said mabee late dealer install ? thank you .

[V12Bill]

In 1940 all cars and trucks were mandated to have sealed beam lights. The only exception were the Crosley mini cars which had a small 4" headlite pod. Because they were a low production car, they got a pass.

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by pat

park light in stand appears very original including original wire loom . thinking mabee 40 / 41 3/4 ton ? like you said mabee late dealer install ? thank you .

Stands are just like the ones on the '40 conventional cab big truck I used to have. COE's also had the stands with the built in parking light but not sure of what years.

[Randy in ca]

As others have indicated, 1940 was the first year for sealed beams. Those used on the larger Ford trucks for 1940 were non-adjustable, other than by moving the entire headlight assembly itself. For 1941 the lights were made to be internally adjustable, and I don't think there's any doubt that these are what you have. These same bucket assemblies were also used on the COE's until 1947.

On the 1940 (non-adjustable) buckets, a wider bezel was used which pretty much covered up the sealed beam retaining ring, whereas on the later assemblies, the retaining ring extended out past the bezel quite a bit. See pictures. If there's any doubt, remove your bezel to see what's inside - 1940 is essentially an empty bucket except for the sealed beam, while the later ones have the pictured assembly for adjustment.

[blucar]

Originally Posted by V12Bill

In 1940 all cars and trucks were mandated to have sealed beam lights. The only exception were the Crosley mini cars which had a small 4" headlite pod. Because they were a low production car, they got a pass.

The preceding statement is not correct. Vehicles manufactured for the 1940 model year, and later, had to be equipped with sealed beam headlights.
Vehicles manufactured prior to 1940 did not have to be converted to sealed beams. Many people took it upon themselves to have their vehicles converted.
There were several aftermarket manufactures, Arrow, being one, that made very neat conversions for most cars/trucks. Guide, a division of GM made really neat conversions with parking lights to the top or side of the headlight pod.. This style of light is now the preferred head light for most street rods that require a headlight pod in lieu of one built in to the fender..

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by blucar

The preceding statement is not correct. Vehicles manufactured for the 1940 model year, and later, had to be equipped with sealed beam headlights.
.

Picky, picky.-And I suppose your statement is not correct either. When is the last time you saw sealed beams in a new car??

[oldandtired]

The 40 half-ton had the headlights in the fender, not on the fender. The 1940 trucks including the COEs had marker light headlight stands and factory sealbeam buckets. The 1941 did as well, but the 1940 and 1941 headlight doors are not the same. The 40 headlight door is wider than the 1941, pretty much like the 36 passenger headlight door as compared to a 35 passenger and 35-39 commercial headlight door but narrower. The correct headlight doors are curled in at the outside edge rather than a fairly sharp edge as on the 35 passenger and 35-39 commercial. The bucket itself is pretty much the same dimensions as the 35 passenger, 38/9 pickup, and 36 passenger bucket with the long stand like all of those except the 36 passenger. The headlight stands are identical to the ones used on 38 and 39 pickups and panel deliveries so they bolt right on and give one the option of running turn signals without scabbing something on for the turn signals. The sealbeam buckets go right on as well without taking a chance of the front of the bucket rusting out from using a screw on sealbeam adapter.

[Randy in ca]

Originally Posted by blucar

.....the law requiring sealed beam head lights went into effect in 1940, on all vehicles, car or truck.

Originally Posted by blucar

The preceding statement is not correct. Vehicles manufactured for the 1940 model year, and later, had to be equipped with sealed beam headlights.

While not really very relevant to a Ford forum, but just to set the record straight, it appears that your statements are actually not correct. Upon doing a quick check, I found several sources listing 1940 U.S. vehicles NOT equipped with sealed beam headlights. See attached.

[V12Bill]

Originally Posted by Randy in ca

While not really very relevant to a Ford forum, but just to set the record straight, it appears that your statements are actually not correct. Upon doing a quick check, I found several sources listing 1940 U.S. vehicles NOT equipped with sealed beam headlights. See attached.

I was watchng the Mecum auation from Kissamee, Fla today and a 1941 Crosley crossed the block with sealed beam headlights. Don't know if they were factory by 1941 or a modification by a former owner. Since Graham and Hupmobile were dead ducks by 1941, it became a mote point to enforce any sealed beam requirements.

[Vanspeed]

Pat, those headlights do not look original to your truck. Maybe a very early conversion but I would bet my savings that those are not what it had originally.

[Lamar Wadsworth]

The '40 and '41 big truck (and cabover up through '47) complete headlight assemblies and stands will bolt right on to a '38 or '39 pickup or big truck. That may be what is on Pat's '39. Back in the day, there were sealed beam conversion kits sold through J. C. Whitney, Western Auto, auto parts stores, etc. The local Economy Auto store here had some on the shelf until they went out of business in the early '70s.