1939 deluxe headlight buckets

[neilp]

My 39 dlx sedan had aftermarket seal beam headlights when I found it (See attached picture). I am in the process of putting the headlights back to original components. I have removed the original 39 buckets for cleanup and fitting of the original parts that I have. My question is what is the paint color for the inside of the buckets? I assume it is silver to enhance the reflection. I am hoping someone has done this for an original 39 dlx car and knows the exact color.

thank you
Patrick

[Ken/Alabama]

Silver looks good in there. It’s the reflectors that count as to the lights. The repop ones are poor. Find some nos or good originals and have the replated.

[neilp]

Originally Posted by Ken/Alabama

Silver looks good in there. It’s the reflectors that count as to the lights. The repop ones are poor. Find some nos or good originals and have the replated.

Thank you Ken, I have 1 set of the original reflectors and all other parts so I do think I can put these lights back to original and use them when necessary.

Patrick

[blucar]

I would suggest that you paint the inside and outside of the headlight buckets with semi-gloss black paint, that would be a typical factory color.
The reflectors you use should have a very shinny surface if you are expecting to have decent lights.
I just went through the process you are going through, converting from Halogen bulbs to stock reflectors with stock type bulbs'
I had my reflectors nickle plated by Central Plating in Whittier, CA, then I had Mike send the reflectors to Uvira Corp in Grants Pass OR, to have their glass coating applied over the nickle.. I got the bulbs from Ron Francis, BRIGHT BULBS.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by neilp

Thank you Ken, I have 1 set of the original reflectors and all other parts so I do think I can put these lights back to original and use them when necessary.

Patrick

Patrick....We just went through restoring the headlights on our '37 Coupe. The reflectors were SILVER plated. Decent ones can be found used, then polished. One thing we did that really enhanced the brightness was to run a dedicated GROUND wire soldered to each bulb receptacle, then run to a bare spot on the chassis.

It has been demonstrated that the SILVER plate is much more reflective than even chrome. Also, the correct lenses with the proper FLUTES, combined with the bulb socket being at the factory-designed distance, allows for the correctly focused beam of light. These reflectors polished-up near perfectly. Works good!

Coop

[Juergen]

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Way back Skinned Knuckles published that Uvira was more reflective than than silver. And silver tarnishes which decreases reflectivity.

[blucar]

Originally Posted by juergen

way back skinned knuckles published that uvira was more reflective than than silver. And silver tarnishes which decreases reflectivity.

ditto