UPDATE: I wrote this post a year ago in May. A reader recently asked about why my headlights looked different, so I am reposting and have updated it with info from the Classic Oldsmobile Forum.
One of the modifications I wanted to make was to change the size of the headlights from 7″ to 5 1/2″ to give my jeep a little different look. I’ve only seen these smaller headlights on two jeeps (both of which had fiberglass grilles), one set was on my first jeep, pictured to the right (which shows my first set of lights on the left and then the bigger, standard lights after I switching to a metal grille on the right), and on a jeep called Otis (still owed by the Carter’s, long time family friends who actually named me — that’s another story) pictured below (note that the positions of the headlights seems to have changed between 1981 and 1985, which I just noticed — UPDATE: Steve Carter tells me the change was due to a rollover involving his mom during a race in 1983. The wider lights were the result of a new, wider radiator).
One hitch to my plan was that I didn’t know where to find the 5 1/2″ headlight assemblies and Jim Carter couldn’t remember where he got his headlights.
After a good deal of searching, I learned a few things about headlamps. First, the 7″ lights were mandatory on autos sold in the US starting around 1940. Then, in the 50s, the laws were relaxed to allow dual 5″ lights. However, most dual assemblies were combined headlight assemblies, but I needed individual headlight assemblies. Finally, after roaming a great local junkyard that has a ton of old cars piled two and three high I finally found the individual assemblies, which look like mini jeep headlight assemblies, on an 1959 Oldsmobile dynamic 98.
According to a helpful forum user at the Classic Oldsmobile website, the 1959 and 1960 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 and 98s used the same size bezels and headlights (with the unique aspect that the bezels weren’t connected to other bezel parts, which makes them look like a jeep bezel), but the Dynamic 88s were Anodized aluminum, while the Dynamic 98s (like mine) were chromed.
Now that I understood what I had purchased, my first step was to creat a mockup. Using some cardboard, I created some templates to see how the new lights might look in the grille.
Satisfied that the look is what I’m sought, over the next couple of days I modified the grille to accomodate the smaller headlights. The first step was to attach the grille to a flat, waxed surface.
Next, I cut the fiberglass matting to fit the shape.
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This has a nice looking cage, good looking diamond plating, good rims, though the tires don’t match. It looks like a good price for a parts jeep. Note the shackle reversal and outboarded back springs as well. This might make a good foundation for a project.
