Gas headlight glass

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
catfishunter99
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: LORIEN
Last Name: HEGNER
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring
Location: New London, Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2019

Gas headlight glass

Post by catfishunter99 » Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:25 pm

After disassembling and reassembling my headlights to polish them I ended up breaking a lens. Is there a source for these or do you have your local glass company cut them? Thought I'd share the before and after as well. Bottom one is before. Second is after vinegar bath. Third is polished. Turned out pretty good with minimal work.
Attachments
IMG_20190612_185536246.jpg
IMG_20190612_182600472.jpg
IMG_20190612_163701238.jpg

User avatar

Ruxstel24
Posts: 2345
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:25 am
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Hanlon
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 24 Touring car
Location: NE Ohio
MTFCA Number: 50191
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Ruxstel24 » Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:33 pm

Are they clear, got a measurement ?
I have lots of lenses...


Topic author
catfishunter99
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: LORIEN
Last Name: HEGNER
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring
Location: New London, Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by catfishunter99 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:42 pm

Thanks for the reply! Yes, they are clear. I will double check the diameter tonight and let you know.


Fire_chief
Posts: 203
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:09 am
First Name: Charlie
Last Name: Gagel
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 12 Tourings(2),14 Tourings(2),15 Touring,22Touring,22 TT,21 Fire Truck,14 Chief Car
Location: Orange, CT
MTFCA Number: 8377
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 22437

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Fire_chief » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:45 pm

I took my rim to a glass cutter. He cut it 1/8th smaller for expansion. Was cheap to do.


Topic author
catfishunter99
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: LORIEN
Last Name: HEGNER
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring
Location: New London, Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by catfishunter99 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:19 pm

Thanks for the information! Do you happen to know the original glass thickness? Mine seem very thin. Also, was there a gasket between the glass and rim? It seems like this are is prone to breakage with direct contact between the glass and the brass.


Fire_chief
Posts: 203
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:09 am
First Name: Charlie
Last Name: Gagel
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 12 Tourings(2),14 Tourings(2),15 Touring,22Touring,22 TT,21 Fire Truck,14 Chief Car
Location: Orange, CT
MTFCA Number: 8377
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 22437

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Fire_chief » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:34 pm

1/4 in is what he used
No gasket, but he put silicone around it, to help hold it

User avatar

Ruxstel24
Posts: 2345
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:25 am
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Hanlon
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 24 Touring car
Location: NE Ohio
MTFCA Number: 50191
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Ruxstel24 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:28 pm

I have a whole box full of clear lenses, 1/8" thick I believe.
I think they're the size of the electric lights, but have no tabs, just round.
Let me know when you can on a size...I have others also.

User avatar

Corey Walker
Posts: 592
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:46 am
First Name: Corey
Last Name: Walker
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 runabout, 1921 homemade truck, 1921 Speedster
Location: Brownsboro, TX
MTFCA Number: 51502
Board Member Since: 2007

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Corey Walker » Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:05 pm

I was told between the glass and brass rim was a piece of sash cloth. I went and got a couple lenses cut and rolled up some cloth strip I cut from a sheet or something, I can’t remember. I put it in and then the glass and retainer. You never know what’s in there since it’s not visible and stops the rattling.
Corey Walker, Brownsboro, Texas


Topic author
catfishunter99
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:00 pm
First Name: LORIEN
Last Name: HEGNER
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring
Location: New London, Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by catfishunter99 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:44 pm

Diameter is 8.75"

User avatar

Ruxstel24
Posts: 2345
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:25 am
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Hanlon
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 24 Touring car
Location: NE Ohio
MTFCA Number: 50191
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by Ruxstel24 » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:09 am

Sent you an email Lorien.
I have 1 - 8-3/4"...


R.V.Anderson
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:01 pm
First Name: R.V.
Last Name: Anderson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914, 1920, 1923, 1923
Location: Kennedy, NY

Re: Gas headlight glass

Post by R.V.Anderson » Fri Jun 28, 2019 11:05 am

This may be sorta off topic, but I very recently learned something about gas headlamp repop and modern glass lenses.

I was out driving over the lunar landscape that passes for one of the main roads around here, and hitting one pothole caused the passenger side lamp door to come open and the lens to drop out and smash on the road. It was a really nice original lens. :twisted:

I happened to have a replacement on hand that I had had cut from modern thickness glass at the same time that I had replaced the lens in the driver's side lamp. The new, thinner glass fit fine in that lamp, nice and tight (but not too tight), however, in the passenger side lamp, the thinner lens was way too sloppy with about 1/16" gap between the retainer and the lens. That was why I had been using the original lens in that lamp, though the fit was only OK, not real good.

At first I thought that the trouble was with the repop door; it had the bead for the retainer too far away from where the lens fit. But a closer study showed that wasn't quite the case. The door's retainer bead was fine. What the real issue was, was that, in that passenger door, the door's front flange that the lens bore up against was too flat. This caused the lens to sit too far away from the retainer bead and allowed the 1/16" gap between the lens and the retainer.

The fix was simple; just make a wood disk the same OD as the diameter of the flange, set it on the door, carefully support the door in a light press with a large bed, and press that flange inward a tiny shade over 1/16". That effectively closed the gap, and now the retainer holds the new lens tightly in place. No slop, but there is enough clearance on the circumference to allow for expansion in use.

And, of course, now I always double check to see that the knurled thumb nuts holding the doors are very tightly turned down before heading out on a drive.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic