WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post parts wanted or for sale here

Topic author
bdtutton
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:19 pm
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: Tutton
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Southwest, MI

WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by bdtutton » Tue Jul 01, 2025 12:22 pm

Hello,
I am looking for a really good set of gas headlight mirrors for my 1914 Model T. I have a set of the nickel plated brass reflectors and halogen bulbs they sell at Snyders and Langs, but I would like something brighter if possible. I think I could get a little better headlight performance from a set of original gas headlight mirrors. Does anyone have a nice set they are willing to sell?
.
Thank you...


Tim Hansen
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:49 pm
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Hansen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1920 Touring, 1924 Touring, 1926 Touring, 1931 Model A Coupe
Location: York Pa

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Tim Hansen » Tue Jul 01, 2025 2:22 pm

I beleive Restoration Supply has replacement mirrors. I am looking for a set myself but am not ready to buy yet. Lets us know how they work out if you do decide to purchase them


1915ford
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2022 10:54 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Cameron
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909touring 1915 touring
Location: Owatonna, MN

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by 1915ford » Tue Jul 01, 2025 6:04 pm

Be aware that mirrors vary in size and shape depending on the brand of headlight. E and J mirrors are quite different from brown,corcoran and victor mirrors.


Topic author
bdtutton
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:19 pm
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: Tutton
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Southwest, MI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by bdtutton » Wed Jul 02, 2025 11:16 am

Tim....I checked the Restoration Supply website and they sell the same Nickel plated Brass reflectors as Snyder's and Lang's sell. I have a set of them and they work OK, but they are not the same as the factory mirror that came with the car.
Mark...you are correct, there were different lights used on the 1914 T. I will check the brand and measure the diameter of the current mirror.
.
If I can not find a set of mirrors I am thinking about taking my polishing wheel to the nickel plated ones I have to make them as shiny as a real mirror. It looks like the nickel plating is thick enough to clean it up without going through to the brass.


Rich P. Bingham
Posts: 1611
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 11:24 am
First Name: Rich
Last Name: Bingham
Location: Blackfoot, Idaho
Board Member Since: 2015

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Wed Jul 02, 2025 1:20 pm

Tim Hansen wrote:
Tue Jul 01, 2025 2:22 pm
I beleive Restoration Supply has replacement mirrors . . .
A quick look at their 2020 catalog shows they offer replacement nickel plated brass reflectors 5-1/2” dia.,
No glass.

I have not seen any glass reflectors offered in parts for sale for many years. I bought a pair long time ago, of course they were the wrong size for my Jno. Brown lamps. :roll:
Get a horse !


modeltworks
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2024 4:09 pm
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Mitchell
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Appleton WI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by modeltworks » Wed Jul 02, 2025 10:26 pm

I was able to get a pair for my 14. Both of the originals were broken beyond repair. Fair warning, it is expensive and took some time. First, I had to find out exactly which ones fit my style. I learned they don't all fit the hard way. Then I searched and watched for them on ebay. They pop up every so often, for $100 to $150 each. Probably over priced but where else are you gonna find them. I also looked for beat up old headlights with reflectors still in them... Once you aquire a pair of the original reflectors with good glass you will almost always have to resilver them. Not many people do that anymore. I found a place in Minnesota that does it. They came out beautiful and they are original, but it cost me $300 to $400 total for the reflectors, the resilvering and the shipping, so not economical. But it can be done.
Scott


Phillip O
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2022 10:35 am
First Name: Phillip
Last Name: Oldenhage
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 Touring 13 Speedster 1919 Racer 26 Touring
Location: Atwater CA
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Phillip O » Thu Jul 03, 2025 9:51 am

What brand of light do you have. I have a few mreflectors.


Tim Hansen
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:49 pm
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Hansen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1920 Touring, 1924 Touring, 1926 Touring, 1931 Model A Coupe
Location: York Pa

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Tim Hansen » Thu Jul 03, 2025 10:28 pm

Philip O. I have Corcoran headlights from a 1914 T. I would be interested in purchasing your mirror reflectors.


Art Ebeling
Posts: 483
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:43 am
First Name: Art
Last Name: Ebeling
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 touring 14 runabout
Location: Hillsboro IL

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Art Ebeling » Fri Jul 04, 2025 1:34 pm

Philip O, PM sent


flim63
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2023 1:56 pm
First Name: Jason
Last Name: Stahl
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 speedster
Location: Cocoa FL
Board Member Since: 2023

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by flim63 » Fri Jul 04, 2025 4:22 pm

Many of the original lamps used a Mangin mirror where the glass is a meniscus lens plus a mirror. They are very specific to the lamp re: diameter and distance to flame. I don’t think anyone makes them currently. I used the Snyders reflector in my ‘15 speedster and it performs sufficiently in that lamp


Topic author
bdtutton
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:19 pm
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: Tutton
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Southwest, MI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by bdtutton » Tue Jul 08, 2025 11:22 am

When I started this thread I did not realize how different the headlights could be. So, to be specific, I am looking for a good set of 5 1/2" mirrors for my 'Ford Victor Lamp Model 2' headlights. If I can not find any I have an old set that need to be re-silvered, but I don't know if anyone does that anymore.


modeltworks
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2024 4:09 pm
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Mitchell
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Appleton WI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by modeltworks » Tue Jul 08, 2025 12:16 pm

Yes, Alchemy Mirror resilvering does do headlight reflectors. He is a very nice guy out of Minnesota. He just did some for me the end of last year and they came out great. Alchemymirrorresilvering.com

Hope that helps.

Scott


MariaDenesik
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2023 1:14 am
First Name: Maria
Last Name: Denesik
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Model T Speedster
Location: utah, united states

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by MariaDenesik » Wed Jul 09, 2025 7:52 am

Thanks for the advice.


Jones in Aiken SC
Posts: 208
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:13 am
First Name: Gregory
Last Name: Jones
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Roadster, 1926 Coupe
Location: Aiken

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Jones in Aiken SC » Wed Jul 09, 2025 1:55 pm

I have also had Alchemymirrorresilvering.com resilver some mirrors for my 1912 head lamps. Be sure the front surface is in decent condition. He resilvers on the back of the glass, so whatever scratches, spots, or corrosion you have on the front surface of the mirror will still be there. Mine were in pretty good condition, luckily. I think glass can be polished such that you can get rid of these imperfections but I have never done it. Address such imperfections before sending for resilvering.


Dan Hatch
Posts: 5009
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:31 pm
First Name: Dan
Last Name: Hatch
Location: Alabama

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Dan Hatch » Wed Jul 09, 2025 2:30 pm

Not sure if the brass reflectors are nickel plated. I have not looked at listing, but most states had a requirement that headlight reflectors had to be silver plated. Don’t think anyone would make something that was not in regulation, but maybe they did. Anyway the plating is very thin. Don’t buff the things, get something called Wright’s Silver Polish. Walmart usually has it. It made for silver plated items. I used it when I was silver plating Headlight reflectors. It will not take off a lot at all time.
Good luck Dan


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Allan » Fri Jul 11, 2025 2:50 am

I have two original reflectors in my 1912 van. They are the same diameter, but different curvature. To focus them requires that one is further to the front than the other. No big deal. It does look a little off in day light if you look at the lights front on. One reflector surface appears larger than the other.

Allan from down under.


Topic author
bdtutton
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:19 pm
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: Tutton
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Southwest, MI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by bdtutton » Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:56 pm

I contacted Alchemy Mirror resilvering and I am thinking about having the resilver my current mirrors.


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by Allan » Fri Jul 11, 2025 8:31 pm

You are a tease Bryan. Re-silvering you originals is the way to go. You are lucky to have them intact.

Allan from down under.


Topic author
bdtutton
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:19 pm
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: Tutton
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Model T
Location: Southwest, MI

Re: WTB - Gas Headlight Mirrors for 1914 Moldel T

Post by bdtutton » Sat Jul 12, 2025 8:28 pm

Allan....I pulled them out years ago and put them away...They may not be as intact as I remember. I will know after I dig them out of storage. I may need to buy a set and have them re-silvered.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic