Sealed beams were installed because they shine a lot brighter and farther than the old fashioned lamp bulbs. Unfortunately the person that changed yours either didn't aim the headlights or left out key pieces.
The original headlights had removable glass lenses so that the bulb inside could be replaced whereas the modern sealed beam headlight incorporated the bulb inside the lens and reflector "sealing" it as a single , replaceable unit.
If you have a manual for the '38, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out how to adjust the headlights on your truck.
They are aimed by rotating the stalk on which the headlight pod is mounted. To be clear, the entire assembly is aimed, not just the lens and bulb. The entire tear drop shaped pod swivels up and down and should move at an angle to adjust left and right.
Again, I don't think you need to convert anything. You'd be trading a horse for a mule. You already have two perfectly functioning headlights located at the height that headlights are supposed to be. Why go through the trouble of installing a second set of headlights down on the bumper that will probably be too low to use anyway? People replace bulbs and lenses with sealed beam headlights on 1930s cars all the time.
Just figure out the proper method for adjusting the lights for your truck. If you had the original bulb style lights you'd still have to aim them properly using the same method.
Last edited by Otto Skorzeny; 12/04/2022 8:45 PM.
