The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Driving lights that look like fog lights that light up the road?

Hi all, does anyone know any good deals on great driving lights that light up the road that look like fogs?? I drove her late one night and could only see 20feet in front of me, couldnt even see if I was heading up or down hill. Not looking for new headlights; just fogs that light up the road.. if they are too bright that I can maybe turn off for oncoming traffic, thanks in advance.

Fog lights are made for fog. They are mounted low to the ground, shine beneath the fog, to illuminate the road.

By DOT rules/laws, headlights have to be a certain distance above the road. Not to shine and blind the eyes of an on-coming driver. The local law officer can write you a ticket if there appears to be a problem.

If you have the stock 6 volt system, it sounds like you have too much voltage drop at connection points leading up too the headlights. Cleaning the corrosion off the contact points usually works. Many choose to add headlight relays. This works also. If you are running the original type incandescent sealed beams, the elements can age out and grow dim. Many choose to go with 6 volt halogen replacements. This works as well.

If you are driving a restored classic vehicle, I wouldn't risk driving at night. If you have a driver quality, I would go for the best upgrade solution.

I intend to have the ability to drive at night if needed. But again. looking for fogs that illuminate road better. I dont intend to be 'the guy' that blinds people; although all headlights are blinding these days.. I have 12v system. LEDs encased like original fogs are ideal so they can handle the bouncing of the big bolt truck. Any ideas on such fogs please chime in thanks.

Did you install a front bumper? Are you thinking about something like these?
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Chrome-Vintage-Style-Fog-Light-12-Volt-Clear-Lens-Pair,478154.html

Thanks Gord. Yes I am considering those. Although I am not sure they will withstand the vibrations of the truck long term.. but might (ideally would be LED). I think they would help! I have a bumper and it needs some welding before it goes back on.

According to the ad, they come with replaceable halogen H3 bulbs. There are LED replacement bulbs for the H3 halogens; you can get them thru Amazon. If the halogens don't last, you can switch to LED. (have to check if they fit the housing)

Just thinking this out. Your 1.5T is higher off the ground than your car. Your have good vision with your car but not with your truck. So your eyes are okay and the problem is with the truck. Have you checked the headlight alignment? I'm not trying to talk you out of adding lights. Just curious on why it is necessary. When I was 20 I didn't have trouble seeing when I was driving a Deuce and a Half in a rainstorm. Today nothing is clear without my glasses.

Just got some of those, they are really nice. One pair for my 41 and the other one for my girlfriends 48 coupe.

They are actually motorcycle lights - about 15-20 bucks for one.

The beauty is, they come with low/high beam - so you have several options to wire them.

Frank

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962308085.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32879297955.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

If you can't see with your regular headlights, you have other issues to deal with.

I regularly drive at night with 6volt halogen sealed beam headlights that illuminate the road ahead as brightly and as far as any modern vehicle.

If you don't have halogen bulbs, buy them.

Next, make sure your headlights are aimed properly.

If you already have 12volt sealed beam halogen bulbs and they're dim, you have wiring problems.

Thanks guys. Will chck the aiming too. They are halogen. The wiring is excellent. Although i personally have not adjusted them. I will hv to look that up for the 1938

I will check for that.

I think that your lights are probably aimed incorrectly. If they're new halogen bulbs with nice bright white light, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to drive at night with them.

Every vehicle in my signature line has 12volt halogens (with the exception of the AD truck which is 6 volt and the '39 Packard which has pre-sealed beam technology).

I drive all of them at night whenever I have to without visibility problems.

Your 12volt halogen system shouldn't be any different than these.

I have to find an article on aiming. Mainly, on a dark road, I couldnt see past 20-30 feet and could not see a hill coming up either way.

It sounds like they're pointing at the ground. Is the light bright white and not orange or dim yellow?

I assume those sealed beam bulbs retro-fitted to your truck?

Your truck is probably like my Packard. The bullet style lights are aimed by adjusting a big nut under the fender to raise or lower the angle of the beam and to turn it left or right.

Thanks Otto; my headlights are attached to the grill though.. They were actually a good color, no yellow. It is 12v system, all new wiring for safety.

Here's the instructions - correct vintage!

Cool! I will check this out!

That's a cool truck. Ya, they're probably shining all over tarnation - anywhere but where they're supposed to be.

Remember that Chevy still sells a stripper fleet van that's equipped with sealed beam headlights. New fire trucks and garbage trucks still use sealed beams, too. They work great when they're aimed right.

I dont have any of the adjusting mechanisms apparently. There are just 2 rings that tighten down the headlite with 4 screw.

There should be 2 other screws around the ring. Look for 2 slots in the retaining rings to see where the adjustment screws are supposed to be located. Someone probably just never put the screws back in.

I'll go take a picture of mine if you want me to.

Yes Otto, please do. I think someone may have removed my adjusters or something. A pic would help thanks.

In the first photo the slotted screw at the very top is the vertical adjuster.

My screwdriver is pointing to both the vertical adjuster and the horizontal adjuster.

The last two pics are closeups of the vertical adjuster screw.

Since sealed beam headlights are universal, I imagine the screws are pretty easily obtained - even at a junkyard.

I think the lights on the 38 were bulbs originally and if they were changed to sealed beam there would be no adjustment other than moving the base . Do a search on adjustment 1938 chev headlights.

Yes, I forgot he had a 38 that had been converted to sealed beams. Hopefully the guy that did the conversion installed sealed beam headlight buckets if not, he'll have to adjust the aim with the bolts on the inside of the hood

I checked the book again. Looks like the sealed beams came out in 1939.

These might work: https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/dept/Lights/cat/Headlights.html

"I think the lights on the 38 were bulbs originally and if they were changed to sealed beam there would be no adjustment other than moving the base"

Interesting.. I wonder why they were changed to sealed beam. Correct, I have none of those adjusters. Hmm.. I did a search on '38 truck headlights but its so long ago.. I cant find anything decent. I dont even know what was before sealed beam.. I thought it was lanterns lol. Gord I am thinking I would have to convert the lights to the link you mention to get them aimed or yes adjust the buckets somehow. I hate to replace anything from original but will look at both options. Thanks for the info on this guys.

Heres another pic of the truck btw; its getting there..

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.

Are the sealed beam headlights at least installed in the correct up and down orientation? In other words, can you read the maker's name in the center?

How are they held in place? Did they use headlight buckets froma more recent vehicle? There are locating studs cast into the glass lenses. Are thoise wedged into locating slots?