The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Headlight bezel retainers on a 52 3600

Anybody found a good way of putting the gasket around the bezel? Without using super glue?

I bought the gaskets from Classic Parts and am wondering if they are the correct size. I understand that 60 year old rubber isn't going to look the same as what I bought, but they should at least be close to the same size, right? The gaskets seem to be twice the size of the old ones which causes the clips to not clamp it down as well. This new rubber has a lip to it where the old didn't, so I'm not 100% certain that I'm putting it in the correct way.

I believe Denny Graham has some good pics of that, look him up if he doesn't see this

Bill

Will do Bill. Thanks!

f18delta -

The headlight lens seals that I bought for my '54 were a little long. I had to cut them to fit. They have a wire insert(don't cut the wire) and have a little flap similar to your description. The edge of the headlight bezel sits in the flap. When the bezel is installed, the seal fits tightly between the bezel and the headlight retainer. And yes, the wire clips are difficult to attach, as if the diameter of the seal is too large. You may need to slightly bend the clips to improve the fit, especially the top clip that fits into the slot in the headlight bucket. Here are reproduction seals and clips installed in my '54 bezels:
> Seals installed - inside view You can see the flap on the cutoff pieces.
> Seals installed - outside view

My '54 did not have the original seals, so I don't know if the reproductions are larger. Denny Graham says that reproduction headlight lens seals are larger diameter than the originals, as you also say.
> Denny's discussion about the seals. NOTE: The forum software ate Denny's text so they look like blank posts. But you can still read them by clicking on "Quick Quote" under the blank posts.
> Denny's "Headlight" album

FYI - bezels were different on some pre-war Chevrolet passenger cars, and maybe trucks. There was a mounting tab attached to the top of the bezel. The top wire retainer clip serves as the mounting tab on later models.
> 1940 Special de Luxe Sport Sedan The "top" is actually on the right. Not sure if the wire retainers are installed correctly.

- Lonnie

Thanks Lonnie! I'll see if I can wrestle them in at some point this week. I've found that these trucks can have some stuff bent to fit and all's well afterwards. I guess I've forgotten that these were made to be rebuilt by people in a field if need be.