Replacement headlight lenses and headlight buckets

[mike felix]

I am looking to drill out the ugly headlights that were part of the kits and promos of the 50's and 60's and looking to replace them with a more realistic separate clear plastic lenses and chrome headlight bucket. Does anyone sell clear headlight lenses and associated headlight buckets to replace these early kit and promo headlights that did not have clear lenses?

[dimaxion]

I've been at a solution of this problem since the AMT ; '49 Ford kit's first release . Now I find myself needing a cost prohibitive quantity needed . Thanx ..

[Porscheman]

Go to a good model train hobby shop and get some MV's. These are excellent lens, with a chrome backing, in various sizes and colors. I would bring the grill with you so you can get the right size.

I've been using them for years and get a lot of comments on them.

Hope this helps.

[Bob Ellis]

Good idea about the MV lenses. They have part numbers but I have found it difficult to figure which size to use, so another good idea to bring the part to the store.. A really good model train shop should have them.

[Ramfins59]

Yes, MV lenses are good for a lot of model car applications. Not only are they made in larger sizes for use as headlights (except for not having the grid lines on the lens), but various other sizes and colors can be used for taillights, backup lights, interior dome/courtesy lights, dashboard indicator lights and in some cases side marker lights. As long as the light you will be using them for is round they work perfectly.

[Porscheman]

The MV's are very cheap and make a fast and clean replacement.

[Chris White]

Al, you are a lifesaver, I have been struggling with this for a while. Thanks for the great suggestion. How about square headlights ???

[MrObsessive]

MV lenses are a great alternative for headlight replacement. When I was building my '69 Daytona Charger years ago, and I wanted working headlight doors, MV lenses came to the rescue.

We have a local train shop just south of me in Gettysburg, PA called Tommy Gilbert's. Tommy has just about every size and color imaginable of MV lenses. Purists though might not like how the lenses don't have the grid that regular headlights have. But for those projects that you may not want to raid other kits for its headlights, MV's are the way to go.

Edited August 3, 2014 by MrObsessive

[crazyjim]

The MV's are very cheap and make a fast and clean replacement.

$1.00 each is cheap? I'm going to have to google these MV lense things. They look useful.

[om617]

Scaleproduction.de does have lenses in diffrent size,but then again the shipping is said to be kinda steep.

[Bob Ellis]

I wouldn't say MV lenses are cheap either. But, they are nice.

[John Goschke]

The MV lenses are an OK solution, however they can discolor over time. I have one in an OT 48th scale P-39 Airacobra as a landing light, installed in '91, it was clear, now it's a dark transparent yellow.

The ones in this deuce roadster have slowly turned pinkish in the six or seven years since the model was built, and now the deep burgundy Duplicolor seems to be leaching into the edges of the of lenses, giving them a bloodshot look. The problem is significantly worse now than when this shot was taken a little over three and a half years ago.

[Guest]

I do one of two things with chrome head lights. Either drill them out and replace them with kit lenses/buckets or put a thick coat of Testors windshield glue over them.

The glue method isn't perfect. But, it has a pretty convincing illusion to it even up close.

Square head lights? Just glue a square lense over them with windshield glue.

If it's gotta look as close to the real thing as possible, there's no substitute for kit lenses and buckets.

[Mr mopar]

this is really cool, i'll have to get some for my Freightliner!

[Mike Kucaba]

A long time ago someone suggested the "googly eyes"that you find at craft stores. They come in various sizes and have a clear plastic "dome"that might work. You will have to add the grid lines,but that can be done by dragging a proper size saw blade across the dome.

[Mike Chernecki]

How about these for big trucks, they may be the right size and look not too bad. Looks to be photoetch with a lens molded over top.

http://www.czechtruckmodel.com/catlights.php

Edited September 5, 2014 by Mike Chernecki