Headlight Placement?

[chop509]

Is the location of the headlights on a fenderless car just personal preference?

I just remounted mine with the new mounts arching over the top shock mounts, which puts the front of the headlight about 1” in front of the grille shell.

But I’ve noticed on other cars, some are even with the grille shell (which I did on my deuce) and others are way forward.

Is there a rule of thumb, or is it whatever looks good?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Unkl Ian]

Front to back is whatever looks good,within reason.
Clearance is another consideration.

Minimum height from the ground,is specified in some states.
Most people don't worry about that.

Mounting the headlights "too low" will reduce your visibility at night.

 

[Tripper]

Nite drivin'!

Mounting the headlights "too low" will reduce your visibility at night.

My car is so low & the headlights on my car r mounted so low they're sorta like fog lites! Don't do much nite drivin'!!!

BoB

 

[Gastrick]

Just like the said, headlight placement is a matter of personal preference within reason. Most, if not all states have a min/max headlight height requirement and it's usually in the ballpark of 12 inches. I personally like them as low as possible. Mine are legal but fairly low.

Maybe not the best pics but I'm sure people are sick of looking at the same couple of pics of it.

 

[gassersgarage]

In California, as low as you can go are early VW headlights. They came into the country barely legal. An old cop trick was to stop any VW's with low profile tires and you had a probable cause.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I saw a picture elswhere of Ed Iskendarians T that is in the mueseum now. It is a really cool vintage rod but the headlights are on some 2 foot long stalks. It still looks okay if you don't look right at them, kinda like a beautiful woman with hair growing out of her nose.
Ol Dad Baskerville wrote a great read on what a hotrod should have and it was reprinted (in HotRod) right after he died. Follow those guidelines and your car will look right.
I like to see them just below mid grille and just a bit foreward of flush with the grille, not to tight in. But longer bullits can come foreward a bit more too.

 

[gassersgarage]

Speaking of Iskendarian, I use to do the ads you saw in the mags for Isky cams. This was back in the early 70's. Back then, his "T" was in his warehouse covered with a bunch of junk. He was a pack rat and would go out on trash day picking up discarded junk and loading up his convertable Caddy. Funny to see his rod in a museum now.

 

[dawg]

I'm thinkin removable cowl lamps?...