4 Headlights or 2 Headlights; opinions needed.

-
You can always copy the Wagon Queen Family Truxter..............

griswold-vacation-wagon-27.png
 
My vote goes for the factory 2 headlight setup. Four headlights throws off the clean look and visual balance of the front end on this car. Generally speaking Chrysler knew best and their cars look their finest as they left the factory. There are exceptions like the "beak era" cars
where you wonder "who the hell thought this was an improvement over the previous model?" ..anything done to those front ends is an improvement! Even four headlights...anyrhing that distracts from that bumper and beak is a plus.
That being said quad lights looked great on Forward Look cars,and cars that left the factory with them.
 
Last edited:
I've always wondered if anyone has ever taken a 1970 fromt.end and put it on a 67-69 body. I never cared for the slanted rear end on the 70-1972 cars
 
I think the American 69 Valiant has one of the best looking front ends and grilles of any A body
Yup, totally agree. For post-'66 Valiants, the '69 face is my № 1 pick and the '67 is my close № 2. If we're at a race about it, there's time to go take a piss, stand in line for a beer, stand in line for a hot dog, and get back to my seat before third and subsequent placers come by.
 
You think you hate it now,wait til you drive it!

…which is pretty damn close to "Have you driven a Ford…lately?" (translation: "Haw haw haw, yeah, we made a buncha cars that sucked, didn't we! Haw haw haw, maybe you even bought one of 'em…or two, haw haw haw! But no, but seriously, you guys, now our cars don't suck as bad, this time fer sher, so you should buy another one").

I wrote a piece about tin-eared car ad slogans like this awhile back: Are They Listening to Themselves?
 
I have a couple thoughts:
If you're keeping the stock grille with the marker lights, I'd stick with 2 headlights. If you're planning a custom grill that deletes the markers, I think the four looks cool from a custom car perspective. Lowered, Keystones, Pinner whites..... I like it.

If you're going to do the four, and then use the inner headlight buckets to place some spun aluminum cold air inlets for your intake like a Ford Thunderbolt, then I am 100% behind this plan
1727298219506.png
 
If you're planning a custom grill that deletes the markers (…) then use the inner headlight buckets to place some spun aluminum cold air inlets for your intake

…and where, then, are we going to put the front turn signals? Those are kind of important. Let the Volvo 164 be a lesson in what happens when car designers forget that front turn signals and parking lights have to be there:

Volvo 164 Front 3.jpg
 
I have a couple thoughts:
If you're keeping the stock grille with the marker lights, I'd stick with 2 headlights. If you're planning a custom grill that deletes the markers, I think the four looks cool from a custom car perspective. Lowered, Keystones, Pinner whites..... I like it.

If you're going to do the four, and then use the inner headlight buckets to place some spun aluminum cold air inlets for your intake like a Ford Thunderbolt, then I am 100% behind this plan
View attachment 1716307958
Yeah, just get a Thunderbolt!
 
Thinking, since I have lots of free time, making my 1969 Valiant a 4 headlight front end.

I know it's ultimately my choice but do people make this alteration?

Not my car, just a good pic of what I am talking about.

Wouldn't take much to move the front turn/marker lights closer to the center. I would either adapt another 4 bulb Mopar headlights setup or abs print a new headlight surround to match the original headlight surround.

View attachment 1716306714

View attachment 1716306715

I prefer to have them or see them as close to stock looking as possible. Having said that most people wouldn't know the difference if you changed it because of the age of the car. I often get the compliment "nice Mustang" for my Barracuda, others have no idea what it is, they ask or read the badges.
 
…and where, then, are we going to put the front turn signals? Those are kind of important. Let the Volvo 164 be a lesson in what happens when car designers forget that front turn signals and parking lights have to be there:

View attachment 1716307959
Is that a serious question?

I’d either not have them at all, or mount them behind whatever grille I decide to go with.
 
My turn signals and brake lights don't hardly work on my '61 D100 Utilne so I use hand signals which is totally legal.
If your vehicle came with turn signals you can and probably will get a ticket for inop signals, hands or not.
 
Yes. Cars have to have front turn signals; that's not news.



Is that a serious answer?
Yes it is. I've had a few cars that I've deleted front signals from. Heck, pre-1955 they weren't even required equipment. But I don't particularly consider what the government wants when I put a custom car together.

But again, they can just be mounted behind the grille so the light is still visible when used, but invisible when not.
 
I'd probably be in jail or dead if . . . It was in the DMV handbook here in Cali circa '76 don't think I've read it since lol.
If you hand signal, you're perfectly legal.

Also, when I build and drive hot rods, the opinions of the government are not often on my mind......
 
-
Back
Top