How do I change the lens in 1938 Plymouth?

[38tech]

Fr. Mike:
Unfortunately, I do not.
I did read your question earlier, but the taillights on 36 are different than the 38. I have a chrome ring holding the light on with a small screw at 6 o'clock fastening them together.
I'm sorry I'm not much help.
John

[Fr Mike]

38tech,

Do you have any experience with (1) removing the tail light lens and (2) the trim ring from the tail light bucket of a '36 P2? (Please see my May 30, 2006 post re this.)

[38tech]

All of the people that have responded to you are correct. After you do enough times, it's pretty simple. Once the bottom screw is removed, pushing in at the bottom (between 5 to 7 o'clock) will cause the top of the the glass lens to pop out.
If you can gently push in at the center of the reflector, if the springs & clips are not rusted too much, you need a pair of needlenose pliers to turn the the "feet" of the retaining clips 90 degrees and the clips will come right out.
You'll need to repeat this procedure on the other (2) clips.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Be careful not to brake the ends of the clips.
Make sure to replace the lens gasket with the original material - cork.
John

[Go Fleiter]

For the gaskets:
beware not to get that kind of foam which acts like a sponge.
Heard of late VW beetles series built in Mexico with kind of sound dampening foam stripes separating the bodies from the frames. These attract lots of humidity and rust fabolously.
Go

[Fr Mike]

Hands (and a cushioned way to catch the lens, just in case) work really well when you don't have a specialized tool for the job!

[sixpopper]

The shop manual also shows a suction cup style tool to remove the lense after removing the screw in the bottom of the ring.

[Fr Mike]

Providing something soft to catch the lens on/in is good advice, as lenses are pricey!

After loosening the lock screw at the bottom of the bucket, press the headlight lens firmly in about one to one and a half inches or so at the bottom with the heels of your hands (pushing in compresses two coil springs, one on each side towards the bottom) until you can withdraw the lens from the top (the reflector and bulb wires will likely still be attached). [See page 153 in Plymouth Service Manual for Plymouth Passenger Cars 1936-1942.
(Detroit, Mich: Chrysler Corporation, Reprint).

While spring clips are available,  ready-made headlight lens gaskets seem not to be.  But you can easily make gaskets from double-sided foam-backed tape from the hardware store.

[David Pollock]

The lense is held in place by pressure from the reflector.

The reflector is held in place by two springs (which kind of look like the position ones legs would take doing squats in a gymn class) and a screw, originally brass, at the bottom of the headlight pod.  Remove this screw, either in the conventional manner .... good luck.... or by grinding off its head.  This will allow you to press the lense and reflector inward. It is then possible to tilt the lense and it will come out of its opening. I can never remember which part comes out first, top or bottom but it should become apparent.

It would be wise to do this with the pod still attached to the car and a quilt or something soft placed where the lense might fall.  dp

[WAI]

My son and I just bought a 1938 Plymouth 2DR Sedan. We plan to restore it to original condition. The headlights have some rust and we are not sure how to remove the old lens because of the corrosion. Can anyone enlighten us, please?