FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Ok,
        I have put a post on for twin headlight guards but unfortunately to no avail  (thanks to ken for his lead but hit a dead end!)  So after much thought I still want to pursue this project.  I now want to fabricate my own ones in a set of standard FC guards.  Please can anyone help me out there for ideas as what sort of double lights i would be best with to graft into a set of guards.  All you ol fellas out there who were big into the kustom scene back in the 60-70's please can you help me out.  Any pics or thoughts on this please feel free to answer me  (not you Nicko, you dont like twin headlight guards!)  Im about to pull my FC to bits and I want to kustomise it the best way i can for this summer so please any help would be appreciated, cheers all

                                                               TAYZ

gee, hope it will be on the road for mt gambier, ill see what I can find.

Gday Tayz,
Never had anything to do with a project like this, but have thought International or Dodge truck from Late 1960's to mid 1970's might work.  Should be easy to find at a truck wreckers.  Very common trucks.

Other possibilities could be R or S series Valiant?

Don't know if you would consider a different option altogether- Mercedes Benz 220/230 headlights.  A mate of mine put them on a custom FJ van years ago- I didn't think much of it, but each to their own.  Pat Fahey had a FJ van (hearse) years ago with this treatment.

No doubt you will talk to Alex about this- he is sure to have an idea or two. ;D

international truck were very popular but there is 2 different sorts. the early inters had a chrome cast headlight surround sort of similar to a fc one but for 2 headlights.
the later one had the headlights fitted into the grille area, these type have a smaller chrome surround.
you could use any twin headlight setup form a jap car and french them into your own metal oval shaped recess which you will have to cut/weld/massage to your front gaurds.
i have a set of each of the inter lights, as i have always planned to do a set on my fc wagon( been talking about it for 20 years and the wagon is still in the shed, gotta stop building other cars ;D)
craig

International, don't know what year etc, but can find out for you Tayz.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/Bertieboy/MY_IHC_AA130.jpg)

Tayz

Often dreamed about doing the same thing.  There is a pommie car (rover I think) that has a side by side lights that would look great on a FC as the fender looks like a FC fender to start with.

You will have to give me a little while to remember what car it was a find a pic.

(There was one sitting at Haveys this time last year in the Europian section if anyone else can remember)

Cheers
Al
Flamed Fe

never been a big fan of the international headlights on FC's, but the look pretty easy.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/FCCOOL/interlight.jpg)

Tayz, here's my first car circa 1979

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/mcl1959/kens1stcar.jpg)

Regards  Ken

[Edit: fixed img link -RET]

Here is a different take on the International quads, apparently these have Fiat backings, have some FJ's with quads I will post too.

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v232/EKBurnsy/surfinwagon.jpg)

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v232/EKBurnsy/surfinwagon02.jpg)

Here are a couple of local FJ's The first wears Toyota headlights and the second wears International headlights.  Some of the WA guys may recognise the name of the second cars owner.  He now has a head reconditioning business in Maddington - Vosbergen Heads.

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v232/EKBurnsy/vosbergen.jpg)

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v232/EKBurnsy/vosbergen02.jpg)

Well I ain't an old fella Tayz but I figured I had better let you in on this secret.  If you are wanting to customise your car for the summer to pick up the bikini clad girls, it is metalflake you will need - to go with the quads of course ;)

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v232/EKBurnsy/metalflake.jpg)

Hey Burnsy.
That first FJ is still around. It was recently found and is being pieced back together.
Tayz.
There are many options for twin headlights.
Mine come from a mid 60's Toyota Crown.
There are many US cars you could use, or if you want to stay traditional Aussie, the International seemed to be the first choice on a FE FC. The Valiant would work, and I have seen the early Fiat used as well. There was an FB that used Humber headlights that were side by side. That would be interesting for an FC.
Many twin headlight setups have staggered lights when they are side by side. (ie 1 light sits back from the other) Find something that has the 2 lights at the same level, that would work best in my opinion. The late 60's Crown have this, but are set further apart than the earlier ones.
I have an article in a Hot Rod mag of an FJ getting custom made light buckets made and welded in. I will try to find time to find it and scan it.
Regards
Alex

Thanks heaps for the response fellas i really appreciate it, and for taking the time to scan those pics.  Im still unsure of what set up to use and have been in discussions with Jamie CHISHOLM(FEHOTROD)  I have made some calls to different wreckers and evrything old is now so bloody hard to find.  Im probably leaning towards a smaller set up such as the toyota crown, (I remember seeing one on this forum being cut up, wonder if this person will part with the lights......)  I guess you could say im after the early 60's look as the dummy lake pipes and crusier spats, also in this venture my grill is coming out and i will be putting together a different kind, hopefully bullet orientated.  I have toyed with a few ideas but nothing yet concrete, Im steering away from the desoto look for two reasons, its too common and they are too expensive now to acquire.  Alex if you find the how to for the FJ quads that would be sensational,

                                                        TAYZ

that surfin wagon looks like it might be the go, i did a few drawings years and years ago of a upside down fe grill inbetween canted quads but the drawing was a bit easier than doing it for real and my grill area was slightly smaller.
it will need some re working to the subframe as well if you go that way.
I searched wrecking yards over and over for headlight stuff and could find nothing, all those old crowns down the back are replaced with vn commodores and the valiants all got replaced with magnas. you could have to cut the backs and make the two closer together or more level, mine slope forward and the top one sits a little further out wich should allow all the lights to adjust flat pointing forward, there is also a bit of a twist to the part the headlight assembly screws into.

Hi Tayz.
If you decide to go for the International lights, there is a truck down at a wreckers here that has them. Also, a very early Ford F100, with cool duals. The wrecker hates my guts, so I would have to get someone else to grab them, or he would charge me double.
Just let me know & if interested, I can try & get some shots.

Rob J

hey burnsy, what issue is that custom rodder maggazine

April-May-June 1969 Cost 40 cents!! That was probably quite a bit back then.

Was it found over east there that it was found?  Interesting if it was as it would be cool to find out how it found it's way east.  Kalamunda where they both were licenced (KM number plates) is my suburb.  Would be a cool find, it had a EJ grey motor in it.  Apparently there were four custom FJ's wearing KM plates at the time and one was running a 272 V8.

Burnsy the FJ is actually in a recent street machine mag which looks at Rods and Kustoms.  There is a good story in it about early Holden customs and good pics of the FJ now.  It is apparently geeting re done for a Nostagia Drags meet.  

Rob, thanks for the offer on the International head lights but i am going to steer clear of them now as i think they are a bit too big, will go for something a bit smaller

                                                    TAYZ

The FJ was located at Mt Newman, where the guy had it for 26 years. He advertised it, but eventually sold it at a swap meet in WA. (This was in 2003) The guy that bought it knew that a guy up the street used to be into humpies many years ago and invited him across for a look. To the surprise of the neighbour, the car turned out to be his old custom J, now back in the same street where it was first built. This guy was the original builder, Neil Newton and was a motor trimmer by trade. The new owner is a guy by the name of Tony, and he was going to keep it as a custom. I believe he showed it as found at the WA Hot Rod show not long after getting it. It still wears the original blue, but was showing it's age.
I have the current owners phone number, if you want it, send me a PM

4hammers.....I would be interested to know more about those Inter headlights. What condition are they in and any idea of price?

Regards
Alex

Hi Alex.
I will try & get down in the next couple of days. I will get some photos & see what the old pig says. He ain't a nice guy. Racist, sexist, bigot prig if I ever met one. All the South Tassie guys will know exactly who I mean.

I will get some shots of the front of that Ford too. Everytime I see it, i think, Hmmmmmmmmmm, something Custom in there.

Rob J