Re: IML: Single-Headlight fifty-sevens

["Bill Watson" <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Lincoln's 4-lamp system was not a true dual headlamp system.  The upper
lamps were the normal 7" two-beam lamp while the lower ones were 5.75" "road
lamps" controlled by a toggle switch on the steering column.  Thus they did
not run against any state or provincial lighting laws as the headlamps were
single units with independent road lamps.

The one car I have always wondered about was the 1957 Nash.  It had a dual
headlamp system, which was also the first vertical placement of duals, but I
have never seen or heard of a single headlamp arrangement.   It is as if the
market for 1957 Nash cars was so small AMC wrote off all states and
provinces that did not allow the dual system.

Ford also introduced a factory-installed dual system on the mid-year Mercury
Turnpike Cruiser.   In Canada, though, most of the provinces still had not
approved the dual system so the Canadian-built Turnpike Cruiser, both
Mercury and Monarch, had single headlamps.

Same held true for Chrysler of Canada.  If you wanted a Chryco product with
dual headlamps you had to order an imported model.  And that included all
DeSoto models, Chrysler Windsor wagons, all New Yorkers. the 300-C and, of
course, all Imperials.   The Canadian DeSoto and Chrysler brochures
displayed the dual headlamp system but said it was available only in
provinces that allowed such a system and only on certain (imported) models.
So the duals were definitely installed at the factory.  Although a dealer
conversion for a DeSoto or Chrysler would be feasible, for an Imperial it
would have meant replacing the outer grille sections as well as the
headlight bezels, etc.  Not a cheap proposition.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dave
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: IML: Single-Headlight fifty-sevens


Sherwood
 Thanks for setting me straight on that. I had thought the dealer install
was fact for years, as it was passed to me by another aficionado. I assume
the same rule was implied for the Eldorado's and Lincolns?
David C. Wilker Jr.
USAF (RET)
"I'm figuring out what's good for me, but only by a process of elimination"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: SherwoodK@xxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: IML: Single-Headlight fifty-sevens


The single headlight cars were not retrofitted at the dealers. Cars with
single headlights were shipped to states which allowed only one headlight.
When those states realized they were hindering progress, the removed the
single lamp requirement. In the meanwhile, Chrysler was building dual
headlight cars like crazy (especially Imperials). I doubt you will find a
single headlight car built after the mid-point of production.  It would be
interesting to find the highest serial numbered single headlight car. And,
the parts book doesn't enlighten this discussion.

Sherwood Kahlenberg



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