T3 Headlights

[Sammy4358]

Thanks for all the help, the problem was, only one combination of locations for each bucket work and I had not tried them all yet. So the T3 bulbs that are on the market from Summit do fit the 58 & 59 GM trucks even though they do not list them on the vehicle list for those parts

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Sammy4358

Thanks for all the help, the problem was, only one combination of locations for each bucket work and I had not tried them all yet. So the T3 bulbs that are on the market from Summit do fit the 58 & 59 GM trucks even though they do not list them on the vehicle list for those parts

So the lights that are available DO fit your truck?

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I do know that today it's so crazy how different every friggin car is when it comes to lights. It's EVIL I say! No joke, I think it's evil, they make every damn thing different. When I think that I have a 59 Rambler, a 65 Buick, a 55 Ford F-100 trailer, a 48 Chevy pickup, a 63 Ford Falcon on my property and EVERY ONE OF THEM uses the same tail lamp bulbs and outside of the Gran Sport that has four headlights, all the cars use the same headlights! 48-59-63 all use the same!


Now, we have to have drawers full of bulbs to fit all the cars we work on.

Brian

[Foot Stomper]

Glad you found the solution.
I want to post this picture anyway.
Highbeam one is a T3, other is not.

[mr48chev]

While they still sell non halogen headlights almost everywhere the genuine T 3 bulbs haven't been made for years. Here is a link to one repro outfit that says they also have the correct design in the lens for specific years. https://www.lectriclimited.com/lighting-fuse-flashers

Sammy, a couple of things to remember here are that 70% and maybe more of us modifiy our trucks and exact items or date coded items aren't a big issue. Add to that many are on the young side and have never knowingly seen a T-3 headlight to know what it is. At least they will now be checking headlights on restored cars and trucks to see if they can spot one.

As far as lights fitting in the headlight bucket the only ones I have had a problem with are the offshore made halogen and usually H-4 halogen lights that sometimes don't have the lugs on the back to locate the light. If you have the correct buckets the lights should fit in their respective positions and be sitting so they are squared up in the bucket.

I'm not understanding the prong on the light thing because you should either have a 3 prong hi/low beam light or a 2 prong Hi beam light. On regular seal beams that should be an across the board fit for any light that is the correct size and correct light for that position. In 60 years of changing out headlights I have never had an issue with that except when changing over to different design lights to get far brighter lights.

I'm not a restorer by a long shot but what you are trying to do is what I see as "restoring" Bringing the truck back to the EXACT way it was when it sat on the dealer's lot the day the original owner took delivery. Meaning factory and dealer installed options work and items that were not factory or dealer installed are a tad suspect.

Had a guy tell me his truck (OT) was "all restored" last Sunday at a show. Truck had a later engine, aftermarket wheels and radials and the seat cover wasn't original pattern but he was fully convinced it was all original and restored.

[mr48chev]

Great photos Foot Stomper. that gives a good explanation. About 15 years ago a friend of mine used to snag every T 3 headlight he found in wrecking yards. He would take them home and test them and clean up the ones that worked up and sell them for a pretty good price at swap meets. I'm thinking he carried a continuity tester to field check them but was never along on the junk yard trips that he and his brigade made.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I do know that today it's so crazy how different every friggin car is when it comes to lights. It's EVIL I say! No joke, I think it's evil, they make every damn thing different. When I think that I have a 59 Rambler, a 65 Buick, a 55 Ford F-100 trailer, a 48 Chevy pickup, a 63 Ford Falcon on my property and EVERY ONE OF THEM uses the same tail lamp bulbs and outside of the Gran Sport that has four headlights, all the cars use the same headlights! 48-59-63 all use the same!


Now, we have to have drawers full of bulbs to fit all the cars we work on.

Brian

With the "fleet" I have I have to go online and check every time I need a bulb. I used to buy the bulk packs of 1157 and 194 bulbs up into the mid 80's that fit every rig I had on the place and the trailers to boot. The "lights out " indicator is on on my BMW and yesterday I finally figured out that the license plate light bulbs are out so now I have to look that up.

When I worked at Ryder Truck Rental in Waco in the early 70's we only had about 3 headlights to fit all of the trucks we serviced, bulk boxes of 1157, 194 and a couple of other sizes of small bulbs that worked on all of those trucks depending on the light. Bulk boxes there meant boxes of 100 or more.

[Sammy4358]

This is the first truck I have restored and it is a GMC so about 20% of the parts needed are not available any longer and have to be customized or totally designed and manufactured on my CNC. I guess this is why I jumped to the conclusion the bulbs did not fit. I would have though all the buckets would be the same but each one is different and each one will fit into the light bracket in all 4 positions. I am starting to re assemble the truck next week and will post some pics of it

[Fred n' Ethel]

Glad its working out now.
Will be watching for the pics. We LOVE pics !
Regards.

[1project2many]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I do know that today it's so crazy how different every friggin car is when it comes to lights. It's EVIL I say! No joke, I think it's evil, they make every damn thing different. When I think that I have a 59 Rambler, a 65 Buick, a 55 Ford F-100 trailer, a 48 Chevy pickup, a 63 Ford Falcon on my property and EVERY ONE OF THEM uses the same tail lamp bulbs and outside of the Gran Sport that has four headlights, all the cars use the same headlights! 48-59-63 all use the same!


Now, we have to have drawers full of bulbs to fit all the cars we work on.

Brian

In the school bus world things have gotten much worse. With LED's and custom manufacturing, competing bus companies are having custom lighting made and replacement lights are only available from the bus company. We have hundreds of different types of red lights in stock, then we need ambers, white exterior, white interior, and lenses as well. It's extremely frustrating at times.

[_Ogre]

a light bulb is a light bulb
t3 was no longer available except nos or used, somebody obviously repops those ebay bulbs
if you look at 58-59 and 60-61 headlights in any catalog they will be the same number
gm switch to single headlight in 62

if they do not fit you are installing them wrong

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

a light bulb is a light bulb
t3 was no longer available except nos or used, somebody obviously repops those ebay bulbs
if you look at 58-59 and 60-61 headlights in any catalog they will be the same number
gm switch to single headlight in 62

if they do not fit you are installing them wrong

For you an me that works, for this man who wants his truck to be a 100 point exact as it was on the showroom floor truck that doesn't fly. It isn't only having the T 3 lights although they were never that great it is having the correct T 3 light for that year. You don't need bright headlights when all you is drive them on and off the trailer to take them to shows because you don't want to get any wear or chips on them anyhow and this sounds like it will be one of those with the tow rig and trailer out in the parking lot at events. That little 1 day show I went to on Sunday had 5 trailers sitting out in the parking lot. A couple for rat rods that would never pass an inspection and can't be driven on the street but the rest were for the "too nice to drive on the road" rigs.