Ken J wrote:Thank you very much, Gordon! So you are saying that the correct headlight does not interchange with 1/2 ton WC's, and that it uses a removable lens with a separate light bulb, not a full-size sealed-beam lamp?
I suppose it'll be really hard to come by the correct headlight assemblies.....
Well the correct headlight will interchange as a complete unit, but you can't swap bits. My 1939 TD 20 came with one correct 1939 light, and one early half ton WC light with side-slung pod on it. Unfortunately that headlight was a pile of rust and didn't really survive dismantling. Yes, the 1940 light had a removable lens and reflector with a very thin rim - you can see the dismantling procedure in the manuals.
You can fit sealed-beam units to the 1939 headlight, but then you have nowhere to put the running light. That's the reason the 1940 civilian lights were essentially identical but with a small pod on top to fit the running light in - not needed the following year (1941) when cowl lights appeared.
These lights aren't tricky to get at all, they appear as shells on E-Pay all the time, you might have to buy the lenses separately. I've had no less than three lenses turn up here shattered because they were inadequately packed when posted to me though. I think the earlier Dodges, '37 pattern maybe, had identical lights slung off the side of the radiator shell, so they can probably be adapted too.
I just bought four NOS units in boxes from Vintage Power Wagons when I needed them, but that was some time back. I put two on the VC3, I'll use another two on the TD20, and the remains of all four originals with new lenses will do for my rebuilt panel van.
Let me know if you find some for sale or on auction and I'll tell you if they are 'right' or not, if I can.