Tony Arme at Hot Rods By Dean...
Tony Arme at Hot Rods By Dean (HRBD) finishes the installation of sealed beam headlamps on our Project Shop Truck '47 Chevy.
It's been a couple months since our last installment on the STREET RODDER Project Shop Truck buildup, but the crew at Hot Rods By Dean in Phoenix has not been resting and progress on our Shop Truck is going faster than we can get it into the magazine.
This month we're looking at the installation of sealed beam headlamps and a front bumper. Those parts, like many on this truck, came from Chevs of the 40's. We've been impressed by the amount of products Chevs of the 40's has for '37-54 Chevrolet trucks and cars. If you're restoring or customizing one of these vehicles, sooner or later you'll probably end up talking to these guys.
Backtracking a couple hours,...
Backtracking a couple hours, here's Jonathan Williams at HRBD arranging the parts from Chevs of the 40's.
In this case, we're not restoring or customizing anything. Everything on our Project Shop Truck is brand-new stuff. Our Dynacorn-bodied 1947 Chevy pickup is being created entirely from easy-to-find aftermarket parts just because we wanted to see if it could be done. So far, so good.
Keep reading to see how easy it is to install headlamps and a front bumper on your own restored, modified, or repro parts project truck.

It fit just right, so the...

It fit just right, so the gasket was installed on the headlamp housing.

The gasket was secured into...

The gasket was secured into place using eight of these fasteners, called spring type U nuts, which hold the screws in place.

The U nuts were a tight fit...

The U nuts were a tight fit and needed a little persuasion from a hammer to secure them.

This rubber headlamp gasket...

This rubber headlamp gasket provides the seal for the headlamp housing. Before going any further, the gasket was test-fitted to make sure it would fit correctly on the opening of the Dynacorn body.

Dean Livermore at HRBD told...

Dean Livermore at HRBD told us you can find these U nuts from automotive fastener companies such as Au-ve-co Products (www.auveco.com).

The headlamps are held in...

The headlamps are held in the opening by the retainer rings (arrow) fastened in place by their outer tabs.