I need some help from the experts on here with the passenger side headlight bucket on my 65. It slowly moves to the outside, causing the gaps on each side to become uneven. I can't seem to locate the bolt that holds the bucket in place. Can someone explain exactly where this bolt is located or even better take of picture of the bolt location? I would really appreciate any help on this.

 

I have some questions before I answer.

When you have your headlight door open half way...can you move the door...either side to side...or front to rear??? If you feel any free play. Try to describe the amount of free play...and not respond with 'just a little'. Because I do not know what 'just a little' means to you.

I need to know this before I start typing out possible useless information due to not knowing what exactly is wrong with your headlight door.

And...for what it is worth...and I am not there watching your headlight rotate. I have seen the headlight doors be actually just fine and rotating on the pivots correctly...BUT...they seem to be looking like they are off or something is messed up.

My only concern when I work on these is how the headlight doors look when they are closed....and when I open them...that I am not getting any scuffing, binding or problems where the headlgith doors rub anywhere.....which they can do.

Working on these is possible because if I can do it.... so can you....BUT...there is a process that you have to follow..and that is where it will test your patience and perseverance.

DUB

 

Centering the bucket in the opening is done by the "Y" stop on the inboard side and a collar on the outboard side. Both of which are a pain to get to if the grill and bumpers are in place. If it is moving outboard, you can move the "Y" stop closer to the bucket. Don't get it too close because it can bind the bucket when you try to rotate it. If you have an AIM the picture there will help. Otherwise do a Google search for "65 Corvette Headlight Installation" and you will find a bunch of information.

Doc

 

I defer to DUB, he knows a lot more than I do and he knows what will get you into trouble.

Doc

 

The bucket is very gradually moving to the inside. I can't move it by hand with the bucket 1/2 way open. It sounds like I need to move the "Y" stop closer to the bucket. I'll try that and get back to you.

Thanks to all who responded,
Lee

 

If it is moving inboard, I would look at the collar on the outboard shaft. If you look at a drawing, you can see that the collar prevents the shaft, part of the bucket, from moving inboard. The 'Y" stop keeps it from moving outboard.

Doc

 

Once you get the Y-stop and outboard collar loose, my method is take 2 bondo spreaders and jam them into the side gaps, making them equal.

This locks the bucket in place and allows you to push on the Y-stop and collar while you tighten them. Eliminates almost all of the slop which causes lateral shifting.

 

For what this is worth:

IF you headlight door has PERFECT even side to side gaps when it is closed....AND....when it is being rotated...checking to see if you feel any side to side play and HAVE NONE from barely open to fully open.

Then this current issue being discussed has nothing to do with the 'Y' stop or collar stop. Changing the 'Y' or collar stop may correct the problem at hand...but the odds that the door will look the same when closed is almost a given that it will change also.

So....noticing that the door is rotating weird and beginning to favor one side gap or the other when being opened or fully open....

THEN...from what I have found is this.

1.) The pivots shafts that secure to the headlight door buckets are tweaked...thus causing the pivot shaft not to be perpendicular to the bucket.

2.) The pivots are fine but the mounting area on the headlight buckets are dented or tweaked/cracked...causing the same issue.

3.) The car has had some type of impact and the body man did not go in and get the steel mounting plates that are made into the front clip correct. And if you stop and think about it...it would not take much to cause for a noticeable change when the door is being opened.

If a person wants their headlight to open and look great during the entire process...I know what that takes because that is something I do when I am restoring /painting on a 1963-1967 Corvette. I can have DAYS in getting the buckets to fit SPOT-ON.

I do have some customer/friends who stop by and tell me I am over-restoring the car due to they were not prefect. But like I tell them. The look of a 1963-1967 front end/headlight bumper area is so impressive...it MUST be SPOT ON or it will look all 'jacked-up' (in my opinion).....especially if I am working on it and putting may name on the job.

So I understand if a person want his fixed. In some cases it may be 'easy'...but more times than not...it is a time consuming process.

DUB