I've been searching, reading and talking about options with the C3 headlight system for a few weeks now.
I'm to the point where I see three realistic options.
1.) Repair/replace all actuators/valves/hoses to original functionality.
2.) Repair/replace all actuators/hoses and use pnuematic valves instead of vacume activiated valves.
3.) Upgrade to electric motors & controls.

I know MN80vette, ArtsVette73 and Eddie70 have done #3's and Photovette has done #2. Chevy69 is in the process of performing the #3.

1.)To buy replacement actuators/valves/hoses to original functionality will be expensive. I've heard that most reproduction valves don't last very long and are of poor quality. GM units are either discontinued or very expensive. I'd order from Doc Rebuild as I've ready they have the best quality products.
2.) I could purchase an actuator and hose kit with necessary check valves and then buy the pnuematic valves to control the vacume flow. I've heard from members that these valves last much longer and cut down on the hoses needed to run in the engine compartment.
3.) I would have to scower the junk yards for some decent headlight motors from a 93-97 Firebird/trans am, buy a mounting kit from McSpeed and find a headlight control and module for a C4. All of this can be bought new from GMPartsDirect but gets pricey.

Option #1 gets really pricey if you want best quality parts and you still have an engine bay clouded with hoses and valves.

Option #2 is more attractive as I get to remove some hoses and it sounds like the pneumatic valves are more durable. Wiring and controls could get tricky.

Option #3 is where I'm leaning at the moment. I like eliminating all hoses and vacume canister and I don't have to worry about an engine producing enough vacume.

My questions/concerns are....
Q.)A few members who have done this mentioned they did not have to cut their stock headlight buckets, how did you accomplish this?? (ArtsVette73)
Q.)What other permanent modifications are done to the car in this conversion?
Q.)I know MN80vette has issues with his lights closing too hard. Why is this? are different lighter springs used?
Q.)I've owned a few firebirds in my days and know that if the motor fails you can manually turn a **** to raise/lower the lights. Can you do this on the vette conversion? is that **** reachable???

I'd like to see how cheap I can do this conversion without sacrificing quality and functionality. But I don't want to ruin anything where if I wanted to convert back to the vacume system down the road if I disliked the electric motors I could do so.

Any opinions are welcome.

Here's some good reading on the subject.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ric+headlights
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ric+headlights
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1684912

 

I've been pondering the same question, could they have come up with a more goofy system, it has failure written all over. Every time I look under the hood, those hoses stick out. The McSpeed bracket set up looks best, just time consuming. Go for it!

 

I'm strongly considering it.
Just need to find some info on what to do to keep the wiper door functional if I convert to the electric headlight motors.

The vacume headlight system, wiper door and mech tach are all corvette only features but I feel like the vacume system will cause more headaches than being worth the "corvette" nastalgia.

 

I have the McSpeed kit. I'll be installing it pretty soon, but I won't have power to it for at least three or four months.

 

Have you gathered the other required parts such as the motors, headlight control and control module? whats your cost at for this conversion?
Does it look like you have to cut the headlight buckets?

I would assume after installation you could easily hook up a battery to it and make sure it functions correctly.

 

I was looking at a hot rod universal wiper unit, but have not got that far....

 

I can't remember how much the kit was, but I'm calling around for the other parts now. It looks like I can get the motors, pigtails, and everything I need off the F-Body for about $150. That's about the only thing I've priced, and I'm still looking for the other pieces.

I might hook it up to a battery or a charger just to make sure it works. I haven't gotten that far yet.

 

I will be installing the kit on mine. No hoses or relay valves...etc...bolted to the header bar.I'm taking my vacuum canister out also. I'll run the wiper door off of engine vacuum alone I guess.

 

My questions/concerns are....
Q.)A few members who have done this mentioned they did not have to cut their stock headlight buckets, how did you accomplish this?? (ArtsVette73)
Q.)What other permanent modifications are done to the car in this conversion?


1. I guess it was the way I made the bracket and positioned it.
2. No other permanent modification. just drilled 4 holes in the fender skirt to mount the module
3 Yes you can manually raise them
4 Yes they open and close hard I am thinking it maybe the springs. Might try and remove them to see. Though it really never botherd me

 

Thanks Any chance you could post some pics of your home made adapters??
Anyone else care to post pics of their conversion? mcspeed adapters?

 

It's been a while since I did mine on my 82 but when you talk about cutting the headlight buckets, what part are you talking about? I cut the part where the original actuator goes, but that didn't bother me. From memory, Chris mentions on his website that it can be done without cutting anything.


A couple of screw holes in the inner fender to mount the module is about the only other permanent mod.


Mine both open smartly when you pull the switch and close smartly when you push the switch!! Mine never worked with the vacuum anyway, so I don't know if they're closing too hard or not, but it doesn't seem excessive to me.


Yes, there's manual **** to wind them up or down that you can reach with the hood open.


I'll take some pics tomorrow and post them for you

 

Thanks man.

 

Here's a couple of pics, lemme know if you need any more

You can see that with the hood open, you can easily reach the manual raise/lower ****



I think it was actually only 2 screws that hold the module on



You can see the piece you have to cut out

 

Mine close hard because I don't have ANY springs on mine. The ones I originally bought were too stiff.

I need to fix that.

Can someone post pics of the springs you have that work?

Thanks

 

I did the McSpeed conversion on my 76, and it works great.

As far as cost, the actuators were new from a parts wholesaler south of Houston. Since I bought the pair and e-mailed them for a break on shipping, I was able to be GMParts Direct prices.

I found a module, headlight switch and wiring harness (with correct connectors for the module and the actuators) on ebay for really cheap. I added an additional switch so the headlights stay open when they are turned off.

I did the installation of the actuators first, along with the linkage. Then I manually operated the actuators for clearance with the headlight buckets. Everything worked great. No cutting was necessary.

The headlights move up and down, in unison, very smartly. As far as excessive force, I don't see it. I did not change any springs from the stock ones. I have a video of my headlights working, I will have to dig it up and post it.

 

I'm just using the standard springs that were there for the vacuum system. Get them from Ecklers or Zip etc...

 

Saudi, awsome pics. Thanks a lot.

76vette, thats what I'd like to do, use the Mcspeed kit but not have to cut anything. Did you use all the pig tails, wiring, module and switch suggested on the mcspeed website?
http://www.mcspeed.homestead.com/Our_Products.html

If I can find the actuators at a reasonable price then I'll probably do this conversion.
Noone had to remove the headlight bezels right to do this? just want to make sure I don't take a chance messing up the gaps and alignment.

Good tip on manually raising the headlights the first time to check full motion alignment. Any other tips?

What are your feelings on the brass/alum replacement gears? One of the benefits to the plastic gears is if there is an abstruction the gear will strip before anything gets broken. They do tend to wear out with use. If converted to brass or aluminum then the gear won't be the weak link and if ever in a bind something else will break. I would hope there will never be an abstruction but as I've learned in my body off resto, anything is possible.

 

No worries mate.

When I got the module, it came with the 2 plugs that go into it with about 6 inches of all the original wires still in the plugs. I used a little jeweller's screwdriver and carefully removed the wire with the female connector still attached. I was able to open up the tabs on the connector, remove the 6 inches of original then put my own wire in it. I actually soldered mine on after I'd reclosed the tabs over the new wire. Then, I reassembled the plug with the correct wires going to the correct position in the plug. Also, when I cut the main power wire at the switch, I removed that connector from the plug, opened it up and removed the bit of wire that was left in it and soldered in a new, longer bit then I rejoined them all with a crimp. I did the same with the pigtails for the headlight motors. I removed the female connectors and soldered in my wire from the module plug. That way, there's no joins anywhere - the harness I made is all one piece if that makes sense?

The first thing I did was replace the gears with brass ones. I can't really see that there'd ever be an obstruction to stop the lights going up or down and even if there was, the motor trips thermally and stops trying to move.

 

Sure did, except I found a wiring harness with the factory connectors.

The actuators were about $370 for the pair and you don't have to remove anything except the vacuum actuator.

 

http://vettetube.com/view_video.php?...4bbe8a49b02a02

I am sure most have seen this but these are how they work on TNBUSA's vette.