Originally Posted by Jeffery73

Don't mean to be a downer but those Firebird motors are poor quality. My Dad has a '95 T/A and has gone through a bunch of them.

Originally Posted by Zorro O

So it's been three years (more like 44) what does anybody have to show in the way of electric headlight doors, for a C3 Corvette? Got pics?

Zorro

Originally Posted by lowbuck72

Been wanting to can the vacuum headlights for electric for a while now. Being the cheap b*stard that I am, I didn't want to pay big bucks for one og those kits. I know the vacuum actuators have about 4" of travel, and saw 4" linear actuator on ebay for about $150 a pair. Then I ran across a pair of Linak 4" linear actuators for $60 a pair, $75 with shipping, except that they were 24 volt instead of 12 volt. I figured what the heck. I tested them with a 12 volt battery and they moved about an inch every 3 seconds, or about 12 seconds for 4" of travel. I removed my buckets and replaced the vacuum actuators with the new electric ones. I made 2 "L" bracket housings out of steel for each one, and I replaced the original pins with 3/8" bolts. I had to modify the aluminum housing for clearance, bought a double pole, single throw toggle switch, which I mounted under the dash in the headlight overide position. The acuators sit in front of the radiator with no clearance issues, except, I had to modify the hood prop rod, shortening it about an inch, so now the hood does not open quite as far, but is still plenty accessible. They work like a charm, but take about 12 seconds to fully open or close, not bad for under $100. I should be able to sell by vacuum switches and actuators for much more than that on ebay. Then maybe, I'll buy some 12 volt actuators, which should make them open and close twice as fast. I'm sorry I did not take any pictures while the hood was still off, because they're very difficult to see with the hood on.

Originally Posted by I'm Batman

Did your dad try the $35 bronze gear replacements? Throwing money at the stock nylon gears is silly. There is nothing at all wrong with the motors themselves.



There are plenty of threads and articles out there about the now-unavailable McSpeed kit. I've got almost everything I need to do it myself, with the exception of the left-hand Firebird motor.

Originally Posted by kanvasman

Follow this thread towards the end where he uses ford probe motors. That seems to be the easiest way to make them work & simplest to wire.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...c-new-way.html

Originally Posted by 7t2vette

Much easier than using the Firebird motors that require a seperate controller.

Originally Posted by ctgene

ditto on the cost factor, I would be interested...

Originally Posted by ctgene

ditto on the cost factor, I would be interested...