Easy headlight removal
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Easy headlight removal
I'm getting ready to paint my 79' and have removed everything from the body except the headlights. Before I start on this project, I was wondering if any one would tell me the easiest way to remove them. All I need to remove is the lid with the two lights attached on each side, I have the front covers off already. 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,267
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Billy,
There is no easy way.
You did the easy part when you took the 'covers' (bezels) off.
The doors are connected to the main headlight frames. You can take the four lights off but that doesn't help with the doors at all. The whole mechanism and frame needs to come out if you want the doors off.
Sorry!
Regards,
Alan
There is no easy way.
You did the easy part when you took the 'covers' (bezels) off.
The doors are connected to the main headlight frames. You can take the four lights off but that doesn't help with the doors at all. The whole mechanism and frame needs to come out if you want the doors off.
Sorry!
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Well, I always think there is an easy way to everything. I may be wrong but I have removed the 13/16" bolt between the two headlights and the two 7/16" bolts on the side that hold a bracket. Now the lid and headlights are free and will lift up and down freely. It looks like just the two pivot bushings are all that is preventing the removal. There are three small bolts on each pivot bushing that are easy to get to. I will remove them tomorrow and see if the lights will come out. I'll make another post if they do. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 86
From: Rotonda FL
You are correct. Removal of the six bolth that hold the pivot bushings to the frame will free the door/lights for removal. You will have to play with it a little because there is a slight interference fit. I have had mine out and re-installed.
Please note that there is adjustment in the mounting holes for the piviots and after removing the six bolts, you will have to make several trials to get the right alignment of the doors to the body opening.
Please note that there is adjustment in the mounting holes for the piviots and after removing the six bolts, you will have to make several trials to get the right alignment of the doors to the body opening.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Alright, headlights and lids are out !!! Easy as pie, simply remove the bezels, remove two 7/16 bolts that hold a stop bracket on the side of the head lights and remove the bracket, remove a 13/16 bolt between each pair of headlights that holds the headlights to the bracket that raises or lowers them, remove three bolts from each of the two pivot bushings and work one side of the headlight assembly out through the headlight opening, unplug the wires to both headlights and you are done. It took about 30 minutes on each side. After having done it now I could probably do it in 20 minutes per side. Soooo there was an easy way !!!! 
All things are subjective.
