1968 Headlight Help
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
1968 Headlight Help
I just bought a restored 68 vert and one of the things tha needs attention is the front driver side headlight. The bucket does not ascend 100%. The bucket rises and locks into place, however is 1" shorter than the passenger side. I am in the process of using an AIM, however in searching previous treads on the 68 headlight topic, I saw that Easy Mike stated ta Chevy actually had 3 different versions which whereof different sizes. I'm now wondering if the PO replaced the headlight with one of the smaller buckets - have to run out to the garage and measure. Anyway, if someone can share a page from their AIM, or offer personal experience with a similar issues, I'd appreciate it. BTW, nothing seems to be booking the bucket
Thanks!
Thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi L,
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Jun 11, 2011 at 09:04 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I agree with Alan.
Lupigiato73 this could be a combination of the drivers side being a little low and the passenger side being a little high.
Also , how are you measuring the difference ,where from ?
Lupigiato73 this could be a combination of the drivers side being a little low and the passenger side being a little high.
Also , how are you measuring the difference ,where from ?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,640
Likes: 3,103
From: Shamong, NJ
Hi L,
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
The size of the door, just had to do with the dimensions of the door, and it's opening in the top fender surround panel. The early 68 doors were smaller than later doors. If you had later doors in an early top surround panel, they might bind, but you would be able to see where they were hitting. Your problem is more likely a stop adjustment, or maybe the adjustment of the connector on the end of the vacuum actuator.
You may want to check the condition of the metal reinforcement under the top surround panel, between the headlight openings and the hood opening too. If this is rotted out, it will cause the surround panel to sag, effecting the operation of the headlights.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
Hi L,
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
Hi L,
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
I believe the headlight door change had to do with the door's size only. About 1/4" difference in each version. You'd see a gap between the door and the fiberglass surround in the closed position.
From your brief description it sounds to me like you have an "open stop" adjustment problem. Do you have the right AIM pages?
At first it seems like you do, but then it doesn't?
Regards,
Alan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 954
Likes: 40
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Hi Lupigiato73
When the headlights are close, is the spaces between the door panel to the fiberglass are the same as the other door?, if yes you have the correct size, but maybe the PO change the housing support to 74-82 model so you need to put spacers in front screws and realign the door housing.
Avner
When the headlights are close, is the spaces between the door panel to the fiberglass are the same as the other door?, if yes you have the correct size, but maybe the PO change the housing support to 74-82 model so you need to put spacers in front screws and realign the door housing.
Avner
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I can tell you the headlights are in the locked position. We worked on tis for quite a time yesterday. The linkage is all working and it is in the locked position for sure. I did adjust the lower setting as the door was not shutting all the way. It opens and is in the locked position but definitly not up all the way as you can see. We disconnected the actuater to see if that changed anything, no it did not. We might be able to shim up the front but it would take quite a lot of shim and then I doubt we would have enough adjustment to lower the door all the way flush.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I can tell you the headlights are in the locked position. We worked on tis for quite a time yesterday. The linkage is all working and it is in the locked position for sure. I did adjust the lower setting as the door was not shutting all the way. It opens and is in the locked position but definitly not up all the way as you can see. We disconnected the actuater to see if that changed anything, no it did not. We might be able to shim up the front but it would take quite a lot of shim and then I doubt we would have enough adjustment to lower the door all the way flush.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 954
Likes: 40
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
On my 72 I had this problem, one of the door housing was 74, I put 5/16" spacers to solve it.
Avner
see the spacer at thread# 7
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...port-shim.html
Avner
see the spacer at thread# 7
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...port-shim.html
Last edited by avner; Jun 11, 2011 at 11:16 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
On this particular car there is no upper limit adjuster on the one side and on the other side it is installed 180 degrees out so it is not bumping into anything. Just hanging in the breeze. We will fix this later but it has no bearing on the upper limit of the headlight. I did not realize there was different headlight assemblies. I could take both sets of linkages and see if they are the same next time i am working on the car but this makes the most sense of anything.
I have seen the adjustment procedure but this was a few years ago. I need to refresh myself on this and look at all the adjustments again. Mine work perfect and have for years but t his car is a bunch of different parts so we do not know exactly what years some of these parts are from.
I have seen the adjustment procedure but this was a few years ago. I need to refresh myself on this and look at all the adjustments again. Mine work perfect and have for years but t his car is a bunch of different parts so we do not know exactly what years some of these parts are from.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Here's the procedure. The reason I bring up the in and out adjustment is I had one once that was similar and I just loosened all the attaching bolts and nuts to see if it would sorta self align,when I loosened the in and out the foot popped,so it must have had the mechanism in a bind. Something is obviously wrong with this one,when you find it (and I'm confident you will)it will probably be one of those "well I'll be a SOB" moments ,probably something simple. Good Luck 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
I'm thinking Avner may have the clue.
Using a 74 up frame would affect both the open and closed alignment because the frame is 'tipped' compared to the 68-73 frame.
Maybe?
I think you can shim the 74+ frame to make it work on 68-73 cars.
Regards,
Alan
I'm thinking Avner may have the clue.
Using a 74 up frame would affect both the open and closed alignment because the frame is 'tipped' compared to the 68-73 frame.
Maybe?
I think you can shim the 74+ frame to make it work on 68-73 cars.
Regards,
Alan
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Long Island NY
Your headlight needs to be adjusted.
I just bought a restored 68 vert and one of the things tha needs attention is the front driver side headlight. The bucket does not ascend 100%. The bucket rises and locks into place, however is 1" shorter than the passenger side. I am in the process of using an AIM, however in searching previous treads on the 68 headlight topic, I saw that Easy Mike stated ta Chevy actually had 3 different versions which whereof different sizes. I'm now wondering if the PO replaced the headlight with one of the smaller buckets - have to run out to the garage and measure. Anyway, if someone can share a page from their AIM, or offer personal experience with a similar issues, I'd appreciate it. BTW, nothing seems to be booking the bucket Thanks!
Thanks!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
You are correct. Not sure what the adjustment can be for that, but all other mechanics below are working correctly. Im at a loss of how to correct unless I bring it to a Corvette expert shop to examine and fix.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
Man, this is an old thread which still has no solution???
I suggest that you remove the lamp bezels from both headlamp buckets and watch the operation of the mechanism on each side until you see what behaves differently. I would suppose that there is something bent/broken/missing on the driver's side mechanism; or the adjustment 'stop' for the UP position is badly misadjusted. You may also have one of the d/s side spindles that is fractured/broken so that the system is not actuating properly.
But, looking/assessing the behavior of the bucket mechanisms would be MY first step.
I suggest that you remove the lamp bezels from both headlamp buckets and watch the operation of the mechanism on each side until you see what behaves differently. I would suppose that there is something bent/broken/missing on the driver's side mechanism; or the adjustment 'stop' for the UP position is badly misadjusted. You may also have one of the d/s side spindles that is fractured/broken so that the system is not actuating properly.
But, looking/assessing the behavior of the bucket mechanisms would be MY first step.