76 Resto Woes- Need tips! Please help!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
76 Resto Woes- Need headlight tips/help
HERES MY PROBLEMS:
How available are these windsheilds? Mines got a crack and needs to come out anyway, shouldn't be too hard right??
- Headlights are a big problem, what causes the bottom of the headlight bezels to hit the support underneath?? They go down about a few inches then stop. somthing is obviously way out of wack. I plan on fixing the actuators and replacing all the rubber lines, but this is a bigger fish that needs to be fried. Is there an adjustment that needs to be made or any suggestions how to fix this?
Thanks so much !
How available are these windsheilds? Mines got a crack and needs to come out anyway, shouldn't be too hard right??
- Headlights are a big problem, what causes the bottom of the headlight bezels to hit the support underneath?? They go down about a few inches then stop. somthing is obviously way out of wack. I plan on fixing the actuators and replacing all the rubber lines, but this is a bigger fish that needs to be fried. Is there an adjustment that needs to be made or any suggestions how to fix this?
Thanks so much !
Last edited by yellowC3; Apr 22, 2012 at 05:40 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
Windshields are readily available and cheap. I bought a PPG windshield from a local glass shop to install myself, it was less than $150 about two years ago.
Just make sure that the installer (or you) have the glass set at the right "depth" in the windshield frame, a gap will result between the glass and the stainless trim if it's set too close to the frame, conversely if it sits too far out the glass may be so close to the stainless that installing it may be a problem.
Just make sure that the installer (or you) have the glass set at the right "depth" in the windshield frame, a gap will result between the glass and the stainless trim if it's set too close to the frame, conversely if it sits too far out the glass may be so close to the stainless that installing it may be a problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Are you beginning this undertaking without a copy of the assembly instruction manual (AIM)? GM chassis service manual? Owner's manual?
My tip is to have all three on hand.
My tip is to have all three on hand.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Here's my tip... slow down and concentrate on a single task at a time. Reassembly is the exact reverse of disassembly so start your renovation with the last component you removed from the car. Do that, and only that step until it is absolutely complete. Then do the next, and so on. If you approach this project from six different angles at once you'll end up even more frazzled than you are now and will likely quit in frustration before anything gets completed. It also helps enormously to see real progress as jobs get checked off the list, and your funding will be focused since you'll only be purchasing parts to complete one task at a time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 948
Likes: 1
From: pensacola fl
Markids77 is right on. Everything can get so overwhelming you end up throwing in the towel or start to hate what you love, the vette. Take one step at the time with the first step as Easy Mike suggested. The books are worth more than any mod or repair you would ever want to make.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
"Ignorance is bliss.".....until you find out that it's not.
Not knowing enough about what you are doing [or what you need to do] can cause you to get into a lot of trouble with a C3 (or any old vehcile). Get the documentation you need to understand what it takes to work on your car. Then, read and understand them. THEN, get to work on the car.
At this point, you need to "take a break", buy the AIM (Assembly Instruction Manual...which was used as reference material by the Corvette factory), study over the components you need to be working on, make a plan for how you will do the work, then 'dig in'.
Going at things blindly...or in the wrong direction...can cause you to reap more collateral damage than actual benefit from your work!
Good luck.
Not knowing enough about what you are doing [or what you need to do] can cause you to get into a lot of trouble with a C3 (or any old vehcile). Get the documentation you need to understand what it takes to work on your car. Then, read and understand them. THEN, get to work on the car.
At this point, you need to "take a break", buy the AIM (Assembly Instruction Manual...which was used as reference material by the Corvette factory), study over the components you need to be working on, make a plan for how you will do the work, then 'dig in'.
Going at things blindly...or in the wrong direction...can cause you to reap more collateral damage than actual benefit from your work!
Good luck.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 692
Likes: 1
From: Peabody Ma.
When I did my frame off I completed the floors, then rockers, seem sealed ect. Then moved on to the frame media blasted paint, re install the parts.
One section at a time will get it done
I do not have a AIM, Service manual, or Owners manual, and really dont think they at all necessary! Common sense goes a long way
One section at a time will get it done
I do not have a AIM, Service manual, or Owners manual, and really dont think they at all necessary! Common sense goes a long way
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
THanks Champs about the windshield, that seems easy enough!
Could anyone tell me why the headlight bezels hit and stop on the support underneath? This is my main problem... and would like to approach it while everything is open and all the junk out of the way.
Could anyone tell me why the headlight bezels hit and stop on the support underneath? This is my main problem... and would like to approach it while everything is open and all the junk out of the way.
Last edited by yellowC3; Apr 23, 2012 at 07:18 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Adjust your attitude... you asked for help and are discounting the advice of people here who have completed cars already and have taken the time to offer advice. The Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) contains step by step directions, part number references and excellent "exploded" line drawings, and was used by the factory as a guide for putting your car together at the factory. The GM chassis service manual contains detailed instructions and OK photos of how to remove, rebuild and reinstall/adjust everything on your car to include the headlights; and the vacuum system which makes them work. These books are not "optional" if you would rather work on the systems of your car than ask questions here and sit around until you get the info needed. They're available used on Amazon and eBay and might be the best investment you can make for your car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
"Ignorance is bliss.".....until you find out that it's not.
Not knowing enough about what you are doing [or what you need to do] can cause you to get into a lot of trouble with a C3 (or any old vehcile). Get the documentation you need to understand what it takes to work on your car. Then, read and understand them. THEN, get to work on the car.
At this point, you need to "take a break", buy the AIM (Assembly Instruction Manual...which was used as reference material by the Corvette factory), study over the components you need to be working on, make a plan for how you will do the work, then 'dig in'.
Going at things blindly...or in the wrong direction...can cause you to reap more collateral damage than actual benefit from your work!
Good luck.
Not knowing enough about what you are doing [or what you need to do] can cause you to get into a lot of trouble with a C3 (or any old vehcile). Get the documentation you need to understand what it takes to work on your car. Then, read and understand them. THEN, get to work on the car.
At this point, you need to "take a break", buy the AIM (Assembly Instruction Manual...which was used as reference material by the Corvette factory), study over the components you need to be working on, make a plan for how you will do the work, then 'dig in'.
Going at things blindly...or in the wrong direction...can cause you to reap more collateral damage than actual benefit from your work!
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Markids77 is right on. Everything can get so overwhelming you end up throwing in the towel or start to hate what you love, the vette. Take one step at the time with the first step as Easy Mike suggested. The books are worth more than any mod or repair you would ever want to make.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Could anyone tell me why the headlight bezels hit and stop on the support underneath? This is my main problem... and would like to approach it while everything is open and all the junk out of the way.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Some photos of the interference might help. There's a tutorial on posting images on the site if you're new to this. You describe both "bezels hitting" and "sagging headlights"; these seem to be seperate and perhaps unconnected problems? Will the lights function properly if you remove the bezel and operate them "naked"?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Some photos of the interference might help. There's a tutorial on posting images on the site if you're new to this. You describe both "bezels hitting" and "sagging headlights"; these seem to be seperate and perhaps unconnected problems? Will the lights function properly if you remove the bezel and operate them "naked"?
Last edited by yellowC3; Apr 23, 2012 at 01:58 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Thanks Easy Mike, That sounds reasonable, I just ordered the '76 AIM so hopefully i'll be able to figure out how to approach the adjustment... as well as everything else on the car. Thanks to everyone for helping and the informative posts.