Headlights
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Headlights
Working on my 1977 corvette, it's in decent shape but some of the wiring as well as the vacuum system need work along with the brakes. However I can't seem to figure out how to actually make the headlights open. I pull the **** in the car and they don't do anything. The car is on and running when I pull the **** and still nothing. I don't know anything about the vacuum system but I do know that the problem lies there I just can't seem to find out exactly what to do. Any suggestions/answers?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 182
Likes: 27
From: Somerville Alabama
I've yet to get into the vacuum system for my '77 so if you need your headlights open or closed until you can fix yours there's a simple way to open and close them without it:
Reaching under the front grille you can get to a metal bar at the lower front of the headlight mechanism and push it upward and forward to open.
Pulling downward (and a bit forward) on a small bolt head, also at the lower front, will close it.
If you get a look at it first, and then proceed, it'll be easier to do without looking next time.
Aside from that, do you have the override little **** beneath the dash just left of the steering column? Pull that down or push it up. Bypasses the headlight ****/switch.
Don't confuse the headlight override with the odometer trip reset, which is thinner and metal. The one I have is anyway.
Reaching under the front grille you can get to a metal bar at the lower front of the headlight mechanism and push it upward and forward to open.
Pulling downward (and a bit forward) on a small bolt head, also at the lower front, will close it.
If you get a look at it first, and then proceed, it'll be easier to do without looking next time.
Aside from that, do you have the override little **** beneath the dash just left of the steering column? Pull that down or push it up. Bypasses the headlight ****/switch.
Don't confuse the headlight override with the odometer trip reset, which is thinner and metal. The one I have is anyway.
Last edited by LongRoadHome; Aug 10, 2016 at 01:39 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 86
From: Rotonda FL
The vacuum headlight system is one of the 'joys' of owning a C3. The Willcox site has a good schematic of the system, and the advanced search feature of this Forum will give you tons of info on how to test.
Since both do not work, and the bypass under the steering column doesn't work, my first guess is that the entire system is not getting vacuum. Start checking one hose at a time for vacuum (with engine running) and begin tracing each vacuum line looking for breaks.
Many have become so disenchanted with this system that they have replaced the entire system with electric activators from Miatas or Ford Probes. Complete instructions on how to do so are on this Forum.
IF YOU FIND THAT YOU NEED NEW VACUUM ACTUATORS (THE BIG CANISTERS BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS), I HAVE A PAIR OF NEW, UNUSED ONES FROM WILLCOX FOR $35 THE PAIR, PM ME.
Since both do not work, and the bypass under the steering column doesn't work, my first guess is that the entire system is not getting vacuum. Start checking one hose at a time for vacuum (with engine running) and begin tracing each vacuum line looking for breaks.
Many have become so disenchanted with this system that they have replaced the entire system with electric activators from Miatas or Ford Probes. Complete instructions on how to do so are on this Forum.
IF YOU FIND THAT YOU NEED NEW VACUUM ACTUATORS (THE BIG CANISTERS BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS), I HAVE A PAIR OF NEW, UNUSED ONES FROM WILLCOX FOR $35 THE PAIR, PM ME.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 154
From: Deplorableville Nebraska
Two real good places to start. Not that hard really 
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/category/headlamp/
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...tem-works.html
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/category/headlamp/
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...tem-works.html
