In 2018 I took the reins on my uncles 75 that he bought new. A bonestock L48 4-speed at 66k miles. Pretty decent shape.

I went berserk changing everything. I didn’t/don’t care about value or originality. I just love driving the thing. Looking at it makes me laugh. Throwing away/deleting stuff is a grin-fest for me. I can let it sit literally for 8 mos with the battery kill switch thrown and it will fire right up and run like new.

In 2018 I threw away a perfectly good vacuum headlight system. I installed a new Detroit Speed electric lift kit. Which is junk. It has never worked right. Back then there were just a few choices and of course I went with the most expensive thinking it would have the least problems. WRONG! Can’t wait to throw it in the garbage.

So. Covered headlights here we come. It looks like I have 3 choices. FIA bubble-ee style either with or without an external aluminum brace/bracket gizmo. Or the Ecklers Monza kit.

I see 2 choices for the FIA kit. One from Classic Aircraft Auto that has the extra brace. And then from Vintage Exotics which doesn’t have the brace. Thats the one I’m leaning towards.

The Ecklers kit seems to be not avail or at least back ordered. I don’t feel like waiting. I like the FIA look slightly better anyway.

Any input or possibly vendors I’m missing? Anyone selling a kit?

Thanks !

fwiw I don’t really care if one kit or the other is more of a pain to install. My buddies body shop will handle the job. How they actually work as lights at night is also a secondary concern for me but I suppose it would be nice if they worked better than stock. They must lol.

The bottom 2 pics are my car as it sits now.

 

I know if you don't have anything nice to say. Don't say anything.
But your certain you wish to do this to your car?

 

I'll say the quiet part out loud.

All of those fixed headlight options look like trash. Don't do that to your car, unless you specifically need to save weight for racing, AND you need to finish the car to look like a vintage racer using vintage parts.

You can run the headlights in manual mode, or buy a made in USA electric headlight kit that works from @Richard454.

I'll add, it's not 1968 anymore. If you feel you NEED to have fixed headlights, why use those? Why not a row of LEDs from an Acura RDX, for example?

 

Member Richard(454?) with the V12 BMW powered 71' (i think) designed a electric lift system that many here have used and is super affordable.........
His exact screen name eludes me.......but someone, maybe even he, will pop in......nice guy and very sharp with electrical......

Jebby

 

Ditto check with Richard before you go down the fixed headlight system. Can't say enough good things about the man and his products. TO make mine different I went with the 4 piece rectangular head light set up. Pay no attention to the rest of my mess. It's under construction. Since they are electric I also put a switch in from a C2 to raise and lower them so I can leave them up all the time if I want people to notice!

 

As always you guys are a calming voice lol. My Detroit Speed kit is their early version which incorporates a manual wind up/down ****. Their new gizmos don’t have that. Maybe it’s worth calling them again to see if they can help.

Even when it works the lights go up and down like a feeble one-armed mouse is cranking a lever. The last 1.5 years one side just barely “lifts off” when trying to open and quits trying. Everything was installed perfectly and my stock lights worked fine when I started.

Also these stupid things have a feature whereby they are designed to quit opening if they detect someone is sitting on your headlight or other absurdness. I think that is whats happening on the side that doesn’t open. Maybe I can just disconnect or override that feature. Maybe Detroit Speed will send me new gizmos if I say please.

I hadn’t considered the weight loss from throwing all this crap away… now I want it even more lol. My car is already janky and cut up. I’m not ashamed to admit I rather like the FIA look.

 

Yes, all that stuff weighs a lot. But POP UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS are one of the things that makes the Corvette cool (well, C2 through C5, at least). Your car will be at least 50% less cool with fixed headlights.

It will be more than twice as cool if you make it look like a vintage racer, so you can still come out ahead, but are you willing to do that?

Before you decide, watch this video:


No spoilers, but at least watch the last 3 minutes.

 

@Bikespace that video is hilarious. The Corvette at #1 hmmm hard to argue with that. The 928 on the thumbnail takes me back to my own 928 days. I discovered and bought this one from the original owner in 2008:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1982-porsche-928s-4/

If we’re letting it all hang out… I find the C3 with lights popped to be its weakest look. To my eye, the covers seem too large with generous overlap in relation to the actual lights.

But truthfully I just want my headlights to work. I don’t have the spare time to fool with it that I did 5 years ago when I built my car. If I get an FIA kit I just leave my car at the shop for a bit and its done.

 

I like the covered, non pop-up lights. Of course guys on a Vette forum will always tell you to keep them, but it's your car. Do what will make you happy. Build the car for you, not the next guy.

 

Thanks I knew there had to be at least 1 more of us haha. Which style do you favor?

When I built my car I was told numerous times I was doing it wrong or should be doing something else. I changed/replaced so many things all at once there were plenty of opportunities for the cross-burners to torch my lawn. Which doesn’t bother me at all, I welcome all opinions. When I deleted the clutch start-safety switch or better yet the inner rear bumper crash bits it was a blood bath!

My ratty over-modded 75 is all mine there is no doubt. Its been “finished” for 4 years and the headlight issue just sticks in my craw.

 

I like the sealed square ones on a more street machine/70s style custom. The LeMans style look great on race car style builds.

Yeah I hear ya on people losing their minds when it comes to customs. I also don't have the steel bumpers or absorbers, nor a neutral safety switch lol

 

I can't disagree with the "It's your car, do what you want" statement. I to have done things others wouldn't approve of.
To bad right.
But you did come on a forum and ask for opinions.
And, well, you got opinions!

 

You really should stick to your own advice.

 

Please guys let’s play nice. I do want opinions, whatever they may be.

This week I’m going to wander through a local private collection that has 3 or 4 old C3 racers. At least 2 of them have the LeMans lights and I’ll try to make a decision.

 

If the FIA headlight look is what your after, take a look at this thread, to better understand what is needed to restore the rest of the car to match.

Plenty of inspirational photos, too.

Good luck with whatever you do to YOUR car, even if it ends up being less cool for a while.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...as-sought.html

 

One more opinion, the FIA lights/covers look cool on an actual race car that has all the other real race car visual cues; flares, alloy wheels, chopped windscreen, side exhaust, side mirror pods, super low stance etc. On a basically stock appearing vette those lights will look strange and out of place. Like a non functioning mailbox hood scoop or wheelie bars on an otherwise stock car, it’s just not a good look. Keep it classy 👍🏻

 

it is richard454 and he uses ford probe headlight motors in his setup. he also provides instructions if you wanna do it yourself, i believe. your setup MAY be a good start towards installing the probe-mazda motor already. do more homework. you can always screw plastic on top of your car later...

 

I'll be another minority voice here and say that I really just like that look. My 75's headlights were locked up, and I had already planned on doing a faux racer look, so I made the buckets myself. I got this car for a trade, and just wanted to have fun with it. I actually get quite a few compliments from non-Corvette people for the unique look of it...and maybe that's the difference; I'm not originally a Corvette person, I was just looking for an easy 4-speed Chevy car to relive my youthful stupidity. I've learned to appreciate them through having this one.

Definitely do your own thing. Who want's to be a cookie cutter?

 

I cut my own cookie some 20 odd years ago.....The lo beams are LED's intended for that job.....the high beams, I never bothered to change as they are good, and I don't need them much as I don't drive a night......

 

best non orig I have seen