TOM B1

On my 69 I was working on Mcspeed headlight conversion when I remembered a better headlight motor I came across at my cousins salvage yard. This motor has built in stops at 2 places so you dont need
the expensive control module.

Here is what you need.
1. 84-89 corvette headlight switch, buy locally about $25.00
2 . 95 ford probe headlight motors and arms,, (corrected this mistake)
3. make your own bracket, Mcspeeds is close.
very little wiring and NO MODULE NEEDED

7t2vette

Sounds interesting, post some pics and more details if possible.

scottyp99

My vacuum operated headlights work just fine. What are the advantages of electrically operated headlights? Less weight?


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

DKDunn04

I am interested in this as well. My car won't be on the road for a couple more months, but the vacuum system for the headlights is pretty much worthless.

briankeery

7T1vette

63-67 Corvettes had electric headlamp motors. GM opted to go with vacuum system on the 'new' C3's...because they were less expensive and more reliable. Nothing has really changed, since....

TOM B1

why I went to electric headlight and wiper door is because my vette is highly modified, fuel injection ,supercharger ect. I did not want all the hoses in the engine bay or in the dash, these vacuum parts like valves and switches are very pricy and tempermental. dont mind my spelling please. I like modified cars, any type.
If I put together a few kits the parts will be hand made, not cut by machine so dont expect it to look that way or I can make templates so you can make the brackets.
The best part is NO MODULE needed.
I will post some pics soon.
Thanks for the interest.

CA-Legal-Vette

I'll be interested in seeing the pics. My motor makes JUST enough vacuum to lift or lower the headlamps. They're kind of funny to watch though. They ignore the controls and occasionally will pop up on their own but once they decide to open or close, they snap into position.

TOM B1

Here is my photobucket album, look around, hope this link works.
The headlights to electric are very simple to do.

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss275/tombush/

scottyp99

How much vacuum does your engine produce at idle? I have always wondered hpw low the vacuum could go before the headlights would have problems. I have heard some folks say that at less than 12", you will start having problems with the brake booster, any correlation with that and the headlight system?


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

CA-Legal-Vette

At idle, it's right in the area of 12 inches of vacuum. It is also quite bouncy. Interestingly I think it takes a little less vacuum to raise and lower the headlamp assembly than it does to run the relays. Fairly regularly I'll have the headlamps pop up for a moment and then go back down.

Eddie 70

Nice!! I have been wanting to convert mine over to electrics for a long time. I even bought some Saturn motors, the Firebird control module and the Killer Lights Brackets. I really like what you are doing here too, probably better. My vacuum system has leaks in the reservoir and causes problems with the LS motor much more so than the original motor. One of the main reasons I want to change over.

Edit: I was checking out your Photobucket pics and see you did something with your wiper door that looks very intriguing too. Is that working pretty good too?

MotorHead

I am very interested also, I already have the HydroBoost brakes but I would like to change the lights too, so that would leave whatever vacuum I have to suck the stinky air out of my charcoal canister

mrvette

Bought my '72 in '95, one of the early fixes was some canister 'witches hats' front seals......lasted about a year, replaced them with another souce of said 'hat'.... next set was put on with a tie wrap around the actuator stem, and lasted about 1.5 years, at which time a deer took out the headlights.....so even back then, with so called 'American' made parts, it was very problematic to fix them, the relay problem for lots of stuff is traced to a spring that is too strong in the actuator , so to cut that clamp ring, cut the spring to weaken it a LOT, and then reseal with RTV.....

my wiper door has been converted with a linear actuator years ago, works well with the intermittent wipers....

74modified

Time marches on, so will technology. I applaud you for keeping yours all original. I like to modify when reasonable to improve function, cost, or performance. In 1964 lacquer paint was cheaper and worked better than anything else. Now it is only used on museum pieces. 1964 electrics would have used limit switches and a number of other parts that likely would have been a lot less reliable than the micro circuitry we have now. I am changing to hydro boost, Jeep steering and an LS engine (and electric headlights) because I like the results.

TOM B1

The wiper door works good, I will have to post a video.
i took apart my headlight motors and made templates of the brackets today and notice that i should make the motor arm adjustable to center it correctly, I will work on this as new arms I cant find and old one will have to be modified.

markids77

Subscribed.

TOM B1

I MADE A GRAVE ERROR.
The headlight motor I used was from a 95 ford probe.
I hope I didnt cause anyone any greef, sorry for the mistake.
I also will edit my first post.
Tom

silica

How did you make the gear to have the wiper door work, and where does it go with the ford probe actuators? and could you explain this picture a bit better..

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/s...Dmypics044.jpg

By far your conversion looks the most interesting one for now ;-)

Thanks
Robert

riggs 74

Very cool thanks for sharing. I will be doing something like this soon.


Riggs