Need some help here...

Car is a 1968 and I suspect later year headlight assemblies.

I'm still prepping for paint and my intent is the get the headlight assemblies perfectly set/adjusted so I can skim-coat prior to primer/final blocking. As it sits, the assembly gaps front/back, side/side are set and the the heights are set on all but the forward/inboard corners. Reason: my headlight assemblies forward/inboard mount holes do not mate to the holes in the header bar and are not currently attached to anything. Each forward/inboard corner needs to come down approx 1/8" (basically just needs to be mounted/shimmed properly). The front bumper is off and the front headlight assembly holes are approx 3/4" inboard, 3/4" aft and 1/2" high with relation to the inboard holes in the header bar. I do not remember removing an adapter block and suspect it was this way when I bought it (less than stellar shape).

I can rig up an adapter block to temporarily align everything, but I'm wondering how it's all supposed to go together...? The AIM seems a vauge...

My main quesiton...should the extended/lower brackets from the front bumper align with the inboard holes on the header bar? Same question with regard to the forward/inboard headlight assy mount holes?

I've circled the area in question...Let me know if additional pics will help.

r,
Rob

 

so are you saying that the front of the assembly sits lower than the surround or higher? The front corners of the bracket can be pushed in or outward to mate with the holes. 68 assemblies were unique to that year. Then 69-72 were the same. 73-74 were a bit different but will work on earlier years by using a spacer block under the front bracket tabs. ANy pics of what they look like when in the car. Your thinking is correct, you want it all set in place and moving freely up and down before you paint.

Sully

 

here's what the spacer blocks look like , from GM

 

The front of the assembly sit higher than the hole in the header bar.

Everything sits very close, as is, but the forward/inboard corner of each headlight panel needs to come down approx 1/8". It would require an adapter block approx 1/3-1/2" thick (bottom of headlight assy mount hole to top of header bar hole) in order to have the proper alignment.

I can fab an adapter block to get it all aligned, but my concern is whether or not this fabbed piece will need to account for the extended brackets coming off the front bumper?

My front bumper has 6 mount points: 2 on each outer bend; 2 in the center that bolt to the horse collar; and these 2 that extent from the lower edge and run aft a 3-4 inches (approx 13-14 inches apart on center of the bumper).

Anyone tell me what these are supposed to attach to.

Will try to add some pics later...

r,
Rob

 

Sully,

Thanks fo the pic of the spacers..didn't see it before my last post. They look like the approx thickness that I will need, but an additional issue is that my assembly bracket mount do not reach the header bar...they are also approx 3/4" aft and 3/4" outboard of the header bar holes. ie. I will need one bolt for the adapter block to header bar and another bolt through adapter block into headlight assembly bracket.

Thanks!

 

there is an adjustment procedure in the AIM on how to align the headlight assembly doors and sounds like to are saying they need to drop down a bit. I would read through that and also check Willcox-corvette's website where I think they outline this procedure. It sounds like you have 75 and later assembly brackets as they were with shorter forward arms than earlier versions. Hopefully you can make those work as the earlier ones are difficult and expensive to come by. 73-74 will also work but have to have the spacer blocks like I showed in my earlier posts.

Sully

 

Sully,

One more question, if you don't mind. Are your spacer blocks on both the inboard and outboard mount points? My outboard seem to fit fine and are currently mounted to the header bar...again, everything else is basically fitted and aligned.

r,
Rob

 

yes, two spacers for one assembly. GM sent these when you, for example, crashed the front end of a 72 and had to use 73-74 headlight assemblies in your repairs.

Sully

 

Interesting? Thank you very much! I'll post some pics later...thanks again!

 

Was able to take some pics of the issue this evening...hopefully it makes some sense now. All headlight pics are of the Right Side. I've got the identical issue on the left.

Pic 1) shows the headlight assembly as mounted/adjusted; note it needs to come down slightly on the inboard/front corner

Pic 2) shows how it fits when I pull down approx 1/8" on the un-attached forward/inboard headlight assembly mount

Pic 3) the outboard headlight assembly to header bar mount point

Pic 4 and 5) the relationship of the inboard mount point; in pic 5 I've got my 'finger' through the header bar hole

Pic 6) the front bumper extended brackets that I referenced earlier...each has a slotted hole (vertical) and then it makes a final 90 degree bend and has a round hole (horizontal). These round/horizontal holes are the ones referenced in my earlier post...are they supposed to tie into the header bar hole/inboard headlight assembly mount point? Note that the bumper is at a bad angle in this pic. I was trying to show both holes in the brackets.