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The headlights on my 1970 are locked up. The vacuum system that operates it has issues, and I'll get it repaired in the future. How do I manually retract them to the closed position. The hinges that control them are pretty stiff and I want to be careful closing them the correct way.
Think of the locking linkage like a knee and leg bones. You want to find the knee joint and pull it toward the front of the car. Lie on your back and you'll see it for each light. If you have an owner's manual, I believe it's described there.
Not the best video but it does show which section to pull on:
Disconnect the vacuum lines from the actuator and look up underneath. Locate this pivot pin (marked in blue saying push as I was showing someone how to raise the headlights when I did this) and pull it down a little and be careful of the plastic switch that is right beside it (where it would be is marked in red) They are old and brittle and usually already broken off
That will bring the linkage back down from being over-center which is what holds them up without vacuum
Once you get that joint back "under center" the light will try to drop so be ready to stop it from falling too quick with your hand in there
Open the hood and reach up back tot he mechanism in the picture from the last post......pulldown and back........and as stated, remove your hand quickly so you do not get pinched.....
Locked Up Headlights
