C3 Headlight Assy Remove/Replace
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2019
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C3 Headlight Assy Remove/Replace
I have a 79 C3 and planning to paint it. Looking for any headlight removal / install proceedures, advice videos tips etc. on this subject appreciated. I heard it is a pain. All the painting videos show headlight Assy removed and painted separately - Thx!
Last edited by Countryside Cafe; Dec 12, 2023 at 10:45 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 132
From: England
I took my headlamp assemblies out, cleaned them up, replaced bushes as required and painted internal bits that needed it. Then I re-fitted and adjusted the doors before the car went for paint. I think you stand a fairly good chance of chipping the paint if you install and adjust the doors after paint. My painter managed to get to everything you can see with the headlamp doors on the car.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,335
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
They painted them semi-installed on the cars. Looks like they propped them up and shot the front/sides and then dropped them down and painted the tops with the car. The "guts" (linkage etc) were installed afterwards
I took mine out after the car was painted (and driven for several years) and cleaned up all of the inner bits and re-installed. PIA but doable. Lots of blue painters tape to protect edges and lots of fiddling around to get them to sit and operate right. Some info on the re-adjustment process in this thread
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-forward.html
M
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,335
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
It was added afterwards. Just the main frame and the headlight lids were installed (I would assume the surrounds as well)
They were propped open and sprayed the front and sides, then dropped flush to paint the car and tops, must have had some sticks or something to hold them in those two positions.
The rest of the linkages, springs, pins and everything were all shot black / blackout and didn't have any overspray so were obviously installed later on the line somewhere.
Here's a thread on the original finish with some shots of some unrestored lights and you can see where they were over-sprayed and not and discussion on how they must have been done to end up like that
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nish-pics.html
M
They were propped open and sprayed the front and sides, then dropped flush to paint the car and tops, must have had some sticks or something to hold them in those two positions.
The rest of the linkages, springs, pins and everything were all shot black / blackout and didn't have any overspray so were obviously installed later on the line somewhere.
Here's a thread on the original finish with some shots of some unrestored lights and you can see where they were over-sprayed and not and discussion on how they must have been done to end up like that
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nish-pics.html
M
Racer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 132
From: England
