Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart!
11-19-2002, 10:44 PM
#1
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Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart!
I've read this forum for a long time but I don't remember anyone having this problem. My wife was driving our '88 Vette (171,000 miles) and hit a really nasty pot hole. The car shuddered and the flat headlight cover popped off and landed in the street. The headlights were down (off) at the time. She turned around to retrieve it just in time to watch someone drive right over it. It's toast! :mad
As far as I can tell, it is (was?) only glued on. Any suggestions on where I could get just this part? Would I just glue it back on with some bionic epoxy? I doubt that a wrecking yard would sell just that piece.
Have any of you had your headlight cover pop off?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Greg Sullivan - Canyon Lake, CA.
As far as I can tell, it is (was?) only glued on. Any suggestions on where I could get just this part? Would I just glue it back on with some bionic epoxy? I doubt that a wrecking yard would sell just that piece.
Have any of you had your headlight cover pop off?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Greg Sullivan - Canyon Lake, CA.
11-19-2002, 11:06 PM
#2
Safety Car
Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (Greg's '88)
You're probably going to have to order another headlight cover. You may be lucky and find one in a junk-yard. As for finding one and getting it painted. You'd have to bring the whole car down to a trustworthy body guy to match the paint for the headlight cover to the rest of the car.
The headlight cover I THINK is either glued or held on buy a couple screws or bolts. I have never really looked at it.
May I suggest though: If that car hit a pothole big enough to pop off a headlight cover, you may want to check the suspension as well. I would start by jacking up both front corners, one at a time and move each front wheel side to side with your hands and check for play. Then with the front wheels about a half an inch off the ground; I would stick a tire iron or crow bar under the front tire and pry upwards to see if it's still tight and if there's any play. I would inspect the control arms for any visual abnormalities as well. I would also take the car out for a drive and take my hands off the wheel on a straight piece of road and make sure the car doesn't pull to a favored direction. I hope this helps you out.
The headlight cover I THINK is either glued or held on buy a couple screws or bolts. I have never really looked at it.
May I suggest though: If that car hit a pothole big enough to pop off a headlight cover, you may want to check the suspension as well. I would start by jacking up both front corners, one at a time and move each front wheel side to side with your hands and check for play. Then with the front wheels about a half an inch off the ground; I would stick a tire iron or crow bar under the front tire and pry upwards to see if it's still tight and if there's any play. I would inspect the control arms for any visual abnormalities as well. I would also take the car out for a drive and take my hands off the wheel on a straight piece of road and make sure the car doesn't pull to a favored direction. I hope this helps you out.
11-20-2002, 12:10 AM
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Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (Greg's '88)
Everything that Kyle said plus: Call your respective DOT and report the pothole. In MS, if it has been reported at least 1 time before you call in, then the Highway dept. is responsible for the damages.
I had a tire replaced on the daily driver like this before. :D
I had a tire replaced on the daily driver like this before. :D
11-20-2002, 12:21 AM
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Safety Car
Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (baddmann)
Call your respective DOT and report the pothole.
11-20-2002, 07:44 AM
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (joecaver)
Take a look in the C4 parts for sale. I think I saw some in there yesterday. :yesnod: .
Sorry about the misfortune.
Definately check into the DOT.
:cheers: :seeya :flag
Sorry about the misfortune.
Definately check into the DOT.
:cheers: :seeya :flag
11-20-2002, 11:34 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (Greg's '88)
I had the same problem but I was lucky because the headlight was on at the time so the cover dropped inside the car. Found out when I parked the car and turned off the light. Yes, the cover was glued on. I had to re-glued with one of those (mixing two parts from tubes) epoxy thing.
It wasn't any noticeble pothole that I went over and it was raining at the time. Just normal driving, the glued got separated with the cover due to age and weather. Check your other cover, time to re-glue that one too before the same thing happen.
I would just find a junkyard and buy the assembly. I wouldn't think they sell only the cover since it is attached to the assembly.
It wasn't any noticeble pothole that I went over and it was raining at the time. Just normal driving, the glued got separated with the cover due to age and weather. Check your other cover, time to re-glue that one too before the same thing happen.
I would just find a junkyard and buy the assembly. I wouldn't think they sell only the cover since it is attached to the assembly.
11-20-2002, 09:37 PM
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Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (mid life 90)
Sounds like more than a pothole to me :lol: Like someone else said, I would check the front end for problems and then see if you can get some relief from the state for having such a bad pothole. I know here you can get something if you prove its bad enough and unavoidable plus that they knew it was there and hadn't fixed it yet.
11-20-2002, 11:59 PM
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Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (jimmyd)
Hopefully your wheel isn't bent. A pothole like that popped the wheel cover off my other car, and it takes quite a bit of deformation to that. The headlight covers are glued on. If you look carefully, there's quite a few members on here with crooked headlight covers, because the glue is starting to separate. When you get a new cover, reglue both of them. You can bend the brackets by hand until they're flush with the cover, so they don't pull the glue off.
11-21-2002, 01:06 AM
#12
Melting Slicks
Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (Greg's '88)
hey Greg, maybe you should sell that thing already and get her a red C5 :yesnod:
Later,
Mike
You know who!
Bye the way the ZR-1 is doing great, I don't miss my vert at all. :D
Later,
Mike
You know who!
Bye the way the ZR-1 is doing great, I don't miss my vert at all. :D
11-21-2002, 10:57 AM
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Re: Hit a pot hole, headlight flew apart! (Mikez40)
Hey Mike...who knows...maybe I'm holding out for a C6!
Thanks to everyone who responded. I was able to order the door to the headlight and it comes already glued to the metal bracket. When I get it, I will have to get it painted and then simply bolt it on. I paid less than $50 for a new one from GM.
Greg Sullivan :seeya
Thanks to everyone who responded. I was able to order the door to the headlight and it comes already glued to the metal bracket. When I get it, I will have to get it painted and then simply bolt it on. I paid less than $50 for a new one from GM.
Greg Sullivan :seeya
