C2: Headlight retaining rings; part #

[Gary B.]

Hi,

Regularly appearing on e-bay are new GM headlight retaining rings. The seller doesn't list the GM part number, but I assume one can buy these items directly from GM. Does anyone know the GM part number so that I can check on the GM pricing?

Thanks in advance,

Gary B.

[Geoff C.]

Re: C2: Headlight retaining rings; part #

You would probably save yourself much more time and money by simply purhasing an old Corvette GM part book on ebay.

Geoffrey

[Gary B.]

Part's book

Geoffrey,

I made the mistake of buying one of the earlier GM parts books (up thru 1968, I think) that has no sketches or exploded views whatsoever and it's the darned hardest book to find things in that I've ever used...

Gary

[Duke W.]

Re: Part's book

The IPB helps, but only has a scattering of illustrations throughout the model years. It is not all inclusive for all years, options, etc. It's no wonder that dealers had trouble ordering parts.

One needs to be familiar with the group system, and if you can determine the group, you can do a noun search in the index, but you also have to be aware of GM's parts nomemclature. For example, a vacuum advance can is a "control". It's fairly easy to guess Group 2 as it is part of an electrical system - the distributor. If you can't find it in the group you guessed you can do a noun search in the master index at the front to the book that includes all parts in all groups.

As an example of GM's convoluted parts grouping I once helped a dealer find the three piece aluminum trim molding that is below the grille of a Cosworth Vega. For some reason, many were built without these pieces. One friend with a CV was missing his and the dealer couldn't find them. One piece is at the base of the grille and two pieces wrap around the bottom of the headlight buckets. It turned out that the center piece was in Group 1 - cooling, grille, oil system, but the pieces on the bottom of the headlight buckets are in Group 2 - chassis wiring, lamps! Now, most of us would probably think that all three pieces would be in the same group - probably group 12 body molding, sheet metal, but I'm sure the grouping of these parts made perfect sense to the guy who established their location in the parts catalog.

Duke

[David D.]

Re: C2: Headlight retaining rings; part #

Gary, The 53-71 P&A book lists GM #5954892 for the retaining ring for 58-71 Corvettes. The number has probably been superceded, but it's a start. Hope this helps. Dave

[Gary B.]

C2: Headlight retaining rings

Dave,

Thank you very much. That's exactly what I needed. They are still available from GM under that part number at a list price of $11.50 each.

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: C2: Headlight retaining rings; part #

Dave and Gary-----

GM #5954892 remains the correct part number for the headlamp retaining ring for 1958-82 Corvettes. Current GM list is $11.40/each. These rings are stainless steel material with the mounting tabs spot-welded on. The tabs often break off, though.

[Craig S.]

Re: Part's book

Gary - I have one similar to yours, from 69 back, one with illustrations through 1975, and a 3rd (my first of the books) through 82, which is the last printed version produced. I find that having all 3 is helpful, as the later books have made substitutions for service parts that have superceded older service parts or original parts. It's a way of getting sorta close to what Joe can provide....Craig