1990 Headlight

[George D.]

I need to replace the sealed beam headlight on my 1990. I want to use the Guide OEM brand since they are worth 30 points for flight judging. Are the AC Delco aftermarket sealed the same as the OEM? Where can these be purchased other than a dealer who whats about $50.00 each? I have tried several AC Delco parts stores in NJ, but they don't carry the AC Delco lighting products. I have also walked several junk yards without any luck finding any Guide brand headlights.

Thanks,

George

[Joe L.]

Re: 1990 Headlight

George------

The Guide brand sealed beams were originally used on SOME C4s; my 1992 originally had them. However, they were not installed on all C4s; I know that they were dropped sometime after 1992 and I'm not sure that all cars before 1992 had them. Sealed beams are a COMMODITY item and I believe that GM purchased them from different sources. Guide was once part of GM but ceased to be years ago. However, during the C4 era GM used many other suppliers for parts besides their own in-house suppliers.

I believe that the manufacture of these sealed beams was discontinued by Guide when it was still part of GM. After its "spin-off" from GM, I'm certain that sealed beams were not part of its "manufacturing portfolio".

Guide is now out-of-business and in bankruptcy liquidation. So, they are VERY unlikely to start manufacturing anything again, let alone sealed beams.

For the last 10 years, or so, if you purchased a sealed beam for a C4 from GM or Delco, it would be another brand in a GM/Delco box. I'll bet you'll find that most will be Wagner, GE, or Sylvania.

[George D.]

Re: 1990 Headlight Thanks Joe

Joe

Years ago I worked for Wagner and we manufactured sealed beams for GUIde with their name on the lens. I thought that this practice may still be going on with some other OEM supplier. I guess this is why the Guide ones are hard to find. I'll keep my eyes open for some used ones or just take the point hit.

Regards,

George

[Joe L.]

Re: 1990 Headlight Thanks Joe

George-----

That's interesting. I always thought that it was strange that Guide would manufacture something like a sealed beam in-house. So, apparently, they didn't.

I expect that the reason that Guide had their own branded product produced by others is that Guide was once a GM brand. So, GM may have wanted to have all the parts that the consumer could see a brand on, to have only GM brands. After Guide ceased to be a GM brand, having Guide-branded parts on GM cars became not-so-important.

However, I do think that even before Guide was spun off from GM, GM used other-branded sealed beams on cars, including Corvettes.