66 headlight rebuild questions - NCRS Discussion Boards

66 headlight rebuild questions

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  • Tony DiGiorgio

    66 headlight rebuild questions

    Hello all, bought a basket case 66. Headlights were all apart, rebuild looks daunting to me. Does anyone offer a headlight rebuild kit? How difficult is the rebuild? Car sat for 26 years in garage, so I assume pivots etc are ok. Please share your experiences with me on this....
    Thanks
    Tony D
  • William C.
    NCRS Past President
    • May 31, 1975
    • 6037

    #2
    Re: 66 headlight rebuild questions

    I don't know what you would be looking for itn a "kit" but there are two issues that cause most of the problems in the haedlamps, the first is the bushings seizing on the shafts, and that is easily checked during assembly. The second is the motor and gear drive assemblies, if yours are together, you will need to disassemble them carefully and check for wear on the gear that drives the shaft that rotates the headlamps. This hhaft is soft, and usually is pretty well beat up on one half of it's circumference. The easy fix is to rotate it 180 degrees when reinstalling it and you will have effectively a whole new gear surface to use for the next 30 years or so. If this trick has already been employed in the past, it will be obvious and new reproductions are available. The only "trick" is when disassenbling the motor itself, the end of the shaft that is seen outside the motor (the one the hand-turn "wheeel" is attached to) rides on a bronze bushing just inside the housing. The corrosion on the shaft must be removed befor the armature is pulled, or the bushing will be pulled out past the retaining clips that hold it in palce. At this point, you will need professional help to reinstall, so be very gentle when removing and clean-clean-clean the shaft, and if you feel and resistance, clean some more. Reassembly is pretty straightforeword, and fresh grease combined with rotation of the driven gear to the unused teeth will have it workig like new. Reassembly is straightforeword, if tedious when going thru the process of aligning the housings to the body, but there are really no surprises in the system, it is quite straightcoreword.
    Bill Clupper #618

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    • Joe C.
      Expired
      • August 31, 1999
      • 4598

      #3
      Re: 66 headlight rebuild questions

      Tony:

      The motors are tricky because the brush grounds are welded to the housings. A thorough clean and lube should make them operational. The external linkage should be addressed as outlined by Bill Clupper. One additional comment: the pivot ball felt insulators/wipers should be saturated with motor oil, then squeezed almost dry before reassembly. Excess oil on these wicks will be a constant nuisance as they will continue to drip unless the excess is removed.

      joe

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