headlight door open height

[Wolf S.]

hi,
i know that this has been discussed many times but i still can't come clear with the adjustment procedure of the headlight doors.

i've be wanting to remove/change the headlight bulbs/trim rings, renew the different springs/screws. to do this i need to remove the bezel.

my problem is that i can't remove the bezel as the door doesn't open up enough. i removed the clevis of the actuator, the different springs and undid the side arm.
i pulled up the door by hand but still can't get the front lip of the bezel flush with the body (locked position) to be able to remove it.

the headlight door sits perfectly in its opening when closed. headlight door ajar switch touches the tab.

what adjustment to make the door open more to make removal of the bezel possible?

thanks

[Mike F.]

Re: headlight door open height

There are three bolts that hold the hinge casting in place(the upperside of the hinge, towards the windshield). The hinge casting has slotted holes, with the bolts loose, slide the hinge toward the front bumber and the headlight bucket will raise higher.
Remove the arm of the vacuum canister from the hinge first.

Mike

Edit: First pic - passenger side headlight assembly, looking up from the floor. The three orange arrows are the bolts for the upper hinge casting. If you loosen them and slide the hinge forward (toward the bumper) the light assembly will move up.

Second pic - passenger side headlight assembly, outboard side, loosen/adjust this first so you will get full travel of the headlight assembly.

[Paul O.]

Re: headlight door open height

Wolf

There is a stop adjustment that should give you the needed clearance. Check for a long arm on the the outboard side of the headlight at the end there should be a 1/2 or 7/16 nut and stop adjuster.


Paul 18046

[Wolf S.]

Re: headlight door open height

thanks for the input.

if i start touching these screws -- screws #14 on bracket/tab #25--will it influence the other adjustments? i ask this because the headlight door is very well aligned in its opening.

maybe if i turn in this long screw #22 in a bit to raise the front lip of the door i could get the bezel off.

i've removed the bracket arm on the out board side of the housing. the springs and actuator clevis have also been removed.
so the only thing stopping the door from going higher is the mechanism itself.

[Terry M.]

Re: headlight door open height

Wrong picture Wolf. None of these are the item Paul was refering to. Turn the page.

[Mike F.]

Re: headlight door open height

Wolf,

Loosening item #14 (three of them) are the same bolts (orange/red arrow) in my pictures. Item #22 is the adjustment to make the headlight bucket flush with the car when closed.

Loosen #14 and move the hinge forward to get the headlight bucket higher in the open position. Then tighten the #14 bolts. You should be able to remove your headlight bezel.

Then manually close the headlight bucket. It will be sticking up the same corresponding amount that you just moved it. Then adjust #22 so the bucket will sit flush when closed.

Reconnect springs, actuator & arm (adjust as necessary).

Mike

[Wolf S.]

Re: headlight door open height

@john this is the aim page paul is referring to.
i have removed item #7 which i suppose is the outboard bracket. my bracket #5 screw wasn't touching the door frame when wide open.

@mike i'll give it a try.

thanks

[Dennis D.]

Re: headlight door open height

don't know if this would cause the problem, but are the supports,(#2 in the first photo), the originals?

[Dennis D.]

Re: headlight door open height

Figure I should explain myself before I head out. May also be completely wrong.
My theory is if you have the REPLACEMENT support that is correct for the 73-74 rubber bumper cars, and the shim blocks weren't installed for your application, the front mounts my be so low that traditional adjustments aren't helping you. The spacers actually raise the front of the replacement support, to correct for an offset I assume is to fit the rubber bumper 73-74. To add to the confusion a changed design again to fit 75 and on. (different rerinforcement again I guess). Anyway FWIW pics.......

[Wolf S.]

Re: headlight door open height

today i had another good look at the headlight door system again.

sprayed penetrating oil on the different bolts/nuts for easier undoing.

the housing is nearly, i think, at its most forward limit. how long are the slots #25?

to make the door higher when open
1. move the housing support further out toward the front, if still possible.
2. is to add the square shims up front as already stated to raise the front support arms.

what kind of bolt #5 was used to fix the braces to the support?
is the screw-in end pointed or flat?

when did the headlight supports change? maybe i have a wrong one in the vette.

[Dennis D.]

Re: headlight door open height

when did the headlight supports change? maybe i have a wrong one in the vette.

Check the archives. The part numbers are posted somewhere. That way you can possibly check the number on your supports to the other numbers. I really don't know what the blocks did other than make the 73-74 support fit the earlier cars, but maybe your problem explains the need.

[Wolf S.]

Re: headlight door open height

to see how everything is after adjusting the actuator clevis, i put everything together this morning.
i noticed that the back top edge of the housing is a wee bit high. forward edge is till flush with body surround.

do i loosened the two bearing pivot mounts (#4 a3) to lower the rear edge?
also the side gap on one had to be adjusted.
by unlocking the door pivot stops with an allen key, i could move door housing left and right to get equal gaps left and right to the body opeing.

i also put in some shims -- 4mm/0.16" -- between the front housing brackets and the frame to raise the whole unit but no noticeable difference.
how thick do the shims have to be? or is it a trial/error thing?
will raising the front stress the rear part of the housing support?

after doing all of the above still can't remove the bezel

i haven't yet tried moving the door bracket (#25 a2) forward. this will be next. visually it seems to be at its maximum forward position.
(spring was in the wrong way)

[Wolf S.]

Re: headlight door open height

goog news.
i was able with a little persuasion to remove the bezel. the removal of the headlight washer nozzle helped too!
now i have free access to all the elements of the headlight assembly.
just have to clean everything and put everything together again.
i also took the opportunity to check the part # of the support. it is 3915681. that's the # for the original 70 support. so i really don't need the square spacers.