'63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

[Jason S.]

I had suspected that my '63 SWC had suffered some front end accident damage at some point in it's life.
Upon disassembly of the car, the damaged areas have been confirmed - the car was hit in the front/left corner at some point.

As part of this investigation, I am noticing that the car still has the original fiberglass-style headlamp bucket on the pass side, and the later '64-'67 die cast style bucket that was available as a service part on the driver's side.

2 questions come to mind:
1) I see fiberglass buckets are available; are there pros/cons to using either bucket style while repairs on the front end of the car are being "corrected"? In other words, is the die cast part better/worse for fit/finish? Is the die cast part stronger/better? I was assuming I'd return the car to it's original state with fiberglass buckets on BOTH sides.....but I'm curious.

2) When "shopping" through wire harness packages, the headlamp harness is supposed to be different for a fiberglass bucket car and a die cast bucket car. Can anyone explain what is different in the harnesses (I'd be interested to see what was done to my harness to run both style buckets on either side of the car).

Jason

[Stuart F.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason,

I hit a deer with my 63 back in 1992. The bucket itself was intact, but it had dropped down from it's mounting. The fender cracked at the middle of the wheel opening. It was repaired and saved and is ok to this day. The fiberglass bucket is tuff and mine still looks as good as new. Equal to or better than a die cast 64 replacement., FWIW..

Stu Fox

[Joe R.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason,

If you are restoring your 63 to stock you should first determine if you have the first design or second design headlight buckets. The first design are a fiberglass shell and filled in on the ends with bonding material. The second design is also a fiberglass shell but they are molded around the ends with slots for the pivot shafts. If you are going to replace the headlight bucket you need to know which 63 headlight buckets you have. I don't know when the second design began but certainly late in the production year.
Nobody reproduces the 63 headlight buckets complete so be careful if you are looking for them on web sites.

JR

[Edward J.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason, to add to what Joe posted, the earlier buckets have the mounting screws for the H/L bezel - 2 front upper and 2 lower, and the later have the 2 screws going through the upper sides of bezel and 2 lower. just determine which one by the pass side. As for the harness, about the only I can think of that maybe is a different size rubber grommet Dia. The JM should give you a lot of info on buckets, and even the really late cars with the metal buckets.

[Jason S.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Ed/Joe,
Based on your descriptions, it appears my pass side bucket is the "later" style. Refer to the attached pictures.
FWIW, this car was built Dec. 27 1962 and is vin 105802.
Jason

[Timothy B.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason,

From your pictures IMO, the one fiberglass bucket that you show has been modified to accept the top screws from the side. I bet if you remove the brackets the holes are there for the long top screws, the holes may be used for the home made brackets. It seems that the later style covers were used on both the new headlight door and the existing remaining fiberglass door.

IMO, you need the first design door on a Dec 62 car and from memory the headlight wiring harness for the 63 car is unique along with the metal retainer that houses the headlights. Someone will probably post a picture but it's in the AIM section 12 sheet A2.

On second look it appears the metal retainer housing the headlights is correct for a 63 so check if there is a plug where the wires exit the bucket on both sides, you may not need that may things to correct it.

[Loren L.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

If I recall correctly, the basic difference in the harness is in the connection piece to the bulb; it being a square (with rounded corners) piece of nylon/plastic.
I tend to agree with Tim about Jason's bucket being modified to accept the later bezel; looking at the picture, I wonder if the holes where the rivets are now would be the exact location for the long screws that mount from the front. Necessary because the bezel was damaged/lost?
I note that no reply has been received regarding the reproduction buckets being offered - how good/bad are they?
I also need two pair of the front mounting bezels for the 2 sets of fiberglass buckets that are resting on a pad on the trunk of the race car - I know they can be made from the later ones as described above, but ....

[Harry S.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

From an April 63 car.

[Carmen R.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

I'm trying to figure out your pictures. Are they all for the pass. side?

Picture #1 looks like the correct one for late model 63's - holes on the side.
Picture #3 looks correct for early model 63's - 2 holes on the bottom front and 2 on the top front.
Picture #4 - I can't figure out, it looks like it has 6 holes - is that possible?

FWIW - Your car should have the early bezels - 2 screws that enter from the bottom front and 2 that enter from the top front.

The transition vin# is 146000.

When you get a chance refer to the latest version of the TIMJG (sixth edition) page 63.

I realize that this doesn't answer your question regarding the wiring harness, but it looks like you'll have to figure out your headlight housings and bezels before you proceed with the wiring harness.

Just curious. Could the non hit pass side early bezel have been modified to match the later model hit driver's side bezel.

Those early bezels are hard to come by and nobody as far as I know reproduce the early ones - just the later ones.

Good luck with your investigation.

[Jason S.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Carmen,
I think you are absolutely correct.
It looks like the pass side configuration is:
Correct "early" bucket + "late" bezel + makeshift bracket to mate the early and late parts up.
The brackets would have been a makeshift equivalent to the "tabs" mentioned being added to the glass buckets at vin 14600, before pot metal buckets would have been phased in around vin 21000.

Loren,
Regarding the bucket reproductions - I was mistaken. I have found only repro SKINS.
the buckets themselves still appear to be junkyard/swap meet/ebay pieces.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason,

That's for sure a modified original 63 headlight bucket and the metal lamp assembly housing is a correct 63 part also. It's probably a good assumption that the wire harness is also correct for a 63 so the bezel is the only part needed for that side.

You should take a close look at the other side to see if the headlight wiring harness is correct for a 63 car so you know what to look for. My guess is that if you find a complete set (both sides) for sale it would be best to get everything, I don't think you will have any problem getting rid of the extra parts.

[Frank D.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

I would give David Sokolowski a call; he is in the Driveline with tons of ads. He often has hard-to-find parts.

Of course - then there are these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CORVETTE-C2-...VW-rQC&vxp=mtr

You guys made me check and my May '63 car has the correct side bezel top screws - which are a bit of a pain because if you don't tighten them enough or have a too large screw head you get a nice semi-circular scrape on the inside of the headlight bucket surround "hole"... as the bucket(s) turn.

[Loren L.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Frank, thanks for the link to the bezels. However, if that's an accurate evaluation, I might just as well start the "manufacturing" process as well as storing the buckets in a cash with two starving Dobermans.

[Carmen R.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Jason, I'll try not to get too far off track and I hope the moderators don't mind.

Could you please check the underside of the hood sides and see if it has provisions for the hood wedges. Your early car should have no hood wedges or provisions for the hood wedges. Are your sides smooth or does it have 2 filled in plugs on each side for the wedges? A picture would be great. If your car was hit hard and had the hood replaced, it may have been replaced with a later model donor car. Also look at your driver's side inner fender. If it has been replaced with a later C2 inner fender, it may have a flat area near the hood hinge area for the hood support, which as you know the 63's had the hood support on the pass side only.

As Frank Dreano says David Sokolowski is good source for these hard to find parts. He advertises heavily in the Driveline. In case he doesn't have what you need you might also try BoB Jorjarian(forgive my spelling) or Andy Cannizzo. They're both members and shouldn't be hard to get a hold of. Let me know if you need Andy's phone #. Bob. J is a regular on these forums and he might chime in. I'm sure there are others.

As Loren Lundberg was hinting at, be prepared to pay "E63 only prices"

[Jason S.]

Re: '63 Fiberglass Headlamp Buckets - vs Die Cast Replacements

Carmen,
No, the hood does not have the later wedges - it's smooth on both sides.
As you can see also - the underside of the hood was painted body color at some point in it's life when it was repainted (it was originally Daytona Blue, and not Riverside Red). I don't see any signs any wedge mounting holes were filled in, either.
There aren't any signs of any wedge supports in the hood surround, either - BUT - those areas are so "buggered" up that the "crime scene" has been violated.

Regarding the hood hinge support area - the support brackets on each side are the same, as shown.
I wasn't aware that area was different L-to-R.