63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

[Stuart F.]

Ever since I had the front of my 63 repaired after collecting a Deer at 35 mph, my LF headlight bucket has a tendency to not open up. I have disengaged the motor and the bucket rotates fine, so it seems more to be a problem with the motor. Each time it sticks, I reach in and loosen the little hand wheel which seems to have locked up. I read in a recent NCRS Restorer an article about similar conditions being the fault of the headlight positioning switch, that of burned or corroded contacts, and how to dress them for better contact. I followed their advice and that seemed to help for awhile, but I'm not sure if that was the problem. I reconditioned the motors a number of years back, putting in new rotors and gears and am certain what I did was right. What the body shop did is another matter.
Has anyone had similar problems, specially with a 63 with Fiberglass Buckets?

Stu

[Wayne W.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Typical of a bad gear or a rather weak motor. That is assuming your bucket test is accurate. That budket should turn very easily.

[Douglas L.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Hey Stu,

When you or the body shop put the headlight back together, were the original shafts used? It might be that the motor side shaft is tweaked a bit due to the deer and as it rotates, it puts enough pressure on the motor to cause the motor to bind. I had that problem on a car I bought, but not because of a deer.

Try taking the motor out and rotate the bucket while watching the shaft. If it's bent you'll see it.

Other things to check are the y stop and how it's positioned and the motor mounting brace.

If nothing noticable sticks out on the shafts, the y stop, or the motor brace, I would recheck the adjustment of the gears in the motor housing.

[Harry S.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Stu, the gear could have been damaged in the accident as Wayne indicated. Another place to look is at the top support that the motor is attached to. The is the steel part that is bonded to the cross piece that the front emblem is attached to. If this area of the body was bent, then there may be unnecessary stress on the motor when activated, this stress/torque may be binding the motor.

This is the problem I had, the cure was to put a washer between the mounting bracket and the car body to relieve the stress.

Harry

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Thanks for the suggestions fellows. I'm going take a look at it real soon before the weather gets too hot (FL).

Harry, the picture next to your name looks just like my Vette; Daytona Blue Conv. w/white top. Mine is painted with Lacquer from the doors back and Urethane on the front end. I still have a noticable deer hoof mark on the hood that you can make out if the light is just right. I hated that when it happened - it was a nice corn fed 6 point buck. He was being chased by two Doe during rutting season and ran out in front of me. State Farm and I paid a premium to get the car fixed right w/NOS pieces, but the Corvette shop in Illinois screwed us good. They also stole a number of my parts like the Master Cylinder, Fan Clutch, Starter Motor and Windshield Wiper Motor. I just recently replaced the M.C. w/ a correctly dated unit (16 years later). They wanted to take my Glove Box door, but probably thought it would be too obvious.

Stu

[Stephen L.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Sounds like a nice reputable Corvette repair shop that your work was done at.....

[Wayne W.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

Thanks for the suggestions fellows. I'm going take a look at it real soon before the weather gets too hot (FL).

I still have a noticable deer hoof mark on the hood that you can make out if the light is just right. I hated that when it happened - it was a nice corn fed 6 point buck. He was being chased by two Doe during rutting season and ran out in front of me.
Stu

Now thats funny. This only occures in the Human rutting season. With deer, the buck chases the does. They have not yet been invaded by womens lib. and all that political correctness stuff.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Sticky Headlight Bucket

I'd be happy to reveal the name of the Corvette shop as I have done for all these years. It's the only recourse I have left. They are the only place on Ogden avenue in Downers Grove that sells, services, and repairs Corvettes.

I was surprised too to see the Doe's chancing the Buck, but so help me that's what happened. He was a beauty too, like I said; six point, about 215 Ib, lean corn fed critter. The Cop asked me (after he put a slug in him) if I wanted to throw him over the hood and take him home as he said, "what the heck, you're car's already damaged"! I declined as I know enough about bruised Deer meat from being born and raised in Wisconsin.

Stu