65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

**Mike G.** · June 10, 2008, 07:26 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Bill: On my 65, the backshells are stamped "1" or "2" on the top tab. I notice that the T3's are also marked "1" and "2", low and high beam respectively. No other markings that I could see.

**Joe L.** · June 10, 2008, 08:48 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Originally posted by William Holder (31950)

Hello everyone,
My 65 coupe is home from the bodyshop and I am getting ready to install the headlights. I need some info frome someone with an original 65 that can tell me what the metal cans are supposed to look like that the headlights actually mount in. I have a big box full but cannot seem to find a set that will work. Acording to the aim there are just two part numbers. High beam and low beam. These will work on either the left or right bucket. I have some that are zinc or cad plated and some that are black painted. Some are marked L1, L2, R1, R2 and some are A, B, C, D. Some have 3 screw holes to mount the stainless steel bezel and some have only 2. Some have round cutouts in the back and some have square.
I supect that the L1, L2, L3, L4 that are zinc plated are close, They have round holes in the back and two mounting screws.
The problem is that when you put the L1 and the L2 together they hold a high beam and low beam but they won't fit in the bucket because the mtg tabs on one of them is facing the wrong way and the hole for the spring is on the wrong side ! I don't know if I have not found all of the buckets to fit my car or what. I looked at the aim for a 68 and it looks like that L1 series would work on it as there are 4 different part numbers for that model. UGH! any help would be greatly appreciated as I am trying to get my car back on the road again after about 20 years of sitting.
Thanks in advance ,
Bill

Bill-----

These headlamp RING (that's what the cup-shaped part is actually referred to) problems can be a nightmare. I used to think it was very straightforward with 4 different rings specific to each of the 4 headlight positions. That IS how it is for C3 Corvettes. However, earlier may be different.

I don't have a complete answer for you and my comments are not based on observation of original 1965 headlight configuration.

1) I believe the rings marked with L- or R- are the series that's correct for your application; the A, B, C, D came later but will SERVICE your application. There's a possible exception as described below;

2) These rings were both painted and galvanized (pre-punch galvanize). I don't know which is "correct" for a 1965, assuming that only one type was used for 1965. Actually, I think that either may have been used, but one type may predominate;

3) I believe that all rings of the 1958 to, at least, 1969 had the ROUND holes in the rear with certain possible exceptions as described below;

4) From what I can tell, 1964-67 Corvette did use only 2 different configuration rings rather than the 4 used for 1958-63 and again for 1968-82. This seems "weird" to me, but that's how it looks;

5) The original INNER rings for your application were GM #5955498. I believe these rings were marked "R-1". Later equivalent PRODUCTION and SERVICE rings were marked "B". You might carefully compare the rings you have that are marked "R-1" and "B" to see if their CONFIGURATIONS are the same;

6) The original OUTER rings for your application were GM #5955500. I believe these rings are marked "A". Curiously, all that I have seen of these have the "squarish" hole in the rear. If so, 64-67 may have used a mixture of round and squarish hole rings. It is also POSSIBLE that ring GM #5948827 was used for your application. If so, it would have been marked "L-2" and have a round hole in the rear;

7) You could try the "R-1" or "B" rings in your inner positions and see if they work for you. Then, try the rings marked "A" (or "L-2") in the outer position and see if it works for you.

DEFINITELY let us know how it works out. Putting together this response has taken a HUGE amount of research and time and it's left my head spinning. However, I think I now understand why the change was made from the L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4 to the A, B, C, D. designators. I always wondered about that.

**William H.** · June 10, 2008, 10:16 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Hello Mike
I found two shells marked with a 2 so I need to find some marked with a 1 I think.
One Question though I have one 2 with a square hole in back and one with a round hole. Do the backs of yours have square or round holes? And 2 or 3 mounting screws for the ss bezels?
Thanks again,
Bill

**William H.** · June 10, 2008, 10:33 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Hello Joe please see my response to Mike above.
Also I found that R1 and L2 will make a pair A and B will also make a pair
A goes with lamp 2 and B goes with Lamp 1. R1 goes with lamp1 and R 2 goes with lamp 2. so you could mix and match A and R1 or B and L2 etc.
Also all of the ones marked ABCD have a Square hole and are painted Black. All of the ones marked L1, L2 etc have round holes and are Plated.
I have two with just a 2 stamped on them, one with square hole and one
with Round hole. Both of those are plated.
SO I think maybe 63 -65 has just 1 and 2 stamped on them.
Maybe 66 or 67 got the square hole. Or maybe round and Square holes depended on the part vendor? Or maybee one is production and one is service.
Who knows for sure.
It also seems to me that L1, L2, R1, R2 and A, B, C, D did not come along until 1968 when there are 4 different parts. THat is because if you look at the headlight mounting on 68 one bucket has the tabs for the adjusting screws on the right and one has the screws on the left and both springs are in the lower middle. IF you look at the 65 all the adjusting tabs are on the right on all 4 and the springs are on the lower left on all 4. They must have had to change it on 68 because one headlight is slightly closer to the frt of the car.
I hope I have cleared it up some and not made it worse!
Thanks for your help
Bill

**Mike G.** · June 10, 2008, 11:02 PM

More Info

Bill: all four of my backshells have round holes, and are plated with a goldish irridite color. The SS trim rings are all the same: 3 tabs -- 3 o'clock, 8 o'clock and a bit shy of 12 o'clock. At the 8 o'clock position, the trim ring is slotted to accept the hold-down spring. Adjustment screws are at the remaining 2 positions. I'm fairly certain that these items can be found on same-year full size Chevys if you come up short.

**Joe L.** · June 10, 2008, 11:17 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Originally posted by William Holder (31950)

Hello Joe please see my response to Mike above.
Also I found that R1 and L2 will make a pair A and B will also make a pair
A goes with lamp 2 and B goes with Lamp 1. R1 goes with lamp1 and R 2 goes with lamp 2. so you could mix and match A and R1 or B and L2 etc.
Also all of the ones marked ABCD have a Square hole and are painted Black. All of the ones marked L1, L2 etc have round holes and are Plated.
I have two with just a 2 stamped on them, one with square hole and one
with Round hole. Both of those are plated.
SO I think maybe 63 -65 has just 1 and 2 stamped on them.
Maybe 66 or 67 got the square hole. Or maybe round and Square holes depended on the part vendor? Or maybee one is production and one is service.
Who knows for sure.
It also seems to me that L1, L2, R1, R2 and A, B, C, D did not come along until 1968 when there are 4 different parts. THat is because if you look at the headlight mounting on 68 one bucket has the tabs for the adjusting screws on the right and one has the screws on the left and both springs are in the lower middle. IF you look at the 65 all the adjusting tabs are on the right on all 4 and the springs are on the lower left on all 4. They must have had to change it on 68 because one headlight is slightly closer to the frt of the car.
I hope I have cleared it up some and not made it worse!
Thanks for your help
Bill

Bill-----

The L-1, L-2, R-1, and R-2 designators were used from 1958 through, at least, 1963. I believe they were used well after that, too, possibly to about 1967 or 68. The A, B, C, and D designators came along sometime in the 1965-68 period. As I mentioned previously, 1958-63 used 4 different rings with a specific one for each of the 4 headlamp positions. 1968-82 also used four different rings, just like 58-63. It's only the 64-67 that, apparently, used only 2 different rings.

**William H.** · June 12, 2008, 11:40 AM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Hello Joe,
Spent a couple of hours at a local Junk yard yesterday and looked at many GM cars 62-69 and saw some surprising things.
I found no buckets with just the 1 and 2 designation. I saw a few cars with a mixture of painted and plated buckets. I saw cars with the ABCD stamps that were older (62-5) that were plated and not painted. I saw mixtures of square holes and round holes in the back on the same car.
So after that experience I am beliving that the different configurations are from different vendors. I still don't understand why the 65 would use the 1 and 2 stamps like on Mikes car. Unless there again he just happened to have a different vendor.
Can anyone else out there with an original 65 verify that their buckets are stamped 1 and 2 ? I would just like to know so I can either keep looking or give up and use a combination of what I have on hand.
Thanks in advance,
Bill

**Jim S.** · June 12, 2008, 12:05 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Bill,

My 66 has the 1 and 2 cups as well. The ones are clearly stamped. the twos are fuzzy at best. Round hole in back.

Good luck,

Jim

**William H.** · June 12, 2008, 01:30 PM

Re: 65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

Thanks For the reply Jim I will keep looking for some stamped 1
Thanks again,
Bill

65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

65 Coupe Headlight Mounting Buckets

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