Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

[Scott M.]

Just wondering if anyone has some good tips on the best way to fit the headlights to a new clip? Is it best to mount them on the shafts or maybe just use tape to periocically check the gaps while sanding and filling?

Thanks

[Russ S.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

You can carefully hold them in place to make major adjustments but then as you get closer to properly fitting you will need to install them and go from there. It may become neccesary to install and reinstall a number of times. It's a pain but needs to be done that way if you want a good fit.

[Jeff B.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

Once you get them close holding them in place, put the shafts on them and mount them so they swing freely. There are a lot of parts to the complete bucket assembly but remember when fitting them you just need a few parts: The buckets, the shafts, the pivot balls and the cups. Make sure the screws that hold the shafts to the housing fit very flush or they will drag when they rotate. The next decision is whether you paint the car with them installed like GM did or paint them out so you can over restore them! If you paint them out and install them later, you need 4 hands and a lot of masking tape during the install so nothing gets scratched.

[Russ S.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

When GM painted them installed, does any one know whether or not the motors were in place in which case they wouldn't be able to rotate them for better paint coverage or whether the motors were not installed and if not installed, did GM rotate for better coverage?

[Jeff B.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

Russ,
I had that very conversation one evening in Colorado having coffee with an NCRS judge buddy of mine. After some research we found a picture of a 63 in a Nolan Adams book where the headlights appeared to be hanging free in the paint booth. Or at least they were in the position that they would be hanging freely with no motor. They could have been positioned that way using the motor but there would have been no battery in the car at that point in production so rotating them to that position spinning the motors manually would not be time efficient. No telling if they rotated them for better coverage sometimes, all the time, or never. But I think it would make sense that they did. Here is a picture of mine, which were painted before installation. I dont think I could argue that I "rotated" them for coverage

[Wayne W.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

When GM painted them installed, does any one know whether or not the motors were in place in which case they wouldn't be able to rotate them for better paint coverage or whether the motors were not installed and if not installed, did GM rotate for better coverage?

No motors and no Y-stop. And you can bet, pretty much no fitting when done. They were not perfect boys. And most off set to the outside, which allowed room for the inside pivot rotate freely. The pivot was mounted on the outside of the bucket and needed the extra room.

[Scott M.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

Thanks for the tips guys. I spent the day sanding and filling and I came pretty close to getting them done. Is it normal for the bottom, inward portion of the headlight bucket to stick out past the surround 1/8" or do I need to add some filler across the lower front?

[Russ S.]

Re: Anone have tips on fitting headlights to new surround

Scott, On my unhit 66 my head lights do not stick out. My body dosn't have paint yet so there is no filler either.