1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

[Pat F.]

There has been much discussion on this board about these headlamps. Be they plastic or glass, Wagner or Sylvania type.

There are guild lines in the respective Judging Manuals as to what is perceived to be correct.

The purpose of this survey is to solicit members to take a few minutes and look at their headlamps on their C4's, yes pull back the covers, its snowing here again also. Take a minute to help us out to fully determine the cutoff date of the switch from glass to plastic. The change date has been generally stated in the Judging Manual , but not fully documented to be between 1990 and 1991 from glass to plastic.

The reason given to me by others for the change over is that the weight of the glass bulb was causing the gears in the headlamp motor to fail.

That is not the issue here, but if anyone wants to chime in about the reason for the change over, please do.

I will take information from all the years from 1990 until 1996. What I request is the model year, ZR1 or other, build date, type-glass or plastic and manufacturer.


You can also email me at fulassoc@comcast.net

[Kurt G.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

1994, VIN5114942, glass, Wagner

[Ed N.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

1995 Plastic Wagner headlights.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

1992 built in November, 1991 was originally equipped with Guide sealed beams (glass).

[Pat F.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Joe, thanks for the response, who was the manufacturer?

[Pat F.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Folks, thanks for the information so far.

When I get enough information I will post the results,

Again, thanks for your time, snow has stopped, now rain.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Joe, thanks for the response, who was the manufacturer?

Pat------


Guide was the manufacturer.

[John M.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Pat - 1992 LT1 built in June, Slyvania Plastic

[Phil W.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Pat, 1996 LT1 #1867 build date 8/7/95 has Plastic Wagner Halogen Sealed Beam 2B1

[Bill M.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Feb. '92 assembled LT1 headlights are glass. (Not sure of manufacturer, car is in long-term winter storage.)

[Pat M.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

1996, build 6/96, Wagner Halogen plastic.

[Pat F.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Folks, thanks for your responses.

However, there has not been many so far and not real definitive pattern has been set.

Just that there was the change from glass to plastic, but as you can see from the above results, the change is all over the place.

Please more responses.

[Paul M.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Pat, My '96 is the same as Pat's.

[Paul M.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Sorry Pat F. The same as Pat Moresi's car

[Pat F.]

Re: 1990-1996 Glass/Plastic Corvette Headlamps

Just to throw some more fuel on the fire:

I reviewed all the Corvette Owner's Manuals for the years 1984 to 1996 for references to the Headlamps.
The following are the results:

1984 to 1992, the reference was H6054. The 1992 Owner's Manual was printed in 1991.

The 91 and 92 Owner's Manuals also had a second reference and it showed ZR1 HP6054 GM Part 16514537.

The 1990 Owner's Manual had no additional reference to the ZR1.

1993 to 1996 the reference was HP6054.

One contributor to one of my inquires pointed out that HP6054 was the reference to the Plastic Headlamp that replaced the Glass type.

In the Chevrolet Parts Manual there were three listings for the Headlamp from 1984 to 1989, 1990 and 1991 to 1996.
They all had the same reference number of H6054, no indication of HP6054.

I guess what this is showing is that the ZR1 had plastic headlamps for at least 1990 to 1995.
Some information is out there stating that some early 1990 ZR1's had Plastic and Glass, then after unit 2000 all Plastic in 1990. This could explain why no second reference to the ZR1 in the 1990 Owner's Manual that was printed in 1989 if they started out with Glass.

The glass headlamps were in for at least 1984 to the beginning of 1992.

Was the change over to all plastic sometime in the 1992 model run? Have one reference of a February 1992 build with Glass and a June 1992 with Plastic.

This is why we need information from the members.