Custom headlights project

After two things happened, in '98 hitting a damn Florida small deer, and then a Verizon truck backing into the shark while parked.....the front end lost the heavy metal lights, and even the Eckler's sugar scoops in stock form....so repaired the scoop on driver side, and decided to close up the large holes, by about 50% and use later Camaro bulbs on my own mounts...all junkyard searches for parts/mounts, and PVS 1x2 out of Home Despot, held in place with stainless screws and GOOP glue....

see sites below for pix.....
 
Electrically, what is required to hook up these lights? Do they need ballasts or exciters? What connectors are used? I can't find much when I Google these lights.
 
patdown said:
Electrically, what is required to hook up these lights? Do they need ballasts or exciters? What connectors are used? I can't find much when I Google these lights.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the motley crew.....

Sorry I have no info for your question, but one of the smart guys be along soon....:shocking:
 
Was wandering a local junkyard this morning (50% off Labor Day weekend sale), but didn't find anything I needed at the moment (still looking for an aluminum p/s pump though). I did see a late 90's Camaro and a 90's Pontiac with the darn small rectangular headlamps. I'm still kicking around trying to put some small headlamps in the front of the '69 (non-flipup), but with an easily removable body-colored aluminum cover to retain the stock look. Re-reading this thread, I had forgotten that the stock headlamp covers apparently have some curvature to them (if I read things correctly).
 
U correct Mike, they do have curves to them both R&L and Fore/Aft......

not MUCH just enough to screw up something simple....:surrender:


That and the huge expense to replace mine back in '98 at the deer accident, the the Verizon truck backing his hitch into the left bumper.....that is when the car went from burgundy to green, just no saving a ~25 y/o paint job.....

Very strange, my first marriage in '72, vette built in '72 and so was my house.....

:surrender::eek:
 
69427 said:
Was wandering a local junkyard this morning (50% off Labor Day weekend sale), but didn't find anything I needed at the moment (still looking for an aluminum p/s pump though). I did see a late 90's Camaro and a 90's Pontiac with the darn small rectangular headlamps. I'm still kicking around trying to put some small headlamps in the front of the '69 (non-flipup), but with an easily removable body-colored aluminum cover to retain the stock look. Re-reading this thread, I had forgotten that the stock headlamp covers apparently have some curvature to them (if I read things correctly).
Click to expand...

The covers are curved front to back but basically flat from side to side. I think making them out of .100 aluminum would be pretty easy. Or find some cheap ones and cut the "lid" off.
 
BBShark said:
69427 said:
Was wandering a local junkyard this morning (50% off Labor Day weekend sale), but didn't find anything I needed at the moment (still looking for an aluminum p/s pump though). I did see a late 90's Camaro and a 90's Pontiac with the darn small rectangular headlamps. I'm still kicking around trying to put some small headlamps in the front of the '69 (non-flipup), but with an easily removable body-colored aluminum cover to retain the stock look. Re-reading this thread, I had forgotten that the stock headlamp covers apparently have some curvature to them (if I read things correctly).
Click to expand...

The covers are curved front to back but basically flat from side to side. I think making them out of .100 aluminum would be pretty easy. Or find some cheap ones and cut the "lid" off.
Click to expand...

That got me curious. What material are the headlight buckets/covers made of? Are they aluminum, or pot metal, or ??? The reason being is that I would probably need to weld some tabs/fingers to the bottom of the lids to hold and locate them when I wasn't using the headlights.
 
69427 said:
BBShark said:
69427 said:
Was wandering a local junkyard this morning (50% off Labor Day weekend sale), but didn't find anything I needed at the moment (still looking for an aluminum p/s pump though). I did see a late 90's Camaro and a 90's Pontiac with the darn small rectangular headlamps. I'm still kicking around trying to put some small headlamps in the front of the '69 (non-flipup), but with an easily removable body-colored aluminum cover to retain the stock look. Re-reading this thread, I had forgotten that the stock headlamp covers apparently have some curvature to them (if I read things correctly).
Click to expand...

The covers are curved front to back but basically flat from side to side. I think making them out of .100 aluminum would be pretty easy. Or find some cheap ones and cut the "lid" off.
Click to expand...

That got me curious. What material are the headlight buckets/covers made of? Are they aluminum, or pot metal, or ??? The reason being is that I would probably need to weld some tabs/fingers to the bottom of the lids to hold and locate them when I wasn't using the headlights.
Click to expand...

They are aluminum however it is what is called "dirty" aluminum. That will have a higher zinc content than aluminum alloys. You could certainly bond an aluminum frame to the bottom of the lid.
 
All I know is that my buddy the pro welder on power plants had no issue welding the right side bracket to the smashed lights, not that I ever used it, tried, but no go, wanted to put in lo profile lights and remount the doors to a more forward couple of tabs on each side of the doors, and adapt in a single actuating rod....and one motor/actuator.....then the rear edge of the doors would sink down and the front pop up about 4" instead of 12" or so, and look more sleek in the process......

wanted car on road, so after a week or so of screwing around, gave it up.... and went fixed sugar scoops.....

:surrender:
 
BBShark said:
69427 said:
BBShark said:
69427 said:
Was wandering a local junkyard this morning (50% off Labor Day weekend sale), but didn't find anything I needed at the moment (still looking for an aluminum p/s pump though). I did see a late 90's Camaro and a 90's Pontiac with the darn small rectangular headlamps. I'm still kicking around trying to put some small headlamps in the front of the '69 (non-flipup), but with an easily removable body-colored aluminum cover to retain the stock look. Re-reading this thread, I had forgotten that the stock headlamp covers apparently have some curvature to them (if I read things correctly).
Click to expand...

The covers are curved front to back but basically flat from side to side. I think making them out of .100 aluminum would be pretty easy. Or find some cheap ones and cut the "lid" off.
Click to expand...

That got me curious. What material are the headlight buckets/covers made of? Are they aluminum, or pot metal, or ??? The reason being is that I would probably need to weld some tabs/fingers to the bottom of the lids to hold and locate them when I wasn't using the headlights.
Click to expand...

They are aluminum however it is what is called "dirty" aluminum. That will have a higher zinc content than aluminum alloys. You could certainly bond an aluminum frame to the bottom of the lid.
Click to expand...


I have repaired and welded a couple of these and indeed they are not the cleanest castings but it's doable. As for thye curvature, they are compound curved sp not just in 1 directioin. The curvature is more diagonal to the lid than straight
 
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