C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

[Greg F.]

I need to purchase the headlight actuator link outer springs for my 71. Can I get these at any corvette vendor or should I get them from a specific place?

Thanks.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

I need to purchase the headlight actuator link outer springs for my 71. Can I get these at any corvette vendor or should I get them from a specific place?

Thanks.

Greg-----


Believe it or not, the springs are still available from GM. Very few other parts of the 68-82 headlight actuating system are available, but the springs are an exception. I'm not sure what you mean by "outer" springs, although I expect you mean the GM #3935516. The other springs, which I suppose could be described as "inner" are GM #3826434.

[Jeff W.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Greg, most of the vendors have them as well as kits with all of the peices. You have to be careful on some of the pieces though as the picture shows the difference between an original housing bearing plate and the repop. I cleaned up my originals and used them.
Jeff

[Richard R.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Jeff some years back there was a very good article on these headlight assemblies in the restorer. It addressed the pivot bushings and said you could press the new bushings out of the sheetmetal housings and install them in the cast aluminum housings. I have done this several times with great sucess.

[Joe R.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Greg,

Do yourself a favor! Purchase SS springs from Bair's at a much lower price than the GM replacement springs. Better price and last forever! Can you get a better deal than that? Original rusty-NO! Probably won't pass NCRS judging either!

JR

[Jeff W.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

I was torn on what to do SS or regular, but I siliconed them up and decided to go with regular. Hopefully I wont regret it

[Jeff W.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Since it seems so hard to dig up ols archives, do you know about when it was posted? I would love to use the new bearings but not sure if they are the right size to fit in the original housing

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Greg, most of the vendors have them as well as kits with all of the peices. You have to be careful on some of the pieces though as the picture shows the difference between an original housing bearing plate and the repop. I cleaned up my originals and used them.
Jeff

Jeff-----


The bearing assembly on the left rear is not necessarily a reproduction. It looks to me like a GM #362995 which is the bearing assembly used for 1975-82 Corvettes. It also became the SERVICE bearing assembly for 1968-74 Corvettes when the original GM #3915679 (the one you have pictured in the center front and right rear) was discontinued from SERVICE.

[Jeff W.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Joe, I am amazed at your recall. I liked the thick ones better and since the plastic part of the bushing was in good shape I just cleaned and lube them up and put them back on.

[Greg F.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Greg-----


Believe it or not, the springs are still available from GM. Very few other parts of the 68-82 headlight actuating system are available, but the springs are an exception. I'm not sure what you mean by "outer" springs, although I expect you mean the GM #3935516. The other springs, which I suppose could be described as "inner" are GM #3826434.

Thanks Joe. There are four springs on each headlight. I need new outer springs (at least that's what Paragon calls them). Can I go to any GM dealership and get these springs?

Thanks again.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 - 1971 - Headlight Actuator Springs

Thanks Joe. There are four springs on each headlight. I need new outer springs (at least that's what Paragon calls them). Can I go to any GM dealership and get these springs?

Thanks again.

Greg-----


Yes, you should be able to ORDER them from any GM dealership with the part numbers I provided. I doubt that many, if any, dealerships will stock these parts, though.