How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
#1
How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
I’m having a hell of a time adjusting the headlight assemblies in my ‘84 TA to align with the fenders / bumper. I don’t have the hood on yet, but both fenders and front bumper have been installed. I messed with the headlight assemblies for a couple days to line up the covers with the top of the fender. Then I installed the headlight and the bucket trim. Now when the headlight is closed the front of the bucket sits on the bumper and makes the front of the cover higher than the fender. Are the headlight bucket and front turn signal supposed to be installed so they overlap the bumper a little?? I have my front turn signal aligned with the bumper. Below are some pictures. We took the headlight assemblies apart to clean, paint and restore them and now I just can’t seem to get all these parts properly aligned. UGH!!
#2
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Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
Is that the original bumper cover or an aftermarket?
It almost looks like the bumper cover needs to be pulled down where the headlight bucket is. Can it be moved down? Was it just tightened down on the bumper support bracket? (7mm screws) sometimes it all needs to be loose so it can be moved around when it's all together.
It almost looks like the bumper cover needs to be pulled down where the headlight bucket is. Can it be moved down? Was it just tightened down on the bumper support bracket? (7mm screws) sometimes it all needs to be loose so it can be moved around when it's all together.
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Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
Engine: 350/vortec/fitech
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
yeah that headlight trim should not be sitting on the top edge of the bumper
if you took them apart to clean you're already aware of all of the adjustments that can be made to align them
unfortunately many of them are not accessible with the bumper cover and other trim pieces installed. I recently did my re-install and initial alignment with the fenders/hood on and bumper off. then I aligned the bumper cover to the rest. still took some iterative work to get it 'acceptable'
if you took them apart to clean you're already aware of all of the adjustments that can be made to align them
unfortunately many of them are not accessible with the bumper cover and other trim pieces installed. I recently did my re-install and initial alignment with the fenders/hood on and bumper off. then I aligned the bumper cover to the rest. still took some iterative work to get it 'acceptable'
#4
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
The bumper is the original one from the factory. There’s so many adjustment points on these things it’s insane. I thought I was smart aligning these to the fender before installing the bumper but it’s obviously off.
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Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
Engine: 350/vortec/fitech
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
could the lid be installed onto the assembly wrong? two of the j-nuts attached to the lid, two to the assembly. which was not intuitive.
I remember wasting time trying to re-figure that one out. and re-doing it.
I remember wasting time trying to re-figure that one out. and re-doing it.
#7
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
Well I messed with the DS all day yesterday and finally got it lined up pretty good.
PS is another story. I just can’t seem to get that side aligned properly. The headlight bucket overlaps the bumper by like 1/4” and the cover isn’t 100% aligned with the top of the fender - it’s slightly higher in the front.
This is super frustrating. I wish I never disassembled these things!!
PS is another story. I just can’t seem to get that side aligned properly. The headlight bucket overlaps the bumper by like 1/4” and the cover isn’t 100% aligned with the top of the fender - it’s slightly higher in the front.
This is super frustrating. I wish I never disassembled these things!!
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#8
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Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: How to: Firebird headlight to body alignment questions??
All my cars have the lower lip sitting on the edge of the bumper cover, park lights too
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