Electric Headlight Conversion Poll

[69MyWay]

What would you guys think of a comprehensive set of plans, pictures, part numbers, instructions, and tech support to do your own electric headlight conversion on your C3?

Would this be worth $25 along with a specific registration number so that I can keep track of who/when/where purchased the plans for the benefit of providing tech support (phone/email) to only those that actually purchased the plans?

You can save a considerable amount of money if you gather the parts and build the brackets yourself.

Thoughts?

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Excellent idea Chris. Make sure you protect the plans in some fashion with a copyright or whatever the term might be.

You should also offer the other option for those of us that are mechanically impaired.

I don't think that $25 is enough.

Bob

 

[Thumper]

It would be well worth the $$. If you decide to go ahead with this, you can count me in.

 

[Michel73]

Chris,
Sounds like a good plan to me. I would be interested.

 

[wichitacorvette]

sounds like a plan to me, but how much do all the parts cost? and for a novice in the "headlight conversion business" how long do you think it would take?

Id say go for it. can i be registration number 00001?

 

[gameshowbob]

Sign me up!

 

[74mike]

im good for a set.
thanks for the offer 69myway

 

[69MyWay]

I want you guys to look very close at this picture.

Do you think with the correct build info provided in my instruction kit that you could duplicate this part?

The metal could really be anything from mild thick steel to aluminum. The hardware stores usually sell aluminum sheets like this. You need a vice and hammer to bend it into the correct 90 degree angle, and you will need a good drill, hole cutting tip, and or a good dremel.

If you can make this, the rest is gravy.

 

[Mr.Cool]

Hmmm.
What to I have in my box of stuff to make that 2" hole in aluminum. Count me in.

 

[radar1970]

Yeah, i would be interested. I am just about to find all the vaccuum parts to put lights back in my 70. they were fiberglassed over before i bought it and i have to put them back somehow. Electric would solve some of my problems. I got a millwright friend who could make that in his sleep.

 

[brew]

That would be great let me know when you are ready. Where do I get the plans At????? If that is is the hard part It should not take to long to finish. Those could be made very easley. I would like to try it .. Let me know when.

 

[matchframe]

I would very interested! I just disassembled my lights and vaccum system to do a frame-off and dread trying reassemble all those vaccum components. Count me in. The angle piece should not be all that difficult. Let me know when you are ready to sell the plans! By the way, congrats on Killer being in Vette magazine!

Bill

 

[Tom Bryant]

Looks like a good plan Chris. I also think you should find somone local to mass produce those custom brackets cheaply and sell the complete kit too as an option. Start your own company called Killer Components.

Tom

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Lemme Chime in with Tom

Guy I just bought the DIN bracket and template and instructions radio conversion kit from Vette Specialties (I think) out of Colorado for (I think) $70 - advertised right in the back of the same issue as your "Killer" article.

This package included one formed sheet metal piece simpler than that bracket and some simpler instructions and templates. The piece was nicely finished. I think this was a decent price and am looking forward to putting it in to have a normal radio, assuming my heap keeps running long enough to do more to the sound system....

If you had a pile of those brackets made from some local shop or got fast enough at doing them yourself, you'd probably get the per unit cost down to $2-5. This conversion is rugged and straightforward, but not as simple as that DIN radio upgrade.

You should price it around $100-125, I would think. Don't cut yourself out of this. If you're not interested in that much overhead, maybe you should contact the smaller specialty houses like you mentioned in an earlier thread on this topic to see what they would consider - but get the idea secured to yourself first. (A lot of people cruise this 'site, you know.)

I will buy it at any of those, and would have no problem making the bracket for myself (I'd probably use steel so I can cut it with a torch in 2 shakes...)

The only reason I didn't respond to that other thread about having it done is can't be without my car for even. one. day. I. can't. take. it.

A DIY kit is a whole other deal though. I've been playing with running a solenoid to isolate the vacuum system to the headlights when not turning them on and off to protect the engine's vacuum source - either than or running a crank driven vacuum pump. Making these things electric solves this problem entirely.

By the way, just how much stress is on that bracket? Isn't it about 3" wide by 4" long at the biggest on each "wing"? Would one made out of nylon or teflon roughly 1/4" in thickness be rigid or strong enough do you think?

P.S. I was the guy who first voted "No. Come up with a better plan for us." This is TOO CHEAP!!!!

 

[jim coulter]

Count me in Chris. We had some aluminum angle iron on the job at one time that was 1" x 4". So you can probably buy it already formed and just cut it off to length, drill bit and 2"hole saw(or whatever the hole size is) and your done. Sounds great, let us know more when your ready. Thanks

 

[69MyWay]

What I am hearing is good news then. As I mentioned before, I am not prepared to make this a full time job of any sort. If it gets to where it is taking up too much of my spare time, I will just as rather drop it all together.

I have made a couple of complete sets, and will be making complete sets for certain people on a limited basis. That way I can just have fun with it, and do this as a hobby. Each time I build one I come up with better ways of doing things. I would hope any of you doing this with me would provide tons of feedback so as we go we make everything better.

If I were to at least supply the main brackets, plus all of the instructions and part numbers, then I would have to step up to about $50-$75 or more ($125) for the kit. I can build those brackets in my garage in about an hour each. They are not extreme precision pieces, and really don't have to be. In fact, you need a little bit of slop for final fit and adjustment. That large round hole is crucial for fitment of the motor. I do it with a basic hole cutting saw and plenty of oil.

Yes, you could make them out of plastic because the supporting bolts and tube as well as the electric motor provide much of the strength for the torque. You would have to play with that a bit to get the right thickness and overall final strength.

People can be jerks, and no doubt as soon as the entire detailed package is released somebody will be rushing to a scanner or copier to put it up on the net, or mail to their buddies. However, at $25 a copy, plus an exclusive registration number for a limited number of direct tech support contacts....it does not really pay to waste your time burning/scanning/sending copies of this to all your pals. This is vs. $100 for the same info that would give people an incentive to make boot leg copies. Am I nuts, or is that sound thinking? Of course, I would initially only adverstise here, and maybe eventually in the back of the Vette mags if it appeared to be worth the trouble.


I must get 15 emails from complete strangers a week wanting to know more about this conversion. This would provide an avenue for me to simply say....give my your mailing address and $25 and you will know what I know in about a week.

 

[69MyWay]

Wayne.....BTW, when you voted "no" before, that was before even I knew that the conversion could be done 100% ON THE CAR without so much as removing the hood (providing you have a 90 degree drill).

 

[wichitacorvette]

Hey chris, for an electric conversion, i think the mass public would be willing to pay alot.... i know ive even gotten ticketSS because of a headlight that wouldnt seem to come up becuase vac. lights suck. anyway, if you provide the bracket, any amount would seem to be worth it. but the other major part is the other parts..... what do you think those parts would cost?

 

[69MyWay]

The other parts would run between $350 and $550 depending on how far/deep you are willing to look and save. I will provide the name/phone, contact to get the actuators new, but you could luck up and find those used--even some rebuilt ones from my contact, then the other parts could also be found used. It is quite possible to come up with all used parts and keep the price tag under $150 less raw materials and time. Worse case though is going to hit you around $550.

The motors are about $150 each (as low as $125), the module is $110 or so new, the new headlight switch is about $35, the pig tails for the harness can be obtained used, spliced with crimps/posi locks, or purchased new for another $50. The actuator arms will depend on your negotiating power with the bone yards.

You may spend another $50 in raw materials--aluminum, bolts, washers, spacer tubes, drill bit, tap, hole cutting saw tip.

This is still less than buying the entire vacuum system new-and having to fuss with the hoses, then deal with low vacuum pressure on high output motors.

Electric lights......because vacuum SUCKS.

 

[skeetimer]

I would be interested in plans like that. So you are saying to build them from your plans it would be around $500? How much is it to buy a premade kit from a corvette parts supplier?