How to Restore 1963-1967 Corvette Headlight Motors. Rebuild them in an afternoon for under $100.

Welcome to my YouTube channel. This channel is the home for all your vintage Mid-Year Corvette content. In today's episode I am repairing the headlight motors in my friends 63 split window. I recommend this rebuild procedure for any C2. This is a fairly easy job to do and it could help protect your motors from harm. The old grease becomes a paste and overtime that increases the strain and wear on the motors. Replacing the grease and replacing the main drive gear, as needed, will ensure your motors will live a long life. This will also prevent you from having to manually open the lights if they don't both open. I hope you enjoy the video!

I just finished restoring a 1963 Corvette Split Window and I am starting another split window build but this time its a race car build. I will be making videos every Friday. I will be making videos on my 1963 Corvette Split Window, my dad's 1965 Corvette, my race car split window build, my friends 1960 Corvette, and other projects that I find along the way. Let me know what you think about the video. Enjoy!!

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Check out my Instagram for some behind the scenes pics of my builds.

Sit back and enjoy the show!

#IGotALotOfWorkToDo
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[flyboy]

Man, I could watch you drive that thing all day that interior is so gorgeous!

[OutontheRanchwithDrLee-xblo]

Gee, I know a little C2 that needs this treatment....But it'll have to wait as there's a C3 getting new vacuum headlight actuators and hoses at the moment.... Great video, Mitch! Thanks for the tutorial, I'll refer back to it when it's time!

[tchiz]

good video on the headlight motors. Going to give it a try. I'll be in touch.

[micsierra]

Thanks for taking the time to document your work. Incredibly helpful.

[MrTexasDan]

Hey there Mitch,
Neat, I've never seen that before. Looks pretty straightforward. I looked at a friend's 66 and his headlights were stuck open. Maybe I could take care of that now.
Pleasant drive at the end there.
Take care,
Dan

[manuelserrano]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Mitch, you take the mystery out of tackling these intimidating projects by those who aren’t mechanically inclined but would like to take pride in fixing and familiarizing themselves with their own cars. I’d like to ask you two things if you don’t mind. One what type of grease did you use and two can you gain access to the headlight motors from beneath the car? Thanks again for another informative video.

[dalescribner]

I have to do this on my 64, good tutorial. Wish you were my neighbor.🙂

[angelquintana]

Mitch
I ve been watching your videos for some time but I wish you would not fast forward unless it's something like loosening or tightening a bolt. I was watching your video on headlamp motors hoping to see how the plastic and two steel washers go in, but you fast Forwarded to the point I could not make it out.
Thanks Angel Quintana

[carnutbillyoutube]

C2 CORVETTE HEADLIGHT MOTOR REMOVAL

USE A 38" STICK TO HOLD HOOD UP AS HIGH AS IT CAN GO

USE 6" MIRROR TO LOOK AT MOTOR

REMOVE CLIP WITH A HOOK TOOL

REMOVE GROUND WIRE WITH 5/16 SOCKET

LOOSEN BAR HOLDING MOTOR & SWING OUT OF THE WAY

REMOVE POWER WIRE

WRAP MOTOR IN A RAG TO PREVENT SCRATCHES &
REMOVE NEAR CORNER OF HOOD

[xke]

Great video, gave me the courage to try it on my 67. What I found from a shop manual was to raise the hood as far as it could go and add a bolt in the hole of the controlling bracket to keep it there. I also found out that it was easier for me to disconnect the electric after the motor was off the light box but still under the body. When that was done I brought the motor to the outside corner area of the hood and by carefully rotated it pass the body and hood. I put protection tape on the hood and body edges.
What I need to know is where to buy the gear you mentioned, mine are both cupped not badly but they should be replaced. I checked
my catalogs but couldn't find it.

Thanks

[tullahomaC]

Great video, what was the catalog or book you have in this video. It looks like it has great diagrams of various parts.

[jpippy]

Two questions...#1-What grease do you recommend for the motors? #2-Did you do something to the aluminum front of the glovebox? It looks like it has a high gloss coating. Thank you!

[jimrains]

Very nice. I did the buckets and motors about a year ago, nothing to be afraid of it just takes a little time and patience. I took my grill out and removed the hood for better maneuverability. It was a good time. Do you have any "How to work with fiberglass 101"?

[unityparty]

Quick question. I work for a restoration shop and a customer would like us to attempt this instead of just replacing all the parts to keep the cost down. How long did this all take? Removing both motors, cleaning them, and installing them.

We also know there’s bad wiring there. We can see bad connectors and loose wires. So we will most likely need to remove hood and grille.

[rudyyarbrough]

I'm not knocking his video but if you haven't tried to replace/service one of these motors then you will not understand how difficult it is with just the hood opening. You can barely see the motor when you look into the gap and then there is the ground wire and the bolt to undo. It has to be done blind unless you take the hood off. I took out the grill and had the hood straight up with a brace and was using a mirror and it was still very tough. The task itself is not very difficult but the position and the fact that you are blind make it tough. Once out it is easy to clean and regrease. You can also turn the big gear 180 degrees and re-install it because only half of it is used to open and close the headlights. If you mark the case with the position of the keyway on the light rotating shaft it will make re-installing the motor easier.

[arthurturner]

One Hell of alot easier to remove the Hood fist..especially hooking up the 4 detent wires..

[ethanboulger]

What manual is that? Currently restoring a 67. That book looks perfect for what we need.

[woog]

I'm getting ready to do this to my 65. Thank you for the video. Can you take the motors out from underneath?

[rockstahla]

I have a 65 Vette in original condition nothing happens when I hit the switch what would you do first

[dalescribner]

That concave headlight gear. You still got it? I want to see it, I think they are supposed to be concave as most work drive driven gears are concave.