Has anyone here ever tryed to put electric motors on the R/S headlights, to open them instead of the vacuum ones?

I would like to do this to my 69 Camaro.
My car is far from original, so keeping them original is not a big deal to me, and all the vacuum parts were gone when I bought it.

Thanks for your time,
Jerry

yes, this has been done, I even think I've read here of a member who was going to market a conversion kit, or perhaps it was just intructions on how and what to use. Try a search.

Ok, thank you

Jerry

Jerry try this website. He has a great reputation. Good parts too.

http://www.retro-electro.net/home.html

Scot

Hey Jerry, I too am desperately looking for an electric system to replace the vacuum. I tried calling literally hundreds of companies about four months ago to find a linear actuator with three inches of travel, which is all we need. The actuator has to be 6 1/2 inches closed and 9 1/2 inches open. And it does not have to have a ton of power! Just a simple reliable linear actuator. That's it! The linear actuator would simply slip into the same position as the vacuum actuator and that would be it. Of course it would need to be wired up and all the vacuum pieces removed. Can't we get together and find someone that will do this? I guarantee that the person who comes out with this simple replacement will make a ton of $$$$$$.

Mike

I installed the motors from a '89 firebird into my '69 It has a more positive opening/closing than the vacuum system. The electrics were tricky because I had to modify the headlight switch. If I were to do this again. I would remove the existing bell cranks and couple the motor shaft to the bellcrank shaft, create a mounting bracket for the motor from the inner fender most likely using the 3 bolts that hold the lower bell crank bracket. The electric is powered through a relay that is on with the ignition. I think a 4th gen Firebird headlight module will work without headlight switch modification. The '89 module requires power from the switch when the lights are turned off. I had to modify the contacts in the switch to accomplish this.

TTFN
Mat

Thanks guys, I have a cousin that took off the motors from his 85 Fiero and said they worked, said I could have them if I wanted them, so I think I will get them and see what I can come up with.

Again thanks,
Jerry

Jerry:
The Fiero motors should work fine. From experience the two areas to pay attention to are:
The motors will have 3 wires, one opens, one closes and one common. The motor senses load and stops when it hits something. If you connect the motor shaft directly to the headlight arm this feature will work fine. I used the bellcrank and linkage and had to add positive stops to prevent over travel. The second issue is applying power to the motor when the headlight switch is turned off. I modified the contacts in the switch to accomplish this. It was an interesting challange, however you may consider a relay system.

Hello Mat,
Yes I will try to find a relay that keeps power for a few seconds to have power to shut them.
I have worked for 23 years on my job. And was the mechanic for over 15 years on off-road equipment.
And our front end loaders, 992C Cat.'s have to have power for a few seconds to shut them down then they release the power and don't have power after shut down. If they make relays in 12 volt like these on our loaders 24 volt relays, then they should work to shut the doors. Then I would not have to redo my headlight switch, atleast I think it would work like this.

Thanks,
Jerry

I try not to promote stuff here and I hope the following update is not breaking any forum rules:

My electronic 67 and 68 systems will be ready next week, while the 69 system will be done in January. The systems uses your existing RS headlamp assemblies and four short wires. The new system is very reliable and no RS wiring harness, vacuum lines or fabrication is required. The new system uses motors with Hall effect position sensors and an electronic control circuit. Two wires connected to any existing headlight wiring trigger the control circuit to operate the headlight doors as the headlight are turned on or off. The connection to your existing wiring is done near the headlight bulb resulting in a concealed and clean installation. I have been working on this for over a year and had several prototypes running over the summer. I will update my website later this month with pictures and more info.
Mark

Marktat, you have mail,Mike

Didn't the 67 RS use electric motors?
I don't have an RS, but it seems to me, from all the RS's I've seen, someone could make a BOATLOAD of money if they came up with, and properly marketed, a decent system that would open and close the headlight doors properly and reliably...and at a price that would be reasonable for the average Joe.
Why is this still such a problem after all these years? I'd say that 80% of the RS's I've seen, and seen advertised, have problems with the headlight doors, and that includes the electric 67s as well as the vacuum 68-69s. Last night, at our local cruise-in, I watched a guy start his beautiful 69 rs and then turn on the headlights, and then get out of the car to open one of the doors manually. At least the 69 has the slots where the lights shine through, just in case! (Do you think GM put those slots there because of known reliability problems, or is that just a styling "coincidence?) You'd think after all these years someone would have had the definitive fix a long time ago. Good luck Marktat, maybe you'll corner this seemingly unfulfilled market.