Hidden headlight door alignment tabs
 

Sometimes I think Inline Tube makes stuff up. Are these little tabs factory? I don't think I've seen them in any factory diagram. They came with a headlight door screw kit and are supposed to keep your doors aligned with the grills by preventing the doors from closing too far. IDK, maybe they're like that small starter bracket that everyone threw away the first time they had to work on their car.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1619027481

The tab in question is shown behind the screw in the upper left of the headlight door. Side note - the Parts Place reproduction headlight door covers are really nice!

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1619027468

My car had them when I bought it in 1971. As stated they usually got lost the first time somebody worked on the headlamp doors. You have to have them if you want the grills to line up properly.

Somehow I've managed to get my doors lined up without them for the last 30 years. Guess I'm lucky or maybe they could be even better aligned. Anyway, they're on the car now.

I do appreciate Inline recreating this stuff that was lost to time. I also picked up a reproduction vacuum modulator line bracket that hangs off a bellhousing bolt that I could never find otherwise.

Think that's the first time I've ever seen those lil critters. Glad to hear the covers are of good quality.

Although not too often, I do get surprised with unrecognizable things getting reproduced.



Frank

I've never seen those either. I think mine line up pretty well without them but might be worthwhile for absolute perfection..

Speaking of "no see ums"... How many of you have ever found the original wavy spring washer that was installed between your valve cover bolt and the valve cover in 1968? I have a complete original engine, built 12/67 that still has them. I bet they nearly all were lost upon first service.

They look like this and can be found at most of your local HW stores in the washer/bolt section

That's another new one to me. I'm sure those guys were a staple in post-rebuild coffee cans filled with leftover hardware in the '70s.

Never found them, but have since replaced them. :beerchug:

In the picture, they are just visible on the top correct?

Yes, visible above the top left phillips head screw, one per door.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1619027468



Frank

I definitely never seen those on my doors. What are they actually doing to keep the doors aligned? Are they just acting as spacers?

Very interesting, thank you and I need to look at my car to see if they are are.

Was over at a buddy's place last night and examined a completely original Endura bumper setup with hidden headlights. The covers have the tabs installed on them. This bumper had never been off the original car until it was pulled by my buddy. I never knew about these before - I'm going to need to look at a couple of my setups closer now!

Yeah, I noticed my headlight doors ARE slightly elevated. Any chance we could get measurements for the tabs and a pic of how they mount?
Nevermind the mounting method...Frank's pic shows that pretty well.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1620130325

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1620130336

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I don't have the tabs, but I'll live with it.

https://i.imgur.com/Ha4F85q.jpg?2

Show off..., it does look good though :p
To be honest, all the info is right in the first post, c'mon guys, give it up for Ken, gotta start hitt'in that thanks button an chit, this was one of those, well I'll be dam threads.

"If", we had thought about it, and used those without knowing they were factory installed, it would have been a bit iffy as to just how tacky that might appear, right?

The plus is they perform a function that many need but didn't realize they had the option to use, now everyone can use them without copious amounts of shame. :D


Thanks Ken,
Frank

Ha - you know, the hokey-ness of the solution was my initial reason for posting. It was like "Could this really be factory?!" I guess I had the same reaction to the chicken wire cowl screen and the coffee can vacuum reservoir. Good old '60s "technology".

Here's some more specific pics. They're 1/2" x 1" in size.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1620236838

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1620236843

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1620236847

I've had a few in a coffee can of GTO "bits" for years. Now I know what they are!

There is another part that got unceremoniously lost on these cars back in the 70's when the timing chains were being done......the two spacers that go in the holes in the bottom of the timing cover that center the cover exactly on the crank so that the front seal seals as it should. I never tear down a Pontiac v-8 that has both of them there.

I still have the original door adjusters on my 68, however mine have a 90 degree bend that makes them L shaped at the tip where it contacts the bumper. They are not flat like the inline tube pieces. Maybe they were only added to cars that needed them after assembly? I had them on both sides & still do.