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Old 10-03-2008, 11:07 AM
Joel Koontz Joel Koontz is offline
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I tested the motor I have and it seems good. Smooth and quiet in both directions.

I fabricated some mounts and am ready to do the install except I still don't have a left side motor. I purchased one on e-bay and should have it in a few days.

My mount design is much different than Bob's. I think Bob's design would have been easier to make, but I didn't have any plate steel in my scrape pile so I made them from what I had. Mine is primarily made out of angle iron and some nuts and washers that I welded together. My design involves a good bit of cutting/welding, but it seems like the brackets will be effective. Since I don't know how to wire the module, I have not run it under power, but I have tested it by turning the knob on top of the motor and it looks like it should work well.

Bob (or anyone else) I would greatly appreciate it if you could post the wiring info ASAP.

Thanks, Joel

  #42  
Old 10-06-2008, 12:34 PM
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Joel, I PMed you a week or so ago. If you send me your email address, I'll send you a PDF file of the schematic.

Send to fyrebird68@hotmail.com

Bob

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  #43  
Old 10-10-2008, 08:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paint guy View Post
fyrebird68,the motors I have are out of a fiero,module out of a bird(years unknown on either)how can I tell if they're compatable?thanks in advance for your help.
Ironically, this week I had a headlight motor go bad in my 86 Fiero, so I got a refresher course in motor compatibility.

The motors in Fieros (and I believe Firebirds) switched from gen I design to gen II design in 1987. Easiest way to tell them apart is the gen I motors have a larger knob with fins on it. The gen II motor knob is smaller.

Internally, they're a lot different. The gen I motor has internal limit switches to stop the motor drive once the door is open or closed. They can be finicky. Gen I motors do not use a controller board, but use three relays to manage voltage to the motors.

Gen II motor stops when the controller board senses a current increase due to a stalled motor. IMHO it's a better design. As soon as I locate another gen II motor setup, I'll be converting the Fiero.

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Last edited by fyrebird68; 10-10-2008 at 09:07 AM.
  #44  
Old 10-29-2008, 09:01 PM
Joel Koontz Joel Koontz is offline
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BOB, THANKS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE PROVIDED!!!!!

I have been extremely busy at work, but I finally got my conversion installed.

I spent a lot of time fabricating brackets, getting things aligned properly, etc, but it seems to work GREAT!

Bob sent me a wiring diagram for the module and based upon the diagram, this is how I wired mine.

Black wire to ground.

The Yellow wire and Brown wire connect together and then connect to +12V with headlights on.

2 Orange wires - each gets a seperate 15 Amp fuse and then connects to full time +12V
(or to ignition or accessory circuit if you only want it to work with key)

Right HL Motor wires are Gray and Dark Green

Left HL Motor wires are Gray/Black and Dark Green/White

This wiring works on my system which is from a 91 Firebird and I would GUESS that the wiring is the same on all Firebirds from 87 through 92.

The headlight doors go up or down very fast, probably about a second, maybe less.

Bob said he is using PVC pipe as a bushing for the "linkage" that goes between the motor and the headlight door. I did not have PVC pipe available, but had some 1/2" PEX Pipe laying around so I used it. I slit it down the side and was able to slide it over the "linkage" (it is much more pliable than PVC) then held it in place with some cable ties. So far the PEX seems to be working well, but IT only has few cycles on it so I don't know how durable it is.

  #45  
Old 11-02-2008, 12:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fyrebird68 View Post
Ironically, this week I had a headlight motor go bad in my 86 Fiero, so I got a refresher course in motor compatibility.

The motors in Fieros (and I believe Firebirds) switched from gen I design to gen II design in 1987. Easiest way to tell them apart is the gen I motors have a larger knob with fins on it. The gen II motor knob is smaller.

Internally, they're a lot different. The gen I motor has internal limit switches to stop the motor drive once the door is open or closed. They can be finicky. Gen I motors do not use a controller board, but use three relays to manage voltage to the motors.

Gen II motor stops when the controller board senses a current increase due to a stalled motor. IMHO it's a better design. As soon as I locate another gen II motor setup, I'll be converting the Fiero.
Bob found this out the hard way also
Have a couple of 87 GTs and when a friend bought an 86 that needed both headlights he came begging.
All wiring/relays and motors are different.
I havent checked yet to see if the 91 Bird that my neighbor has is same motors as my 87 P body.I think Regattas are also same.

  #46  
Old 06-09-2009, 11:58 PM
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Thank you very much for the info fyrebird I appreciate it. Only one question about the operation. Were you able to connect it to the stock light switch or did you still have to use the toggle switch?

  #47  
Old 06-10-2009, 01:07 AM
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I eliminated the toggle switch when I added the wire coming from the common side of the dimmer switch.

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  #48  
Old 06-10-2009, 08:36 AM
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Too much great info here, this thread needs to be a sticky in this tech section.

Any mods out there?

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  #49  
Old 06-20-2009, 10:28 AM
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I have purchased a set of headlight motors from a mazda miata, has anyone tinkered with these types of motors and tried them on a goat?

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  #50  
Old 06-20-2009, 11:40 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 69goatboy View Post
Too much great info here, this thread needs to be a sticky in this tech section.

Any mods out there?
I second that. Way to go Bob!

  #51  
Old 06-22-2009, 12:16 PM
Joel Koontz Joel Koontz is offline
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Motor29, I have not heard of anyone using Miata H/L Motors.

Would be nice to have a car that is still in production (3rd gen Firebirds are now at least 15 Years Old) to use as a H/L Motor donor.

If you fabricate a system that works well with them, please let us know the details.

Any photos of them. Fabricating brackets for the Firebird H/L Motors was a significant project and it may be that brackets for the Miata's H/L Motors would be easier to fabricate.

  #52  
Old 06-22-2009, 12:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Koontz View Post
Fabricating brackets for the Firebird H/L Motors was a significant project .
Fabrication is actually pretty easy; only hard part is finding the "sweet spot" on the core support to mount them so they work well. Couple of clamps and some hot-melt glue made that part of the process easier.
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  #53  
Old 06-22-2009, 01:32 PM
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Someone needs to market a kit just like this for the do-it-yourselfers that actually works...Hint Hint Bob!

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  #54  
Old 07-08-2010, 08:51 PM
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Very nice!

  #55  
Old 07-10-2010, 03:29 PM
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I found these pics a mercury cougar forum , this guy used mazda miata motors to open and close the headlight doors. Do headlight doors on a cougar open and close the same way on a Pontiac? Here is the link for the pics , it looked very interesting.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...Disch:1&itbs=1

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  #56  
Old 08-25-2010, 09:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fyrebird68 View Post
Joel, I PMed you a week or so ago. If you send me your email address, I'll send you a PDF file of the schematic.

Send to fyrebird68@hotmail.com

Bob
Bob,

Do you still have this schematic, I'd like to have a copy if you don't mind? I've pretty much collected the parts you listed above so hopefully I'll be able to fix something up to replace the (in my case missing) vacuum operated system.

thanks,
Karel

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  #57  
Old 08-25-2010, 04:32 PM
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I'd like a copy of that schematic too if you don't mind, send to codypeden@gmail.com
Otherwise I could maybe post it on Photobucket and people can just get it for themselves.

  #58  
Old 08-25-2010, 04:53 PM
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Im wondering if you can make this new kit work with a 69 GTO and then stuff it into a 1968 Firebird bumper?

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  #59  
Old 08-25-2010, 07:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 428RA4 View Post
Im wondering if you can make this new kit work with a 69 GTO and then stuff it into a 1968 Firebird bumper?
I don't see why not, the motors themselves aren't that big.

  #60  
Old 08-25-2010, 08:42 PM
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Received this 12 volt linear actuator in the mail today. I'm going to see if I can use this to open and close the hideaway doors on my 68 GTO. It has a 4 inch shaft that extends out when 12 volts is supplied. Reversing the voltage causes the shaft to retract. I should be able to accomplish this with a couple of relays. My car already has a rod connecting the two door levers together where somebody hooked up a mechanical style lever to open and close the doors, so I only need one actuator. Just need to figure out the mounting of the actuator behind the grille.


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