[snorlax]

Hello,

I bought my son a 69 lemans and we would like to know how we can "clone" the front end to look like a gto with the hide away headlights. What parts we would need , problems that we may encounter.
We would like to get a endura bumper, I am guessing we would need a valence , acuators , grills ect,
are they head light buckets special, turn signal different ?

like I said we need lots of help
thanks

[sixtee8gto]

I think the valance's are the same. It won't be cheap, you will need a different headlight switch, a vacuum canister, headlight buckets, with actuators, a bunch of vacuum line. Just to name a few....

[paint guy]

you will need ,at a minimum,the endura bumper,maybe brackets for same,headlight doors,actuators,return springs,vacuum canister,hoses,over-center spring brackets,the brackets the doors mount to, the arms that connect the actuators to the brackets, hoses, headlight switch,bushing kit,lower valence grills and molding.If valences are different,you'll need that along with parking light housings,filler panels,and lenses,etc.Ames latest catalog states "a complete hideaway system is under development",might be worth a call.You can also eliminate all the vacuum stuff with electric motors(I'm using some out of an 86 Fiero)Good luck.

[snorlax]

thanks guys

Like the electric idea!
I think we may just start step by step, start witha new valence and work our way up.
Looks like a long project for us but in our hearts I think we knew!

[Joel Koontz]

Pretty sure the valances are different. "Gunsight grills" on the GTO turnsignals and they kind of protrude out of the valance and are a different shape. If I recall correctly the Lemans turnsignals are a significantly different shape.

I think the 68 and 69 GTO Endura bumpers and hideaway setups are nearly identical except for the grills/headlight door covers and the 68 bumper has an arrowhead emblem in the center, 69 does not.

Hideaway and non-hideaway endura bumpers are nearly identical BUT not quite. There are some holes with inserts for receiving bolts that attach the hideaway assembly. Years ago I used a non-hideaway bumper w/hideaways and had to install some inserts.

PAINT GUY - PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO ON YOUR ELECTRIC MOTOR SET UP.

[PaulatFast]

Originally Posted by Joel Koontz

Pretty sure the valances are different. "Gunsight grills" on the GTO turnsignals and they kind of protrude out of the valance and are a different shape. If I recall correctly the Lemans turnsignals are a significantly different shape.

Hideaway and non-hideaway endura bumpers are nearly identical BUT not quite. There are some holes with inserts for receiving bolts that attach the hideaway assembly. Years ago I used a non-hideaway bumper w/hideaways and had to install some inserts.

PAINT GUY - PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO ON YOUR ELECTRIC MOTOR SET UP.

The valence is different, as are the parking lamps/marker lamps.

The bumpers are the same, all should have the studs for mounting the side brackets.
-maybe the bumper you used had the studs snapped off prior to your aquiring it?

Search the 68-69 tect forum for the electronic conversions.

[paint guy]

"PAINT GUY PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO ON YOUR ELECTRIC MOTOR SET UP" ...bought motors, brackets,relays and the electric box that tells the motors when to stop(don't know what it's called,obviously)of a Fiero.Not finished yet,but I'm sure it will work.Cut the Fiero motor mounting brackets,only needed enough of the bracket to hold the motor.had to fabricate a bracket to hold the motor in the bumper,also had to drill one hole(per motor) on the bottom of the bumper,otherwise used existing holes to mount.Had to fabricate an arm to connect from the motor to the existing U-shaped steel tube that bolts to the headlight door.Will be able to put stops in the motor mounts to stop the doors exactly where I wnt them to,so they line up perfectly.The brackets to mount are just cut pieces of angle.i know it works because I have run them off of a battery,just have to finish them up.I'll post a pic soon if requested.

[Joel Koontz]

Paint Guy - Info appreciated and would like to see photos, when available.

I did do a search and it appears there is some info on this, but more is always good.

PaulatFast - It was a long time ago (approx 12 -15 years) that I converted the Non to Hideaway and I can't swear to the details. Now that you mention studs, it probably was a stud or studs that was missing from the "non bumper" It appeared to be a pristine, with original paint, orginal bumper and from what I recall, one or more of the studs had not been installed by the factory.

The studs are probably supposed to be installed on all of the Endura bumpers and it may be that this was just a factory defect and then the bumper was selected for use on a non hideaway car since it was not needed for that application.