Headlight mounting/hinges

Body parts, seats, dash, headlining, windows and stuff!

Moderator: Board Moderators

Post Reply
Zaphod
Senior Poster
Posts: 242
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2021 21:38
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Blue
Year: 1990
Location: Uffington

Headlight mounting/hinges

Post by Zaphod »

Now my car has arrived with me and I have had a chance to look at it, I've noticed the drivers side headlight leans slightly outward when its up, and that the passenger side one sits slightly twisted when lowered. I ran a bit of tape from one side to the other along the line of the two outer headlight 'bobbins'? and have found that the two passenger side ones are inline but the drivers side one is off by a good centimetre if not more.

Are these at all adjustable and if not did they really let them out like this? (the bonnet is not a lot better!)
Of all the things I have lost I think I miss my mind the most...

1952 MG TD
1957 MGA 1500
1959 Austin Healey Sprite
1975 MG Midget 1500
1990 Lotus Excel

User avatar
Hawaiis0
Senior Poster
Posts: 4130
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
Model: Excel SA (No 3); Elite 504
Colour: BRG; Dirty White
Year: 1986
Location: West Oxfordshire

Re: Headlight mounting/hinges

Post by Hawaiis0 »

The bobbins are just rivetted in so can be repositioned if necessary.

Do you have the up stop adjuster on the pod? A bolt with a rubber stop

Here is mine - with a little lean too

Image
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

Zaphod
Senior Poster
Posts: 242
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2021 21:38
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Blue
Year: 1990
Location: Uffington

Re: Headlight mounting/hinges

Post by Zaphod »

Now I have photos! they don't have any stops on them. I think it all just needs carful reassembly and some of the pivot points moving

Passenger side front Headlight as you can see it's not sitting level when down
Image
Image

Drivers side which looks wrong when up (and needs a new lens/reflector!)
Image
Image
Of all the things I have lost I think I miss my mind the most...

1952 MG TD
1957 MGA 1500
1959 Austin Healey Sprite
1975 MG Midget 1500
1990 Lotus Excel

User avatar
Hawaiis0
Senior Poster
Posts: 4130
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
Model: Excel SA (No 3); Elite 504
Colour: BRG; Dirty White
Year: 1986
Location: West Oxfordshire

Re: Headlight mounting/hinges

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Try adjusting the connector links and see if any improvement can be achieved.

Also, the stud plate to pod might have been tampered with since yours is in a dismantled condition. So check those for adjustment too
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

User avatar
MetBlue
Senior Poster
Posts: 1401
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
Colour: Metalic Blue
Year: 1974
Location: Northampton

Re: Headlight mounting/hinges

Post by MetBlue »

Once the beam unit is out, you can reach into unscrew 2 M8 bolts that act as the hinge pin. The bobbins are only riveted into the body / headlamp shell. My guess the rivets broke, damaged the holes, then someone had to re-drill in closest possible spot to refix. Easily repaired if this is the cause.
Good luck with your jigsaw. At least you know what the finished picture looks like.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

Post Reply