Warning: At first a simple answer is available but it has unentended consequences.

PROBLEM: The PO mounted the body at a downward angle on the S-10 frame. This places the front grille area at a downward slope which in turn makes the headlights shine on the ground. I need to bring forward the bottom of the headlight bucket about 1/4 inch to make the lights shine straight ahead and in the range of adjustments.

BEST SOLUTION: Trace around gasket and cut out 95% around the bottom of the ring. Bolt headlight bucket to the ring and space out bottom to desired height and tack weld. Then with a TIG fill in around the space created by moving bottom forward and I can use all stock parts.... PROBLEM: I don't have the tools to do so.

So I need another solution. I need to keep the bucket fully supported on the entire ring and I can't just make spacers at the bolts as the bucket seal keeps the crap out from behind it.

So now you see the problem and what I am facing. I need additional brain power and ideas please. I know there are a lot of experienced and smart people on this board. All ideas considered.

jim


PS: I thought of maybe using some form of shim stock but it would have to be layers and tapered. A fairly complicated job to get right and duplicate for the other side.

 

I have a 53, so my first reaction was wedge the grille or the headlight bucket.

Can the flat panel the headlight bucket is mounted in be tilted back?
I'm having a hard time visualizing because I don't know how it is assembled. Do you know where I can find an assembly diagram?

 

Any parts cataloge. Picture the sheetmetal iscompletely flat with the same plane as the grille. This is the piece that is the whole grille and light assembly, can not be moved.

 

What are the diameters (ID and OD) of the flange the bucket sits on?

 

How about using aluminum, its softer than steel. Or I would consider making one out of wood then covering it with resin, it would also give you a pattern to give to someone so they could make it from metal.
Brian

 

As a practical matter, I think you want it to be 1/8" thick at the minimum (top) side, and 3/8" or whatever at the bottom. As I recall, the flange the bucket mounts to is about 3/8" wide, but I don't know the diameter. There are lots of plastic pipes that you could bandsaw thru at an angle to create a wedge-shaped circle. Some of them have 3/8"-thick walls, so depending on the diameters needed, they would work just right. I think headlight bulbs themselves are 7"-diameter, so an 8"-diameter pipe would be close.

 

I would think you want to remove the top at the backside, so that the bucket recesses at the top to get the headlight to be perpendicular to the ground. Maybe you can use a cut off wheel to create a groove in the upper half, and then push the upper half up tight against the rest, then re-weld the groove cut. Squeezing the Vee so to speak. Clear as mud, I know, pictures would help better. Otherwise, putting them on a bridgeport, and milling the angle in perhaps?

 

I think the tapered spacer idea would work best. It could be made out of many different kinds of materials, including lexan or plexiglass, or maybe even nylon. Something like that in a block would be easy to cut and shape.

Another option that might work would be to make a form of a gasket shape and then fill with windshield urethane. That stuff is stiff enough that you could spread it around in the form to the desired tapered thickness and let it dry hard. After it's cured, you could install it just like a gasket.

Or, you could just space the bottom of the bucket out with shims and fill the gap with silicone sealer from behind and no one would ever know, if you're concerned with air or dirt transfer. My thought would be unless you're doing a lot of driving in the mud, it wouldn't be a big deal.

I think that's 3 cents. ;-0

Good luck.

 

All good replies and I thank you.

I think I may have solved the problem. I just got off the phone with my son-in-law and he is a CNC guy and damn good. We decided that I am going to send him a bucket gasket and he will duplicate it in aluminum. I will also give him the amount of how far out I need the bottom to extend. He will then angle mill the spacer from the high spot to the low. And there are the two spacers I need at the angle I need and all I will need is an extra set of gaskets and some longer bucket bolts.

I hope I explained this clearly. when i get them done i will take picturs and post them. Ahh the life of a darksider.... :-)
jim

 

Taking the light buckets out and cut the center and remount... using a pair of '28-'34 (all-in-one headlight) make a "L" mounting bracket... mount light thru cut-out light buckets and then re-install original trim ring.

 

or??? you could french them in. after all, you are a darksider.

 

call centar forge in burlington wi and ask them how big a wedge pad for a draft horse is it might be big enough and less then 10 bucks

 

Cut paper/cardboard to fit the area needed - Use pattern to cut 18 guage sheet metal - use countersunk "pop rivets" and automotive body glue to attach - Use minimal body putty to finish.

Try doing a search for "frenching headlights" they used to make a ring for setting the headlights - if still made it could be a solution

 

Wow I appreciate all the ideas, some of them are pretty cool. But for now i am going with the aluminum wedge replica of the bucket gasket. First off it is Free and secondly I know it will be done right and exactly how I want it done.

The extra to all this is with the wedge I can use all stock parts in the headlight area.

Thanks to all for their ideas. When i get them back I will take pictures.

jim

 

Great that your son-in-law thats a machinist with access to a mill and that he's willing to help you out... using two gaskets you wouldn't damage anything and always could go back...

Tomorrow I'm taalking to a couple old friends to see if they will make or I could use their mill to make a new gauge cluster.... (I want to retain the chrome trim that goes around the stock gauge cluster, but have aftermarket gauges)... since I'm from the darkside of the moon too...