mcb55-210

Searched for headlight aiming procedure, but didn't have any luck. Would like to adjust my headlights-I know the right side is a bit low-but want to do it correctly.

Is there a procedure I can use at home with good results?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

Redbird

The 61 Chevrolet Shop Manual addresses it in Section 9-52 Headlamps. There is a Headlight Aiming Guide on page 9-58. They also use a Safety Aimer contraption. Good luck finding one of them. I would just take off the bezels and use trial & error up against your garage door (level surface). Of course do this at night.

mcb55-210

Thanks-I have the Shop Manual, but thought maybe there would be something more "Corvette" based. Typically haven't been driving the Corvette at night, but have ended up coming home as the sun was going down, and want all the light I can get. Live near a state park, where the deer are abundant, in addition to a couple young deer families living in the woods behind my house. Would hate to hit one with the 'Vette!

Thanks for your suggestion.

Mike

SpartyGW

I'm sure you're hesitant to install anything like this, but if you are in a deer-heavy area maybe this is worth a shot:

mcb55-210

Wow-I remember in the late 60's/very early 70's my Grandpa came to visit with his Ford, and had a pair of those mounted on the front of his car. If I recall correctly, he had recently hit a deer, and wasn't about to let that happen again!

Thanks!

Mike

As I wrote this, I looked out our front window as momma deer and two young ones walked through the yard and into the wooded hillside, which borders the highway. No sound of screaming brakes, luckily!

SpartyGW

We have quite a few deer here as well and my wife suggested that link to me. I'm not sure where I would ever mount that so for now I'm ignoring it and just keeping my eyes peeled.

If you do end up buying that and installing it, please PM me and show me where you installed it.

Hitting a deer in my 61 would probably total it. I pray that never happens.

BADBIRDCAGE

Find a level surface about 20 feet from a garage door or a barn wall or any other basically plain vertical surface. Measure from the ground to the center of your headlight. Mark the aiming surface (door, wall) with a small piece of masking tape at the same height as the center of the headlights and the same distance apart as the headlights are on the car. Turn the headlights on bright and adjust the beams to center on the tape. Then check low beams only to see how much they drop off. Should not be too much at that distance. Maybe an inch and a half or so. Some states require low beams to be angled about two to three degrees to the right. If so in your state adjust the low beams about an inch to the right of your tape marks and you should be close.

John S 1961

get your headlights on relays so they get full power, replacement halogens are about 30% brighter. check out madelectrical.com

Larry Chilton

Picked this headlight aiming equipment at a swap meet awhile back. Produced by the AC Spark Plug Division, GMC, Flint, Mich. Instruction booklet is dated Sept. 1968 and works for single or dual round headlamp systems. Includes two headlamp aimers, one for each side, which attach to headlamps by suction cups and utilizes internal mirrors to get the correct alignment of each head lamp. No real moving parts or batteries, just mirrors and bubble levelers.

My '62 restoration hasn't advanced enough to try out this AC Guide kit.

Larry

mcb55-210

Thanks to all who have contributed. I now have something to do this weekend!

Wow, Larry, that is quite the gizmo....nice find!

Mike

BADBIRDCAGE

Used to repair those when I worked for Quick Tool in New Brunswick, NJ in the early 80's. Biggest problem is the suction cups lose ability to hold on while you make the adjustments. If they are working properly it makes life easy.

JohnZ

Those were made for AC by Hopkins Industries; we used Hopkins T-3 aimers in the plant.

narlee

This explains what needs to be done to avoid issues with deer.

mcb55-210

You've got to be kidding!!!!!!!!!!

I think they need to give an IQ test before issuing drivers licenses!

Mike

vark_wso

I picked up a complete Hoppy aimer kit for free from the collision center at a large Chevy dealer. They just wanted to get it out of their storage area, as they haven't been used in decades. You might find one to borrow or purchase at an OLD-time body shop. Instruction booklets are usually lost, but can typically be downloaded from online source. Sure beats using garage door targets & the like!

leaston78

My vintage T-3 headlights were burning out pretty rapidly so I decided to replace them with modern halogen "sealed beams" Wagner H5001 and H5006.

I have the 1961 Passenger Car Manual that provides the headlight aiming process but that process assumes a level surface for the 25' "aiming range." Since most driveways (mine included) are pitched to shed water, I came up with a procedure to compensate for off-level driveways and I thought I would share it here.