dsagers

Anyone remeber James Duchek?

I sent him $140 for the elec headlight motor conversion, last March. Never got any parts. Asked for a refund several times, he even promised to send the $$ back, then he disappeared?


Here is a copy of his last message to me.

Sure thing. I'm through a proxy here at work and I can't get secure access to Paypal, I'll run it through tonight. Sorry about all the delays -- having to move really threw a kink in my plans and I can't do the fabrication in my new apt.

Nick (VETMANIAC I believe) does have access to all that stuff and we are going to get this thing finished. I'll keep you on the list and let you know when it's ready to go. Sorry about all the delay -- I had one working in my car and was quite close to getting all the kinks out -- I feel really bad about the whole issue, and want to get these done and out -- I hate vacuum lines! Jim

ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS:

HI Jim I'd like to request that the $$ for the head lite conversion be returned. I sent $140 on 3/27/01 by Paypal.


[Modified by dsagers, 6:57 PM 11/28/2001]

daniel77350

I remember that...seemed like an honest guy.....there is a key word in there....I'll let you find it. ;)

Daniel

Paul L

OK, there was a recent post on day-time running lights for a C3. I expressed an interest but no money changed hands. Difficult to know who is out there!

Chris Fowler

I wasn't in on that deal, but I do remember when it was happening. I was wondering where he went recently...

rainman69

You're not talking about my post are you? I'm designing a set of DRLs for my C3 and was planning on posting a "how to" ... not selling. I'm assuming you're talking about another post...but I'm still designing an inexpensive setup (hopefully inexpensive). :smash:

Jughead

I think I saw a post by him within the last 2 weeks??? Not about the headlights though!!

69Myway

Dsagers,

Only $140! No wonder he did not deliver. Was that per side or total cost? Some of you know I have developed this myself and mine works just as strong and reliable as a 96 Vette would. It costs me right at $400-$450 just in parts, so IF I offer a kit it will be a minimum of $550 or so because I still have to build the brackets and put the harness together on top of the cost of the actuators, module, and headlight switch. One of the wires in the harness is out of production, so I have had to snag it from the bone yard. Still looking for a supplier that can duplicate that.

This won't be an easy conversion because the installer will have to remove the entire headlight assembly from the car. There are a few cuts to make to the lower housing. The good news is that the original vacuum parts can still be put back later (but why would you do that?). However, the problem is that many old sharks have terrible rust in the front header bar. This means that removing the assembly may result in bolts ringing off in the header bar and or tearing the header bar out of the nose of the car. All you need after that is a good hand saw and a drill. The converted assembly can be re-installed in the car with the electric actuator already installed. Try that with the vacuum pod on the back and you will need a very large bar of soap to wash your mouth out later.The factory headlight switch has to come out and gets replaced with a new one that fits in the original spot and retains the factory look on the outside (you even re-use your orginal ****). The factory headlight wiring harness plugs right back into the new headlight switch with a small addition of one more wire. At this point you can rip the old vacuum hoses and modules clean from the car. You will never need them again.

In the front you will mount the control module in the front driver fender well, or dead center where the orginal vacuum switchs sit near the horn. You have to hook up a power, ground, run one extra wire and Bam!, The electric part is done.

The only reason I have not already jumped in with both feet to make these available is I still have my hands full with the 69 rebuild and am in no position to drop everything and start putting kits together. However, watch out for early 2002. I will never make a living off this, but I plan on having a whole lot of fun.

If you think $550 is too much, just look at the conversion kit for the 84-87 to make them operate like the 88-96 C4 in Mid America.........$550! That is really just over the counter G.M. parts, no custom made parts.

It turns out my insurance agent's husband is retired and has a small machine shop at his house. I showed him my proto type brackets and all I have to go through to punch a pair of them out in my garage with my basic drill press and hydraulic press. He showed me how to make a drill plate and press jig to duplicate them over and over with minimal effort. So, we have a date set for early 2002 to build the jigs with the drill buttons etc.

I plan on just dragging it with me to car shows and limited offerings on the internet. However, I still have some R&D to go to make sure it is safe and reliable. The patent process is very complex and takes quite a while to get it official. However, there is a phase during that time on a "provisional" that the item can actually be sold with protection fairly quickly. Plus, you are free to conduct "research" which amounts to getting some of them out there for the cost of the parts.

Too bad this project has already been tarnished by a previous attempt.


This conversion sure won't be for everybody, and $550 or so is a lot of money to spend.

See my 69 restoration progress here:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...041&f=0&sp=101

dsagers

Hey 69Myway, thanks for the response, keep us informed when you get around to the headlite conversion. Your work is top notch and would be worth the $$ you mentioned. Saw you photo album and it is really great, the Vette is going to be a nice ride.

As for the $140, total for both sides, I didn't dicker with him on the price, just paid what he asked, then he gave me a couple hardship stories and then disappeared.

jimduchek

Howdy. I'm still working on the project, though over the last few months it's slowed down much since I wrecked my beater and have spent all my 'car time' having to get my 'vette into a daily driver. I have been working on it again recently and have a new plan (my previous design was great until I put my damned hood on and found out it hit, and I couldn't make it any smaller than it already was). I haven't disappeared (I still post stuff on here almost every day, and I live in the next building as Zwede, so you can send him over to whoop my butt if necessary ;), and I apologize if you feel you've been ripped off. I have (I thought) refunded everyone who'd paid in advance who asked to be (due to the delays), but I'm sure I've missed people. dsagers -- send me an email @ jduchek@caseta.com (I rarely check the blueridge address anymore) with your email to send Paypal to.

As for the cheapness of the project, yes, the $140 is for both sides. The kit requires no modifications to the whole headlight assembly -- it simply replaces the vacuum actuator with a motorized actuator of the same function. There's no real expensive parts in it, the most expensive are the motors. The motors that I had been using for the previous design are cheaper but don't have the speed to go with the new design, so I've been on the hunt for new ones, which I found a couple days back. Expect good things soon.

Jim

69Myway

Jim,

That is cool that you are still posting here. It appears we share the same passion for neat and clean engine bays. My first design was based on a linear actuator. It is the "perfect" replacement for the vacuum as it could be mounted in the exact same spot as the vacuum and work in the same way. It shuts off from lock to lock and only requires a simple relay system to run it. I had the same problem, it stuck out way too far for the hood. Then, I thought about tilting it more towards the ground to clear the hood. Talked to a lot of people along the way. http://www.uslinear and others that sell these motors won't give any approval for road use (no DOT certifications), so that and the space problem killed that design eventhough I got it to work. Since then, I based everything on current approved DOT part. What I did do is get one in the 2" throw and mounted it where the old wiper door vacuum went. That is slick and awesome. However, for a 2" throw at 75 lbs rating the actuator was still $170. So, I can't figure out how you can do it for under $200 total.

Good luck with it.

Chris

jimduchek

What I'm using is standard motors and a screw-type mechanism to extend the rod. The current clevis and clevis pin is reused. It works with the headlight springs in place but the action is much smoother without them. The motors I had work but the action is way too slow -- I personally like my headlights to pop up pretty quick ;) The 'signal' for up and down is gotten via a piggyback connector behind one of the headlights (no cutting of wires or anything). The 'box' containing circuitry will mount in place of the vacuum relay. The two problems I see with my design is, when fully installed, it is not possible to easily raise or lower the headlights 'by hand', and that there's just no clean way to get 12V power to run it that works for 68-82. I'm probably going to just have an extremely long red power line on there, that you'll be able to cut-to-length for your application -- I'll probably recommend going to the horn relay which is a power junction as it is, at least on the early cars. I like the idea of those linear actuators, the sound neat -- I can't get to http://www.uslinear.com though.

Jim

69Myway

Try this.


http://uslinear.com/


Let's see if this link works.

Yep, I was very concerned about being able to raise and lower without 12+ power. That is one reason why these linear actuators are not DOT. They must have voltage to lift, and DOT says you have to be able to get them up and stay up by an alternative method.

The ones I have been working on have a screw cap just like a 96 Vette that can be hand turned to raise or lower in the event of a gear or power failure. Oh yah, I also use the stock springs. That cause it to slam up and down like a rocket.

blue72

I'm extremely interested in this as well. I'd like to clean up my engine bay as much as possible. At first I was thinking about finding some creative way to route the vacuum lines, but an electric actuated setup would be much more in line with my plans...
Does anyone want to post some photos of a setup so we can better understand how you're doing it?
Jason

69Myway

Blue 72 (hey that is kind of cool, reminds me of high school football. The QB would always yell out "Blue 72.......Hike......)

Actually, as much as I would love to post up lots of pictures, I want to protect my design right now in the event it may become a viable marketable product later. However, if you dig around my photopoint account of 69MyWay you can just catch a glimps of them in one of the shots.

More to come later.

Pat71vette

I went a different way I found a vacuum pump from GM and just hook the headlights and wipers up and presto they pup up like never before and no vacuum used from the engine. Always have breaks and headlights or wiper door without the engine running just with the key in the on position. I was able to trouble shoot the vacuum system in less than two hours for leaks because of the constant source of vaccum. Price was $60.00 used and an 1 hour to install

dsagers

Good News, and many Thanks to Jim, the Paypal refund came thru today!!

dsagers

The question I have here is, if you don't have 12v power, what's the use of getting the lights up anyway. I know, it's probably just if the headlite motor fails. Maybe all that is needed is a method to manually open the headlites if the motors fail.

Do the systems from the C4 ofer any usable parts, especially the crank up part mentioned earlier in this thread?

Paul L

I am still interested!

69Myway

You got it right, it is in case the 12+ motor fails, or if any of the modules or circuits break down, you still have to have a way to open it up.

Yes, it is just like the C4 style idea.

So, I assume some of you reading this thread don't have a problem with $550 or so and at least an entire Saturday afternoon to do the install? There is one other option as well, and that would be to have the owner send the lower portion of the lamp housing direct to me to do the mods, then just bolt it all back in when it comes back. However, if you have a good hand saw/hack saw and a good drill motor anybody can do what they need to do to get them on.

SILVRTOY

I had a problem with getting something I ordered awhile back. I had also used Paypal as payment of $125 I sent them all the e-mail traffic. I got a check about 6 weeks later for the full amount from paypal. It may be worth a try