84-85 Headlight adjusters and spring

[caroth]

Does anyone have the part numbers for the 84-85 headlight buckets, adjusters and springs? I am tired of the poor lighting with the 86 headlights so I am swapping to the older setup. I have the buckets, adjusters and spring from an early Ranger which is the same as the full size truck. I assume the aerostar is the same, but could not find one in the junk yard. My main concern is the spring appears to be too short and the adjusters are meant to be in sheet metal and don't "snap" into the SVO header panel and stay put. Any photos, part numbers or suggestions would be great!

Thanks,
Chris

[brownsvo]

1 min ill upload some pics.

[brownsvo]

[Robertosvo]

Chris I know the lights are low on the aero lamps have you checked out anyone with an HID conversion (didnt you do one?)
the difference is night and day.......Ha!

[caroth]

Thanks, I don't have those, so I either need to head to the junk yard again to see if they are on a different vehicle. Anyone have a part number for the adjusters?

Edit: Found this online, but it says it is not for SVO. Seems like they would work, comments?
http://www.blueovalindustries.com/hw0982.html

[blueboss]

I pulled everything I needed off the Aerostar/Ranger and Econoline. If I remember correctly, the springs came off Aerostar/Ranger.

[caroth]

Chris I know the lights are low on the aero lamps have you checked out anyone with an HID conversion (didnt you do one?)
the difference is night and day.......Ha!

I am just trying to keep the old beast on the road. The left headlight connector retaining tabs were broken and the right headlight just burned out so I figured it was time. Simple is good, so the 84-85 look is what I will do for now.

I pulled everything I needed off the Aerostar/Ranger and Econoline. If I remember correctly, the springs came off Aerostar/Ranger.

Any chance you could post a picture of the adjuster? I only need to see the top one visable from the front. Do you recall if the aerostar has a sheet metal header panel or a fiberglass panel?

The Ranger spring will "work" but is setup for the sheel metal mounting so it doesn't stay put. I went over to a buddy's shop and pulled the adjusters and springs from an 85 turbo coupe. The spring is correct and locks into the header panel as shown in post #3. The adjusters are too wide and don't fit the header panel. The white adjuster pad from the turbo coupe fits our header panel.

I am taking photos and notes and will write something up when I have everything sorted.

[MikeFleming]

Here's some shots of the parts I used on the Red Baron resto. Someone at svoca was selling a kit of the pivot pads and springs, iirc, many years back. I think it was "fugaboutit Rich", don't t was a long time ago.
Img_6638.jpg
Img_6640.jpg
Img_6641.jpg

PC'd buckets with new stainless screws from LMR. I do not recommend stainless here - VERY difficult to install. A magnetic (chrome) screw would be sooo much easier..
Img_6824.jpg
Img_6825.jpg

I stretched the springs a bit - i thought they were too tight initially and didn't want to sacrifice the header mounting tabs.
Img_6828.jpg
Img_6830.jpg
Img_6831.jpg
Img_6832.jpg

[Kendal Coker]

National parts depot has the NOS springs , pads and I think even the metal buckets.

[Chalky]

I'm sure i've got some spare springs if you need 'em. Shipping and they're yours.

Hella make a 6054 conversion housing that allows you to run your choice of 9003 bulbs, I like Silver Stars. Search for Hella 003427291 on Amazon and you'll find them. Those and a set of relays, night into day!!!!

[caroth]

Mike, thanks for the pictures. I found the springs you are using from a turbo coupe. I need to find the adjusters. I think the adjusters are dorman part number 42185 but am hoping to find them locally at a junk yard.

I have the 86 headlamps off the car and looked inside them closely. The mirror coating on the back of the housing is falling off the plastic which would explain why the lighting is so poor. These are OEM lights I purchased from Ford 15+ years ago. I am happy to switch to the 84-85 headlights, time for a change with the car.

Thanks for the offer of the springs Chalky, I think I have it figured out. I ended up purchasing these lights from ebay . Don't laugh...

[etc1006]

I have a set of the Hellas to put in mine eventually.

[Chalky]

You can get the adjusters in the HELP section of your local Oreilly's. The part number is 42185.

[caroth]

You can get the adjusters in the HELP section of your local Oreilly's. The part number is 42185.

Not around here, all of the OReillys locally wanted to special order them, 6 days out. Confirmed from post #11, the dorman part number is 42185. The Auveco part number is 11869 and original part number is D8BZ-13032A which would explain why I found a set on a 78 Lincoln at the junk yard yesterday.

I ended up finding all of the hardware on an 83 Fairmont. This car was cherry, some little old lady to church on Sunday car, I felt bad pulling apart the front end to get the fasteners, springs and pivot pads.

Mike, the spings on the Fairmont were ~1/8" longer than the springs you used and worked great.

As I figured, the $21 headlights from ebay have crappy weak bulbs. I guess I will order up a set of H4s and redo the headlight harness with relays, I didn't really want to pull apart the front harness...

[blueboss]

The adjusters I used were leftover parts from my 70 Mustang. My situation was unique as my mounting tabs were fractured requiring a certain level of bracing post repair. The early style screw in adjusters fit my need. Everything else was from the jy as I noted above.

[Chalky]

Nice solution to the problem there Bluey