Reply To: 68 full-size Monterery Park Lane headlight headaches!

Home Forums Technical Discussion 68 full-size Monterery Park Lane headlight headaches! Reply To: 68 full-size Monterery Park Lane headlight headaches!

#4643

Bill Gruber
Participant

Wayne & Judy, Thanks for checking in on this….I wish my 68 was set-up like the 65-66. Unfortunately, in 68, the metal bucket mounts to a backing plate that runs behind the grill via the 2 adjuster screws. The little stainless trim ring just holds the bulb in the bucket via 2 screws, and, a coil spring that mounts to the backing plate and loops through the trim ring. In the original design, the metal adjuster screws thread into a threaded metal insert. All of the replacement types I can find now have a threaded PLASTIC insert(reminds me of the plastic inserts modern cars have to mount the license plate screws into the car body)….which doesn’t fit snugly into the backing plate and pops out, and/or the metal bolt strips the threaded plastic insert. All my local and online sources say the exact Ford part is no longer available, and, I am trying anything/everything on the replacement market, to no avail. I busted up the seized/rusted original screws and bolts/sockets trying to adjust the headlights, and, now, my bulbs are drooping out the front of the car, held on by the wires, making the car illegal to drive. I’m ready to slap in a bunch of butyl and epoxy and hope for the best! Any ideas welcome!