Adjusting 1977 Corvette Headlights
Today’s Corvette technical question comes from Jay who owns a 1977 Corvette:
How do you adjust the “back” of the headlights on a 1977? I know where the front adjustment is, but mine rubs on the back when they are opened. I have several manuals and have looked everywhere on the car I can think of. Can you help?
Answer: There is no adjustment for the back of your Corvette’s headlights. If your headlights are rubbing the surrounding fiberglass, we would first suggest unbolting the headlights and changing their position within the opening. The bolts mounting the frame to the front and rear headlight bars on the fiberglass have some adjustment in them, loosen the bolts and reposition the headlight housing in the opening. An additional issue may be worn out or misaligned side bushings where the headlight housing mounts into the headlight frame. These bushings are plastic and once cracked and brittle, will allow the housing to move around in the frame. Verify whether the bushings are broken and if not, loosen the bolts and reposition the headlight housing within the frame. There is adjustment in those bolts as well that will allow you to control the headlight housing position.
Here are a few diagrams that may help:
 Headlight Diagram 1 |
 Headlight Diagram 2 |
 Headlight Diagram 3 |
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I have a 1978 t-top Anniversary Edition Corvette and have the same problem with the passenger side. One corner of the headlight cover is low and I cannot find a way to adjust it.
Tom,
Try to follow the written steps in the post above. They may help you solve your problem. Let me know how it turns out.
I just purchased a 1977 L82 Corvette. When I turn the headlights to high beam, they will not come on and the low beams go out? I’m pretty sure that the instrument lights also go out! Any ideas?
Your Corvette’s headlight switch has probably gone bad if you are loosing your instrument lights also. Make sure that you have a good ground, located on the windshield frame around your left shin.
I own a 1976 L82 Corvette. Is there a method that I can use in my garage to set my headlights so I get the correct field of illumination on low and high beams?
You would need to go to an inspection station that has a headlight aiming gauge. They hook this up in front of the car and use it to correctly aim the beams.