Head light plastic/brass gear replacement and thread question

It is pretty straightforward. I've done a couple of them, but with the radiator removed. As I recall, after disconnecting the wires, loosen the three 6mm bolts that hold the plate to the frame of the car. This allows you to lower the plate a half inch or so. Next, lift the headlight buckets all the way up, and block them in that position. Now you can remove the whole assembly. While it is out, I recommend taking the motor apart and clean it up. The attached photo shows you what I found in mine. I have also recently seen a number of these motors where the magnet comes loose from the motor case. Use some 8 hour JB weld to reattach. Good luck -Steve

quote:

Originally posted by korina:
I'm going to replace mine as soon as the mail man delivers it, maybe tomorrow. I know it's a common operation. Does any one want to offer some advice on what's the best way to remove and fix the head light motor and gear or what not to do? While I have everyones attention and sympathy here, can any one tell me the thread on the hydraulic switch for operating
the brake lights? I know many have suggested going to a mechanical switch but I'd prefer to stay with the original system if I can. I've found a source for hydraulic switches but I suspect I'll have to get an adaptor and before I pull off the old one, I want to be ready to go with a new one in hand. I'll share the source if it works. Thanks all.

I replaced my head light gear without taking out the radiator. There is a splash shield in front of the right front tire that comes off and that will give you enough room to get to the assembly.

The picture tells a story. Thanks guys.

I used the opportunity to add lightness!

Johnny

Thanks Johnny,
You know exactly where my mind is at. I wish you lived here so I could steal more great ideas from you. It would be fantastic if I could just cross the strret and have a look at your car whenever I needed to check something.

Hey Johnny,
While were on the subject of adding lightness, I know you have done your car over from the bottom up. Where did you find the best opportunity to save weight? I mean by drilling holes or leaving something out or replacing something iron with aluminum that was easy, obvious or cheap. Where was the low hanging fruit? .

Hey Korina, You "could" just walk across the road and look at my car if you move to South Molton. You wouldn't like the petrol prices though.

I have drilled lots of holes in lots of different components in out of sight places. The biggest bang for the buck is intake manifold and heads. I am still running iron heads because I intend to build an all aluminium DART clevor when I can afford to do it. I have only got the block so far.

You have already done the battery, how about the starter? plastic splash shields are a cheap way to save some more. Here is a previous post I have cut and pasted.

Here's how I got the car down to 2869lbs with half a tank of fuel and no spare wheel. All of these components have been very carefully weighed on quality Salter scales.

Odyssey dry cell battery PC925 26lbs. Original battery 41lbs.
Ally water pump.
Ally intake manifold 16lbs. Original Iron 46lbs.
All A/C equipment removed.
Heater removed and replaced by fabricated ally blower box (no heat). Blower connects to all vents. Saving 11lbs. I do not drive the car in the winter.
Docking Engineering ally radiator: 31.5lbs full of water.(11.5lbs empty) Original copper/brass radiator 59.2lbs full of water.(35lbs empty) saving 27.7lbs
Reduction drive starter 10lbs. Original starter 17lbs.
Flexelight sucker fans with shroud 8lbs. Original fans ?lbs
Ferdanza? Ally flywheel: 13lbs. Original iron flywheel 25.5lbs
The steel engine plate that goes between the bell housing and the block weighs 3.75lbs. I made a skeletal ally one with a separate thinner ally plate to cover the bottom. Weight saving 3.6lbs.
Charcoal canister: Sent back to God.
Engine screen: Removed.
All steel splash shields and wiper motor cover replaced with plastic as discussed in a previous post. Not sure how much I saved, approx 15lbs.
http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6450045562...770013334#8770013334
Koni ally bodied shocks with springs 450 front, 550 rear, from Dennis Q. Front 6lbs each. Original Telicar front 14lbs. Rear 8lbs each. Original Telicar rear 18lbs. Total saving 36lbs.
Ally front hubs from Dennis Q with bearings and cap 3.5lbs each. Original iron front hub with bearings and cap 5lbs each. I had to use a deeper hat with the ally hubs, this added 0.5lbs per side, so the total weight saving was 1lbs per front wheel.
12,1/4" Wilwood rotors (front) with ally hat 14.5lbs. Original vented front rotor (GTS) 10.5lbs.(non vented original rotors are 15.5lbs)
6 piston Wilwood calliper (front) with pads 8lbs. Original Girling iron calliper with pads 13lbs.
Fabricated ally alternator bracket.
Facet electric fuel pump. 1.8lbs, Previous Holly red 3lbs. Facet is much quieter too.
Wilkinson Campy replica 17 x 11 rear wheel 26lbs, Original campy 10 x 15 rear wheel 17lbs.
Wilkinson Campy replica 8 x 16 front wheel 21lbs, Original campy 8 x 15 front wheel ?
Pirelli 285,50,15 (bold) 25lbs, Pirelli 335,35,17 (new) 34lbs.
Wilkinson Campy replica 8 x16 with 245,45,16 tyre mounted 48lbs
Original campy 8 x 15 with 225,50,15 tyre mounted 40lbs.


Johnny

I'd never heard of replacing the splash shields and wiper motor cover. That's brilliant. You bring up an updated brakes being lighter. I've always thought the stockers worked fine but that weight mounted on the suspension has to go. Have you ever heard of aluminum or magnesium side plates for the ZF? I've seen references to them but I've never been able to locate a set. Maybe that could be your next fabrication project? Plus that's weight off of the rear which helps. I'm using hollow sway bars. If you could fabricate proper bars you could add that to your list of items. The bars I'm using seem to break. Have you the real carbon fiber body parts that are becoming available from Sweden? They look first class although they are going to be spendy. Let's see who can have the most anexoric Pantera. Thanks as always for your help.

I asked Lloyd about the Magnesium side plates for the ZF and he said they are not strong enough for a high powered engine because they flex and allow the box to expand. Jack Dyrike has them on his car, I am not sure how much power he has.

I like the idea of hollow sway bars. How much weight can you save of stock bars? As for carbon fibre coming from Sweden, I have only just heard about that this week. Where did you see a picture of them? I currently have no carbon fibre panels, but intend to buy some in the future. Our steel deck lids weigh 77lbs, a "real" carbon fibre one is around 14lbs. This is the best possible place to remove weight from the Pantera, it's high up and at the rear.

Johnny

I don't know if the argument about the lack of strength in magnesium side plates makes a lot of sense. I think aircraft landing gear and even wheels are made from magnesium. Maybe it's a different alloy or a design issue? I think Jack DeRyke was at one point an SCCA regional or national champ in auto X so he had to be hard on his car. I don't remember he ever talking about the side plates giving him problems. I've never seen the side plates in person. There were pictures of the carbon pieces on a link from the pantera mail list that I get every morning. They looked great, or as much as you can tell from photos. All the inside reinforcements that are on the stock panels seem to be there. There are supposed to use the factory hinges. I have contacted the guys in Sweden and they are counting heads to see how many pieces they need to make. I don't know the exact difference in weight from the factory bars to the hollow ones but it is substantial, plus it's on the suspension. I found out after the fact that the flaw in the bars I currently have in where the washers are mounted on the bar to keep the bushing in place isn't done right. It should be annealed or isn't annealed or something like that. I understand that it's a heat affecting the metalurgy of the bar kind of thing. I now check that spot on the bar after every event. Making or bending bars is the easy part. I don't know how critical it is that the washer be in place the hold the bushings on at the specific point. Outside of my Pantera I don't remember ever seeing those on a bar before.

Hi Johnny
The company you thinking of http://www.jpc.se/EN/index.htm
Sigbjørn Eskeland have put up pictures on Photoshttp://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16601&l=206ef&id=568546955
Nice locking items.
Yngve

Hi Yngve

Thanks for the link. They look very nice! I will buy some in the future.

Johnny