# Hideaway Headlight Actuators



## 68gtohawk8369 (Oct 26, 2009)

I need actuators for my 68 year one has them for roughly $99.00 each or 2 for 189.00 I found another company Ram Air Parts on ebay item #320437703534 they have them for 69.00 each has anyone tried these or are they better from somewhere else?


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## tyscru (Sep 29, 2009)

I replaced my headlight actuators with new units from Ames Performance. I replaced all the working parts and vacuum lines. Then the vacuum switch on the headlight switch didn't work so I replaced that as well. After all this the lights worked okay. After setting a while I went to get the car inspected and the lights wouldn't work. I then bought an electric solenoid to bypass the vacuum switch on the headlight switch but when I went to install the solenoid the doors wouldn't open even with direct vacuum applied to the actuators. I am now in the process of converting them to electric actuators using actuators from a Mazda Miata. I finished one assembly last night and tested it. It worked great. I plan to post pictures when I complete the process.


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## 68gtohawk8369 (Oct 26, 2009)

after its all said and done some pics and directions plus parts used may help a lot of us out here and would surely be appreciated I did go ahead and buy them they look exactly like the ones from ames 69.00 each I havnt tried installing though I hope they work!!! keep us up to date please I may have to go that way :cool


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## tyscru (Sep 29, 2009)

*Converting Hideaway Headlight Doors to Electric*

I finally completed converting the hidden headlight doors from vacuum to electric. The materials I used was Right and Left 95ish Mazda Miata headlight motors, two sets of lawn mower steering ball joints (798-00327 OEM-723-0448A) from tractor supply, a piece of 7/16” fine threaded all thread, a 5 pin SDDP relay and connector, 1/8” x 4” metal strip and an assortment of colored wires, bolts and nuts. 
I got the headlight motors from a wrecking yard for $25.00 each which was quite reasonable. When I got the motors I cut the wired beyond the connectors so if I need to change a motor in the future all I will need to do is unplug the connector.
To build the brackets I cut four pieces of material 5” long and two pieces 1 ¼” x 2” long. Use the vacuum actuator brackets to transfer the holes into two of the 5” plates. Second locate and weld the 1 ¼” x 2” plates on the side of these 5” plates where the vertical braces supporting the headlight door arms attach and drill bolt holes. The vacuum actuator brackets were used for this as well. Next clamp the remaining 5” plates together and using an electric headlight motor estimate where the shaft needs to penetrate the plate. Drill a 1” hole through the two plates. Now position the motor with the shaft through the plates and mark where the guide pin on the motors hit on the plates. Drill a 9/32” hole for the pin. Reposition the motor in the hole and position the guide pin in the hole. Clamp the motor to the plate and use the bolt holes as guides to drill the attachment holes. After drilling clamp the motor mounting plate to the attachment plate with a piece of angle holding the plates at 90 degrees. The guide pin hole should be away from the bumper. Weld the plates together. For extra stiffness cut a 45 degree wedge from the back motor mounting plate and weld it as a gusset on the back of the bracket to help hold the mounting plate. Round and de-burr all corners and edges.
The stroke of the Miata headlight motors is longer than the headlight door arm stroke so they will need to be adjusted. Remove the arms from the motor, grind the riveted side of the actuator pins and knock them out of the arms. Next the arms will need to be modified to connect the ball joints approximately 1” from the axis of the shaft. To accomplish this clamp the arm in a vice at one of the original bends. Use a dull chisel hammer the arm at the second bend until the first bend is at 90 degrees. Turn the arm around and repeat so the arm is effectively shorter. Drill a 3/8” hole 1” from the center of the shaft hole. After re-bending the arm is still too long to clear the mounting plate so it is necessary to cut approximately 1/4” off the arm. The motors can now be attached to the mounting brackets. The motors bolt to the opposite side of the GTO as they were on the Miata. Now bolt the brackets into the car. Wire the motors using the attached wiring diagram. Energize the motors and allow them to rotate to the closed position. Using pieces of the 7/16” all thread approximately 1 ¼” long assembly a ball joint on each end of the rod. With the plastic connector removed from the Headlight door arm bolt one of the ball joints into the hole using flat washers to insure they don’t pull into the hole. Bolt the second joint to the motor arm. Position the arm onto the shaft of the motor forming a straight line from the shaft to the ball joint connected to the door arm adjusting the joints as needed. Cycle the headlights and make final adjustments as necessary.


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## Silver69GTO (May 25, 2009)

Yesssssss!
Thank you!
Time for me to start fabricating.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

very impressive. vacuum sucks LOL i crack me up


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## 369GTO (Mar 23, 2010)

Gonna get to work on mine! What did you do as far as the switch is concerned? Just another separate switch mounted somewhere?


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## tyscru (Sep 29, 2009)

*Converting Hideaway Headlight actuators to Electric*

I connected the wire for the actuator relay to the wire from the headlight switch to the dimmer switch. That way when the headlights are turned on the headlight doors open. Since the relay doesn't require much power to activate I wasn't concerned with overloading the headlight circuit.


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## 369GTO (Mar 23, 2010)

*Relay*

Hello Can you pass along a little more infor on the relay set up for your system? Thanks Jim [email protected]


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## tyscru (Sep 29, 2009)

*Relay*

I bought a 12V Automotive relay and plug from Amazon. I couldn't find the plugs in a local automotive store so I looked on line and found them at "http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-RLS125-12-VCD-Automotive-Relay/dp/B0002KR9GG" is for the relay and plug I bought.


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