Linear actuator headlights

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Gravee01
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
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Years Owned: 1966 toronado

Linear actuator headlights

Postby Gravee01 » Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:21 am

Hey I’m new to this whole forum, I’m 17 and got myself a 66 toro that needed quite a bit of work (I’m an aspiring mechanic). Anyways I was wondering if anyone knew how to change from vacuum to linear actuated.

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Otto Skorzeny
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Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:57 pm

What do you mean by Linear Actuated?

There is a post on here you can find if you use the search function where someone converted the vacuum operated headlight doors to electric. He lists the piston part required and said it's virtually bolt in conversion.

Before giving up on the vac though, make sure all your lines are new and have no holes or disconnected lines and that they're routed properly. When I bought mine, the T connection under the vac reservoir was disconnected causing the driver side not to close.

Gravee01
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
TOA Membership Number: 1398
Years Owned: 1966 toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Gravee01 » Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:08 pm

I meant like powered by electric linear actuators, and yeah I’ll double check the vacuum lines, is there like a diagram on all of the lines going to to the vacuum tank?

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:08 pm

There is one in the shop manual. Page 11E-10, fig 11E-54

Do you have the 1966 Oldsmobile Chassis Manual? This one? if not, buy the $20 one with free shipping. It'll be the cheapest thing you buy for this car and the most valuable.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... l&_sacat=0

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:11 pm

Do your lights come on but the doors don't pop up? Do they do anything? There's a troubleshooting chart in the manual, too.

Gravee01
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
TOA Membership Number: 1398
Years Owned: 1966 toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Gravee01 » Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:39 pm

Yes the lights come on but the headlights are stuck open, the only reason I don’t think it’s all setup with lines is because when I got the car the vacuum chamber was in the backseat of the car.

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Feb 19, 2019 5:49 pm

Haha! So it's safe to assume the former owner stuck them in the open position because of a problem. There is a way to get them down but Id leave them up if you plan on driving at night until you figure out the problem. Are any of the vacuum lines still in the car and hooked up?

Gravee01
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
TOA Membership Number: 1398
Years Owned: 1966 toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Gravee01 » Tue Feb 19, 2019 6:39 pm

Yeah the old owner was not a smart guy. But no I haven’t seen any vacuum lines

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:19 pm

Do you have the manual? The diagram will help but there are a lot of lines. Are the cylindrical vacuum canisters for each light still in place?

Gravee01
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:16 am
TOA Membership Number: 1398
Years Owned: 1966 toronado

Re: Linear actuator headlights

Postby Gravee01 » Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:58 am

No I don’t have the manual, and yes I’m almost positive that the cylinders are still there.


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