1956 Olds 88 Headlight Bulb Replacing

[nifty 6]

Friend has a 56 Olds and needs to replace one of the headlight bulbs.  He has no manual so we are stuck on how to replace it. Has the chrome ring off, a no brainer but that's as far as our brain power got us to.  Any help on how to get the bulb out would be appreciated. 

Ron 

[The 55er]

It's a sealed beam headlight, gently pull the 3-prong connector off the back and take the whole thing to an auto parts store for a replacement. 

[Oldtech]

There should be a second narrow chrome ring holding the lamp in place. 3 screws kind of down at the back of the ring. 

[rocketraider]

Correct. A thin bright metal retainer ring. Before trying to remove it, spray penetrating oil such as Kroil or PB'laster on the retainer ring screws. Then use a properly sized screwdriver to break these screws loose. A tap with a hammer may help dislodge them.

 

In spite of your best efforts sometimes these screws don't cooperate and strip out the screw heads. In that case you may have to drill them out and replace.

 

You'll also see two more screws. One at the top of the headlight bucket and another on the side, 90° out. These are the aiming screws and should not be disturbed unless the headlight aim is off.

[Bloo]

The second ring @Oldtech and @rocketraider speak of looks like this more or less. Look at the holes on those little tabs. See how they have a slot that leads over to a bigger hole? If they look like this, you can loosen the 3 screws maybe 1/8" or so, and then just twist the ring to release it. The screw heads will slip through the big part of the holes. That way you don't have to worry about dropping screws.

 

If the holes don't look like that, you will have to take the screws all the way out. It will be obvious if that is the case because the tabs will be narrower, too narrow for the funny hole. Either way be sure you are getting the the 3 little screws on the tabs, and not the adjuster screws.

 

 

 

 

[The 55er]

Actually the round stainless steel retainer "ring" that was used throughout the 1956 GM vehicle line does not have the three tabs on it for the small slotted screws. It's got two tabs with cutouts on them at the 9 & 12 o'clock positions that attach directly to the focusing (or aiming) screws (don't turn them!) and one small coil spring near the bottom at the 4 o'clock position. (Refer to arrows in first picture). To replace the sealed beam you need to disconnect the spring first, if you don't have a tool you can slide a stout wire behind the outer hooked end of the spring and pull it outward then remove the tabs from the adjuster screws. The sealed beam is then replaced with the sub-body out of the car. I've shown the entire procedure in my pics that came from 1956 & 1957 Olds factory shop manuals. Hope this helps!

[Oldtech]

Learn something new every day! haven't seen one like that. 

[rocketraider]

Nor I. 

 

There's times I think the Oldsmobile engineers went out of their way to make things complicated!😛

[The 55er]

I knew there was a spring on there somewhere!

[TerryB]

37 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

Nor I. 

 

There's times I think the Oldsmobile engineers went out of their way to make things complicated!😛

They used to work for Chrysler….

[Larry Schramm]

  5 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Nor I. 

 

There's times I think the Oldsmobile engineers went out of their way to make things complicated!😛

They used to work for Chrysler….

 

No,  I think either the Japanese or Germans.  Having worked on enough of their cars, I think their motto is   Just because you can, we will,  but do not forget Rolls Royce.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

5 hours ago, Larry Schramm said:

 but do not forget Rolls Royce.

After seeing Dandy Dave's wiring project on that 20s Rolls, I agree 100%!

 

Part of the problem with the Japanese cars was their obsession with miniaturization and cramming as much as possible into the smallest space possible. The Germans? Just being ornery for its own sake. Good cars, just insane to work on.

 

Though I have sworn loudly and lustily at plenty of American domestics too!🤬

[rodneybeauchamp]

FWIIW made up this simple tool to remove the retainer springs that maintain tension on the sealed beam lamps. Piece of wire coat hanger cut to length and bent and the other end fixed through a piece of dowel as a pull handle. Has earned its place in the tool cupboard having removed and replaced several sets of lamps. In Australia we need to convert our American based LHD cars to have headlamps that dip to the left on Lo beam. 😀😀😀😀😀

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

 

[rocketraider]

Years ago I got a set of small picks and hooks in a secret Santa group at work. I wondered then "what will I ever use these for?"

 

Since then I've bought meself two more sets! I have the original small Stanley set, a long handled medium length Empire set, and a big set with screwdriver sized shanks and handles for really obstinate jobs!

 

Yup. Everyone should own a set of picks and hooks. Made fooling with headlight springs and other jobs so much easier.😁

[Frank DuVal]

On 11/7/2022 at 11:38 AM, rocketraider said:

Nor I. 

???? Every 60s GM product I worked on had the two screws and a spring to remove the headlamp cup assembly. Even into the last of the sealed beam lamps with rectangular bulbs.

I use a dent puller* to pull on the spring, but a bent coat hanger works too. 

 

* not what you are thinking of. These were used in sets after drilling a series of 1/8" holes to pull out a dent by your hand force.

https://www.amazon.com/Steck-Manufacturing-20000-Pull-Rod/dp/B000RFIVL8

 

Wow, go searching on the internet for a link and two more posts in the meantime!

Edited November 13, 2022 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

Frank, look at The 55er's post #6. Apparently the whole headlight bucket has to come out of the fender on 56/57 Olds, instead if just removing the retainer ring and lifting the sealed beam off the bucket as the 60s-80s headlights do.

[Frank DuVal]

No, the whole bucket comes out of 60s to the end of sealed beam use for GM. I used to buy boxes of sealed beam assemblies already in buckets, just pull spring and slide the two slots over the adjusters, snap in spring, done. This was for collision repair.  To change a sealed beam, I just pull the spring loose of the bucket and slide the bucket off the two adjusters. Holding the assembly in my hand or on a beach is much easier to get those two stainless (or black in later cars) rim screws out.

 

Of course back as a teenager I fought that spring while taking out the two small screws holding the stainless rim, not knowing the fast way to do it.😁

Edited November 13, 2022 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)

[nifty 6]

What is this at the top of the retaining ring at about 10 o'clock?

Thanks for everyones help, 

Thanks 

[Frank DuVal]

Back up a few inches so the camera focuses.

[nifty 6]

Another pictures

[Oldtech]

I think it is just a lug that you hook the ring on when installing it.

[rocketraider]

If you're talking about the glass tit on the bulb, behind the half-moon trim, that's an aiming lug. Used with headlight aiming equipment to adjust headlights. Should be one at roughly 10, 2 and 6 oclock positions.

 

The retainer ring would have to come off or at least be loosened to put the half-moon on.

 

I believe those half-moons are still illegal here in Virginia. I wish some of these new vehicles with super-bright headlights had them. They do cut glare to oncoming traffic.