Anyone ever repaired the metal piece that surrounds the headlight bulb and holds it in? I had a headlight go out and when I was replacing it, one of the metal tabs on the metal surround that holds the bulb in came off. I tried superglue and soldering it but nothing seems to hold.

The tabs are spot-welded on. If you still have 3 of the tabs, I wouldn't worry about losing one. The remaining tabs will hold the light without problems.

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[This message has been edited by tshark (edited 09-08-2018).]

The right ones that fit well are getting hard to find. I can check to see if I have one if you are interested.

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I have managed to weld those tabs back on, or make a new one out of a piece of steel and weld that on, but you gotta be quick with the mig!

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Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!

Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

I had the two bottom tabs break off the welds causing the headlight to flop around over bumps and cause the motor to jam up sometimes because the headlight bulb wouldn't stay in all the way.

I used a small drill, and a rivet gun with small rivets and riveted them back on. Just use a bench vise or have someone hold the two tabs in a pair of vice-grips while you drill two holes where the spot welds used to be, then drill out the same two holes on the headlight surrounds. They may not line up perfect with the screw holes, but they should be close enough to get persuade back into the screw holes as long as you drill where the old spot welds used to be... Also, make sure you rivet it downward, so that the smooth "domed" side is towards the headlight. This was actually the first fix I did to my car last year... It's been a year and it's still holding strong!

Good luck!

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"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Are you refering to the metal ring with the 4 phillips screws, or the headlamp housing itself? If it's the metal ring, most auto part stores carry replacements.

quote Originally posted by donuteater306: Are you refering to the metal ring with the 4 phillips screws, or the headlamp housing itself? If it's the metal ring, most auto part stores carry replacements.

They used to. Last fall I wend to every auto parts store in town. Most cars on the road don't have our kind of headlights anymore so they don't stock them anymore. Half the guys did not know what I was asking for.

12.95 at the Fiero Store.

the chrome trim and metal part the aims the HL bulb are common and available thru many parts stores.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-75742-42437.aspx
Have just chrome and bucket separate
get/order at local parts stores.

Likely need http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-9725-42161.aspx too.
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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 04-12-2015).]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll try the riveting idea. Will pick up a cheap rivet gun at Harbor Freight and give it a go. The gun is cheaper than the replacement surrounds so might as well get the tool that can help in the future as well.

Thanks Ogre! A new one is likely worth it. I had to replace a headlight a second time in two years. I think I cleaned up and painted the reflector the first time. Still looks like hell.

Quick aiming
See my Cave, Headlights

Might try a local wrecking yard. Look for a 82-94 s10 or about same years full size Chevy truck. They are the exact same thing. Probably find for a couple bucks in about any wrecking yard.