headlamps again

[Meegulthwarp]

Hi all,

I am currently restoring a S4 and want to convert the headlamps to electric because both vacuum pods are useless and too much of a heartache. I have looked at previous topics on how to install the electric lifters and have purchased a Mazda unit, but now have come across a new problem:
The car orignally had 2 vacuum pods but i would like to convert it to 1, i have taken a look and the distance between the two headlamp lip thingys(picture follows for better explanation) is different from the rasied and closed positions, 31" when closed and 28" when open, and thusly making a connecting rod would be a bit of a nuisance.

Have i just set up the headlamps wrong or have i missed some minor detail or is it not possible to convert it?

Thanks in advance,
Tim

[john.p.clegg]

Tim
Do not think of a solid bar connecting the pods (would have to be telescopic!),but more on the lines of one motor rotating a solid bar/tube with arms at each end driving through balljoints?
Or you could fit two pod lift motors?

John

[bcmc33]

Tim,

You?re correct in that distance between the pods up and down is different by over 2 inches. My first effort was to use only one motor centrally to a tube linked across the pods. It did work by having a long pivot pin in each pod connected to Rose joints attached to the tube. I put springs at each end in order to keep the tube central to the pods at the down position. My only concern was the relative position of the pod pivot points in the up position ? they were different, now there?s a surprise. I manually adjusted the travel such that both pods hit their stops correctly, but in operation as one pod reached its stop position before the other, and as the set-up was to get both pods to their stops, the remainder of the travel created what I thought to be an unacceptable stress on the stationary pod.

Agreed, I could have experimented by moving the motor/tube connection point to get the pods to synchronise to their stops, but I ran-out of enthusiasm for this ?smart-ass? idea as it looked distinctly inelegant. I then did the sensible thing and used independent motors.


Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)