TR2/3/3A TR3 Headlight Assembly

[martx-5]

I bought new headlight assemblies from Moss for my TR3, and am having trouble figuring out how they go together. The headlights fit later TR3-TR4A. In the kit came a small spring and a package that has two clips with a pop rivet. Where and how do the clips get pop riveted to, and where does the spring attach?? I keep looking at this stuff, and for the life of me can't figure it out. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Moseso]

The relationship of the parts in the top photo is roughly correct with top actually being top -- lucky shot!

The two slotted brackets on the rim of the bright bowl fit over the two headlight aiming adjuster screws at 9:00 & 12:00 on the black bowl. The spring runs from the hole in the bright bracket in the black bowl to the hole in the bright bowl at about 5:00.

The pop rivet holds the yellow cad plated bracket to the black bowl. I believe the rivet goes through the small hole in the black bowl near the rim at 5:00. Check this one out before riveting. The bracket will be where the tab in the bottom of your chrome trim ring locates as you snap the top of the ring on at the top of the black bowl.

Sorry I can't post a picture, but I don't have the right stuff to do that at this computer...

EDIT: By the way, Art, I'm going to assume you got the car with no headlamp buckets, and use this opportunity to advise all other restorers to NEVER throw anything away -- no matter how decrepit and rusted/rotted to bits it may appear -- until the new parts are ON THE CAR and PROVEN... If nothing else, they are often an aid in just this sort of situation.

 

[martx-5]

Thanks for the insight on how to get this together. As far as throwing anything away, I haven't thrown out so much as a bolt or screw while doing this restoration for the reasons you mention. I do have the old headlight assemblies, but they are the earlier style and are completely different then the ones I bought. The reason I bought the later type is that is all that was available from Moss as a complete unit. My old ones are in very bad shape, and there just weren't enough parts available for the earlier unit to successfully rebuild mine without spending more money then just buying the later new ones.