Hidden headlights idea.

[Brandy]

Okay, bear with me for a minute. This will sound weird. For those of us who like to re engineer stuff, for various reasons, we often try to make a 40 + year old system work with todays more reliable and way cheaper parts. So I was sitting here in front of the fireplace thinking about 1966 Charger hideaway headlight buckets and the archaic method of their operation. I occurred to me that I might be smart enough to re engineer this system to my benefit. I propose to use a new power window motor to drive a gear reduction that moves a gear welded to a crossbar that is fastened to the inside end of each bucket. This will turn both buckets at the same time and rate as they open and close. The system relies on limit switches to stop the motor when the window( buckets) reach the fully open/closed position. The worm gear teeth on the motor can not be "driven" by the other toothed gear due to angle. So they reach the desired position and stop and stay. All I would need inside the car is a rocker window switch on the door or console with a one touch feature to operate in either direction. The buckets being fastened together insures that they remain lined up. I can get window motors out of doors in the local salvage yard all day long for less than $ 20 bucks. Since the motor is not "lifting" anything and is instead rotating a balanced unit there is almost no load on the motor and it should last a long time.

What say you?

 

[Deleted member 214]

Me likey!

 

[gtxno1]

Sounds pretty neat you can take it one step further and adapt more power window parts and possibly tag into the headlamp circuit to open and close without the switch with the use of some relays from the one touch down system and possibly another relay once headlamps are turned off to pwer in the other direction more work but no switch fully automatic

 

[RT K_line]

I like the idea of the window motors. Can't wait to see pictures of the mockup.

 

[Brandy]

Yes I could do that but i'm trying to keep it simple, functional. and cheeeaaaappppp....

Sounds pretty neat you can take it one step further and adapt more power window parts and possibly tag into the headlamp circuit to open and close without the switch with the use of some relays from the one touch down system and possibly another relay once headlamps are turned off to pwer in the other direction more work but no switch fully automatic

 

[Cranky]

Had an 84 RamCharger with power windows. Man, those were the fastest windows of any vehicle I've ever seen! Don't know if it was motor rpm or what but you might not want to use those. I can see it now....flip open your lights and they end up being pitched out onto the road! :grin:
Go for it. I like the hidden headlight look especially the ones that came on the 1st gen Chargers.

 

[Brandy]

Yep, I thought of that too. I might have to change gear size to slow it down some depending. I have to see how fast it will turn them at first..the 66 Charger headlight cases are heavy.

Had an 84 RamCharger with power windows. Man, those were the fastest windows of any vehicle I've ever seen! Don't know if it was motor rpm or what but you might not want to use those. I can see it now....flip open your lights and they end up being pitched out onto the road! :grin:
Go for it. I like the hidden headlight look especially the ones that came on the 1st gen Chargers.

 

[mopar 3 B]

You might engineer in some torsion springs to help neutralize the load of the heavy doors. Will make it much easier on gears and motor. Also if I remember correctly 71 Chargers used a 1 motor system with worm and gear. Makes operation smoother. This sounds like something that could work on the 68 next time the nonreplaceable vacuum switch breaks.

 

[Brandy]

I at first thought about using springs. I don't know if it would help or not yet. Once I mock this up I'll know more about what is needed.

 

[Brandy]

Ok, I just returned from the salvage yard. I scored the window motor and frame inc. cables and stops, 3 deck lid lift rods, a set of Audi flat hinges, and 3 pieces of plastic Audi air ducting all for $35.00. After I eat lunch i'll go and see what I can make out of them.

 

[MarPar]

 

[Bruzilla]

Sounds pretty neat you can take it one step further and adapt more power window parts and possibly tag into the headlamp circuit to open and close without the switch with the use of some relays from the one touch down system and possibly another relay once headlamps are turned off to pwer in the other direction more work but no switch fully automatic

I think you're on the right track, and there's few things cheaper in a car than wire and some relays.

Get two relays and wire one to close when power is on and one to close when power is off. When the headlights are off, no power is going to the closed when off relay and it provides the current to close the lights and the limiting switch kills the power to the lights and motor once it's tripped. When you turn the headlight switch on, the closed when on relay puts the opposite polarity power to the motor and rotates the lights up and a pair of limiting switches cuts power to the motor and applies power to the lights.

 

[Pistol Pete]

Food for thought:

Instead of limit switches you could use a latching relay run through a flasher. When the motor reaches the end of it's travel, the current draw will go up triggering the flasher and dropping the relay.

 

[Brandy]

The Audi motor has these plastic cable guide wheels in all four corners of the window frame inside the door. The two window glass mounts are permanently connected to the cable and slide up and down on two rails kinda like drawer slides. I don't see what makes them stop other than when they hit bottom or top. I have to study them a bit and didn't have time today. I pulled the entire inner door frame with the whole set up intact. I may connect the up/down cables to small reels in opposite directions so when energized they either let out or take up. Don't know yet.

Food for thought:

Instead of limit switches you could use a latching relay run through a flasher. When the motor reaches the end of it's travel, the current draw will go up triggering the flasher and dropping the relay.

 

[Brandy]

it has been raining non stop for two days here and my wife felt it was a good time to decorate for the holidays......I have not been in the garage yet. Might get there tomorrow.