81 headlights
 

Ok dumb question time. Never having really liked the 81 single headlight front end, I've been kicking around ideas to change it up. I don't mind the look of the single headlight front with the driving light below it like the picture. After looking online, it looks like the driving light lens attachs to the headlight bezel, so that part should work. My question is headlight size on that type of bezel. The 81 headlight bulb is larger than say the dual headlight setup on my k5, but is it the same size as one with the single headlight/running light combo?

Re: 81 headlights
 

Took me a second to figure out what you meant by driving light.... the 82 and up style had the parking/turn signals directly under the single headlight. Not in the bumper like 1981.

The headlight is the same size on single headlight set ups, it's a 7x6 dual beam headlight. I believe you will need a new bezel, or you would need to cut that space out in order to fit the park light lens. The lens itself bolts to the radiator core support.

Re: 81 headlights
 

I figured on getting a new bezel. You wouldn't happen to have a picture of how it mounts to the core sport would you? As I said looking online it seems like it screws into the bezel itself. I've got three square bodies here at the house myself, so a lot of reference points, but none of them set up with this particular configuration lol

Re: 81 headlights
 

i got no idea what your asking for .

the headlight in the pic above is the std 2 headlight size and is 2 adjuster pin/screws and a spring . the lower area below it is the turn/marker lens unit and its 3-4 screws solid to the core support .

as said only the 81-82 had turn/marker in the bumper.

try re-wording or posting pics of what you wish to do and maybe we can point you in the right direction .

and what is this running light you keep talking about ? these trucks are old school and that term wasnt used on them .

and 81-up is 3 core supports only . to change the setup you need to change the core support and headlight bezel and parts . the grill center swaps unless its 89-91 swap there all there own and chevy is not swapable with gmc unless you swap all 3 grill/headlight pieces .
2 headlight like you posted the pic for .
4 headlight stacked and turn/marker in grill if not in 81-82 bumper .
89-91 4 headlight side by side .

this is what stuff i know of these . all might not be listed or 100% correct as i never played with 89-91 2 headlight setup stuff .

Re: 81 headlights
 

Ok, let me flesh out my idea a little. Pic 1, my 81. Never really cared for the single headlight with nothing below it look. Pic two, this truck is an example of the single headlight with front turn signal, marker light, running light, whatever ya want to call it. Pic 3 is the dual headlight setup on my 87 k5. Pic 4 is the single headlight setup on my 81. Sorry the last two are sideways at the moment, I'll fix that later.

The differences in the one and two headlight systems are as stated, the core support (plus a little wiring). Just from the core support standpoint, the 81-87 single headlight support lacks the lower hole for the light connector, and the knockouts for the spring retainers and headlight adjusters.

Anyhow, back to my first thought. I know what it takes to go from a single to a dual configuration. It's more effort than I have time for right now. But considering that all headlight bezels are the same dimensions around the edge and their main difference is the size of the headlight , I don't see why I couldn't swap to a different single headlight setup. That's why I was trying to verify headlight size.

Right now my plan is to remove the 81 bezels, and go Tuesday and pick up a new set for a single headlight with the front turn signal below it and of course the turn signal lens. Once I have them back here I'll see if I have to make a bracket or hole saw the support to accommodate moving the turn signal bulb from the front bumper to the lens. That's why I was asking about how that lens attachs.

Hopefully this clears things up a bit.

Re: 81 headlights
 

o.k.

simple list you want the turn/markers in the grill not the bumper . . .

pop the hole in there flip the wires up there and screw the lenses down to the support . should be that easy i would think . but i always removed the 2 light for the 4 light stuff .

current truck on the road is 4 light with 4 j.w. speaker led lights installed and WOW what a change in light output and no flashing lights at me cause these are good lights with a good pattern . not cheep ebay/amazon china crap units . few pics of them .

Re: 81 headlights
 

This is what I am going to do with my 81 now that I have a winch bumper. Just add new surrounds and turn lamps and make the rad support work.

I don't care for the 4 headlight set up or paying twice the amount for two more quality headlights that the snow sticks to.

Re: 81 headlights
 

snow dont stick to mine with heater grid in lenses . :devil: and there automatic on/off no extra wires . :metal: and with these i dont need a led bar or pods all over my truck .

Re: 81 headlights
 

Don't mean to hijack, do you have the p/n for those lights and did you use the same bulb for the high beams?

Re: 81 headlights
 

Lol...:drama:

Re: 81 headlights
 

https://www.jwspeaker.com/products/

here is the site for my lights .

and no i used low and high beams for each spot .

yes there big money but well worth it if you do lots of night time driving . no one has flashed me yet also . they have a great WIDE beam pattern and a HARD defined cut off line to not blind oncoming drivers . no extra wires if you get the heated units for ice/snow driving . its all automatic from the power of the light when on .

ebay is were i found my best deals on these . there is nockoff units with almost the same lens layouts and they work better than the blobs of led units . but life span i dont know on and no heater grid offered and the light is not as close to true white as the j.w. speaker units but good . my friend has a set and said there so much better than stock halogen but still not my j.w. speaker units but good cheep bang for the buck .

Re: 81 headlights