Good afternoon guys. I know this may sound like a dumb question to some. But my philosophy is a dumb question is a question not asked. So....How do you change the headlights on a 71 Cutlass. This is actually the first time I have had to change them after owning the car for 4 years. I dont drive it much at all. Please help!

 

you need to take the headlight bezel off (four phillips screws one on each corner) then there is a stainless steel retaining ring that holds them in also with phillips head screws. Take those off (I believe three of them) and the ring will pop off with the light. You need to be careful taking the retaining ring off as the screws are short and they may drop into the bumper or on the ground if you aren't using a magnetic driver.

 

Sometimes those little retaining screws can be a bear to get started. Hit them with some kind of penatrating oil. esp. if they haven't been changed recently. The socket that the light goes into can be brittle after all these years so be careful with it.
Larry

 

They usually are bears. Make sure your phillips screwdriver fits well in the screw head (I think it is a #2) and use a driver with a big handle. You might have to put some pressure on it to keep the driver from messing up the head.
And yes, most have little legs and they take off running. Placing a seept of paper or rag in the area they will drop can help prevent a lost screw.

BTW, there is never a dumb question...

 

The stainless rings have three little angle tabs spot welded to them that the screws pass through. Don't be surprised if one of them has come loose. Replacements are available from Dorman Products (the HELP! line in most auto parts stores).

 

Thanks guys. I'll be sure to watch out for the bears, lol.

 

I usually pull-out the adjusting spring from the hole with a needle nose, use a flat screwdriver to twist the adjusting screws out of their slots, unplug the back of the bulb, and carry the assembly to a bench, to work on those 3 little 'disappearing screws'!
Better to roll on the floor, than those bumper crevices!! And better leverage!!

 

4 years and you still don't have a Chassis Service Manual?

You guys sure do worry about dropping screws a lot here?
No magnetized screwdrivers?
You can hold a magnet or magnetic retrieval tool next to the screw and it sticks to that when it comes out too.