Pop-Up Headlights: Diagnose, Rebuild & Replace the Buckets
Slow, stuck or crooked pop-up headlights are a Pantera rite of passage. Here is a practical way to work through the electrical side, the mechanism and the steel buckets themselves.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps fund our tooling and restoration content.
Nothing says Pantera like the headlights rising out of the front fenders. Nothing is more frustrating than one of them refusing to. Most problems fall into three groups: electrical supply, the mechanism, or the bucket itself. Work through them in that order.
1. Electrical supply
Start with the cheap stuff. Check fuses, relays and connectors for corrosion, and test for voltage and a good ground at the motor while someone operates the switch. Fifty-year-old connectors and grounds cause a large share of "dead motor" complaints. A decent multimeter is essential: automotive multimeters.
2. The mechanism
If power reaches the motor, look at the linkage, pivots and bushings. Worn pivots let the bucket sag and sit unevenly. Dried grease and dirt make the motor labour. Clean, lubricate and replace worn bushings before condemning the motor. Specific components and layouts vary by year and by previous owners' modifications, so photograph everything before taking it apart.
3. The bucket
If the lamp won't sit flush when closed, or the mounting points move when you push on them, the problem is often the steel bucket itself. Rust attacks the lower edges and the pivot mounts, and earlier repairs may have distorted the shape.
Replacing a bucket
- Support the bucket and disconnect the mechanism.
- Remove the lamp, trim ring and wiring.
- Remove the bucket from its pivots and inspect the fender opening for rust while you're there.
- Trial-fit the new bucket, set the pivots, and adjust for an even gap and flush closed position before final paint.
Our new pop-up headlight buckets are designed to work with original-style mechanisms and to pair with our front fenders.
