Mismatched headlight buckets

 OK, it’s confusing, but I’ll give it a try. Forgive me if I’m preaching to the choir.

I am limiting this discussion to the 1968 to 1970 AMX and Javelin. Some of these parts fit other 2 headlamp cars earlier than 1968 and even up until 1978. The book shows 2 per car and no separate listings for right or left, meaning these interchange RIGHT or LEFT. What makes it confusing is AMC apparently had two different vendors supply these parts (HALL and GREAT LAKES). This information is from the 1967-72 parts book.

The parts book references notes 3-21 and 3-22. This is what they say:

Note 3.21: Used when the headlamp assembly is stamped Hall lamp or “HL” or “CML”

Note 3.22: Used when the headlamp assembly is stamped “GLA”

The headlamp buckets consist of the following:

Group 3.248-1: BODY, Headlamp (This attaches to the CAR)

This is the ONLY part that had different part numbers for 1968 and 1969-70

1968: HALL: 3206747; GREAT LAKES: 4485891

1969-70: HALL: 4486164; GREAT LAKES: 4486163

Group 3.265: SHELL ASSEMBLY, Headlamp (This attaches to the BODY and holds the headlamp bulb)

This part is the same for 1968-70

1968-70: HALL: 3206749; GREAT LAKES: 4485893

Group 3.275-1: RING, Headlamp Bulb Retaining (This attaches to the SHELL and holds the bulb in place) The Hall ring won’t correctly fit the Great Lakes ring and vice-versa. Ask me how I know.

This part is the same for 1968-70

1968-70: HALL: 3205361; GREAT LAKES: 4485892

Group 3.275-2: SCREW, Headlamp Bulb Retaining Ring

1968-70: HALL: 3200748; GREAT LAKES: 3202761

Group 3.268: SCREW, Headlamp adjusting (This is used to adjust the headlamp aim)

1968-70: 3118667

Group 3.272: SPRING (this links the BODY and SHELL)

This part is the same for 1968-70

1968-70: HALL: 3205364; GREAT LAKES: 3202756

I need to dig into my parts and see if I have any of these (other than what’s on the car) for pictures, but can’t do that now.

I’m not a “die hard restoration guy” nor a professional mechanic nor a former AMC dealer employee but I’m a die hard AMC fan and like to keep things reasonably original, and sometimes to the point of being a bit anal about it.

To quote comedian Dayton Allen (late 1950’s Steve Allen Show) in one of his skits where he pretended to be a surgeon: “Although I never went to a real doctor school, I honestly hung around an actual drug store a lot”

Cheers!