removing 85 Monte headlight bezels

[rogus]

Have an 81 el camino with a 85 monte nose as shown in the pic. Need to replace all the headlights but can't find the screws that hold in the bezels. Can someone help me here?

 

[RabbitHoleSS]

I think these hold the headlights in and are your adjustment screws i circled in blue. I dont think you have to remove tbe adj screws. Just loosen them. Take the other 4 screws out.

If you wanna take the whole thing out unhook the harness , take out 2 bolts on each side and it should come out whole.

I cant exactly remember how I got at these bolts. I think you get at outside bolts by reaching up into the fender area. I know the inner bolts thru the core support into the headlight assembly shown at the top of the picture. Actually upon further investigation I couldve left the fenderside bracket attached and just took these nuts off

At that point it should pull out. I think...

 

[melloelky]

take the four screws out,that'll release the bezel that holds the light in the bucket.leave the two adjuster screws alone.

 

[pagrunt]

I'd also replace the four screws with stainless ones

 

[FastCraig]

I did mine yesterday. Unfortunately didn't take any pictures. This is from another forum and is essentially the procedure I used.
Removal
- there are 4 screws total 2 on top, 2 on bottom
- use a smooth sided phillips (stock screws), the lower 2 usually involve a bit of paint contact on the satin black coves of the nose, if you are carefull it will go OK
- lift the top brow gently to get the screwdriver on the screws, take them all the way out.
- push down on the headlight coves to locate the lower screws, take them out all the way
- disconnect the plug from the bulb
- hold top brow and lift gently
- pull top of bezel down to clear the top brow (watch the paint)
- push the healamp from behind, jiggle the headlight to travel forward as you swing downward on the bezel
- pull the headlight out
- pull the bezel out (which ever cooperates first, pull out...)

Assembly:
- attach the 2 lower screws in about 2 threads, leave as much room as you can
- the bezel has slotted tabs on the bottom side, make sure they are flat & straight, (hint: I angle the lower tabs out a few degrees toward the back, and then press the bezel flat into position when bottom screws are in place, and putting in 1st of top screws)
- put the headlight near the location, in the bezel, bulbs in, and the rubber seal in place
- put the bezel resting on the headlight cove, with the top of the bezel swung down to accept the headlight into it, if not already in
- I angle the headlight about 15* upward, the bezel about 30* downward, they slide right in..., keep the bulb pointed to where it should fit it..
- try to jiggle the lamp and bezel into place, the bezel needs to rest on the 2 lower screws, leaving the top swung out a bit
- lift the top brow gently
- push the top part of the bezel into place
- put some tape on your phillips, circling the tip about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way around the tip, put one screw on the screwdriver tip, just enough tape to hold it, but enough to free it when you pull off the screw
- lift the top brow gently, insert screws on top tabs of bezel

There will some slight differences on high beam and low beam around the cove and brow, since they are tighter in some corners, take a fwe minutes before you start throwing tools around...

You can put some low-tack painters tape (blue) if you want some extra insurance for the paint.

 

[FastCraig]

ITA with pagrunt. Also replace the bottom screws with slightly longer ones.

 

[rogus]

I think these hold the headlights in and are your adjustment screws i circled in blue. I dont think you have to remove tbe adj screws. Just loosen them. Take the other 4 screws out.
View attachment 139217
If you wanna take the whole thing out unhook the harness , take out 2 bolts on each side and it should come out whole.
View attachment 139218
I cant exactly remember how I got at these bolts. I think you get at outside bolts by reaching up into the fender area. I know the inner bolts thru the core support into the headlight assembly shown at the top of the picture. Actually upon further investigation I couldve left the fenderside bracket attached and just took these nuts off View attachment 139220
At that point it should pull out. I think...

Hey Thanks! Managed to get them today.

 

[rogus]

I did mine yesterday. Unfortunately didn't take any pictures. This is from another forum and is essentially the procedure I used.
Removal
- there are 4 screws total 2 on top, 2 on bottom
- use a smooth sided phillips (stock screws), the lower 2 usually involve a bit of paint contact on the satin black coves of the nose, if you are carefull it will go OK
- lift the top brow gently to get the screwdriver on the screws, take them all the way out.
- push down on the headlight coves to locate the lower screws, take them out all the way
- disconnect the plug from the bulb
- hold top brow and lift gently
- pull top of bezel down to clear the top brow (watch the paint)
- push the healamp from behind, jiggle the headlight to travel forward as you swing downward on the bezel
- pull the headlight out
- pull the bezel out (which ever cooperates first, pull out...)

Assembly:
- attach the 2 lower screws in about 2 threads, leave as much room as you can
- the bezel has slotted tabs on the bottom side, make sure they are flat & straight, (hint: I angle the lower tabs out a few degrees toward the back, and then press the bezel flat into position when bottom screws are in place, and putting in 1st of top screws)
- put the headlight near the location, in the bezel, bulbs in, and the rubber seal in place
- put the bezel resting on the headlight cove, with the top of the bezel swung down to accept the headlight into it, if not already in
- I angle the headlight about 15* upward, the bezel about 30* downward, they slide right in..., keep the bulb pointed to where it should fit it..
- try to jiggle the lamp and bezel into place, the bezel needs to rest on the 2 lower screws, leaving the top swung out a bit
- lift the top brow gently
- push the top part of the bezel into place
- put some tape on your phillips, circling the tip about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way around the tip, put one screw on the screwdriver tip, just enough tape to hold it, but enough to free it when you pull off the screw
- lift the top brow gently, insert screws on top tabs of bezel

There will some slight differences on high beam and low beam around the cove and brow, since they are tighter in some corners, take a fwe minutes before you start throwing tools around...

You can put some low-tack painters tape (blue) if you want some extra insurance for the paint.

Hey thanks for taking the time. I managed to get them out

I'd also replace the four screws with stainless ones

I'm not going to have a choice but to replace them. The heads are worn pretty badly on some of them.