I need a working 1969-1970 headlight actuation vacuum motor. Is critter creek the only option?
Sorry but I just can’t afford $685+shipping. 
I have bought entire parts cars for less.
I have several core actuators, but none seem to be able to pull in both directions.
Thanks, Scott Taylor
Yeah, for $700 I can put a LOT of man-hours and materials into figuring out how to restore one. Then I can pocket the shipping money I saved >.>
I have a few trashed ones as well that I’ve thought of tearing apart and trying to rebuild. I’ve put quite a bit of thought into it, but I just haven’t put any time into actually doing it. Hmm… maybe a good side business opportunity 
Seriously though, it’s metal and rubber. How difficult can it be to fix one if you really put your mind to it? Last I heard, WCCC is making the upper seal and accordian boot. So all you need to do is gently pry one open. Find a suitable rubber material to replace the inner diaphragm. Repair / replace said diaphragm (including remounting the shaft and associated components). Gently pinch it all back together.
And if you have it apart and broken into the basic pieces, why not send the metal cannister halves to the plater and have them redo the original “olive drab” plating instead of using spray paint on it. Or order the materials and plate it yourself, if you’re so inclined.
I think the hardest part will be opening the pinch seal without distorting the metal too much, and then pinching it closed again and making it look presentable.
If your center diaphragm is good John’s will rebuild it. Here is a link on how to check it. Won’t help you out if it sucks air in both directions. His rebuilt won’t include replacing the center diaphragm.
http://www.johnsclassiccougars.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=198
I wouldn’t really call that rebuilding. $120 gets you a new seal, and a new boot. Not very good value.
Here is a little bit better price on a critter creek rebuild option. https://www.npdlink.com/product/vacuum-actuator-headlight-cover-control-rebuilt-each-note/198476/212887
Is that actually olive drab plated? Or is it just painted? I thought Critter Creek painted theirs.
Looks like zinc dichromate - not even close to olive drab
Typically olive drab was used for clips and retainers and not for bolts or nuts
I have a critter creek unit in stock for less than the NPD price, correct kits coming soon!
https://secure.cougarpartscatalog.com/d0wy-13a167-a.html?attribs=79
I have several used ones here that pass the test that Brian linked to in post #3. On some of them the accordion seal looks good too.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
I don’t know that the 69 and 70 are the same but for the 70 both NPD and WCCC offer a rebuilt for about $300. It requires a core. Don Rush has been very supportive to the Cougar community and helpful to me so WCCC is my preferred supplier when things are even near to close. The only caution there is that the WCCC shipping charges seem to have gotten significantly higher, just something to watch.
Is that actually olive drab plated? Or is it just painted? from Mike_B_SVT
I would call it painted olive drab on the 1 I got.
Tom I agree 100% I try to give as much business as I can to WCCC. But sometimes they are out of stock on certain items and you look else where.
I agree with the assessment that the original finish on the 1969-1970 actuators was zinc dichromate (yellow zinc). Thanks Don for the new seal listing info. Nearly every core I have holds vacuum on the lower port fine, but none hold vacuum on the upper port, so I need your new seal kits. Let me know when available. Best Regards, Scott
I see a video from Don on tear downs and how to rebuild them in the near future.
thanks
pat
Any plans to offer the internals?
No, it takes special tooling to open an actuator and reseal it. Very few people would have access to such machinery.
There’s a shop about 20 miles from me that rebuilds brake boosters. I wonder if their equipment could work for headlight actuators.
I think the issue is that the cases were never designed to be rebuilt in the first place where the brake boosters were rebuildable. The second thing would be the inner rubber diaphragm. That part would have to be tooled up and manufactured and that means a big investment as tooling is expensive and them minimum run for manufacturing is also going to produce hundreds of parts, I can’t imagine it being less than 500. With the tariff on car parts at 30% no one is very excited about tooling up anything new in China.
There are plenty of cores available that do not need to be opened up, I have six 55 gallon drums full as folks often leave them behind when they go electric.
That’s already been tooled up, all you need is the manufacturer. I’m sure someone knows who it is.