- A video of a vintage Buick Riviera shows that hidden headlights came in lots of different forms.
- The powered lights on the second-generation Riviera drop down from above the grille area.
- Hideaway headlights were first seen in the 1930s but their heyday was the late 1960s to early 1990s.
Headlights are functional pieces of automotive equipment, like brakes, but they’re often also an integral part of the design of a car. That’s particularly so right now thanks to the possibilities afforded by LED technology, but it was also true of the 1960s when designers jumped on the craze for hidden headlights.
When we think of hideaway headlights, most of us probably picture the pop-up variety, because that’s the kind that enjoyed the longest life. The Lotus Elan ushered in the trend in 1962 (though manually crankable hidden headlights date back to the Cord 810 of the 1930s) and the C5 Chevrolet Corvette was still using them in 2004.
Meet the Forgotten Pop-Down Headlights
But let’s flip the script for a second. What about pop-down headlights, or maybe that should be drop-down headlights? An Instagram video from @automospeedcrew shows how the headlights on Buick’s second-generation (1966-70) Riviera fold upwards to face the underside of the hood when not needed, and drop down through 90 degrees to point at the road when they are.
QOTD: What Was The Best-Looking Car With Pop-Up Headlights Ever Made?
Well, that’s how it’s supposed to work, anyway. Like many early hidden headlight systems, the Riviera relies on vacuum-operated mechanisms. And let’s just say vacuum systems weren’t exactly bulletproof. Leaky hoses or tired components often left these headlights permanently “hidden,” no matter how badly you wanted to see the road.
A Hidden Headlight Hall of Fame
The earlier and more beautiful Bill Mitchell-designed original Riviera also had hidden headlights following a mid-life refresh in 1965, but in that case, the lights remained in position and vacuum pressure was used to move sections of the grille to cover and uncover them. Many other American cars of the 1960s, including the 1967-67 Cadillac Eldorado, 1966-72 Dodge Charger, 1968-69 Pontiac GTO and 1967-70 Mercury Cougar used the same trick.
More: You’ve Heard Of Pop-Up Headlights, But Check This ’60s Corvette Concept’s Pop-Up Taillights
Hiding the headlights enabled designers more freedom to create the look they wanted, and in some cases (though not where those housebrick-shaped Detroit cars were concerned) more aerodynamic at a time when US safety regulations banned the headlight covers allowed in Europe, and mandated that all cars had to use round, sealed-beam lights.
What’s Your Favorite Hidden Headlight?
So, where do you stand on hidden headlights? Got a favorite design? And can you think of another car that featured a pop-down system like the Riviera’s? Drop a comment and let us know. And while you’re at it, check out the Instagram clip from @automospeedcrew to see those pop-down headlights in action (well, on a good day).