NOVA5

Is called.. ready?

A Dead Thread! Done, Finieto, Toast!

94BlackBowtie

Umm, no.

A thread that covers that much ground shall not be determined dead unless there is a good reason.

It answers WAY too many questions on this.

So no...It is not a dead thread. It has a lot longer pauses between postings than a month in there. It just needs to be resurrected every so often.

Sam95ZNoTop

Agree. I try to check every month or so and post a "keep alive" message.

Sam

Cerwin Vega Fan

How bright are the projectors compared to say silverstars?

PediDr2

Hard to compare but a little brighter and much better beam pattern (less scatter and sharper cutoff).

Sam95ZNoTop

Keep it alive Post

Sam

Bud M

Here's how ya do it using the mounting plates:

1. Get the lights, mounting plates and some angle aluminum. You can also get connectors with pigtails and make up a set of plugs that will plug into the wiring harness and hella lamps so it all just plugs together with no modifying any wiring on the car.


2. Make up a bracket to attach the plate to the plastic headlight mounting assembly on the car. It may be necessary to remove some material from the car body to make your bracket fit. Assemble the brackets and plates and test fit, removing material where necessary for clearance. It will probably be necessary to reshape the tops of the plates to clear the underside of the hood.


3. Make up lamp assemblies with the brackets and plates. Installing the lamp adjusters into the plates is tricky. The easiest way I found was to use zip ties to compress the plastic adjuster (with the adjuster screw already in it) before trying to insert it into the plate. Do not install adjusters until you are certain that you will have no reason to remove them. I don't think you can get them out without destroying them. Notice that I shortened the adjuster screws for clearance instead of removing more of the plastic piece on the car than was necessary.


4. Attach assemblies to plastic with screws and nuts. (I recommend nylon locknuts wherever possible.) This will require removing some material from the top and back of the plastic for clearance and from the metal crossmember for clearance on the low beams which are deeper than the highbeams.


5. Using aluminum angle and 1/4" i.d. tubing, make an upper brace to make the entire mounting assembly rigid. Attach the bracket to the underside of the frame crossmember and run 6 mm screws through the tubing to fasten the brackets in place. Use thick enough (1/8" will work) aluminum so you can tap it so no nuts are needed. Notice that the low beams need an extra hole drilled in the plate to offset the top brace because the lamp has a part that blocks the top center hole on the plate.


Be prepared for lots of trial and error in fitting the lamps. You will need to pull the airdam and splash panels to get access to the under side of the plastic panel and wiring.
A dremel and/or air grinder is very useful for removing plastic where necessary. The dremel also does a nice job of shortening the lamp adjusters.
A small bandsaw makes working with the aluminum a snap, and you will need a drill and a few files to make your parts look professional.
The long screws for the top braces came from Mcmaster.com. 6mm x 100 mm if I remember right. I recommend stainless fasteners, or you'll get rust.
Its sort of a lengthy project if you are feeling your way through it, but its fun work and you'll be very happy with the results.

Disclaimer: Before you do this project, swap out the stock driving lights with FF75s. Much easier project, and you may just find it makes enough light for your needs.

PediDr2

Nice write up.
Any chance of posting the dimensions on the mounting plates so I can fab up my own?
One of my adjuster screws has come loose and I think it will eventually fail.

Bud M

Material is 1 x 1" angle aluminum 1/8" thick, cut to about 5 1/2" long. You can find it at Home Depot.

PediDr2

And what are the dimensions/specs on the other piece pictured?

CALL911

If you could figure a way to have this done to the LT1 Camaro's, you'd be one rich dude! I would buy them instantly! I like the way these round lights in this whole thread put out light, I just don't care for their actual appearance in the place of the stock ones. However if there was an actual replacement that went in like your listed pics, or even ones similar to a 4th Generation Supra headlamp, that would be exactly what I am looking for (and I am sure a few thousand other F-body owners as well) Keep us updated if this could be a possibility.

If anyone else out there could make this happen, please let me know, I would be VERY interested!

CALL911

If someone could make a headlamp like this to fit the round bulbs/lenses in, into the space of an LT1 Camaro, they would not only become my hero, but would also make a LOT of money.

Honda Hunter

Honestly I dont think that's really that hard to make by a pro just somebody has to step up with the cash, time and patience. I wish somebody on the board with talent could draw up a prototype. Once my car is out of the shop I have big plans for some custom stuff headlights included unless I say screw it and convert to 98+

thesoundandthefury

Just ordered supplies today. Gonna try for a molded fiberglass surround with Halo's integrated into it. I'll keep everyone posted on what I come up with.

CALL911

Outstanding! Are you planning on using the same lights/lenses as posted in this thread (the bright and clear ones with defining lines at night)?. When do you think you would have the prototype done?

For the over all headlight lamp that everything goes in, you may want to consider a previosly designed setup that might work with some fabrication into the space (ex. GTO headlamps)