being handy and cheap, i want to try making my own flushmount headlights. since i've accquired a little $ for xmas, i was thinking of going to the junkyards tomorrow and looking at the 93-ish camaros, sunbirds, grand ams, cieras, etc for slim headlamp assemblies.

does anyone have any advice about what cars to look at, parts to get, how much to pay?

*asdfg*

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'84 2m4 se, a work in progress http://www.mtsu.edu/~mkr2c/fiero.htm

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 01-02-2004).]

88-89 Olds Toronados use sealed beam bulbs, not composites, that are only about 2 1/4 inches high. Thats what I put in my GT40.

thanks, roger. if the weather holds, i'm off to the yards to look. hopefully i'll have parts this afternoon and can start this project, with pictures naturally.

i figure from the few responses (1) and # of views (80+), that there's interest but not many have done this. guess i should have mentioned gwen stephani in the title?

Geo Storm's are 'staggered' instead of sideXside...

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New Name.... New Attitude....
AKA. SmoothGT....

Custom Built SHAVED~WIDEBODY~GT!!

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: Geo Storm's are 'staggered' instead of sideXside...

coincidentally after looking at 3 junkyards and maybe 1000 cars, i couldnt find any of the cars i listed. so i bought geo storm fixtures complete for $60 + $5.85 tax. they will require serious modification, and i may have to cut the hood, but i'm going to make them work with you all's help. now, where'd i leave my hack saw?

i will post progress with pics.

heres links

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http://my.core.com/~ferrari1/MyPhotos
http://groups.msn.com/RogersCarPhotos

quote Originally posted by lurker: [QUOTE]Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: Geo Storm's are 'staggered' instead of sideXside...

coincidentally after looking at 3 junkyards and maybe 1000 cars, i couldnt find any of the cars i listed. so i bought geo storm fixtures complete for $60 + $5.85 tax. they will require serious modification, and i may have to cut the hood, but i'm going to make them work with you all's help. now, where'd i leave my hack saw?

i will post progress with pics.[/QUOTE]

I have been looking at those same lights for my car.

My Idea (you are welcome to use it ) was to put the Low-Beams the stock headlight area. and to put the High-Beams in the fascia, where the front parking/turn-signal lights are at.
That left the issue of no front parking/turn-lights. But, I thought I could come up with something for that.

Good luck and make sure to take a couple of pics for us all.

problem #1:
this is a 4-light set, so i must have 2 lights on each side. the lamp rims are 3 9/16ths high by 5 13/16ths wide. i dont think the height will be a problem, but the width certainly is. two lamps w/ rims side by side is <> 11 5/8ths wide. fiero headlamp cutout is 10 1/4 inch. looks like i'm going to have to remove about an inch and a quarter from the hood. the outside edge has stuff under it on the fender, so the inside edge is the likely victim. looks like i'll need a spare
hood.

today i went to walmart and ran the 91-93 geo storm thru their headlight computer. they are the same lights as on the camaro, sunbird etc.

There must be some difference, theres tons of people here using Camaro lights set up as duals.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: There must be some difference, theres tons of people here using Camaro lights set up as duals.

Well, they better step up with some pics. Side by side you either need to lose the hood hinge or some of the wall that the fender bolts to.

current status, 01/06/04.flushmount project
suggestions for materials, wiring invited.

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 01-06-2004).]

Lurk.. Why? "being handy and cheap, i want to try making my own flushmount headlights..."

Interestingly enough, one of the things that a lot of the ricers like about my Fiero is that it has pop up lights.

Gary

i'm glad that you like your pop-ups, but i think mine are ugly, aerodynamically evil, failure-prone and dead weight.

what do you think, should i go with sheet metal or acrylic for the brackets?

Lurker ,
when you get the mounting done and need some covers contack K&A acrylic in shelbyville they do some really good work and are inexspensive.

after 4 failed attempts, i have what appears to be a workable prototype. now i need advice with the wiring.

i'm going from a 2-lamp system (3 wires) to a 4 lamp system, 2 on each side(4 wires).
(1) does the polarity matter on a sealed beam?
(2) can i just splice the 2 ground wires together and stuff the resultant 3 wires into the existing 3-wire plug?
(3) does anyone sell a plug to go into the existing 3-wire plug?

yo lurker pm me and if you want ill meet you in spin chat
i have the same lights in mine but i got them off the 94 camaro and they are mounted and working

pm sent, timmer.

ok, it's just a prototype, and it's got a long way to go.

but it's working flushmounts using camaro/cutlass/sunbird/storm lamps. although technically not legal, they are DOT approved lights. the bottom edge is 23 & 3/4" above the road. i drove to school today with them on in the rain, and they were still working when i got there!
http://www.mtsu.edu/~mkr2c/flush2.htm
comments?

Can’t they be inspected and approved once they are installed?
How do hot-rodders put newer lights on old cars? You see it all the time with old cars and trucks.
Just because these are not 1960 cars should not stop us from upgrades like this.
Anyone have any insight on this?

Most times if you have them adjusted properly, no one will ever stop you. I ran 4 driving lites in a full size custom van for years and never got stopped. Drove the Ferraro around for a couple years with no headlites on (didnt like flip ups) just used my under bumper driving lites 100% of the time. Unless you have vehicle inspections, they never know what they are. Most wouldnt even know if they were approved or not when they looked at them. If you get inspected, just keep quiet and let them tell YOU. Then you can pop in the orig to pass, and take them right back out afterward

interesting
can you post mine ( as they are now ) man it looks horrible without the front skin

ok, here are some of timmer's; comments are mine.
high beams

wiring access

driver side detail

a little cutting and mending

i'll add the skin pics when he sends them. lookin' good!

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 02-17-2004).]

ok, here's timmer's next picture, with the nose back on.

still needs a lot of work, will post more pix as i get them

anyone else got homebrew flushmounts?

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 02-19-2004).]

Very unique if you manage to get them into the bumper like that, and looking repectable. What about if you put your low beam under the hood, and your high beam in bumper where your turning signal is. you could foolow something like this
http://www.fierosound.com/moreMODS.htm#Park/Driving/Signal%20Lights

i think thats going to be the route I'll take, keep this thread up to date so you can probably influence me to do otherwise.

quote Originally posted by Comealongway: What about if you put your low beam under the hood, and your high beam in bumper where your turning signal is.

i think that's what klingonfiero (above) has in mind to try.

bump .... thanks for posting these pics lurker ill try to get more work done this sunday and get some more pics . i have lots going on selling house and figuring where to put the babys room now that the wife has a second one the way

Any updates?

quote Originally posted by Taedir: Any updates?

i'm trying to avoid cutting the hood.

since the 4351/4352 combo is too wide, i'm trying to convert the single beam 4351 to a dual beam lamp. i have corresponded with a person here who has done this, but it's technically involved, and beyond my abilities right now. i've also corresponded with a company which makes sealed/composite conversions, but that's single-beam to single-beam.

i'm still trying, and will post developments.

i haven't heard from timmer lately, nor from the guys looking into putting the high beam lamps in the bumper.

the setup i have shown above throws plenty of light. although i need to aim them, i'm perfectly happy with the illumination they provide.

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 03-08-2004).]

The hi/lo 4351 conversion is pretty lo-tech actually. You just need to cut off the back of the light and attach a hi/lo halogen bulb of your choice.

I can show pics if you want, as I have several in different stages of completion. They are going in as low pop-ups.

The snag is that the light output is not great as the hi beam is shining thru a low beam pattern in the glass.

I have noticed that some of the newer Dodge minivans have a headlight/turnsignal combo which is pretty small. The advantage is that the fixture is plastic and it should be easy to cut the thing apart to yield a small hi/lo headlight. It does mount with a slight angle versus perfectly horizontal but should look fine as a flush mount.

quote Originally posted by FieroBUZZ: The hi/lo 4351 conversion is pretty lo-tech actually. You just need to cut off the back of the light and attach a hi/lo halogen bulb of your choice. I can show pics if you want, as I have several in different stages of completion. They are going in as low pop-ups.

yes, i'd like to see them. pm sent.

FieroBUZZ,
Can you post those 4351 pics here?

There are some pics at the link given. You will likely need to type in the addy or cut and paste to get it to work, good old geocities.

www.geocities.com/fierobuzz/lurker.html
Gary

very nice!
thank you, gary.

Very nice...Hmmm...I just had a light motor go out on my '88.

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'88GT T-Tops

bump

you did, you did.

got any fresh pictures for us?
the vendor of the parts i'm looking at hasn't responded to my last e-mail and i'm short of cash so mine's on hold.

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 04-13-2004).]

FieroBUZZ, the Fiero plug style hi/lo halogen bulb ... what is the number ... what was it a replacement for ?

Looks very cool, you can have "sleepy eyes" Do you have any pics of the "slim headlight" conversion outside of the car?