I will make a run to the junk yard tomorrow and get some pieces - I'll put up some pics and we can kick it around.

Edit to add: Page 2 ownage.......

[This message has been edited by katatak (edited 07-02-2009).]

Are there no adjuster screws or any means of aiming built into those chevy buckets in the first place? #10 looks like it would be the equivalent to the fiero bucket just smaller and without the holes to attach to the headlight motor because its non pop up

Well I rummaged around my buddies junk yard today and here's what I came up with:

Stock bucket next to a bucket out of a 82 Chevy truck.

Cutting the truck bucket down to fit the Fiero Mech.


1 adjuster relocated to the bottom

Fiero mech trimmed to size

With the headlight

I still have to "extend" the left side adjuster tab and relocate the side adjuster. I am thinking it may just be better to fab a plate like doublec4 did. I did find a dual element headlight from Sylvania - hi & lo beam H4666XV so I will be able to have hi & lo. Not bad for a couple of hours goofing around. More later.

Pat

Looks good

Keep messin around with it and it all falls into place

------------------

quote Originally posted by doublec4: Finished product !!! This is both buckets installed... a nice slim pop up look

That looks real good. Much better than stock.

Thanks!

------------------

After a few beers this evening, I started playing with the low profile headlight setup for the XTC. I got a wild hair and started messing with the smaller Camaro headlight's. I was able to use the original Camaro bucket - trimmed down bunch then I had to do some trimming on the inside of the Fiero bucket mount. This way I was able to retain the Camaro adjusters. It was late when I got it mounted to the car and only got one pic. I have to take it back apart so I can do the trim and I want to use soem epoxy in some spots.

The only thing I do not like is that, the way the hood is desgined, the headlight, when it is all the way up, sits a little low and a portion of the bottom of the headlight gets cut off. I may have to do some adjustment to get the headlight up a little higher. Even the stock headlight gets cut off a little. The other drawback using these Camaro lights is that it will only have lo beam. I suppose I could use the higher watt "hi beam" lamp and adjut it to shine lower? I also am thinking that this may be too small of a light - does not look right to me but I'll wait till daylight.

Comments?

Looks pretty good, I'd like to see a few more day time pictures
If theyre not bright enough or something, it looks like theres lots of room behind that mesh for some serious driving lights to help out.

------------------

quote Originally posted by doublec4: Looks pretty good, I'd like to see a few more day time pictures If theyre not bright enough or something, it looks like theres lots of room behind that mesh for some serious driving lights to help out.

Got side tracked replacing the starter today. I am thinking now that I should just follow your build. I am not sure the Camaro lights look right - too small. I think that if I follow your build but raise the lights slightly in the Fiero bucket - so the bottom clears the "bump" in the XTC hood it will all be good.

As for the lower part - grill area, I plan on removing the mesh and molding in a "scoop" to force the air into the radiator - right now it is all pretty much wide open behind the mesh (car likes to overheat on 90 plus days without the fan running). I want to mold in some nice driving lights and turn signals. Of course this will all depend on how good my glass skills are. That is something new I am getting ready to try.

I am going to fab up some brakets out of sheet metal this evening patterned after yours. I'll post the results - if it works...lol.I have about 6 sets of Fiero buckets to FUBAR before I give up.

Did you get the little springs for the adjusters at Home Depot or Lowes?

Thanks again and Happy 4th.

Pat

I got my springs at home depot, you're going to want to use the stock spring as well... the amount of adjustment isn't great, but it does the trick

I worked on Version 2.0 of my low profile headlight mod this evening. I had to wait for the sun to go down so it would be a little cooler out. On Version 1.0, the headlight was sitting too low in the mount and about 1/2" of the bottom of the light was cut off by the hood. I moved the Camaro bucket up in the Fiero mount 1/2" and then added a small diameter driving light. I need to hook up the power to see what they look like. If anything, the light needs to come up another 1/2". If it all works out, I will use some sheet aluminum and fab up some trim for the lights to cover up all the ugly parts.

Version 1.0:

Version 2.0:




Can you say Version 3.0?

[This message has been edited by katatak (edited 07-06-2009).]

Ok,

Version 3.0.

Got a lot done today. Mounted up and headlights are adjusted. Just have to finsh the wiring for the driving lights and fab some face plates to cover up the ugly. Changed it around and put the driving lights on the outside of the headlights. If I don't like it, I can swap the buckets from side to side and move the driving lights to the inside. This worked out pretty good. I was able to retain all the original Camaro adjusters - even the cool "level" bubble works! I Bought 2 new Halogen headlights. The only drawback is that there is no "high" beam. I am not too worried about them as the car is not driven at night too often and if it is, it is around town. The driving lights should help on the dark roads. A big THANKS to doublec4 for this thread and inspiration.

Here's a quick update of pictures AFTER I flipped the headlight the right way up. I still don't have any pictures of the pattern on a wall or anything, but there is the usual scatter because I'm using a reflector housing. Anyways, on with the pictures:







Enjoy

------------------

Looking good. How's the vision from the driver's seat? If you get a chance, a pic from behind the wheel would help. I have orderd a set of housings and bulbs - should be here by the weekend. I am excited to build these and then compare them to the other ones I just finished. I think your way is the way to go.

Vision is decent, theres quite a bit of light output... the housings that I have aren't the greatest though. The peripheral light pattern isnt great, its more focused straight ahead.

It looks good and does a decent job, but the more expensive options probably have better performance.

------------------

wow, that does look pretty good. that light output looks pretty white.

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 07-15-2009).]

6000K HID bulbs... its crystal white

------------------

Well, you gave me an idea a few days ago. Try using either LT1 Camaro headlights, or mid 90's Olds Cutlass Supreme headlights. They are slim and might be narrow enough to fit side-by-side in the headlight bucket.

[This message has been edited by Rolling Thunder (edited 07-15-2009).]

quote Originally posted by Rolling Thunder: Well, you gave me an idea a few days ago. Try using either LT1 Camaro headlights, or mid 90's Olds Cutlass Supreme headlights. They are slim and might be narrow enough to fit side-by-side in the headlight bucket.

I tried to mount 93 camaro lights side by side in a Fiero Bucket. Although I could mount them easy enough, there is not enough room for them in the existing hole in the hood. This is not a stock Fiero hood but the headlight hole is the same. If you look close, you can see that there is not enough room for the Camaro headlight bucket to clear the hood. Now, having said that, I believe that the Munson flush mounts use the same headlights - 2 per side but they sit below the hood and I am not sure if they are "cut off" a little on the sides.

Camaro Left Side Bucket

I suppose that a guy could open the hole in the hood up and fab a new cover to make it work. I looked at this on the XTC and decided that I did not want to get into that much work. I think you would have to offset the Camaro bucket to the inside and then trim the inside of the headlight hole in the hood. It gets close to the metal frame work on the outside and I think you would have to cut a notch in the frame to get the bucket centered and then you would have to widen the hole on both sides. Just my observations.

Pat

those camaro and olds headlights are the same i do believe

------------------
First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

I've been thinking... why can't we just use just one camaro headlight (like those above) and put a dual beam light socket in it? That way, the double filament bulb can do both high and low beams. It'll basically be like the Fiero's stock lights, only a lot smaller.

[This message has been edited by Rolling Thunder (edited 07-27-2009).]

quote Originally posted by Rolling Thunder: I've been thinking... why can't we just use just one camaro headlight (like those above) and put a dual beam light socket in it? That way, the double filament bulb can do both high and low beams. It'll basically be like the Fiero's stock lights, only a lot smaller.

I am not sure if a "Dual" beam head lamp this size exists. Now if there was a housing this size and we could find a dual filliment bulb, we'd be there. I just have not searched around enough. Right now on the XTC, I have the "high" beam headlamp installed and just adjusted it down so not to blind oncoming cars. It puts out plenty of light for city streets but out in the country it is lacking for distance. The 2 low beam headlamps that I have have a "plastic" rear housing and a glass face. I have been contemplating taking the bulb out (it is sealed in place) and then using a bulb mount from another housing, mate that to this housing and then install a dual filimnet bulb (H4?). I really do not know anything about the H4's or HID etc. etc..... More design and prototype work is currently in progress on the XTC.

quote Originally posted by katatak:I have been contemplating taking the bulb out (it is sealed in place) and then using a bulb mount from another housing, mate that to this housing and then install a dual filimnet bulb (H4?). I really do not know anything about the H4's or HID etc. etc..... More design and prototype work is currently in progress on the XTC.

That's what I've been thinking. We can put a different socket on the housing. Since Fieros come with only one lamp on each side, we're not downgrading. We're just using a smaller housing.

You can buy H4 bulbs or HID bulbs that have a solenoid that pulls the bulb up higher to change to high beam

------------------

Check out my build!
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000100.html

I WANT I WANT

I think we're on the right track here. If we just replace the housing with a smaller one and keep all the other parts (dual beam bulbs), this will be easy. We won't need a new harness, we wont need to fabricate new buckets (for the most part), and we won't need to spend about $500.

quote Originally posted by Rolling Thunder: I think we're on the right track here. If we just replace the housing with a smaller one and keep all the other parts (dual beam bulbs), this will be easy. We won't need a new harness, we wont need to fabricate new buckets (for the most part), and we won't need to spend about $500.

I'll be taking one of these low beam headlamps from the Camaro that I have apart tomorrow. Just have to hunt around for a donor for the bulb flange.

Edit to add: Here's where I am at with the XTC:

[This message has been edited by katatak (edited 07-28-2009).]

I saw some flip up lights off a 4th gen Firebird today. They look like they'd be close to fitting side-by-side though the Fiero's headlight openings.

Headlight bulb sockets are available at Autozone for both single and dual filament headlight bulbs.
Headlight adjusters are also available at Autozone.

I would see if the dual filament socket fits the camaro housing,if not then it's a simple matter of finding the correct housing and cutting them out with a dremel. Open up the socket on the housing your using to be larger,then graft the other socket onto the housing using epoxy/JB weld.

I've done this before on my motorcycle as bulbs were not available in this country,I grafted the high beam socket from a 97 yukon with composite lights. I don't think I have pics of it though-if you want them email Todd at the fiero farm and maybe he'll snap some.

I can check/verify the part numbers for the dual/single sockets if you like,basically just look for the one that has three wires from it.
Find the application on the box and then ask what headlight bulb it takes (unless it says on the package.)

Great creativity with the HID's.

I remember back in the day swapping fog and headlights for round PIAA's instead in my 96 camaro.
Eventually someone came out with a kit that replaced the dual rect. headlight housing in the camaro to a bolt in housing for two PIAA's on each side.

[This message has been edited by DefEddie (edited 08-09-2009).]

This is what I was thinking when I saw doublec4's build.

I have a full set of slim lights out of a Cutlas and thought about doing those as well.

doublec4------Big + for coming up with this idea.

[This message has been edited by kyunderdawg (edited 08-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by kyunderdawg: This is what I was thinking when I say doublec4's build. I have a full set of slim lights out of a Cutlas and thought about doing those as well. doublec4------Big + for coming up with this idea.

Thanks

post some pictures of what you're doing and how its turning out!

------------------

Check out my build!
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000100.html

quote Originally posted by doublec4: Thanks post some pictures of what you're doing and how its turning out!

I just so happen to have a pair + 1 bucket sitting on a shelf collecting dust. I can't afford to spend any cash on upgrades for my car so this is something that I can do myself and use material from work if I need it. I might try to start on something next week. I'll definitely post pics when I get going.

I remember my sisters car back years ago. It was an '88 Sunbird and it had four small headlamps that looked smaller than the Camaro and Cutlas......could be just an optical illusion though.

[This message has been edited by kyunderdawg (edited 08-22-2009).]

I'm going to get on mine this week because the car will be sold when the guy comes up with the cash. I'll need a car to do the test fit on and I'm not going to take them out of my GT to do it.

[This message has been edited by kyunderdawg (edited 08-26-2009).]

better hurry up then! we want to see some progress

Well, went to the yard yesterday and got a "freebee" as Jesse James says. It's out of a '95 S-10. I'll get started as soon as I can. I'm working on getting the interior done on my Z......repainting the console and getting the radio back in.

double c4, where did you get your hid assembly, ballasts and etc. from. Im looking for a set that will just plug right into the current headlight plug but havent found any. any info would be helpful. thanks.

Luke

Mine were not HID, but used the Camaro housings. The headlights were fixed, did not go up and down, I just wanted proof of concept. I was going to build new buckets but never got that far. I pulled the single filament bulb out and after much monkeying about installed a dual filament bulb for high/low beams. Light output was good enough for city, but in the country it really needed auxiliary lights, they just weren't bright enough, may have been the connectors or wiring, but it worked with zero scattering and a very good cut off. Close to factory for the Camaro stuff. I may do another setup for the silver GT I got back.

quote Originally posted by LR8523: double c4, where did you get your hid assembly, ballasts and etc. from. Im looking for a set that will just plug right into the current headlight plug but havent found any. any info would be helpful. thanks. Luke

I got the kit locally off some forum. However, if you buy any H4 kit, it will plug into the stock connectors.

And topher, yours looks sweet, very slim, real sleek