Auto Detailing and AppearanceTips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.
Welcome to ThirdGen.org!
Welcome to ThirdGen.org.
You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, join the ThirdGen.org community today!
Well.. I'm having a problem with figuring out how to mount the lights in place. I didn't pull any of the mounting for the lights.. just the trim ring with the bubble-level on it. I figured I'd just mount it to that trim.. but just strengthen it up a little bit. That stuff isn't really that heavy, so I doubt it's going to just fall apart.
If I had some sheetmetal, there really wouldn't be any problems.
BTW: If you have any more pics of how that stuff is mounted in there, I'd appriciate it. If that really works well.. I'd consider looking for that mounting. I just didn't want to have to pull a bumper in order to get it.
I just thought about this. Are you going to have anything to adjust where the headlights point?
__________________ Online Drag Racing -------Reaction Time Tester! Red 1982 Trans Am MSE Hooker 1 5/8 primaries, 3 inches back, 3:73s
Red 1990 Formula with ZZ4 motor, Hooker 2055s, American Thunder catback
Black 1991 GTA with 3 inch Flowmaster Catback system
Black 2002 WS6 Bone Stock
TZ.. when I got my lights, I took the adjuster mounting pieces as well to help simplify things. There were only 3 hex screws holding each in (the high beams, which is what I used, anyways) and I didn't have to remove anything to get to them except part of the nose (front collision). I'll get some pictures when I have some time to take the light out. I tried to keep it simple and able to take apart 'easily'
TA12sec.. if you were asking me (?), I took the lamp, adjusters, mount, everything in one piece, to make sure they are adjustable/operable just as if installed on the original car. On the trim bezel I need to grind out a notch to access the left right adjuster screw. Up down is able to be adjusted w/o having the lights on using the built in level.
well at first glance it just makes your car look like its having a bad hang-over but the more i look at it the more i like it. it looks menacing. definitly a possible project for my bird!
__________________ "Jenna"
88 T-top IROC-Z
L98, T-56
Too much to list...
i want some more info on this. I would love to do this on my 85 trans am . I think you should sell a kit to do this . I am definately interested in this . I love it .
>1986 Trans Am - 305 LG4 - 700R4 - Electric cutout - no cat - 180* 'stat - Manual fan switch - Open element - Trans cooler - Crane 1.6 rockers - Comp 981 valvesprings My Cardomain page / My other cardomain page for my 87 v6
Fixed the links so they work now. I forgot about this post when I changed the img names.
As far as making kits.. I'm extremely thin on resources at the moment since I've been sinking alot of time/$$ into my garage so I can eventually move the 'bird into it and do some other side work in there.
Here's a few (as close as I can get) close up shots of the lamp and GP mount bracket. All I did was trim the GP bracket to fit the OEM lamp housing and than make a small bracket from 18ga b.i. sheetmetal. a few holes drilled, some screws and that's all the magic there is to it....
Making/modding pieces isn't the tough part. Getting the stop on both lamps in the exact same place, getting the lamps /brackets in the smae place and making the trim looks the same for both sides is the difficult part. I've still yet to find a drivers side trim piece so.. as seen... still not done.
Hood isn't done either as I have a slightly odd idea for a 'cowl' hood I may try to work on over the winter... time permitting.
85Vortec... to save (me) time I'll just quote from another post
Quote:
Below is all the info I have about the older lights.
It appears that #1 are the limiter arms that travel with the motor movement. They contact #3 to stop the motor (which would be the limiter switch). You would still have to make a stop peice for the arm to contact and brace against but, the limiter would have to be modified accordingly to the new travel limit. Granted, I'm only guessing about these motors, I could easily be waaay off on their operation.
The other option of using new motors, you'd have to completely rewire everything for the motors as the newer design is a 2 wire motor and only has one relay module (instead of 3wire motors and 3 relays).
If some jackass didn't steal all the 'bird and feiro motors from the yards here, I'd probably get one just to take apart to satisfy my own curiousity.
Most of my stuff will have a similar fate soon. I'm working on breaking up my website into smaller chunks...
Sorry to the people with links to my stuff in threads....
Right now I can't even access my old mainsite...calling cardomain 2morrow....
I may have them wipe the pics off when I restructure the other sites. Then I can start over and have a nice summary and link page like I want...
BUMP. was going throuigh my old pms and came across thiis thread. DeadBird just wondering if after all this time if youve finished this lazy eye headlight mod yet? if so pics are def in need. if not then ill still wait lol. im in the process of my own as i type this. and im taking pics of everything so i can make an fyi thread.
I saw that car at HOTROD Power Tour a few years ago here in Lincoln, Neb.
I never noticed the lights.. just that he put fender skirts on it and chopped the top on a notchback. That part doesn't look too bad though. Guy's got a lot of money to throw around on an F-Body.. that's for sure.
I'm working on Deadbird's style of lights. I'm going to pull the headlight assembys out and start working on them while I'm away from the car.
id buy it too. once im done with mine i may make a kit. wouldnt or at least it doesnt seem lik it would be that hard. ill post up the picks of my progress so far when i get a chance later this week.
Most of my stuff will have a similar fate soon. I'm working on breaking up my website into smaller chunks...
Sorry to the people with links to my stuff in threads....
Right now I can't even access my old mainsite...calling cardomain 2morrow....
I may have them wipe the pics off when I restructure the other sites. Then I can start over and have a nice summary and link page like I want...
Wow finally got the site straight! No help from cardomain mind you! www.redraif.com anyway the headlight stuff on my car is here I plan to one day do as the chopped notchback bird did and mold the headlight doors into the hood! Just had to ever get the corners strong enough
Originally posted by hpjspdr4l
DeadBird just wondering if after all this time if youve finished this lazy eye headlight mod yet?
Both headlights have been done for some time.. the only thing that I lacked was a good drivers trim bezel. Thanks to billsfirebird... he tipped me off to a good on at the local boneyard... I now have the trim piece I need.
Bad thing.. the car is probably going to be torn back apart... I'm not happy with the white...
As far as making a 'kit'.. I wish I could but, I'm spread way to thin on personal projects at the moment as it is.
At the moment... I have most of the outer pieces parts off the motor taken off for cleaning/coating and may start sanding the bay down for yet another new color... still debating on that part.
As it is though.. the 'bird is dead (guess my name is accurate once again lol) on jackstands in my shop.. and probably will be for awhile untill I get caught up with other things.
Everyday, I look at my Trans/Am, and it makes me sad to see its current state of disrepair. I don't even know how long it has been.
When I bought the Nissan, I assumed it was my daily driver, not my exclusive driver.
It is a 355 82 trans am. My mods are here, my 82 T/A
Don't you miss the pop up feature, though? I just don't think that I could ever get rid of the pop up headlights. I do think that making them a little smaller would be great though.
no i dont really miss the pop ups to me they ruin the lines of our cars and one night i was out driving around in my car and i hit a bump and both lights when down on this pitch black road and i bout ran off a bridge so i dont trust pop ups no more thats what got this idea off the ground. but it was raifs ideas on lights and stuff so thank her for it i just did the work and mounted mine a different way.
Since you eliminated the factory brackets it is a much cleaner install. Do you plan to trim and use the factory plastic headlight cover to go around the new headlights?
I opted to make mine reversable since I did not know what law enforcement would think!
One thing...not sure how to ask this and have it make sence...
I know you made a custom bracket to attach the headlamp door on the car...then mounted the lights to the underside of the door. I assume you hinged the new bracket so you could adjust the headlights. How do you lock it down so it will not come up with the force of the wind when the car is moving?
Keeping the original bracketry that held the door on is what keeps mine locked. I still use the factory pop up motors on manual to access mine. They then lock the doors down when the car is in motion. I just unpluged them from the power source.
ok well right now i have a heavy duty spring keep it down that is really hard to lift with my hand much less the wind. and the lights are very easy to adjust theres like alot of space to adjust. and i think im gonna try and make the original black headlight cover to work. im coming down to the gathering with them almost done so u can see it then k?
Originally posted by foney_email
Deadbird, how is the progress? [/b]
Progress... what's that ?
Seriously though.. I haven't messed with the car in months. I've stripped alot of crap from the engine bay (since there is no 'under the hood'... ha!) but, that's about it. It just sits on stands and is mostly covered up with plastic, waiting.
There's lots of other reasons but, lack of interest in even looking at the car doesn't help much either.
yah were gonna finish it up this month and put a dealer tag on it and drive it down there. i went to get my radiator fixed and they priced it at $90 but then i found a brand new radiator for my car for $98 plus tax so ima put it in finish the lights and go with it.
Awww come on deadbird.. you've been supplying me with the pics to get py projects done. I'm about half done with the headlights after who know when I started. I also need to get the door handles done. Mine are breaking cheap pieces of junk. I was loosing interest in my car as well.. but a ride in a friends Firehawk after the nitrous install quickly threw me back into the swing.
So, I suggest finding a fast ride and you'll be hooked once again.
Originally posted by demonbird yah were gonna finish it up this month and put a dealer tag on it and drive it down there. i went to get my radiator fixed and they priced it at $90 but then i found a brand new radiator for my car for $98 plus tax so ima put it in finish the lights and go with it.
Cool...I'm glad you are coming! Can't wait! Fighting with the emissions on mine now! Fun fun!
Originally posted by TZFBird Awww come on deadbird.. you've been supplying me with the pics to get py projects done. I'm about half done with the headlights after who know when I started. I also need to get the door handles done. Mine are breaking cheap pieces of junk. I was loosing interest in my car as well.. but a ride in a friends Firehawk after the nitrous install quickly threw me back into the swing.
So, I suggest finding a fast ride and you'll be hooked once again.
TZ... I do appreciate the encouraging words.. it does help.
I will get back to the car as soon as I can as I have pleanty of revamps to make to it (mainly with underhood wire/relay hiding and part coating) .
Unfortunately, at the moment, I do have other more important things consuming my time & resources. It is only a lull in the progress though, not the end of it .
"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true."
Ok, call me silly or whatever you want, just hear my idea out.
Since many of you are complaining about the firebird lights and not wanting them to pop up and what not, why dont you do what they did with Knight Rider.
Just put four lamps in the middle of your bumper. I am sure that little cutting out and grinding it to finish would not be a problem. Plus with that white cars bumper it would be a breeze to do. On top of that you just open up some space for the air to get through to the radiator. Just an idea.
Originally posted by xlwhellraiser Ok, call me silly or whatever you want, just hear my idea out.
Since many of you are complaining about the firebird lights and not wanting them to pop up and what not, why dont you do what they did with Knight Rider.
Just put four lamps in the middle of your bumper. I am sure that little cutting out and grinding it to finish would not be a problem. Plus with that white cars bumper it would be a breeze to do. On top of that you just open up some space for the air to get through to the radiator. Just an idea.
the main concern with that is the laws that say headlights have to be a minimum of a certain height off the road....(I think it differs a little from state to state but I'm not sure on that)
for example, WA state requires "Headlamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 54 inches." (measured from center of headlight to asphalt)
(http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/wsr.../97-09-069.htm)
how well known or strictly they enforce the laws though...your milage may vary :P
Last edited by codemonk84; 06-17-2005 at 04:59 AM.
Originally posted by codemonk84 the main concern with that is the laws that say headlights have to be a minimum of a certain height off the road....(I think it differs a little from state to state but I'm not sure on that)
for example, WA state requires "Headlamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 54 inches." (measured from center of headlight to asphalt)
(http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/wsr.../97-09-069.htm)
how well known or strictly they enforce the laws though...your milage may vary :P
Weird, I was going to post the exact same law.
I've done the exact thing suggested. I've also been pulled over a few times since and haven't been hassled about the headlights being ~18" off the ground. Although with how much the car is lowered, the stock headlights wouldn't be more than ~23" off the pavement.
I can tell you there are no updates on my end as the 'bird has been a dead project for well over a year now (maybe two even) and will probably continue to sit under a blanket untilll I can get my shop rebuilt and start saving some $$ after moving.
Are you still in the same location or are you building a new shop somewhere else?
I thought you had already built a shop.
My bird is still alive, however, I don't drive it anymore.
-bill
Quote:
Originally Posted by deadbird
What part of 'this' are you wanting info on ?
I can tell you there are no updates on my end as the 'bird has been a dead project for well over a year now (maybe two even) and will probably continue to sit under a blanket untilll I can get my shop rebuilt and start saving some $$ after moving.
Well, I might as well bring this back up to the top again. I moved a few times since starting on the project and everything got lost and spaced off. Just this last weekend I found the beginnings of the trim rings. I'm off to Auto Body Supply here in a bit for some resin and matting to finish them up. As far as adjustability goes, I'm going to make a bracket that will hold the smaller bulb in the factory location so I can use the old bucket to adjust the light. Hope it works.
It's finally getting warm again so as soon as we are hitting consistent 40's during the day I'm going to get a lot done.
Last edited by TZFBird; 02-26-2008 at 02:09 PM.
Reason: Email notification
cheap pieces of junk. I was loosing interest in my car as well.. but a ride in a friends Firehawk after the nitrous install quickly threw me back into the swing.
. 
