BB6-213

I have always thought it would be a cool project to make a headlight scoop like they have for the EK's, supras etc, and so I picked up an extra headlight so I could come up with something, but I really dont know where to start so for anyone who has any ideas, or has done this before, please share. I will be doing the drivers side. Here is a pic so you know what Im working with, thanks.

WhiteSlips

I'd start by baking the headlight and seperate the lense from the housing. From there I have no idea.

ButterBall

http://www.kimini.com/Diaries/2005April_July/

speeddave

i'd like to know how to do this as well. my idea was to get an cheap ebay projector with the plastic lense, so i could cut the lense out nicely and cut the front and back of the light out. then i was just going to use some aluminum to make a box in the back that tied into the turbo. if i cant find a old projector i was just going to reasearch up on fiberglassing and make a mold of the old headlight, cut that out, etc...

BB6-213

That sounds like a good idea, I just really dont know too much about fiberglass and making molds and such.

Bailhatch

Make a frame that fits the opening then cut a sleeve off the sweatshirt you are wearing. Attach the big end of the sleeve to the frame and then stretch the cuff end out to make the tapered shape you want. Then soak the sleev in fiberglass resin and let it harden. You can then cover it with some fiberglass for strength and prep and sand it or whatever you want.

speeddave

thats a good idea you must use something inside the sleeve to support it from collapsing when you soak it? or do you just stretch it tight enough and apply small amounts of resin?

crx12

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ButterBall &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.kimini.com/Diaries/2005April_July/ </TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree. This would be the easiest way to go if you just want one. The difficult part is building the male mold to lay up over. You can buy a contour gauge to help copy the lines of the headlight over to foam. There are also water soluble casting products but for a first timer building one part you probably don't want to get into that.

Bailhatch

you just pull it tight and it will hold a good amount of resin before sagging. All you need is a rigid form to work off so just use enough to make it wet and scrape off any excess. Generally people use wood for the frames so you can pull it tight and staple it in place as you go. Ducttape, zip-ties, spray adhesive, nails, screws, tacks...theres a million ways to do it. you can also place things (like foam or cardboard or whatever) inside the streched cloth to aid in forming the shape. Jsut make sure you can cut it out later.

speeddave

makes sense, do you think the sweater would have any possibility of breaking down and getting sucked into the turbo?

Bailhatch

no way, once the resin is set it basicly feels just like fiberglass but without the strength. You can use thin, fleece rather than sweatshirt material too...its supposed to stretch better or something

DaveF

thats a hell of an idea BailHatch. i like it

crx12

Yah that sweatshirt idea could do the job but I don't see how that is going to make a smooth inside to the air intake which is what you want. I know they use this idea a lot in audio applications but I don't think it's very well suited to this job.

A much better way to do this would be to buy some high density two part urethane foam and fill a box with it so you have a decent size cube to work with, place a garbage can liner in the box first. Now sculpt the shape you want which will be just smaller than the headlight to compensate for material thickness. As you are sculpting you could get a small piece of thin wall aluminum pipe and bond it to the back of the foam to so you can hook a hose couple on to it when the part is built, Fair that hose piece in with bondo so you get a smooth transition. Once your shape is complete you can spray it with Duratec high build primer to fill in the porosity of the foam. Wet sand and buff and then release with wax and pva or other chemical release. Now spray black gel coat over the part and lay up one side at a time with an overlap. Maybe use 6 layers of 6 oz glass fabric. Once cure your foam plug should pop right out with a few taps from the intake pipe side. For something this shape using a short pipe end the natural draft of the part will make it easy to release. If it were some twisty piece of pipe or a long piece you would need a foam that dissolves but not with this part if you design it right and release it properly. This will give you professional looking results without much money. You will have a black and perfectly smooth inside to the part which will be nice for air flow. If you wanted to build a bunch the plan would change but this is a good plan for one prototype part.

THEDirtyDseriesWOOT

im doing the lense cutout with aluminum box that ties it to the turbo ill post pics when im done

Hybrid_Coupe

bump for some more ideas i was thinking of doing the same thing cause i like to try and build most of my building myself.