Headlight mods

[FieroBUZZ]

I'm sure everyone has seen a few headlight mods, swaps or photoshops.  As I have nothing else to do   I may as well add a couple I am working on.

#1 Lawrence Mazza style slim popups.

I don't mind the popup lights but they are kind of bug eyed.  Likely when done this one will look dumb as well.  The idea is to use a small (Geo Storm, Camaro, GP) head light.  The challenge is that they only come in Low or Hi beam.  The pair will not fit side by side in the Fiero light bay.

Following Lawrence's lead I am converting a low beam lamp to hold a 9004 hi/lo bulb.  Then just fit it into a cage on the motor and it will only crank up a bit.

Pro:  * I think it looks different enough to be cool.
         * Easily undone.

Con:  * Has hi/lo but still thru a low beam lens pattern, therefore not the brightest. (driving lights to help hi beam?)
          * Officer Friendly may not approve.
          * May look dumb after all.

#2 Custom flushmounts.

I am not about to throw the serious cash that they want for Tom's kit or God forbid RSM or Race Tech.

I have a light that almost fits the side by side measurement of the 'hole'.  With a little angle grinder work, it will.

The snag is that it will have to come down a bit to fit in.  Making it flush will mean notching the bumper bar, front compartment edge and the fascia.  Also it will be maybe a little short of legal height if OF decides to measure. (air bags?)

Pro: Cool look.  Never seen lights like this used.

Con: Above.  More work than practical and non reversible.

Any thoughts?

 Remember That if you just want to throw money at it you can get small HID lights for only a bit less than my whole car. Cheap is the word!!!!

[A.K.A]

I'm sure everyone has seen a few headlight mods, swaps or photoshops.  As I have nothing else to do   I may as well add a couple I am working on.

#1 Lawrence Mazza style slim popups.

I really think those are the best bet, I have been mulling around wonering what I should do with my doors..(seeing as this is an all-season Fiero)

I don't mind the popup lights but they are kind of bug eyed.  Likely when done this one will look dumb as well.  The idea is to use a small (Geo Storm, Camaro, GP) head light.  The challenge is that they only come in Low or Hi beam.  The pair will not fit side by side in the Fiero light bay.

Following Lawrence's lead I am converting a low beam lamp to hold a 9004 hi/lo bulb.  Then just fit it into a cage on the motor and it will only crank up a bit.

Pro:  * I think it looks different enough to be cool.
         * Easily undone.

Con:  * Has hi/lo but still thru a low beam lens pattern, therefore not the brightest. (driving lights to help hi beam?)
          * Officer Friendly may not approve.
          * May look dumb after all.

If they look any thing like the pictures they will look MINT!  
Kinda looks like the "kewl" Fiero in school...half don't give a fawk / half stoner "eyes"  

Question, are we limited to a Geo/"X" setup without going into major fabrication? I have a buddy @ work who did a custom (real) Bi-xenon setup in his J body using his stock housings
What he did a, for appearance b, for proper cooling of the bulbs and related electronics; was use a piece of cut GLASS instead of the OE plastic....
yes he had to fabricate a new hole in the back yes the wiring melted ONCE already  

but if I can find some pics, i will be sure to post them...

#2 Custom flushmounts.

I am not about to throw the serious cash that they want for Tom's kit or God forbid RSM or Race Tech.

I have a light that almost fits the side by side measurement of the 'hole'.  With a little angle grinder work, it will.

The snag is that it will have to come down a bit to fit in.  Making it flush will mean notching the bumper bar, front compartment edge and the fascia.  Also it will be maybe a little short of legal height if OF decides to measure. (air bags?)

IMO If the car is from 1984 and parts are getting more and more scarse (please don't take this the wrong way ) why would you want to cut and paste 'her all up?
Unless this is the "icing on the cake" and you have 2 or 3 Poncho's in the whims....

But I am in the process of deciding too. and I am leaning towards option no* 1 now Gary......

But nothing is cast in (fiberglass) stone anyways.....  

Pro: Cool look.  Never seen lights like this used.

Con: Above.  More work than practical and non reversible.

Any thoughts?

 Remember That if you just want to throw money at it you can get small HID lights for only a bit less than my whole car. Cheap is the word!!!!

to sum up... the KISS rule should apply....  

a.k.a

[Kevin]

  You and that angle grinder I bought myself one this weekend.
  I like the Mazza slim popup thingies sure they may look a little odd, but the originals look sort of bug-eyed anyhow. They aren't a bad trade off and with the use of an existing headlight you will get useful light which us rural folk would appreciate. I wouldn't do this if I had to put a set of driving lights on because I couldn't see. I had mused about widening the headlight door to allow for two lights, you could say it would look sort of ninety-ish. It would only be a few inches and take a little glassing to do and you woulds have a low and high beams may please OF. This route wouldn't be as easily undone as the single light unless you had another set of parts to swap which I am sure you have.
  You might do better with this than a flushmount as I have seen some dubious examples of how to do that.
       /Kevin

[A.K.A]

one more thing....


using the  Lawrence Mazza style slim popups..... . . . .  ...           .

would there be enuff clearance for say a gen 4 Trans Am set up? (4 h-light system) then that could eliminate the good ol officer hardass alltogether!

[dguy]

Hey Gary...  more food for the thought machine, if you haven't seen this one before.  I tripped over a recessed headlights thread on PFF just now...

Tom's Fiero Accessories advertises a kit which gives you two slim, flushmount lights per side with replaceable halogen bulbs.

Given that he's selling the setup in kit form I doubt he'll share how he did it, but at the very least it's another option.

There's a similar set-up over at Norm's Fibreglass.

[aaron88]

If you want my opinion (and most people don’t), I don’t think it’s worth changing.

Here’s why: no matter what you do with the stock location you are still stuck within the stock constraints.  If you want to change the look, I think you have to change it all together.  That means making a custom hood and front bumper (maybe fenders too).  Just to accommodate a different look for lights.  So I don’t think it’s worth it.  Otherwise it just looks like you changed the lights to be different.

On the other hand, considering the aforementioned, the use of Mazda style pop-ups will look most stock (out of the options mentioned) I think.  Isn’t that the idea behind cosmetic modifying?  To make it look like it should have always been done your way.

But if you are changing to hood, bumper…anyway, you might just as well fix those damn lights as well.

Aaron

.

[FieroBUZZ]

I really don't see the hi/lo 2 light combo fitting as a pop up.  You need about three inches, and one side has the fender mount wall and the other has the hood hinges.  Ideally with a flip front or different hinge it may work.

AFAIK All the kits use driving lights (with replaceable bulb). I suppose in real terms butchering a real low beam to make it a hi/lo is no better, but I figure that you'd use just the lows most of the time and have a proper pattern.

Supplemental driving lights would likely be the tiny round or rectangular ones either mounted in the intake vent or as a combo turn/driving lamp in the turn signal cutout.

Cost wise so far, I'm at about 20 bucks for 4 headlights and grinding discs   .  Just need to rework the top cage to fit the light.  To revert to stock just unbolt said cage and replace with stock setup. No motor or linkage mods needed.

I like Norm's front, but I see that as costing 8 or 9 Fieros.

I'll let the 84 comment pass as they're like doggy doo everywhere and really only a source of parts in my mind. (oops did I type that?).  Unless it's in tip top shape it's pretty much worthless, and only an Indy and maybe an 88 GT will ever be collectable.

[A.K.A]

he he, no offence taken....

but gary...(kuikshifter **cough cough**) could you send me a link or someting for the mazza lamps

IMO I think they are the best alternative.....and I am not partial to the whole pop up 80's phase anyways!

thanx
a.k.a

[FieroBUZZ]

Marc the info no longer seems to be up at Lawrence's page
http://www.webelectricproducts.com/products.htm
He does have some nice stuff, though.

Here is my copy
http://www.geocities.com/fierobuzz/waycool.html
You'll need to either cut and paste or type it in a new window as geocrappies won't link afaik.

These are Lawrence's words and instructions that I kept on file.  None of the work is mine.    The pics are probably missing but pretty much like the one at the top of the thread.