Question:, Can you delete pop-up lights?? Options

[Dr Evil]

Question, and slight hijack that may matter to the OP:

Would people be interested in a simple kit that would allow you to adjust how far your lights pop up? This would allow for smaller lights and a lower profile. I could likely design and build such to be completely adjustable to fit any sizes up to full size. I would try to make it go up and down without having to go the full opening of the original. This could perhaps be accomplished with some modifications to the assembly itself. I would be happy to work on this and offer it up to the community if there were a want.

[Mike Bellis]

Question, and slight hijack that may matter to the OP:

Would people be interested in a simple kit that would allow you to adjust how far your lights pop up? This would allow for smaller lights and a lower profile. I could likely design and build such to be completely adjustable to fit any sizes up to full size. I would try to make it go up and down without having to go the full opening of the original. This could perhaps be accomplished with some modifications to the assembly itself. I would be happy to work on this and offer it up to the community if there were a want.

I think it would be cool. I think it is just a matter of geometry. Then figuring out how to mount a lamp.

Please proceed... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Dr Evil]

Geometry would have to be specific, and I could manufacture new parts for each application. I figure electronic controls would be easier and universal....maybe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[euro911]

That would be a cool project, Mike.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[doorknobcollector]

Dr Evil, is what you are proposing a "sleepy eye" modification like the 240 and 300 Z crowd seem to like?



I am not saying I am interested, but I would be interested just to see what it looks like... I think it would skirt the line between modern and ricer-boy pretty closely.

[dfelz]

Question, and slight hijack that may matter to the OP:

Would people be interested in a simple kit that would allow you to adjust how far your lights pop up? This would allow for smaller lights and a lower profile. I could likely design and build such to be completely adjustable to fit any sizes up to full size. I would try to make it go up and down without having to go the full opening of the original. This could perhaps be accomplished with some modifications to the assembly itself. I would be happy to work on this and offer it up to the community if there were a want.

I have been thinking about an idea that would be similar to what your thinking. I would want the stock look when no headlights are needed, then have the lights pop up just slightly and look similar to what mikes lights look like, except with a top. It would be a fixed height though not an adjustable, i figure that usles for me, and it would simplify the mechanism.

Mike, I saw you said the housing was a modified 240 housing, but what about the lights? one of those looks like a halo...donnt think the stock 240s had those (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[dfelz]

Dr Evil, is what you are proposing a "sleepy eye" modification like the 240 and 300 Z crowd seem to like?



I am not saying I am interested, but I would be interested just to see what it looks like... I think it would skirt the line between modern and ricer-boy pretty closely.

yes!! thats what i was talking about, when i hit the reply button your post wasnt there yet, but that is the exact look i wanted. good pictures

[doorknobcollector]

yes!! thats what i was talking about, when i hit the reply button your post wasnt there yet, but that is the exact look i wanted. good pictures
[/quote]

Happy to help--I am the only P-car guy here, and a few of my friends like to mess with the Nissans, so that is what "popped" to mind. I think the switch to a square projector beam light would require a lot of fab work to make look good, but has some promise if somebody put in the time...

[Mike Bellis]

Mike, I saw you said the housing was a modified 240 housing, but what about the lights? one of those looks like a halo...donnt think the stock 240s had those (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

It's an aftermarket 240sx housing. They come with flood lamps. I cut and modified one of the lenses to house a projector lens. This is for the low beam so I don;t blind people on the road. I also modified both high and low to hold an HID lamp. This makes them super bright. The low beam is a 4700 Kelvin lamp and the high is a 5000 Kelvin. The 4700 is a white/yellow color like a halogen lamp. The 5000 is a bright white. When you get to 6000 Kelvin the light turns blue. Higher Kelvin turns purple.

4700 has the most reflective power except a true yellow. 3500 Kelvin is actually the brightest color and most reflective power but makes everything a shade of yellow. This is why many street lamps are yellow. The 6000 and higher look bright if you stare at them but actually have less reflection of objects on the road, making them more dangerous.

[Dr Evil]

Dr Evil, is what you are proposing a "sleepy eye" modification like the 240 and 300 Z crowd seem to like?



I am not saying I am interested, but I would be interested just to see what it looks like... I think it would skirt the line between modern and ricer-boy pretty closely.

Yup, precisely. I have seen a 914 kit where the lights pop up only enough, but when you turn the lights off the actuators fully cycle so it opens way wide before closing. This seems silly.

The easiest way for the DIY person would be to change the geometry on the actuator. This is what Mike B was referring to. I am considering an electronic option that opens to a level determined by the adjustment of a knob, and then closes without going through the whole sequence (goes in reverse, instead). This gives me something to mess with in my free time....gonna be a while.

[badmiata]

I can't seem to find it, but I can remember seeing a really nice setup for the Miata. It had dual lights in each popup. It looked OEM with just smaller lights.

[doorknobcollector]

Yup, precisely. I have seen a 914 kit where the lights pop up only enough, but when you turn the lights off the actuators fully cycle so it opens way wide before closing. This seems silly.

The easiest way for the DIY person would be to change the geometry on the actuator. This is what Mike B was referring to. I am considering an electronic option that opens to a level determined by the adjustment of a knob, and then closes without going through the whole sequence (goes in reverse, instead). This gives me something to mess with in my free time....gonna be a while.
[/quote]

That could be pretty cool, if it looks professional. In my experience the 240 guys sometimes "overmodify"--to some (not all) in that crowd, I think having a long mod list is better than having very refined, useful, or well executed modifications. It would cut down drag for the Friday night cruise to Sonic, and I bet with a couple square projector beams or an LED setup, it could look pretty menacing... Let me know if you ever get around to it. I think it would look even better on a 944, however--no rounded edge on the front of the cover to design around, and only one motor/linkage to modify.

[euro911]

Another option I though of, but never pursued, was to find the correct size rectangular sealed beam lamps, form a metal (or mold a fiberglass) housing that fits inside the OEM bucket.

It would have a flat section on the bottom running forward towards the bumper top, then cover the whole assembly with 1/8" clear lexan. The exposed parts of the bucket would be hidden by painting those areas on the back side of the lexan ... either black, or color matched to the body.

Picture something similar to the '82~'92 Camaro's headlights (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[dlkawashima]

Read about this guy's efforts on the 924 board:
http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=36...asc&start=0

Check out what Deutsch Nine has for the 944:
http://www.deutschnine.com/mm5/merchant.mv...2-aero-dynamics

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/img256.imageshack.us-12234-1385665715.1.jpg)

[dlkawashima]

I have nothing to add .... I just like this picture!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1081.photobucket.com-12234-1385666760.1.jpg)

[dfelz]

Read about this guy's efforts on the 924 board:
http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=36...asc&start=0

Check out what Deutsch Nine has for the 944:
http://www.deutschnine.com/mm5/merchant.mv...2-aero-dynamics

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/img256.imageshack.us-12234-1385665715.1.jpg)

Thanks for the link and pictures. I really like the red one!! Maybe i will go that route instead of the sleepy eye. I'm sure it would be more popular in the 914 crowd anyway... less ricer and still sleek and sexy. It wouldnt be tooo hard to manufacture as well. I have 3D printing access and can print the housing molds to use as-is or molds for FG or CF housings. This will be a fun project.

[euro911]

Not a fan of the dual round eyes myself, but the 944 guy's kit is more to what I had envisioned (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Interested in tackling something like these, David? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[dfelz]

Not a fan of the dual round eyes myself, but the 944 guy's kit is more to what I had envisioned (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Interested in tackling something like these, David? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

The way I foresee the project, yes. I could make two housings, one to hold a single square light, and one to hold two circular lights, both of which would use the same clear cover.

Anyone have a vacuum forming machine (would be used to make the clear cover)? I was planning on making one myself, but if anyone already has one it would save some time.

[mikesmith]

Yup, precisely. I have seen a 914 kit where the lights pop up only enough, but when you turn the lights off the actuators fully cycle so it opens way wide before closing. This seems silly.

But given the design of the lights, it's what's easy (you just cut/remove some of the trace on the rotary switch that powers the lights as they go up...).

[The easiest way for the DIY person would be to change the geometry on the actuator. This is what Mike B was referring to. I am considering an electronic option that opens to a level determined by the adjustment of a knob, and then closes without going through the whole sequence (goes in reverse, instead). This gives me something to mess with in my free time....gonna be a while.

The other half of the challenge is finding the right light assembly to mount in your new, sleepy lights...

[boxstr]

This shows it with the lights on.
Craig at CAMP