I've been looking for some ideas for an alternative to pop up headlights. Haven't found anything in search. Any ideas or pics?

Did you look in the vendor section? I seem to remember someone making a gt kit.

--brett

I would hate to see them gone completely but with the fog lights from the '75 and '76 you could replace the 55W bulb with really bright once after adding a relay and use them as your headlights. For more details you need to ask somebody else though...

I saw some aluminum covers to replace the popups, the gt kit just converts the popups to manual operation. Just wondering if there are any other ideas out there.

I'm not thrilled with the pop-up headlights either, never liked the look

The fog light locations are typically too low to meet DOT regulations.

Felix (neo914)? was probably one of the first guys that I've seen successfully install some decent looking headlights in the turn signal buckets. Try searching his topics.

Unfortunately, the information on this site is pretty limited. The only thing you are going to find is the old group buy thread and some decent pictures from the pbase 914-6GT site of a kit install.

Here is the thread of the Mittelmotor kit installed:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=109603&hl=

Some ideas in this thread...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...21&hl=240sx

Here's an intresting headlight mod:

Nuther...

Look for Turboman808 (I think that's his handle here). There are pics of his car in all it's phases. When he bought his car, the headlights were covered with clear but in the stock location in a fixed position. Didn't look right. Then they moved to the signal buckets and used a hood with the corners filled IIRC. I think RacerChris did the work - try searching that.

Bdog's awesome custom six had the headlights in the bumper and shaved hood. Technically not DOT legal because of the height, but depending on where you are it probably won't be enforced. Several others like that - as Jim showed above.

Bottom line is they either need to go in the bumper or the signal buckets. Getting good lights in latter take a lot of work in such a small space.

I used to want to delete the flip-up headlights. Now I wouldn't do it. It takes away a little piece of character from the car.

any one ever try any thing like this? i always thought i would like this solution



this is from a fiero, but this mod would work on a 914

The Fiero look isn't bad, but I kind of like the 'happy' look the raised headlights give the car.

I would be concerned about the DOT legality, and it could become a real bone of contention on a street car. Quite expensive to try to switch back.

With the Fiero type i posted, all it would take is a different light holding mechanism and a reduced ratio for the lift mechanism. the only legal problem would be if the centers of the headlights dont meet the minimum height above the road requirements. WHat i don't like is the HUGE surface area of the open headlight, it looks so ungainly! the lower profile is much less ungainly.

California code:
24400. (a) A motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped with at least two headlamps, with at least one on each side of the front of the vehicle, and, except as to vehicles registered prior to January 1, 1930, they shall be located directly above or in advance of the front axle of the vehicle. The headlamps and every light source in any headlamp unit shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 22 inches.

Yep this one is mine. Takes some custom fiberglass work to look right.

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How high is that Mike? Is it legal?

I've seen Mike's in person, and my guess is that with the way his car is so lowered he might be close! all you need to do is raise it back up, bring it in for the fix it ticket and then lower it back down!
is the center at or above 22 inches Milke? would you measure it for us?

That's a Real GT

If you're going to eliminate the Pop-Ups, make sure what ever you do is Legal Height-Wise

Love all the headlight ideas! Keep 'em coming!

Not only do you have to consider the height requirement, the lights you use must be DOT approved for use as headlights. Lotta lights are "DOT approved",but not for use as headlights.

The Cap'n

I always liked the retractable headlights on the 914. I always thought of them as one of the more charming things about the car. That and two trunks, removable top and go-kart handling.

+1. The car came from the time when pop ups/ clean aerodynamics were a real novelty. These things were very special and would make people wow and are one of the key aspects of what makes the 914 so unique.

I was asked to drive my car in the local small town 4th of July parade with a local dignatary and the kids who had never seen heallights go up and down were thrilled - and kept saying, 'Do it again". Parents who either owned one or had seen them smiled when the saw the lights appear and disappear. They are just part of the charm of the car. That being said, do what you want to do because it is your car and what makes you happy is what counts.

Right now the car is on jack stands, so it's legal. When it's on the ground it's around 20-21". Most cops in California don't worry about such things. I once ran for months with just driving lights after the pop ups stopped working.

BTW, most cops don't have a measuring tape...

I'm running HID projectors for low beams and HID floods for high beams. They are Fuching bright!

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Those look like they're pretty much the same height as the stock pop-ups, I'm assuming they're at least 22" AFF.

I've thought about a few different designs, including rectangular headlights mounted further back in the body (kind of like an '82 Camaro), then install a Lexan cover plate to keep the aerodynamics.

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... or single Hi/Low dual element lights 6.5 x 4"
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Yes I sort of like the half mask idea so they don't stick up so far.

Or another style that's posted above these are some NSX tuner style ones.




To be honest not sure how often I would drive the car at night anyway and in the summer it's light out to 9pm anyway

I would get a fix it ticket atleast once every couple of months when I lived in San Jose,Ca. for my car being to low. The PD or the HP would never measure my headlights with a tape, they would go back to the car and get their club and use that to measure. If its obvious your headlights are low because you have a lowrider,Tuner or Custom then they will pull you over. A nice looking DD shouldn't be a problem but you better have a back up plan to fix just in case.

Where would you find a hood without the headlight cutouts ? Solid, no headlight corners ? I've seen two, without corner headlights, the deleted headlights hood is a very clean look ! But again where would you find a front bonnet without the corners missing ?

http://www.gt-racing.com/914-hood-w-head-l...ed-in-part-93a/

Stop thinking 70s tech

And go into the 80/90s but not any further You need pop down headlights
Not pop up


Thank you gerald weigart .vector automotive
Something tells me he wasn't concerned about fix it tickets either
If its good enough for andre agassi it should work for me

This is the way of the future.

Think aeromotive not automotive


https://youtu.be/3WEhsS9ybwk

This from the guy who wants everyone to toss their FI and install carbs.

Yeh I'm that guy .... Unless you plan on driving it into a smog station or a concourse de eleagance ditch the djet

Anything that pumps fuel under extreme pruessure thats 49years old .cant last forever .

Nothing against it xcept age !!!!!


And i get the feeling a set of baby webers and a fuel pump is wayyyyyy cheaper the fixing the djet


Djet was only for u.s bound cars correct ?

Something tells me this isnt the emission conscious crowd around here. So why the loyalty ? To djet

I believe 914 Rubber is about to be releasing these very soon in fiberglass and CF. @mikey914

Right on. All the previous crap looks like, well, just like that, crap.

Too many people think they can modify a classic deign & make it look better. They have no idea as to how much haggling there was before the boys at VW released the design. No idea.

Especially the mint green thing.

Here is another idea to kick around. Led hi/lo with led turn and running lights all in 1 unit. I built some hybrid 911/930 buckets. Still have to tie the buckets into the fender but should have that done this weekend.

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The drop-down headlights are the setup I hope someone will do, with the stock headlight "hole" on each side of the hood filled by one piece of steel (or?) instead of the one Porsche had to use with the separate "brow." Back of the panel drops down to expose modern LED lights or projector setup. Wouldn't take a lot of drop down, and would result in a very clean look.

Have never liked the "brows" in front of the 914's headlights, and always love the shape of the headlight hole when people are putting their cars back together.

That is a great idea. If someone wants to drop off a project car or send one ill do it.

Should not be hard to use original parts. I could spin the door motor 180deg to have them pop down.

You will have to not care about cutting the factory metal a bit.

Someone step up and try this

... So the vector will live on . in more than just (my) and gerald weigart mind

We are making the front hoods in Haltbar and carbon fiber with the headlight buckets covered (delete option). I'll post up pics later today.

-Mark

Pics of 1st pull

Take some measurements and do the math...I don't think you'll be able to fit the headlights like you'd like. Having said that, I think it's almost a challenge...

The Vector solution is the solution. Question will be what headlights, and LEDs may be needed. Nice thing is LED lighting is pretty incredible these days. There's got to be something that is plain enough, as wide as a round H4, and not very tall. Ideally, it's a rectangle or has two round circles...and ideally it offers high/low beams.

If my 914 wasn't so period correct, I'd be pretty interested in doing this.

I thought it was just me and weigart but ill order another straight jacket for horizontally-opposed

I'm betting that headlight design was due to cost. $15 in parts for a car that was grossly over budget with hardly any buyers.

Neat car and I applaud him for sticking with it.

2016 Build Link

Halogen in the turn buckets, could upgrade to xenon in the turn buckets but not needed now that I have Upgraded to powerful LEDs in the bumper. (Not shown)

I’m in line for one, and a rear.
Even Though I did up this hood, two lightweight hoods would be very nice.

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At least he has some fans. Everyone else thinks the guys a laughing stock

And if the lights were 15 $ in parts .

The turn signal stock in the vector was out of a monte carlo or buick p.o.s. or something . so cheap and tacky . like a 2$ part
Retail . not wholesale.

Looks like car of the month to me ...

I am working on a light project for my 944.

This was one iteration but I didn't like the the shape of the light opening

This is the current iteration but it's not what I want for the finished product.

looks good but will not pass DOT inspection in most states. Too Low.

How in the world can anybody even THINK of deleting the pop up headlights on a 914???
They are about the coolest thing on that classic. Point. If you don´t like them, get another car. All the "conversions" really look like
Sorry, but that´s my personal opinion. And I have never seen or heard of the pop ups not working. Unless it is a totally neglected piece of 914. Everythin else will fail first...

Don´t mess with that rare classic!

Have a great 914 day. Arno

I most certainly agree with Arno, those pop-up night eyes are part of the identity of the 914. Since my first car long ago was a "Bugeye" Sprite, having such pop-ups appear is nothing new to me, except I can feel the additional drag when cruising at Interstate speed.!