1952 GL update thread

[petevw]

Headlights: Made some adapter plates to get the FX45 projectors in the H4 hole. Tons of trial and error, that lead to this:





The Carbon backing plates, bezels, and adapter rings are done for the projectors. Adapter rings for the bezel to projector i made out of UHMW. The Bezels were ground down to sit flush with the backing plate. I need to fit/trim the thin carbon sheet i have for the inner headlight housing(where the turn signal light goes).



Have the Slim ballasts and modified D2S bulbs so everything can fit in the bucket. When mocking it up, found the fender buckets have been smoothed out. Went over to my friends house to check out his '61 rag headlights. Ahh......the fenders need mounting tabs! Bent up some thick shim stock and was starting to get it radius'd and figured it would be too much time/work. So do we cut them out a set of other fenders? Couldn't find a decent early pair as donors, so ordered a pair of replacement buckets. Should be here in a couple weeks.



I had bought speedster headlight grills, figuring it would fit over the glass as i've seen pics of this done before. It doesn't. I may grind the flange down to try and make it work, doubt it will. Went to a stained glass workshop to enquire about grinding down the lens to fit inside the grill. The glass shop foreman gave me the "go-away" price of $250 a lens.
Got in touch with a guy in Norway that has done this. He spaced out the lens into the fender from the headlight ring, using a fan belt as a spacer. I don't have room to do that. The projector is so close to the rear of the fender bucket, that i had to get custom ended D2S HID bulbs from a Taiwanese manufacturer to get it all to fit.

What should i use for a lens? Early VW fluted, VW clear, 911 glass?
I've also seen yellow 911 lenses from France. Pretty cool.....

Pete

[Wally]

Pete,

Don't forget that you (big) wheels need room inside the fender as well. They may touch anything that protrudes too much out of the headlight bucket..?

Personally I like 911 lights/glass in an early style fender

Walter

[petevw]

Originally Posted by petevw

When mocking it up, found the fender buckets have been smoothed out. Ahh......the fenders need mounting tabs! Bent up some thick shim stock and was starting to get it radius'd and figured it would be too much time/work. So do we cut them out a set of other fenders? Couldn't find a decent early pair as donors, so ordered a pair of replacement buckets. Should be here in a couple weeks.

Got the replacement headlight buckets. I hacked out the top mounting tabs. Used some more of the other bucket to make plates that will be used to sandwich the carbon fender with the mounting tabs. Tab and inside support plate are in the middle of the pic.



Did the carbon treatment to the inside headlight bucket:



Need to install the headlight wire conduit, drains, wire the ballasts/high beam solenoid, and trim up the tabs/plates above for final install.

Here it is mocked up, ignore the reflections:





Pete