aircobra Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 Folks, I'm going to try to reproduce a set, so if anyone has even a crappy one even for one side, that's a bonus If not, I wld appreciate a couple of close up photos. I think I've sussed out the mounting brackets, so just need to workout a profile If it works out, everyone wins! GongZ and theremm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theremm Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Keep in mind that the chrome rings came in both 3 and 4 screw-hole versions, depending on year. Good luck to you though - hope you can make them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted July 31, 2018 Administrators Share Posted July 31, 2018 I know someone is working on reproductions like OEM, guide price is around $700 usd for the chrome rings + perspex covers. Not sure when it will hit the market yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riceburner Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 The mounts are just a flat threaded plate that’s screwed onto the buckets with small self tappers. Would it be any harder to make them from stainless like the Gnose covers? I had issues with my old short nose chrome covers holding water around the screw holes and then rusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndBir Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 1 hour ago, gav240z said: reproductions like OEM, guide price is around $700 usd for the chrome rings + perspex covers Repros available from jdm : https://jdm-car-parts.com/products/reproduction-jdm-headlight-cover-for-datsun-240z-260z-280z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted July 31, 2018 Administrators Share Posted July 31, 2018 45 minutes ago, Riceburner said: I had issues with my old short nose chrome covers holding water around the screw holes and then rusting. Feature, not a bug. 39 minutes ago, AndBir said: Repros available from jdm : https://jdm-car-parts.com/products/reproduction-jdm-headlight-cover-for-datsun-240z-260z-280z I am fairly certain they are fiberglass rings. Which a few people have told me they are not happy with. I've not seen them in person to validate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 the jdm ones say sold out can;t tell from the photos, but the original look either like alloy or chrome plated in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 4, 2018 Author Share Posted August 4, 2018 the jdm rings are plastic common blokes, surely has the real rings somewhere in their garage!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 c'mon, someone must have one of these in the country, even to borrow for a large $ deposit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted August 21, 2018 Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2018 On 8/4/2018 at 7:01 PM, aircobra said: the jdm rings are plastic common blokes, surely has the real rings somewhere in their garage!! I promise you they are metal. Are you looking for the covers or the rings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 24, 2018 Author Share Posted August 24, 2018 no, as in the ones sold by the jdm-car-parts website are plastic yes, would like both the rings and the cover to take measurements i can;t work from the photo the profile of the "bubble" version of the covers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted August 24, 2018 Administrators Share Posted August 24, 2018 I can take measurements of both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 24, 2018 Author Share Posted August 24, 2018 cool, i just the profile of the ring. is it made from pressed aluminium or chrome plated steel? whats the thickness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 how are you going with this, i'm on a roll and have the autocad ready to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riceburner Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 (edited) There’s these, although they’re quite pricey! He says they’re metal but doesn’t specify what. https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/60668-reproduction-headlight-covers/?tab=comments#comment-556374 I’d pay that much IF they were stainless. Edited August 31, 2018 by Riceburner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 its not going to be straightforward. you either beat them out by hand ( like that guy) or have a precision stamping die like the factory. thus the $s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 hold your cash, ill probably make my ones from stainless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted September 15, 2018 Administrators Share Posted September 15, 2018 I took some measurements today, hard to get a solid datum point given they don't really have any square points to start from. https://photos.app.goo.gl/kwW38s2GK4LQMMyc9 The thickness around the outside measured between 18-19mm but generally in the 18.60-18.80 range. The edge has a bevel which is not at 90 degrees, it has a slope which I hope the photos show. I believe they are made of mild steel and chromed over the top, which is why you can see evidence of rust. I took a photo of where there is a join. As this gives some idea as to how they are made. When offering them up to the headlight bucket there is quite large gaps. I am not sure if this is my headlight bucket (trim ring) or what.. I will try another ring on the passenger side to try and find out. I put the tape measure around the outer edge of the ring, all the way around got 106cm in total. Hope the photo kind of made that clear (I couldn't photo graph and hold it in 1 go). I tried to measure the height of the ring but it depends on the angle you hold it at etc..got about 16cm tall. I honestly think I could make this by hand, but it would be time consuming. Let me know if you need anything else. I don't have my set with the lens covers with me (they are in Melbourne now). Hence part of the delay in getting these details to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 great work. couple of questions 1,. what's the thickness of the metal 2. its hard to tell the profile form the photos, so looking for the main dimensions eg the height , radius of the bends and degrees on each of the sides. you said they're not at 90 degrees. from the photo, it looks like one side is higher then the other. once i get these, i'll punch them into the profile i'm building 3. what size are the countersunk holes? 4. it looks like there's a joining weld on one of the rings. is this correct? 5. do you have the fittings that screw into the car 6. you said that the perspex is in melb. is it somewhere i can take a look? ring.bmp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregTas Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Does anyone make fibreglass headlight covers that can be used as fillins and painted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 if you hang around this thread and gav gets me the dimensions, there'll be some that you can use. GregTas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted September 17, 2018 Administrators Share Posted September 17, 2018 16 hours ago, aircobra said: great work. couple of questions 1,. what's the thickness of the metal 2. its hard to tell the profile form the photos, so looking for the main dimensions eg the height , radius of the bends and degrees on each of the sides. you said they're not at 90 degrees. from the photo, it looks like one side is higher then the other. once i get these, i'll punch them into the profile i'm building 3. what size are the countersunk holes? 4. it looks like there's a joining weld on one of the rings. is this correct? 5. do you have the fittings that screw into the car 6. you said that the perspex is in melb. is it somewhere i can take a look? ring.bmp 1. It will be difficult to get an exact width given that it's not a flat piece of metal, but has curved sides. I can measure the width of the metal on the folded side part. Which I assume is the same all around. 2. Yes you could say that 1 side is higher than the other, because it's shaped to follow the contour of the headlight bucket. I later re-test fit the cover against the headlight bucket and noticed you have to push the trim to the high side of the bucket so it sits back snugly against the housing. Hard to explain, but if you saw photos of them fitted it would make more sense. 3. I'll have to measure those. 4. Yes they are probably made out of a single strip of metal and then joined along the side as you saw. 5. No I don't, but have been recommended to use nutserts. Instead of the factory mounting brackets which require 3 holes at each fixture point. 6. I left it at my mum's place last time. She's in South Melbourne, however she may have taken them into storage at Kinglake (house in the country). I originally was going to drop them down to @Léon as I want to fit them on my red car, but didn't get to catch up with him last time I was in Melbourne. Give me some time to get the measurements you need. Personally I have been buying the rings when I can find them and plan to re-chrome them and get perspex covers made. I think I could recreate them by hand, but it would be fairly time consuming to do. I'm waiting to see how Romas and Hung go with their reproductions (linked to above). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted September 17, 2018 Author Share Posted September 17, 2018 if you can be the basic height and angle measurements for the channel, i'll send you a couple of templates that you can try to fit over the channel. once i have the profile spot on, it will get easier meanwhile, i'll send you a couple of profiles on what i could work out from the phots. i live in elwood, which is next door to south melbourne, so yeah if they're still there, that's awesome it would be extremely difficult and time consuming to make these by hand because of the 3d curves, you would need a shrinker and a roller at the same time . and be an absolute expert with both because the chrome plating will show up any imperfections Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircobra Posted September 17, 2018 Author Share Posted September 17, 2018 ok, i've knocked up the profile, including the foam and the perspex. the thickness for each is set to 2mm. i'm showing 90 deg bends for the moment have a look and let me know ring3.bmp cracker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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