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Reproducing HeadLight Covers input needed from the community


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Hello all, sorry for not posting any updates. I've been busy with my day job and side job and have not had much time to devote to this project. I'm currently restoring a 66 Chevy PU for a customer and am in the final stages. My plan is after I get this truck done to get back on the covers. Thanks to the guys that sent me info including tracings and pics of his JDM covers I need to redo my hammerform,to more accurately reflect the tracings,  just haven't really had the time with this truck taking up my life for the past 18 months.

Rest assured that I will get them produced. Main thing for me is just finding the time between 2 jobs and my family. And my price point of $350-$400 for a set of rings, 2 sets of covers and all hardware hasn't changed. I may be a dreamer. I may be rag tag but that's not gonna stop me. :)

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I have followed this post from the beginning and then it went silent. Is this project back online again? If so I would like to be put on the list for a set.

 

Looking forward to seeing the end product and welcome back!

 

Yes I'm trying to finish up some other work (Chevy PU) that has taken far too long. When I get this truck done I will get back on them.

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Hey ,

 I just came across your posting here. Seems you have tried to do this over some time . Sure would be easier to copy a set then to make them from scratch from

photos as you have talked about.  I actually have a set of NOS in the boxes Never installed. I also have an extra trim ring for one side. I had not made a decision to install them on my Z as of several years ago but since then I determined I will go ahead along will the NOS European Tail Lamps ,to go with my European bumpers and Fairlady emblems I have for my '77 280 Z ,also NOS. I don't know if I want to reproduce or copy what I have but I would be in a better position now than you are .I also have the instruction sheet(of course it is in Japaneses) and there is also a drill template as I recall. I had installed a set on a friends car many years ago and have a few extra pieces besides my New Set.

 

As I recall somebody has already made reproductions in the recent past.

Steve

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Hey ,

 I just came across your posting here. Seems you have tried to do this over some time . Sure would be easier to copy a set then to make them from scratch from

photos as you have talked about.  I actually have a set of NOS in the boxes Never installed. I also have an extra trim ring for one side. I had not made a decision to install them on my Z as of several years ago but since then I determined I will go ahead along will the NOS European Tail Lamps ,to go with my European bumpers and Fairlady emblems I have for my '77 280 Z ,also NOS. I don't know if I want to reproduce or copy what I have but I would be in a better position now than you are .I also have the instruction sheet(of course it is in Japaneses) and there is also a drill template as I recall. I had installed a set on a friends car many years ago and have a few extra pieces besides my New Set.

 

As I recall somebody has already made reproductions in the recent past.

Steve

 

I was provided tracings of an NOS set which is all I need to copy them. The Lens molds I made using one of my Z's (71) The '71 has fiberglass headlight buckets, my 73 has steel. The molds fit both perfectly. The shape should be very close to the originals. Quality will be equal to or superior to the originals. They will be constructed like the originals out of 2 pieces and Tig welded together in same locations as the originals. 18 or 20 gauge stainless polished. UV resistant acrylic for the lenses. Stainless hardware and necessary gaskets. Only real issue I see is that the mounting holes on the originals varied so if someone that already had mounting holes drilled on their headlight buckets purchased a set the holes may not line up. Workaround will be giving the option to purchase the covers and ringsundrilled. This would allow a customer to line up his pre-existing holes in the headlight buckets. I would also include the neccesary tools to drill and countersink the trim rings. (if customer desired). Bear with me everyone for a little while longer. They will be done and available within 6 months. (hopefully less) My issue is time and prior commitments , not whether or not I'm capable of making them.

 

Only reproductions that I know of are for the G-Nose. There are not any for regular S30's. 

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I guess i should just give up then... :(  Seriously, Why are you arguing with me about this?Would I like to have an original set to go off of? Yes. Is it necessary? No. Have I seen closeup pictures? Yes. The gentleman that provided me tracings of his also provided plenty of pics. I've seen several sets in person. I have other pics. Far more complicated parts have been made with less. Did you even read my posts? I mentioned countersinking the holes Read my post I mentioned the gaskets. They are not complicated parts to make. Hardest thing is forming the trim ring. I think that is what has stopped people in the past. I will use a fabrication technique that is very common to make them. Will they be equivalent to the originals. Yes or I won't sell them. No one is forcing you to buy a set, please stop being so negative.

 

And yes the mounting holes varied over the years. (Nissan outsourced these parts)

Edited by Chris_Hamilton
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  • 2 months later...

I guess i should just give up then... :(  Seriously, Why are you arguing with me about this?Would I like to have an original set to go off of? Yes. Is it necessary? No. Have I seen closeup pictures? Yes. The gentleman that provided me tracings of his also provided plenty of pics. I've seen several sets in person. I have other pics. Far more complicated parts have been made with less. Did you even read my posts? I mentioned countersinking the holes Read my post I mentioned the gaskets. They are not complicated parts to make. Hardest thing is forming the trim ring. I think that is what has stopped people in the past. I will use a fabrication technique that is very common to make them. Will they be equivalent to the originals. Yes or I won't sell them. No one is forcing you to buy a set, please stop being so negative.

 

And yes the mounting holes varied over the years. (Nissan outsourced these parts)

 

Please keep your sights strait ahead Chris....   :2thumbs:

Edited by RB26powered74zcar
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I am paying attention to this, I would gladly pay $400 for a set of these if it comes with everything needed. 

The only thing that would prevent this is if someone has a minty set of originals they are willing to part with for $1,000 right now. 

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Sorry again for the delay in posting. I have had some issues. I thought that I would make these in stainless, but I failed to take into account how easily stainless work hardens. If I had dies and a press this would not be a real problem but since I'm hammer forming them trying to shrink the stainless around the form was an issue. So I'm in the process of doing a run of 25 sets in steel and then will send them out to a high quality chrome plating company in Richmond VA.  This has morphed into more work than I imagined as I originally only planned to make a few at a time. So far I've made 12 sets and have 13 to go.  Then I have to weld the two halves of each ring together. When I complete them I'll do some finish work on each set to ensure they are nice and straight so that the chrome plating looks nice. After I have them prepped Owner of the plating shop says it'll be a 2-3 week turnaround depending on how busy he is. Hopefully some of you will still want a set when I get them done. I'll post some pics of what I'm doing soon.

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