Well guys heres what the kit will basically look like. Im running into a couple little prolbems that I dont think will turn out to be a big prolbem.

I have a question I would like to hear your input on. As of right now it looks like you will have to trim some plastic off of your top headlight bezel to enable to have the light to have the proper clearance to allow the light assembly to retract. Is this going to be a prolbem if you guys were to buy this kit?

Thats all for now, ill have more updates as they come.

 

where do you have to trim???

How's the FTP work? are they low enough still to flash through?

Looks very nice, have you figured price yet?

 

On your lights there are 2 plastic peices that surround the headlight basically for cosmetics. The upper plastic peice needs to be trimmed approx 3/8"-1/2" right above the outer light. Nothing major I was just pretty concerned to have people trim some of their parts. I personally dont have a prolbem doing it but some might.

As of right now the FTP will function as before.

I had quoted a price of $400 earlier but as of right now its hard to say.

 

I wouldn't think that a minor trim of the plastic would mean anything.

You are not making just a replacement trim piece

 

What of the stock trim do you still use? I see you have the top(that is trimmed right?), the Inner side piece, and no outter, or bottom...is this how the will look at all times? Are you making some kind of custom trim to surround the entire light?

 

$400 is pretty damn good compared to 1800 dollars which clear corner charges

 

I will be using the top trim, which is trimmed. The front, which is what the lights will be mounted to will be made of stainless steel that is mounted to holes that are existing on the factory light bracketry. Im not sure what I will do about the sides as of now. Maybe just leave them the way they are. I dont have the ability to make a replacement plastic peice right now.

 

Possibly can add an eagle eye to it to.

 

Define "eagle eye"

 

Whats the advantage to this, beside looking cool? (not being a smartass, serious question...)

 

eagle eye....like on the BMW's a ring of right around the other edges of the len

 

Well to be honest with you im really hoping to get much better lighting from this setup. I have switched to an H4 setup but im still not happy with it.

And the obvious, it looks cool as you stated.

 

Oh, ok, gotcha. The lights im using (Hella) im not sure offer that. It would be cool though.

 

I think they are called angel eyes not eagle eyes.

 

1FastT2, Those looks absolutely beautiful. I think I know what I want now for a headlight setup.

Perhaps you can change headlight retractor motors to smaller lighter ones, with less travel distance or something? I understand the motors themselves are what eats up all the weight..

 

Yes, they are called angel eyes.

 

I was working on a similar kit a couple of years ago and here are is some insight of the problems I ran into that stopped me from developing my kit:

Because of the 2nd gen headlight FTP mechanism, it is very difficult to design a replacement part to limit the up and down travel of the lights. With my design I came close but I was worried about the longevity of the parts and decided to scrap the "kit" idea rather than to risk selling "junk". Also, since the headlight motors are towards the outside of the headlight lids the lights will "bounce" while you drive the car if the lights are only supported by the retractor arm.

The FTP mechanism keeps the headlight vertical while the headlights are retracted. This is how the FTP works by allowing the headlights to shine directly through the FTP lens. With a kit like the one you are making the FTP will not work the same as "stock" unless you figure out a way to keep the headlight facing forward when the headlights are retracted.

Some good news:

I looked into California's Vehicle Codes to determine if the kit would be "street legal" and looks like as long as you use DOT (department of transportation) approved lights the kit should be "street legal" the only thing I found is that California's Vehicle Codes states "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."

hope this helps you out some, and good luck with your kit.

 

Angel eyes are the rings that circle the inside of the light, usually a full circle around the light

Demon eyes are rings that circle the outside of the light, usually a 3/4 circle cropped at the top

 

$400ish?
if you produced it I'd be all over it.

 

Thank you for your input. You ran into the same prolbems I am currently having. The mounting bracket I will be using will allow the lights to travel in the same way the factory lights moved, keeping the lights in their vertical position and allowing the FTP's to still function position.

As for the lifting arm, thats still undecided on how the finished peice will turn out. Im also running into the possibility of the lights bouncing up and down. I have an idea on how mine will be made but no testing has been done on it, so im not sure how it will work yet.

 

looks like the brain storm miata lights. round lights don't work with the FCs body, it's not round enough.

 

Looks real nice! I wouldn't mind cutting a little if need be. Very appealing project!

Dan

P.S. Angel Eyes, Eagle Eyes, whatever you want to call them look cool, my girl just put them on her car, everyone asks about them lol.

 

I would think you would just need to replace the head light bucket (that black thing that the bulb mounts too) with one that holds the two bulbs in the right spot, and then make a trim ring (something the Miata one was always missing).

 

O_O I LOVE YOU

Seriously, those are bad ***. $400 would be great.

 

I would definitely be all over those as well. I remember seeing a first gen with a similar kit and the only shortened the arms to get the appropriate height. I currently dont have an FC to look at (working the idea, but am stuck in germany right now now) but I am guessing that is the same way it "pops up" About the FTC ( i think that was the right acronym) why not utilise some kind of "mirror" to flash off of if the lights dont line up. I am just throwing out ideas, dont crusify me if I am wrong.. They look great for sure!

Jason S