What do they do exactly? I took mine out because they were all fogged up and noticed they didn't have any sort of electronic attachment. I have an 86 base. How do I clean them if they DO have a purpose?

 

They allow you to flash your brights through the lense without popping up your head lights.

 

How do I do that exactly? Please excuse my noobishness.

 

Pull your turn signal lever towards you.

 

I knew how to turn on my brights, but I never saw my lights turn on while not being popped up before.

 

Have you tried it? Most people don't usually try to turn on their brights when they're not on or in the up position.

 

Yeah, I had someone look through the ftp spots when I took them out. I felt it strange that Mazda would do something like that just for show.

 

It's a safety feature in countries that actually have lane discipline (ie. most of Europe, Japan, etc.). In those countries, flashing your lights means "pull over and let me by". Well it means the same thing in Canada/US but of course no one cares...

No harm will come from removing them except that it makes the front of the car appear that pieces are missing (which of course they are).

 

Thanks Aaron.
I also had another question. Since I have a cone filter, wouldn't taking the FTP lenses out, moving the electronics to a different spot behind the light and cutting a small hole increase the amount of cold air coming to the engine bay? (Considering I keep my lights up, which I do. And I create some sort of wire mesh to keep things out.)

 

No. There is no direct path from the FTP lens to the engine bay.

 

What the ****, it does?

That would make things ALOT easier if people actually payed attention to that. The only thing I've used them for is warning people of cops (which nobody else seems to do these days).

 

Well, mine are still all fogged up and nasty, is there any way to clean them?

 

You can polish them using any number of commercial plastic polishes.

Fog can usually removed by drilling a small hole, baking very CAREFULLY at low temps and then resealing.

 

Thanks.

 

to polsih you elnse you can use polishing compound from autzone or w/e but usually if its really bad oxidation just polishing wont do. youll have to sand it down with fine sandpaper. go get some 1000+ grit sandpaper and soak them in soapy water over night. sand your lenses witht he wet sand paper and make sure its lubed by water... sand... and sand... then wash.. then polish... and its as good as new again. and sealants (waxes) will prevent them from oxidizing again.

 

in japan, the ftp's are actually independant lights, not clear plastic to flash thru.
so you can flash them with or without the headlights poped-up !!!

 

Corksport sells them for $177. http://corksport.com/store/category/...rior_misc.html

 

i have the corksport ones but have yet to hook up the electric.

 

Japanese FC's have 5W front marker lights instead of FTP lenses. The only way you could flash them is to turn the marker lights on and off, and nobody's going to notice that anyway. The headlights pop up if you flash the high-beams with the headlights off.

 

Couldn't you just buy a regular FTP lense and someone fit a bulb in there?

 

Don't forget one of the most interesting features of the FTP lenses. The four attachment points chemically bond to themselves thereby making it impossible (or nearly) to take them off with out cracking them. Good luck on cleaning them.