JWM Projector Lights- Lower Opening Version- Thread 3
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,785
Likes: 8
From: Sacramento California
Bummer, that is as sexy as it gets right there. Seems like it could be made close to that though. Maybe the turtle necks wouldn't run as deep to avoid the plate you mentioned. If it's close to that, and in a glossy carbon finish, it's going to be sweet. Can't wait to get a set!!!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,640
Likes: 83
From: . New York
And BTW the photoshopped version you have in that pic is "magicaly" attached to the buckets, as it misses the oem fastening points.
We spoke about it here, I wasnt one in favor of the "turtle neck" look and wanted more of the side of the projectors showing.
It was revised (partly due to necessity) and the reult didnt show as much of the side as I would like but it does show more than version one....its a compromise . . .
Most things in life are a compromise.
We spoke about it here, I wasnt one in favor of the "turtle neck" look and wanted more of the side of the projectors showing.
It was revised (partly due to necessity) and the reult didnt show as much of the side as I would like but it does show more than version one....its a compromise . . .
Most things in life are a compromise.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver B.C.
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,769
Likes: 147
From: Penfield NY
I expected them by now, having bought the lights back in July. I try to be patient and allow for the work it takes to create them, but it seems like we should have them by now. I think the car looks awful without shrouds, and if it looks I'll have to go all Summer without shrouds I may end up putting the OEM lights back in. I don't drive at night all that much.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 9
From: McCall Idaho
Jistari pointed out (just) one of the challenges. Thanks Joe!
Disappointingly the shroud molds arrived a bit broken-up and deformed. Im looking at that as an opportunity to refine the shaping a bit.
I am currently (re)shaping around the projector openings and should get the repairs finished this weekend.
Pictures to follow.
Disappointingly the shroud molds arrived a bit broken-up and deformed. Im looking at that as an opportunity to refine the shaping a bit.
I am currently (re)shaping around the projector openings and should get the repairs finished this weekend.
Pictures to follow.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,785
Likes: 8
From: Sacramento California
I expected them by now, having bought the lights back in July. I try to be patient and allow for the work it takes to create them, but it seems like we should have them by now. I think the car looks awful without shrouds, and if it looks I'll have to go all Summer without shrouds I may end up putting the OEM lights back in. I don't drive at night all that much.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,640
Likes: 83
From: . New York
If you don't drive at night that much..........why would you switch back to the oem lights? Your lights won't be up anyway??? Nobody knows you don't have shrouds. If you happen to be caught out at night and have to use the lights, well it's dark out and I'm willing to bet nobody is gonna notice.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 291
From: Allyn WA
Jistari pointed out (just) one of the challenges. Thanks Joe!
Disappointingly the shroud molds arrived a bit broken-up and deformed. Im looking at that as an opportunity to refine the shaping a bit.
I am currently (re)shaping around the projector openings and should get the repairs finished this weekend.
Pictures to follow.
Disappointingly the shroud molds arrived a bit broken-up and deformed. Im looking at that as an opportunity to refine the shaping a bit.
I am currently (re)shaping around the projector openings and should get the repairs finished this weekend.
Pictures to follow.
There must be an easy way to make a proto type? I remember one guy thinking outside the box and actually thinking the shroud could be made of a rubber type material which I think maybe could then be carbon fiber overlayed.
As far as what I have seen the model on the yellow vert is near perfect, maybe it could work with modification to the headlight area and attach differently then what existed with the original setup.
Anyway just thinking about how to get some done; it is apparent that the reason this is taking long is that a real good design has not been achieved and it is not easy matching up to existing hardware. I am like most others here, I am not too worried about what some deer thinks about my shroudless lights, I love these lights! I am very happy getting them and not worried a bit about when the shrouds get done, just want a good shroud for an excelant product finished some day!
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
Likes: 267
From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
Update from M
**Update**
Here's the fit and problems I've been working thru the last couple weeks. (between snowstorms and family business.)
The shroud mold/plugs arrived warped and a bit broken up from the fabricator. Here's the pics right out of the box...
The original goal of this fitting was to ensure the fit around all the OEM body panels especially the headlight lid and around the connection points. We feel this is more important than around the projector bezels for initial fitting. Unfortunately, even considering that the broken pieces can puzzled back together the fit of these are not where I'd like and would need a lot of work to be at the level I would be comfortable supplying.
I have done what I can to reassemble them and fit them to my lids but don't think I can re-work them without cutting them up. So, I've put thses aside for now and we'll attack bezel opening design(s) after we get the OEM fit right.
I think I have worked out the solution. See if you guys like this direction...
Many of you remember my efforts to mold these shrouds a year ago and I still have the plugs laying around. Here's a couple of pics of one of those plugs...
These ended up being scooped much too deeply the be useable molds. Here's pics illustrating the limitations of the "scoop"...
However, back then I spent hours ensuring the fit to the lid was as close as possible to the OEM black shroud. So I've begun removing the "plugs" from the blue aviation foam reinforcing I molded them to for vacuum forming the carbon fiber and re-fitting them to the lids. Here's pics of that effort so far...
I'll be cutting the backside of the mold out and adding the headlight assembly to this and reforming the bondo/epoxy mix around the bezels this weekend.
Removing all the bondo material carefully and incrementally is a slow and very dusty process. I've also begun a "back-engineering" process with the OEM shoud while during bondo/epoxy cure time(s). Here's pics of the initial trimming and fitting of the headlight assembly/OEM shroud. It might seem a bit redundant but I'll use this approach to ensure the bondo mold closely matches the OEM black plastic fit...
With headlight assembly...
I'll have more to show you guys after this weekend when I get an assembly installed into the prototype lid/shroud...
Here's the fit and problems I've been working thru the last couple weeks. (between snowstorms and family business.)
The shroud mold/plugs arrived warped and a bit broken up from the fabricator. Here's the pics right out of the box...
The original goal of this fitting was to ensure the fit around all the OEM body panels especially the headlight lid and around the connection points. We feel this is more important than around the projector bezels for initial fitting. Unfortunately, even considering that the broken pieces can puzzled back together the fit of these are not where I'd like and would need a lot of work to be at the level I would be comfortable supplying.
I have done what I can to reassemble them and fit them to my lids but don't think I can re-work them without cutting them up. So, I've put thses aside for now and we'll attack bezel opening design(s) after we get the OEM fit right.
I think I have worked out the solution. See if you guys like this direction...
Many of you remember my efforts to mold these shrouds a year ago and I still have the plugs laying around. Here's a couple of pics of one of those plugs...
These ended up being scooped much too deeply the be useable molds. Here's pics illustrating the limitations of the "scoop"...
However, back then I spent hours ensuring the fit to the lid was as close as possible to the OEM black shroud. So I've begun removing the "plugs" from the blue aviation foam reinforcing I molded them to for vacuum forming the carbon fiber and re-fitting them to the lids. Here's pics of that effort so far...
I'll be cutting the backside of the mold out and adding the headlight assembly to this and reforming the bondo/epoxy mix around the bezels this weekend.
Removing all the bondo material carefully and incrementally is a slow and very dusty process. I've also begun a "back-engineering" process with the OEM shoud while during bondo/epoxy cure time(s). Here's pics of the initial trimming and fitting of the headlight assembly/OEM shroud. It might seem a bit redundant but I'll use this approach to ensure the bondo mold closely matches the OEM black plastic fit...
With headlight assembly...
I'll have more to show you guys after this weekend when I get an assembly installed into the prototype lid/shroud...
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
Likes: 267
From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
I forgot you guys don't follow my forum 
Here is the driverside and although the fit to the OEM lid was not that good the overall fit was close enough I think they can make it right, given good feedback.
Same pre-fitting story only more so due to the warping in shipment...
After spending time grinding and sanding...
Side by Side...
Fitting and shaping...
Pretty good fit at this point...
Lots of bezel exposed. This has been a desire of some owners and looks like I should be able to accomdate that -BUT- how would it look if halos are added...??
Side by side with the other design...
Here is the driverside and although the fit to the OEM lid was not that good the overall fit was close enough I think they can make it right, given good feedback.
Same pre-fitting story only more so due to the warping in shipment...
After spending time grinding and sanding...
Side by Side...
Fitting and shaping...
Pretty good fit at this point...
Lots of bezel exposed. This has been a desire of some owners and looks like I should be able to accomdate that -BUT- how would it look if halos are added...??
Side by side with the other design...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 291
From: Allyn WA
I like the direction you are going! Keep up the good work.
I have HALOs and am thinking the only way they may look really good is to build a glass/plastic enclosure on the front end.
I just started looking into molding clear plastic used for other automotive headlight designs, course a real glass piece would be the best way to go but probably not feasable.
I have my old covers and may begin to follow your design and see where it leads.
I have HALOs and am thinking the only way they may look really good is to build a glass/plastic enclosure on the front end.
I just started looking into molding clear plastic used for other automotive headlight designs, course a real glass piece would be the best way to go but probably not feasable.
I have my old covers and may begin to follow your design and see where it leads.
Last edited by MrGary2011; Apr 4, 2012 at 02:59 PM. Reason: add
[/IMG]
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
Likes: 267
From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
From Michael
It was really cold most of yesterday and didn't warm up until late in the day. When it did finally warm up I opened up the shop and went to work.
Prepared with several layers of saran wrap over tape.
First layer of bondo...
Second layer...
It was late last night when I finished and I thought I had taken pictures of the piece with everything removed. I'll get some this morning and post them up.
I have a lot of grinding this afternoon but should be able to rough out our design from this...
With the headlight assembly...
Going to need a lot of sanding discs!!
It was really cold most of yesterday and didn't warm up until late in the day. When it did finally warm up I opened up the shop and went to work.
Prepared with several layers of saran wrap over tape.
First layer of bondo...
Second layer...
It was late last night when I finished and I thought I had taken pictures of the piece with everything removed. I'll get some this morning and post them up.
I have a lot of grinding this afternoon but should be able to rough out our design from this...
With the headlight assembly...
Going to need a lot of sanding discs!!
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 9
From: McCall Idaho
OK, if I missed your styling cue request, sound off...
-Side view of bezels: check...
-Small amount of turtleneck at edges: check...
-Room for individual projector adjustment: check...
Comments??
This is the overall design we think we'll go with. A few small refinements from here out but the major work is complete.
Fit to the lid... (rightside-up to save Joe some work...
)
With assemblies...
Expecting rain, cold temps and occasional snow showers here this week could make it challenging but I think I should have this fitted in place for pictures by this weekend...
-Side view of bezels: check...
-Small amount of turtleneck at edges: check...
-Room for individual projector adjustment: check...
Comments??
This is the overall design we think we'll go with. A few small refinements from here out but the major work is complete.
Fit to the lid... (rightside-up to save Joe some work...
)With assemblies...
Expecting rain, cold temps and occasional snow showers here this week could make it challenging but I think I should have this fitted in place for pictures by this weekend...