This thread has been started to respond to the questions we've received in another thread requesting info on disassembly and reassembly of the C6 headlight assemblies on custom painted Callaway SuperNatural and SuperCharged Corvettes.

Responding to my request for specific info on the process, Engineering got back to me this morning. Our Engineering Manager said that if he told me all of the details, he would have to shoot me. I don't want to be shot. He has an extensive gun collection.

I can tell you though, without any fear of physical harm, that:
A) The disassembly process is extremely difficult to accomplish without damaging the lens cover and/or bucket. It takes time and patience to do it properly.
B) The process involves cutting the cover to detach it from the assembly and resealing the assembly after paint.
C) The results were excellent; it was nearly impossible to detect that the headlamps had been disassembled or otherwise modified at all. The process provides a perfect seal and eliminates any possibility of unusual condensation (any more than OEM).

My apologies for the lack of more specificity.

Would there be any interest in sending your headlamp assemblies here for repainting?

 

That's lame!


In other words, "don't give board members any specifics on how they can do it themselves, create fear, establish time and difficulty of job, sell the results, then solicit them for business!"

Bravo! Well done! I commend you on your marketing skills!

You guys do absolutely BEAUTIFUL work, however, I find your "markups" to be astonishingly high!

So, just out of curiosity, how much would you charge to do a set of headlights painted black?

 

Hmmm not totaly satisfied with that answer to be honest. Ive done it before on my 350z and it wasnt that hard.

 

Don't see "specificity" used a lot. Nice work.

 

So then you can post the step-by-step procedures for those who wish to discount a service offered by a Supperting Vendor??


I can appreciate a business, whoever that business may be, that discovers a procedure and wants to keep it "in-house."

...what's next, a complete supplier list for all parts to make your own "SuperVette??"

 

No, but if its truly difficult why not list the how? Then it would show value in purchasing the service. My landscaper quoted me what I thought to be a higher price than I had estimated. I asked why so much, he told me how he was going to do my backyard and the labor involved. That "how" made the price seem like a bargain. Same goes for everything, especially the after market car industry. You could build a an engine for the vette from one of a thousand builders in the country, but the thing makes you pay more or less from one builder to another is "how" they build it (forged components, balancing, ect)

On my 350z (not saying its the same) all you had to do was put a piece of damp cardboard on a cookie sheet in the oven and put the headlight on it at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes and the adhesive broke down and you could pull them apart. Probably the single easiest actual extensive modification of a stock part I've ever done. If it turns out the same on the vette after I paid a good amount of money (callaway's quality is unquestionable but their pricing reflects that and then some) and its a similar method I would be displeased with the vendor and feel like I was yet another victim of the "corvette tax".

Now with that being said. After already buying 2 headlights for my car in different colors. Even without knowing the "why" if this had been offered at the time, at a reasonable discount from new headlights. I would have jumped all over it

 

...the thing is, I bet your landscaper didn't give you a total step-by-step on what tool(s) would be used, how to hold the tool or carefuly scape the land to achieve the end results - Sure, I am certain an explanation was offered. I just interviewed two places for landscaping for our community and amazingly, neither told us "everything" - it is understood, that they are the experts and I don't need to know what roads they drove, what brand shovel they used, or any of the other details that ended up with an amazing scape in our neighborhood.

Again, I hear what you are saying however, I respect a company for looking out for their interest(s) as well

 

It's unfortunate that you, and others, interpreted my post as you did. I certainly didn't intend for the explanation of the complexity to "create fear" or to overvalue Callaway's worth. I suppose if it were an easy procedure, there wouldn't be so much interest in the Forum on how to do it properly.

In order to avoid any further ill will that my question might have generated, i.e., "Would anyone be interested in having us do the process for them?", I withdraw the question.

It seems like we should all just forget the whole thing and move on.

 

I, and I would hazard many others who are silent, appreciate your info, and most understand the fact that it would be great to have step by step details, but that there is no reason to expect it to be provided gratis from someone who does this type of work as a business.

It seems that any time there is a post on a mod, someone is going to claim they could do it better themselves (good - go to it!), that some other vendor could do it cheaper (fine, if they provide a link), that it shouldn't ever be done at all by anyone (the '05 to '06 steering wheel conversion), etc.

I would just say that it is part of the turf, but that the majority do look at your post and those like it as simply what they are -- information, and something they can either consider, or not.

 

1st - I am sure there is no way to properly explain the process without a lengthly explanation, pics, so forth, etc.

2nd - I don't blame the engineer nor Callaway for not getting into the details: a) it is what they do to make money, and b) what would be their exposure - legal or not, when someone messes up the process and blames the writer.

As far as pricing - too many people forget what goes into a final product. Research, engineering, cost of material for both, people time, etc, etc.

Now, if any company chooses to charge a certain price, sells their products, retains profitability, and ensures their future .... nothing wrong is being done.

 

Ok, that's a good start! ...now, how did you seal it back together?

3M windshield butyl rubber?

here's one that could be used as a trial piece:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...QQcmdZViewItem

 

I don't think Ogolden1 speaks for everyone on the forum.

He certainly does not speak for me.

I was one of the ones who asked you how it was done. Yes, I would love to know how to do it myself, but in actual practice, I would prefer a professional of your caliber with actual experience to do it for me. I am very accepting of the fact that you guys figured out how to do something that is fairly difficult, and that there is value in that knowledge. It's the same with anything else that a business creates.

I am not ready to pull the trigger on something like this TODAY, but I would like to gather information and possibly do this in a month or two, depending on the cost, of course. I would like to have the assemblies painted a dark flat gray color to contrast with my Machine Silver coupe. I don't want some troll pissing you off so I have no opportunity to get this done. As far as I know, you are the only ones that know how to do this. That being the case, I would not expect you to publicy disclose something that could be termed a "trade secret", as long as you are reasonable in your cost structure.

There seems to be a lot of people on this forum who are looking to pick a fight at the drop of a hat... one of the reasons my participation level has dropped over the last several months. I would ask you to try not to let them create a sense of distrust for the others on this forum that might actually prefer your team to perform the modification. And while he has valid opinions, there are certainly more tactful, respectful and constructive ways to express them.

Please consider me "interested" and you can PM me if you want to continue this discussion off-line.

Thank you sir!

SMM

PS - Hell, I'm just happy that someone actually figured it out!

 

You are correct Sir Sliver, Ogolden 1 does not speak for me either, but I would be proud to have YOU speak for me !!

Thanx for bringing some rational thinking to this thread.

 

Silver makes an excellent point in regards to the attitude / opinions some of the members like to express. Please remember the old saying about opinions; Opinions are just like A&# holes, everyone has one. I will speak for myself and say thank you for sharing and presenting a very interesting project that the professional at Callaway were able to pull off. The fact that you guys did everything the customer asked for right down to matching the brick color and did find away to do a few really trick things no one else seems to be able to do is testament to your companies abilities and a perfect example of why you are a sucessful business. I for one appreciate the posting and the time you took to answer questions for what ever its worth. You guys ROCK!!!

 

We are the same folks that bitch about out sourcing jobs, yet when it comes to actually buying and paying for any product or service "we" want the "lowest" price and don't care how we get it.

If a vendor offer's a product and I can't afford it I move on.

Tom

 

I am not interested in the head light painting but if you get around to painting the inside of the parking lights body color, I'm a buyer

 

If GM sealed headlight assemblies are consistent, then these *should* be very similar in construction to the later model Camaro headlights. Many of us have painted the internal chrome areas of those. The clear lens is 'glued' on with some sort of RTV based silicone. In order to separate the lens from the housing, we bake the entire housing in an oven at ~250F for around 35-45 minutes and the sealer breaks down and you can carefully pry them apart. You can use a butter knife to help work stubborn areas apart.

Then we just use clear RTV silicone to re-seal the lens after painting.

Here are some pics of before/after:

Before:


Painted Charcoal Metallic Gray:


Before:


Painted Charcoal Gray:

 

 

That is what I did to get my C6 headlamps apart on my ride. worked like a charm (the oven and a cookie sheet) . I did my friends Audi S4

 

omg on that color