stationary headlights on a Daytona???

[troy.70R/T]

I was wondering if anyone here has ever done a Daytona Clone and used stationary head lights and just had the doors fold down. I was thinking of doing this to my clone and thought that the headlight set up from the old 95 pontiac grand prix's would work good for this.  Any thoughts? suggestions?

[Old Moparz]

It's not a bad idea since a lot of the headlights I've seen don't stay put very well. I can guarantee that a lot of people will dislike the concept but personally I wouldn't worry about that. My friend's 2 Superbirds have headlight issues on both cars. One vibrates like crazy & looks like a strobe light & the other needs to be adjusted again. You'd probably have to spend quite a bit of time designing the set up inside the cone & testing out clearances but I'm sure it can be done. I've never seen this on a car but have seen fixed headlights with manually removable doors. I didn't like that at all. 

[A383Wing]

I think someone here has done the stationary lights in the nose cone with flip-down doors...I wish I had thought of that when I was putting ours together in the 90's.....instead I did ours like original with vacuum pods and everything

Bryan

[nascarxx29]

[A383Wing]

the pic I remember had the little 4"x 6" rectangle lights in it...

[nascarxx29]

Picture was circa 1978 and it had 74 Lighted Vega sidemarker Lights

[Nwcharger]

the pic I remember had the little 4"x 6" rectangle lights in it...

You might be talking about my clone. My lights are square and my doors flip down. Seems to work great. Here's a link to a YouTube video of them working.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug7XKKGXBtI

[Lighthorseman]

I have been seriously thinking about doing drop-down headlight doors for my "Birdible".  It seems to me that the whole vacuum business is a lot of hassle, especially for someone who's unconcerned about keeping things OEM.

Didn't someone use the headlights from a 90's era Chev pickup - they're sort of long and skinny, and fit in fairly nicely.  I'm pretty sure I've seen standard rectangle lights too. (Nwcharger?)  I LOVE the idea that Stevearino briefly entertained with the LX-type Challenger lights.  I think he said they were too deep to fit properly or something.  They look evil...and I intend to measure to see if they might fit in a 'Bird nose.

[djcarguy]

  Look at ------Daytona clones around the world------  thread  ?  wing cars in a convertable state----    lots of discussions an different ideas an light setups.   dane has used afew different setups ,one was a long modern lite per side?? what from??      few have done lites under nose edge or manual remove doors or no doors or clear or tinted doors.   its a big world be brave an go custom?? 
        i like the drop doors myself better than the pop up bug eyed look.  NW charger has drop doors on his daytona clone project--thread an a danes hollow wing.

         well have fun and build to enjoy an drive,,love true winged things and clones an custom. still wood rather see  real or not out an about an going than one perfect oem only in pictures, just my .   DJ

[djcarguy]

  seems    sunroof superbird   may have used truck lites,in his bird clone he made ??   DJ        any one know what or where his bird is now that he passed away??? sorry loved his creative builds...RIP DUDE.                                 DJ

[Stevearino]

I have been seriously thinking about doing drop-down headlight doors for my "Birdible".  It seems to me that the whole vacuum business is a lot of hassle, especially for someone who's unconcerned about keeping things OEM.

Didn't someone use the headlights from a 90's era Chev pickup - they're sort of long and skinny, and fit in fairly nicely.  I'm pretty sure I've seen standard rectangle lights too. (Nwcharger?)  I LOVE the idea that Stevearino briefly entertained with the LX-type Challenger lights.  I think he said they were too deep to fit properly or something.  They look evil...and I intend to measure to see if they might fit in a 'Bird nose.

Oh I am going to get those Challenger lights in if it kills me. I just bought some OEM housings so that I can use the existing  harness. I did not like the high intensity lights with the transformers and all that jazz. I am glad to see the link to the drop down doors here. I had thought it was Dane who had done this but this is exactly what I want to do. Some details (Nwcharger) on how you did this would be much appreciated.
By the way I still have the high intensity housings if someone wants them. They were $150 for the pair and I would like to get $75.00 for them plus shipping. If you got them you would need the bulbs and the transformers.They should fit well in a bird nose. They seem to be bigger.

Thanks Steve

[A383Wing]

the pic I remember had the little 4"x 6" rectangle lights in it...

You might be talking about my clone. My lights are square and my doors flip down. Seems to work great. Here's a link to a YouTube video of them working.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug7XKKGXBtI

yup..that's the one I was thinking of....thanks

[Mike DC]

 

I would consider using fixed lights with a clear plexi covering like the recent Fast&Furious Daytona.  Make some flat body-colored covers to serve as "doors" which lay on top of the plexi during the day.  

Why do this?  Because it would take almost all the weight/bulk off the movable doors.  They could be simple little flaps, using very small hinges & hardware, and taking very little force to open & close them.  Think of how much easier it would be to flip up & down a set of license plates instead of a complicated shape like headlight buckets or even doors.  They could be moved by something as simple as a cable rig leading inside the cabin.

[Lighthorseman]

From page 10 of Stevearino's build, here are the Chally lights.  If the housing can be made to fit properly, all that's needed would be the flip-down doors like Nwcharger did.  These would look amazing behind a clear plexiglass door.

[Lighthorseman]

...And here is Sunroof Superbird (Marty)'s use of lights from a 1990 GMC truck.

[BigBlockSam]

stinger fiberglass makes a kit to fit stationary lights to there daytona nose 

[DonC1]

I am going that route too. 

[troy.70R/T]

wow well I got a lot of replies to this post, quick. I also like the cleaner look if the drop down doors. and the challenger lights do look cool. I was also thinking about just making my doors manual drop down to save on cost. Heck I haven't even started on my Daytona yet. all I have is the Charger, nose cone, Z brackets, latch tray, fender scoops, wing, wing braces and a Vega hatch. thanks for all the great suggestions guys.

[daytonalo]

              CAN ONLY DESCRIBE THE LOOK  AS WTF ?   

[Daytona R/T SE]

I remember a lot of people doing this stuff to Corvettes back in the late '70's/early '80's.

Removing the headlight doors, tunneling the lights in, and slapping a piece of plexiglass

over the whole mess.

Sometimes, they didn't even do the plexiglass.

All I could say at the time was "Cheap assed lazy fuc&ing pot heads"


Don't be a  "Cheap assed lazy fuc&ing pot head."

                               

[Nwcharger]

I remember a lot of people doing this stuff to Corvettes back in the late '70's/early '80's.

Removing the headlight doors, tunneling the lights in, and slapping a piece of plexiglass

over the whole mess.

Sometimes, they didn't even do the plexiglass.

All I could say at the time was "Cheap assed lazy fuc&ing pot heads"


Don't be a  "Cheap assed lazy fuc&ing pot head."

                               

Ever seen half baked? What about the macgyver smoker fixing his Mopar. http://youtube.com/watch?v=iGx_RbGb9CI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiGx_RbGb9CI

[moparstuart]

    steven baldwin 

[Mike DC]

 
People do half-assed jobs to get rid of the headlight doors because the factories did half-assed jobs on the setups originally.

It's not rocket science.  It's just a pair of shoebox-sized objects that weight a couple pounds and need to move up and down on command.  If the OEMs aren't delivering good reliable setups then I don't blame customers for doing whatever it takes to deal with the problems. 
 
 

[djcarguy]

  ANY one find more pixs or links an info too add?? 

[Charger-Bodie]

People do half-assed jobs to get rid of the headlight doors because the factories did half-assed jobs on the setups originally.

It's not rocket science.  It's just a pair of shoebox-sized objects that weight a couple pounds and need to move up and down on command.  If the OEMs aren't delivering good reliable setups then I don't blame customers for doing whatever it takes to deal with the problems. 
 
 

original set is simple and reliable. people go the other route in most cases to avoid figuring out he original setup. Or simply for a different look. IMHO