So About Those Headlight Covers...

[COZY Z COLE]

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=111016

LARRY

[Darbji280z]

If I may suggest, dont get the smoked headlight covers unless you have very powerful headlights, or a GOOD pair of driving lights. I put the smoked ones on my Z with Sylvania Silverstar headlights, and its simply not bright enough by any means, but I dont have driving lights.

Well, I just put those H.I.D.'s in her and they are walking the fence on being too bright. But I would rather have the clear ones. And the edge I was talking about is that continuation of the body line. Which the more I look at, I begin to appreciate. But I don't think I like that crome lip though....

[COZY Z COLE]

I like the looks of my MSA ones....

LARRY

[justin260z]

Wow, nice headlight covers, and a very nice Z to go with them

And when you say HID's, are you meaning the real ones, or ebay "HID's"

[Darbji280z]

Wow, nice headlight covers, and a very nice Z to go with them

And when you say HID's, are you meaning the real ones, or ebay "HID's"

I mean the high intensity discharge plasma bulbs with the independant control box for each bulb. The real ones. Which reminds me, does anyone need a set of blue h4 bulbs? They came with the casings I bought.

[justin260z]

Do you have pictures of your setup?

[MarkDixon]

you are talking about the original OEM light covers. They are smooth curve. No cut line edge.

These came with chrome rings to surround the cover.

These style do not mount inside the light bucket like the newer ones. they actually sit on top of the headlight bucket.

I have some on my Z. My 240Z was purchased in Japan in 1971 by an Army Srgt.

You can probably find them used for about $600

or There is a company in Japan that sells them NEW for about $1200

billcapp has some pictures of this style in his gallery. I could not figure out how to upload them.

[dade280]

By the edge do you mean like in the BRE Z that it looks like one piece and no lights. I think most headlight covers are like that.

[justin260z]

I think what darbji was wondering was if they had headlight covers similar to a ZG cover, but for a non ZG sugarscoop. Correct?

[EScanlon]

Darbji mentioned that it is the continuation of the body line that she initially objected to, but that she was beginning to warm up to it. (Post #14) The Chrome trim still hasn't met with her approval.

The problem with trying to ignore the bodyline is that the hood and front edge of the sugarscoop are at a very distinct angle to each other, and if you continue either the top or front edge of the scoop/hood you need to have a transition from one to the other. The ZG cover doesn't have this problem because it doesn't have the transition from the top to the front edge.

It's conceivable that you could force a curve between the two and just have it end at the top forward edge of the sugarscoop, but it would definitely look forced. Kind of like those bustiers that 17th century women are portrayed as wearing - tight, flattened and just plain painful to even look at. No offense meant Darb, just making a point as to how unnatural that curve on the Z would look like.

The Chrome trim is how the OEM covers were held on with. The lens of the OEM covers doesn't end at the edges of the sugarscoop, it actually rests on the top and outer edges of it. The Chrome trim just provides the support needed to keep them down and in place.

Now that's a piece that's conceivable to eliminate, but the problem is in either leaving the edge of the lens exposed, or feathering it out so that it does or does not "bulge" over the edges of the scoop.

Either way the problem is in trying to leave the lens within the edges of the sugarscoop, or if over the edges, where to and how to end and blend it into the body. All of this of course is separate from HOW you mount it....

That's half the fun of designing / modifying / customizing cars.

FWIW

E

[sblake01]

If she buys them, she'll likely end up with the same one's that eveyone has. As long as we're not talking about the ZG or Datsun Comp. Department type. The latter costs a fortune when you can find them. I do believe that the ones that have the 'body line', the rubber molding and the three small metal mounts are made by the same company regardless of where you purchase them.

[Go240Zags]

Anyone with a pair of those nasty old chrome trimmed ones is welcome to send them to me to get rid of -- I like them. Baring that I'll take a driver's side, because that's all I'm missing. Yes, I have a Cyclops. Seriously, go with what you like. I have a pair of the aftermarket lenses, but I don't have the rubber gasket. The eBay seller neglected to tell me they weren't included about four years back. They've never been mounted and I'll sell them cheap, don't know what you'll do about the trim/gasket though. I saw a pair of the chrome trimmed g-nose-only type go for somewhere under $500 on eBay awhile back and was surprised they went for so cheap.