Got some time tonight, so I thought I'd put up a how-to, especially since I seem to miss Tech Week most of the time! I'm building a 61 Olds for a guy, mild custom plus. I built a square tube grill and wanted to do something with the headlights. So I dug up some old Kenworth double headlight assemblies, and put in a set of Lucas Flamethrower lights, like I saw on CHOPMERC's shoebox I painted. Since I like to try to keep my styling themes consistent on a build, I decided to get rid of the complex looking stock tail lights, and do something more in line with what's up front (I put a sort of tube grill looking thing out back on the taillight panel, and pan under the bumper, as well) So I made up a set of "lucas tail lights". First, I made a template of the curvature of the headlight, so I could match the tail lights to it. They were already very close in size. Next, I cut out 2 pieces of plywood, a bit larger in diameter than the taillight. One had a hole in it the size of the inside diameter of the stock chrome bezel, since we were still using that. The other was more solid, with just a hold in the center, that I put a fitting it, to blow compressed air into it.
Next up, I cut out some transparent red Plexi I got on Ebay, about 1/8"thick, to fit between the 2 pieces of plywood. I used lots of clamps to hold it in, and popped it into the oven. 375* seemed to be the magic number on my shop oven, but you should experiment first, so you don't just melt your plastic! About 20 minutes, and it was soft enough to form. I used a regular air blower to shoot air into the taillight sandwich, until I got the the right curvature, using my template.
Once I had the right curvature, I set them upside down to cool. Next drill a hole in the center of the lense. I bought a couple of chrome bullets from Night Prowler, but they were a bit too tall for this application, and none were available shorter. I tried to match the chrome cone in the Lucas light as close as possible. So I cut the bullet down. To match the amount of bullet I wanted sticking out of the lense, I hole sawed out the hole in the lense larger, then filed it to match the angle of the bullet. This was done for a better fit, and to give more surface area for the lense and bullet to be bonded. I figured out where the bonding area was to be on the bullet, and masked it top and bottom, then sanded the area to take the glue.
Next, mix up a batch of fast dry epoxy (clear) and carefully apply it to the lense opening. I added some House of Kolor Candy Red concentrate to the epoxy so it would blend into the lense better in color, Don't know if it is really necessary, but why take a chance? Set up the bullet and lense to be undisturbed overnight, clean it all up, and assemble it into the stock tail light bucket, and bezel, and there you go! A Kustom tail light lense. I will later put an Halogen bulb in the bucket, since it's hidden by the bullet, and it needs to be bright. The rough edges you see in the pic will be covered when I put some foam sealer to make up the space between the lense and bezel in final assembly. Originally there was an additional chrome decoration that went between them.
excellant original idea! does the bullet mount on the outside or push thru from the inside? (kinda quessing from the inside since your filing there)thanks for posting. also see you updated the air cleaner thread! another good one. sometime after the new year i need to get with you about modifying some side trim for me. (partially just an excuse to come see your '46 chevy!) thanks again for all the how-to posts. always get excited when i see you have a new thread started.
Mike, I'd be glad to have you visit, maybe do some work for you! The bullet pushed in from the inside. Like the Lucas headlight, more of the bullet is inside the housing, to hide the bulb. It would have been SOOO easy to just bolt a bullet on the outside, but that's not the look I wanted. I spent a lot of time on the 46, but nothing to show pics of....yet. Might be able get one side of it in primer and get some pics in a week or 2. Been building new rockers, and rocker extensions to match the extended door bubble. Lots of inner structures to fabricate, weld, and line up!
Hah, ya see Mark, this is how it starts- first it's tail lights, next thing ya know yer blowin a bubble top for an Orbitron II, in purple kandy no doubt! Way cool tech you've cooked up, here! Are you hammerforming up the bulkheads and formers for the fade-a-ways on the chebby kustom? Have a good new year! " The ice cream truck in his neignborhood plays Helter-Skelter "
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=545210 Here's the thread on my start on doing the door. Intruder...I posted a bunch of pics up the other thread about 61 Olds'. I usually don't have a lot of free time to do long build threads on the computer, as I'm actually working in the shop most of the time! I'll probably do more, but haphazardly.
Very cool! Any chance you could help me out on where to get some Lucas headlights? I have two I'm putting in my 63 Belair but need two more or a fresh set of 4. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I got the Lucas' from a Porsche parts guy, I think the name was Sierra Madre Parts, or similar. Do a search, that's how I found him. CW Moss also still carries them.
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