Alan B
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 01:50 PM |
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Front idea.....plus ideas sought
Guys, this is a rough idea how I'd like the front.......however there is a problem, the lights are about 5" too low.....I see a few
solutions...
a) Add a seperate small rectangular dip/beam light as a pop up above nearer the top of the arch....there is room and should be doable.
b) Make the lights raise up 5" vertically as a cluster...will look at bit odd...but only at dark..
c) Forget this idea and have the twin lights higher as a pop up cluster..
d) Any other ideas????
[img][/img]
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pbura
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 02:22 PM |
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I'll vote for "C". 
Functionally, it makes the most sense, and should look good, too. Too bad about the height requirement, as your drawing looks terrific.
Pete
Pete
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sgraber
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 05:32 PM |
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Can you make the same shape cluster higher up (5" you say). I know that this will leave a long flat in front of the beams across the bottom, but
then use a perspex cover to recreate the shape of the arch?
There "must" be room in the wheelwell to drop those lights back there at the top....
Graber
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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kb58
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 05:47 PM |
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How about moving them to the center area. That might make the "eyes" look too close together for comfort but it could be worth a sketch.
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Alan B
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 06:24 PM |
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Pete, yes that is a definite and fairly simple possiblity..
Steve....nope that's high as they can go and clear the tires.. ....I'll know better when the body is molded of course... may be able to
sneak another inch, but I can't see more than that being possible...
KB...yes it's worth a try...I'll look at that option
In general it's a matter of a compromise between looks and legality.......the looks matter more in daylight and the legality issue comes about
at night....so there must be some solution.....
We'll see I guess....I don't need an answer for a month or two as I will mold it plain as it is now and deal with the lights later..
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kb58
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 07:02 PM |
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An unusual solution is having small projector lamps in the side mirror pods. Trying to think outside the box...
[Edited on 3/3/04 by kb58]
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MikeR
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 07:08 PM |
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Not sure if it makes a difference but i was looking at a car recently and its front lights appeared to be low and very far apart - right on the edge
of the car.
I assume they where legal but because they where so far apart it made the car look very striking. So.... pop ups on the top of wheel arch or out of
the side of the wheel arch maybe?
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Alan B
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 07:12 PM |
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KB...that is EXACTLY the kind of outside the box thinking I'm looking for..I already I have the small (90mm) lights....
No reason they have to be right at the front of the car...the regs specify height only, and say as near the outside as possible.....IIRC
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sgraber
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 07:21 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kb58
An unusual solution is having small projector lamps in the side mirror pods. Trying to think outside the box...
[Edited on 3/3/04 by kb58]
That's interesting, I was just about to suggest pods attached (integrated) into the hood near the windscreen.
I also was thinking about building them right into the windshield header... But you don't have a 'real' windshield surround.
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Noodle
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 08:03 PM |
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Alan,
I caught a glance of the sketch out of the corner of my eye and saw an RX-8.
Intentional? Un-intentional? Shall I shut up? Do our cathartic outpourings of emancipated exultations in free speech extend even that far? 
Cheers,
Neil.
p.s I like the RX-8
Your sort make me sick
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sgraber
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 08:14 PM |
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I'VE GOT IT!!!
Bigger Tires!!!! a LOT bigger...
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Alan B
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| posted on 3/3/04 at 10:23 PM |
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Neil....no resemblence to the RX-8 intended..
Steve....Ok so one good idea....one not so good...LOL
Mike...yep pop-ups still possible.....
Latest idea....
After studying the lights it is only the low beam that is deep...the main beam is quite shallow...so here is main beam and indicator on the
wing/arch/fender, with low beam inboard.....legal and simple...but does it look ok?.....I think it is getting there...
[img][/img]
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Noodle
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| posted on 4/3/04 at 06:30 PM |
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It's...it's.... smiling?
Your sort make me sick
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Alan B
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| posted on 4/3/04 at 07:03 PM |
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Not smiling now...
[img][/img]
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andkilde
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| posted on 4/3/04 at 10:13 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by sgraber
Bigger Tires!!!! a LOT bigger...
Ooh!, how about that pneumatic suspension the lowrider guys use <g>.
I must say the first sketch is the most aesthetically appealing in my view.
I did read recently somewhere that Lotus have just applied for and received a five year exemption from the US DOT for the headlights on the Elise
(which are too low to meet regs). Are the rules you have to adhere to local, state or federal Alan?
Cheers, Ted
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Alan B
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| posted on 4/3/04 at 10:37 PM |
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Ted....I believe the federal light height is 22", although Steve is quoting 24" for Arizona...and I thought the UK figure was
600mm...Florida doesn't give a crap as long as you have receipts for the lights..
I'm aiming for 24" (about 610mm) to be on the safe side.
The last picture is as per KB's first suggestion....legal and practical to do..
We'll see I guess...
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pbura
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| posted on 5/3/04 at 12:08 PM |
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Just a couple thoughts:
--Having the lights on the hood/bonnet would work, as in the 'sad car'. I think the sadness betrays your feelings at having to abandon the
original concept. How about a different style of light? Maybe something from a production car, or from APC (sample below).
--Hood/bonnet lights are going to cost boot space and ease of access, a slight downer. An alternative might be thin-profile lights that pop way the
hell up there when they're on. I'm thinking specifically of early Porsche 924. Would these be too deep for your fenders?
--Make your roll bar a light bar!
APC H4 light:
 
Rescued attachment APC.jpg
Pete
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ned
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| posted on 5/3/04 at 12:18 PM |
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another out of the box idea perhaps: is there anything reg wise to stop you mounting the lights inconspicuously on the rollbar behind te driver high
up? (ala rally car roof mounted spot lights?) as long as the beam is low enough, or is there a max height restriction?
you could still have side or fog lights in the bonnet/wing positions at the front to make the car 'look' right...
Ned.
ps sorry pete, didn't see the last line of your previous post! doh!
[Edited on 5/3/04 by ned]
beware, I've got yellow skin
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TheGecko
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| posted on 5/3/04 at 01:51 PM |
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Hmmm, lights mounted in roll-bar..... where have I seen that before.....
Like this perhaps?
The Bertone Runabout of 1969, which became the X1/9 a few years later. One of my favourite show cars of that time - so evocative of the 1960's
Obviously, lights in the rollbar are not really practical but perhaps something similar with the headlights pods being the rear view mirrors? Just
throwing out wild suggestions (as usual )
Dominic
[Edited on 5/3/2004 by TheGecko]
[Edited on 6/3/2004 by TheGecko]
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kb58
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| posted on 5/3/04 at 03:42 PM |
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Regarding the "happy face," "sad face" cutouts...
I haven't read this anywhere, just something I came up with on my own. It's best to keep the radius's in proportion with the
overall body style. That is, if the car has curves everywhere, a square cutout with sharp corners doesn't "look" right. If however
that same cutout has radiused corners it looks fine. I realize it's only a sketch at this point, but consider keeping the front end cutout
radius's (radiuss?... radii?) similar to the curves elsewhere.
[Edited on 5/3/04 by kb58]
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suparuss
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| posted on 5/3/04 at 09:00 PM |
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i really like the last 2 designs, maybe the happy face a little more thatn the sad one. i guess some really low profile lights would be a help (ie-
not so much plastic and wiring sticking out the back)
have you looked into any motor bike head lamp units, not the round ones but racing bikes. im using hayabusa lamps which stick out the back quite far,
but there must be something out there to suit you requirements.
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MikeR
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| posted on 6/3/04 at 11:54 AM |
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Hmmm, what about doing the three lights in a vertical line? suppose the indicator first then the head lights. If you keep the line next to the wheel
arch it 'might' look quite good.
For some reason i don't think your car should have a 'happy' face. I think it should look mean, moody and "if you don't
get out of my way i'm going to eat you and spit you out" kinda look.
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Spyderman
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| posted on 7/3/04 at 01:17 AM |
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The Bertone Runabout lights look the best idea!
You wouldn't need to illuminate your clocks either!
Spyderman
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