Testarossa headlights ??

[Drewbdo]

I'm looking for Testarossa style headlights, preferably something that will fit onto Fiero pop-ups. The car is based on a 1988 Fiero GT, but the headlights were removed, and a simple tray was placed with four rectangular lights.

This is what I think they were trying to do... but they didn't quite achieve that look, and the lights suffer from barn-door effect, so it's not really safe for night driving. If I can't find pop-ups, then I may try to do covers like Dale's TR. That would improve the look, but not the light's performance for night driving.




I recently purchased replacement Fiero lights on Pennocks, similar to this. So, I now have the mechanisms which bolt to the car, but it is the standard single rectangular, narrow Fiero light.



I want the wider Testarossa-style enclosures, with two round openings per side, which install over the Fiero mechanism. Does anyone have these? Another member had some shells and contacted me a while back, but they have not replied to my PM, so I don't think they have been online recently.

[Finguy]

Need info in this matter too. Was thinking to use some VW, Fiat or similar old(ish) cars headlights and make the enclosures from base cars shells by widening them etc. but am curious to see any good info on this...

[Drewbdo]

Finguy, someone told me to look at the old 1980's era BMW round headlights, as they were apparently the right diameter... 4" I think.





I wonder if the Testarossa headlight "shell" is something which could be 3D printed, even if in pieces/panels, which could then be fitted together to produce a mold for fiberglass. ??

Maybe I'll try to build a shell for fiberglass using cardboard... AKA redneck 3D printing. lol

[Finguy]

And another (cheap 'n easyway) is to make outer shell dimensions with industrial plasticine and take a mold out of it. Carving from foam board works the same for outside, although it's more difficult to take mold out of it.
After outer mold is done, use same plasticine to make full model inside the mold. Take countermold and that's it. Can make pressure mold, pourable mold etc... Up to what the shells are going to be made of.

Pretty good stuff. I would use your existing shells as base because of working mechanism, correct hood side profile etc. Use what can be used, make rest out of plasticine and take molds.

Thats even pretty easy and fun way to make models when making molds.

That's the stuff manufacturers use to make live size models before manufacturing starts...

[bodyman]

those look pretty close, but mine are mounted independently in the headlight assembly. I will look tonight and see what the actual glass says on them. here is my thread, look at page 8 and it has some detailed photos of my headlights. Although im pretty sure mine are OEM pieces maybe they use cheaper headlights.
http://www.madmechanics.com/forum/bu...ica-build.html (page-8)

[Drewbdo]

Wow... this image posting system is not user-friendly.

Anyway, Finguy, thanks for the suggestions. I'm not familiar with plasticine, but I'll look into that.

I may not be understanding you, as I've never built a car before. I don't know that I can really "use the existing shells", as the light doesn't currently have shells. They are more a "tray" than a "shell".

I purchased lights, but they are the OEM Pontiac lights, which I bought for the popup hinge mechanism. The OEM Fiero lights are not the right shape, and I think they are too narrow and too short to fill the Testarossa opening. I will need to find or make a shell to attach onto the mechanism.



Bodyman,
Thank you for the suggestion on where to find lights in your build thread. I have referred many times to your build thread. An excellent resource! I will go back and look at it now.

I prefer the look of the original 1984-1988 (?) Testarossa model, like your's. Mine seems to be a composite of the second and third Testarossa models (TR512 & 512M). Anyway, these grilles won't work for my rear lid, as my rear lid "wings" are not flat on top.

However, they would probably work for your car, at least based on this photo.



The price is MUCH lower than T Rutlands, and a couple of the other places I've seen. He has both left and right grilles, $200 each. I usually see them listed for $400 to $700 each.

Rear lid grille

[Drewbdo]

Finguy,

I googled plasticine. Ok, now I think I understand what you meant. I think I will install the OEM Fiero lights, then get some plasticine and build it up.

Maybe I can use the photos of bodyman's lights to form the model.

[Finguy]

Happy to help or should I say give out of the box ideas.
I've been using that stuff in all kinds of projects and know the possibilities and in some occasions, simplicity of using it.

One could just start to FG the part on top of some support, use foam, cardboard etc. with lot of filling, sanding, smoothing... Or make model out of plasticine, smooth the surface and get very nice mold out of it.
I would say it's easier and faster this way with difficult parts like mirror or these light shells.

That's pretty versatile stuff. I'll probably be making my TR mirrors out of that and then take molds for GF or some pourable agent.

And sorry that my English is a bit off, pretty hard to describe some procedures. Translator comes in handy time to time...

[Drewbdo]

That's great! I'll go to the local Hobby Lobby. It's a craft supply store here in America, so I'm sure they will probably have plasticine.

I would say it's easier and faster this way with difficult parts like mirror or these light shells.

That's pretty versatile stuff. I'll probably be making my TR mirrors out of that and then take molds for GF or some pourable agent.

By the way, what is "GF" ? I'm guessing you're not taking mold for "GirlFriend"...

Your English is fine! I'm glad you are posting here.

[Finguy]

Well depending girlfriend one has, taking mold might be fun but was actually talking about FG - fiberglass... ;D