Perspex Headlight cowels...
Discussion
Further to previous posts I set to work with some sheets of perspex and scissors at the weekend and played about with this perspex headlight covers idea.
The good news is that it is no ploblem getting the perspex sheet(two dimensional)to fold and fit the curves of the body(three dimensional)without any creases or twists.
The TVR headlamp recess is perfectly formed to take the perspex once you have the shape just right and looks GREAT!
The problem is that the chrome ring surround around the lamp protrudes at the top further than the surrounding front edge of the wing into which it fits,resulting in the perspex cover resting on the top of the chrome surround and not the body.
The perspex can't be bent over as this distortes its back edge and anyway we want something that looks the part and is durable.
I think it needs to be made in two parts.
One:the thick perspex cover with a lip at the front to secure.
Two:a plastic 'curved hood' that has a simple screw fix at each to attach it to the body to each side of the lamp where it is virtually unseen,but increases in width at the top of the lamp with a slot cut in it to accept the edge of the perspex cowell.
HOW DO I MAKE ONE?
Has anyone got any ideas what I can use to make this 'hood' at the top.It needs to be easy to cut and flexible,and once in shape has to stay in shape if I am to get a plastics producer to make any.
Anyone understood a word? any ideas?
The good news is that it is no ploblem getting the perspex sheet(two dimensional)to fold and fit the curves of the body(three dimensional)without any creases or twists.
The TVR headlamp recess is perfectly formed to take the perspex once you have the shape just right and looks GREAT!
The problem is that the chrome ring surround around the lamp protrudes at the top further than the surrounding front edge of the wing into which it fits,resulting in the perspex cover resting on the top of the chrome surround and not the body.
The perspex can't be bent over as this distortes its back edge and anyway we want something that looks the part and is durable.
I think it needs to be made in two parts.
One:the thick perspex cover with a lip at the front to secure.
Two:a plastic 'curved hood' that has a simple screw fix at each to attach it to the body to each side of the lamp where it is virtually unseen,but increases in width at the top of the lamp with a slot cut in it to accept the edge of the perspex cowell.
HOW DO I MAKE ONE?
Has anyone got any ideas what I can use to make this 'hood' at the top.It needs to be easy to cut and flexible,and once in shape has to stay in shape if I am to get a plastics producer to make any.
Anyone understood a word? any ideas?
Hi Tim,
The ones I have seen on cars that are similar like on the links posted recently I noticed do not use the chrome ring, this is removed.
I guess this will make fitment easy but you'll see the less attractive workings of the headlight adjusters and the general fixings but if you were to mask and spray the inside of the perspex covers with a black painted coating it would look good and mask these less pretty bits underneath. A bit like the outer edge of your windscreen. You could also utilise sikaflex or parhaps less permanent - black silicone to bond the covers on without it being seen from the outside.
Does that make any sense?
The ones I have seen on cars that are similar like on the links posted recently I noticed do not use the chrome ring, this is removed.
I guess this will make fitment easy but you'll see the less attractive workings of the headlight adjusters and the general fixings but if you were to mask and spray the inside of the perspex covers with a black painted coating it would look good and mask these less pretty bits underneath. A bit like the outer edge of your windscreen. You could also utilise sikaflex or parhaps less permanent - black silicone to bond the covers on without it being seen from the outside.
Does that make any sense?
Answers so far...
Hi Peter.The cylindrical shape of the headlamp is not matched by the profile of the front of the wing into which it fits.The wing becomes wider which changes the profile comlpetely.Have a look at yours and you will see what I mean. Sorry no pics yet.
Hi Kevin.Got your drift and think this could be our sulition though wanted to avoid removing the chrome ring if possible for better looks.
Will try it with the ring off and see how it could fit at the rear with this new profile.
Hi Woody.I don't have a Chimera style cowl so I am starting from scratch.But I will post on the Chimera sight to see if some kind sole has a broken one he can spare.
Hi Peter.The cylindrical shape of the headlamp is not matched by the profile of the front of the wing into which it fits.The wing becomes wider which changes the profile comlpetely.Have a look at yours and you will see what I mean. Sorry no pics yet.
Hi Kevin.Got your drift and think this could be our sulition though wanted to avoid removing the chrome ring if possible for better looks.
Will try it with the ring off and see how it could fit at the rear with this new profile.
Hi Woody.I don't have a Chimera style cowl so I am starting from scratch.But I will post on the Chimera sight to see if some kind sole has a broken one he can spare.
F908 TIM said:
Answers so far...
Hi Peter.The cylindrical shape of the headlamp is not matched by the profile of the front of the wing into which it fits.The wing becomes wider which changes the profile comlpetely.Have a look at yours and you will see what I mean. Sorry no pics yet.
Hi Kevin.Got your drift and think this could be our sulition though wanted to avoid removing the chrome ring if possible for better looks.
Will try it with the ring off and see how it could fit at the rear with this new profile.
Hi Woody.I don't have a Chimera style cowl so I am starting from scratch.But I will post on the Chimera sight to see if some kind sole has a broken one he can spare.
Tim,
Podie has a pair of Chim style fairings that have been specifically made to fit the S, these might be useful but I think perhaps one thing or the other is best as the fairings with perspex fixed into them would look a bit "heavy". There were some pics posted the other day of an S with these fairings fitted (they were yellow on a blue car IIRC). I wasn't too keen but they weren't painted so I reserve my judgement until I see a final set. I believe this is the only set in existence so further fairings would have to be made (not cheap).
What I meant regarding the perspex covers was mask the lens leaving a 1/2 inch or so exposed area around the edge on the underside and spray this black so that it hides the internal parts of the headlight and a bead of black silicone could also be used to bond the cover to the body without it being seen. Changing bulbs could be a problem though!
Perhaps a flexi rubber profile screwed or bonded in place inside the niche and the perspex could lay on top and be fixed with screws through into the rubber profile. This would form a good seal and prevent water entering around the perspex and would still be removable with relative ease for cleaning and bulb replacement.
Hi Kevin 
What I was thinking was a rubber (or ideally premoulded plastic) semicircular surround that screwed to the body work surrounding the top edge only of the headlamp.This 'hood'would have a slot the same curvature as the top of the wing cut into it so the back of the perspex cover would then slide into the slot which secures the perspex at the back and maintains the right profile.This would make a flush joint with the front end of the wing where the headlanp if installed. The front end of the cover would have a 'tag' left on it through which a screw would secure the whole cover to the leading edge,holding the whole thing in place.
Minimum seen fixings and easy to take off for washing etc.(Don't see they have to be completely waterproof...why spoil the TVR lead!)
The rest of the perspex cover would be surrounded with a rubber'U'shaped surround to protect the body from rubbing and give it a clean edge.
The problem with this idea is the making of the thin 'hood' at the top with the slot in.How do I make a template?
I might try posting a drawing of what I have in mind but being hopeless with computers would need help posting it
Thinking on...
Cheers, Tim.
What I was thinking was a rubber (or ideally premoulded plastic) semicircular surround that screwed to the body work surrounding the top edge only of the headlamp.This 'hood'would have a slot the same curvature as the top of the wing cut into it so the back of the perspex cover would then slide into the slot which secures the perspex at the back and maintains the right profile.This would make a flush joint with the front end of the wing where the headlanp if installed. The front end of the cover would have a 'tag' left on it through which a screw would secure the whole cover to the leading edge,holding the whole thing in place.
Minimum seen fixings and easy to take off for washing etc.(Don't see they have to be completely waterproof...why spoil the TVR lead!)
The rest of the perspex cover would be surrounded with a rubber'U'shaped surround to protect the body from rubbing and give it a clean edge.
The problem with this idea is the making of the thin 'hood' at the top with the slot in.How do I make a template?
I might try posting a drawing of what I have in mind but being hopeless with computers would need help posting it
Thinking on...
Cheers, Tim.
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