Rear afterburner lights.
Discussion
LazyRoss18 said:
Is there not an MOT requirement that the rear fog light be a certain distance from the rear brake lights?
Don't think so Ross. I think it's just needs to be clearly visible to vehicles at a certain degree of angle behind you. I have a Nissan Figaro which I bought for the Mrs and that just has one bolted on the bottom of the rear bumper in the centre.I have been trying for years to get some made. I spoke with a guy called Dave, who worked for Quad Conversions, who made and designed the lights for the LM500 marcus and Mondao. They changed to a company called Grantly Design who threw it all in the bin.
The Company who took over production, but of course not the Marcus or Mondao anymore, they are called Morrettie, I wrote to them but had no reply, I mentioned 30 sets but,it seems they are not interested.Maybe if a few people start to write they may sit up and take notice.
If i new how to copy and paste with this poxy HTC1 M8 i would post the replys i got, for someone else to try.
The Company who took over production, but of course not the Marcus or Mondao anymore, they are called Morrettie, I wrote to them but had no reply, I mentioned 30 sets but,it seems they are not interested.Maybe if a few people start to write they may sit up and take notice.
If i new how to copy and paste with this poxy HTC1 M8 i would post the replys i got, for someone else to try.
Edited by sundance002 on Wednesday 11th February 09:18
sundance002 said:
I have been trying for years to get some made. I spoke with a guy called Dave, who worked for Quad Conversions, who made and designed the lights for the LM500 marcus and Mondao. They changed to a company called Grantly Design who threw it all in the bin.
The Company who took over production, but of course not the Marcus or Mondao anymore, they are called Morrettie, I wrote to them but had no reply, I mentioned 30 sets but,it seems they are not interested.Maybe if a few people start to write they may sit up and take notice
The problem is no one is going to get excited about a few sets of lights, the tooling alone for the last set I did was over £500,000The Company who took over production, but of course not the Marcus or Mondao anymore, they are called Morrettie, I wrote to them but had no reply, I mentioned 30 sets but,it seems they are not interested.Maybe if a few people start to write they may sit up and take notice
Adrian W said:
The problem is no one is going to get excited about a few sets of lights, the tooling alone for the last set I did was over £500,000
This is what I thought, but had to give it a shot.It must be easy to take a mould from ours and make in carbon by hand?(if you know how of course) Then just,fit the LEDs internals?
Prior to having mine frenched in i approached a number of small moulding shops to see if i could get a bolt in solution.
They were not keen on doing the job, they said it would be incredibly difficult to mould the front of the lights to produce the look wanted, and then mould the back accurately so they will bolt in on the existing points maintaining all gaps and flush sides with surrounding panels. They wouldn't quote on what they would charge to do it.
Whereas with the frenched version only the front profile needs reproducing, hence i went that route, plus it removes all shapes of mondeo from the back which i what i wanted.
The easiest way i think is to get some spare lamps, and find someone to reproduce the front face, using the rear light cluster to reproduce the part that bolts to the car
matt
They were not keen on doing the job, they said it would be incredibly difficult to mould the front of the lights to produce the look wanted, and then mould the back accurately so they will bolt in on the existing points maintaining all gaps and flush sides with surrounding panels. They wouldn't quote on what they would charge to do it.
Whereas with the frenched version only the front profile needs reproducing, hence i went that route, plus it removes all shapes of mondeo from the back which i what i wanted.
The easiest way i think is to get some spare lamps, and find someone to reproduce the front face, using the rear light cluster to reproduce the part that bolts to the car
matt
Edited by StreetDragster on Wednesday 11th February 19:06
mgbond said:
These days you just need a CAd model and then print the moulds?
Can that be done in a black?And would it be strong enough?
Surely, if it was that simple someone would be on it?
Come on own up who has the skill and able to draw the CAD, and have a printer good enough for the job.
The trouble is the size. A 3d printer capable of printing a piece the size of a rear cluster housing would be in the £thousands and even with the best resolution you're still going to need to skim them with filler to take out the steps. It could be done with a smaller printer if you made them in pieces and then assembled them, then fill, prime & paint.
Blu3R said:
The trouble is the size. A 3d printer capable of printing a piece the size of a rear cluster housing would be in the £thousands and even with the best resolution you're still going to need to skim them with filler to take out the steps. It could be done with a smaller printer if you made them in pieces and then assembled them, then fill, prime & paint.
Good idea, maybe two pieces, then give them to someone to finish and paint, if like me dont have the time to diy. Could you scan one of ours straight to the printer?bernhund said:
I've got afterburners on mine, however one of them mists up! Any ideas how to permanently cure this?
(I'm now expecting one of you guys to say 'yeh, give them to me!)
Yes please (I'm now expecting one of you guys to say 'yeh, give them to me!)
But honestly there is a surprisingly large demand for replacement rear lights as threads about this just keep popping up, expect most would have a set if they were the right price, the lamps are available as we say, its just the mould - sorry I'm far too non-techie to help there
Edited by searsy on Friday 13th February 13:16
Hi,
Since I started this, I think I better summarise where I am and what the future holds for these lights as I am now doing the following..
As a automotive design consultant, I have access to a digital printer, CAD, scanning equipment etc. However, very few printers are large enough to make a light PNL in one piece, but I can get access to one. It is not the correct process though as has been correctly pointed out in the thread & scanning, CAD + cutting proto tools for the panels directly from Cad into Ureal is a £10k job. So, if I can find a pair of Mondeo lights (no success so far) I will use the surface from an existing lamp as a GRP splash. I plan to use the new round modular lamps form Hella (I have a trade Acc) which are larger than the old driver units used on these panels & thus I will create the panels by claying them up to start in the GRP PNL’s taken from the Mondeo units. I will then take a mould & make components.
Once I have the moulds I can make them in GRP, CFRP etc.
As has already been pointed out, volumes are so small that no manufacturer will lay down injection mould tooling for these lights + the moulding run would be vastly expensive. I commision these types of tool all the time & a suite of 4 cavities for an inner & outer panel for these would be £250-300K if bought in Asia I estimate.
Since I started this, I think I better summarise where I am and what the future holds for these lights as I am now doing the following..
As a automotive design consultant, I have access to a digital printer, CAD, scanning equipment etc. However, very few printers are large enough to make a light PNL in one piece, but I can get access to one. It is not the correct process though as has been correctly pointed out in the thread & scanning, CAD + cutting proto tools for the panels directly from Cad into Ureal is a £10k job. So, if I can find a pair of Mondeo lights (no success so far) I will use the surface from an existing lamp as a GRP splash. I plan to use the new round modular lamps form Hella (I have a trade Acc) which are larger than the old driver units used on these panels & thus I will create the panels by claying them up to start in the GRP PNL’s taken from the Mondeo units. I will then take a mould & make components.
Once I have the moulds I can make them in GRP, CFRP etc.
As has already been pointed out, volumes are so small that no manufacturer will lay down injection mould tooling for these lights + the moulding run would be vastly expensive. I commision these types of tool all the time & a suite of 4 cavities for an inner & outer panel for these would be £250-300K if bought in Asia I estimate.
Gents,
Given the interest I have sent a short request to the guy who done some bodywork repairs for me in the past, including rear clam, you might have seen them advertised on eBay at various times.
He is interested in taking this on as a project, as in taking moldings off an existing set of rear lights/afterburners and then reproducing exact copies. (there would be no damage incurred)
Would anyone be willing to lend their rear lights for a given time for this to happen?
If possible the next step would be to discuss turnaround, volume and prices. if this would be a finished product or part DIY (unfinished, you paint and bolt on leds type assemblies)..
cheers Jason
Given the interest I have sent a short request to the guy who done some bodywork repairs for me in the past, including rear clam, you might have seen them advertised on eBay at various times.
He is interested in taking this on as a project, as in taking moldings off an existing set of rear lights/afterburners and then reproducing exact copies. (there would be no damage incurred)
Would anyone be willing to lend their rear lights for a given time for this to happen?
If possible the next step would be to discuss turnaround, volume and prices. if this would be a finished product or part DIY (unfinished, you paint and bolt on leds type assemblies)..
cheers Jason
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