headlamp conversion???

[satman]

has anyone had experience in a headlamp conversion? Anyone attempted the conversation themselves and if so what was involved and costs?
have you had the converstion done by others? what was the cost? also rear light conversion....i understand the light cluster is a fiesta MK4/5, and im sure ive seen the 'new' round light 'jobbys' on a few boy racer fiestas locally...does anyone know if this conversion is something that can be done without huge cost?

[crazycats]

Not had either done, however the front is not something to take on yourself unless you're fully clued up on bodyshop stuff, as it involves blending in the new lights....rear is more straighforward, should be a DIY jobby..the afterburner lights are about 300 quid from zertec or TVR bodyshop in Bristol.

Paul

[tommomic]

I went through this last year.

See posts:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=6&h=&t=23440

&

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=6&h=&t=26039

Eventually went for pods rather than blended updates (personal choice). I think a straight replacement of the pods would be something you could do yourself, but I preferred the professionals to do it.

As for the rears, the obvious choices are the Zertec afterburners or the TVR standard pods. Again, I went for the latter - especially as the pods were colour coded with the bodywork, not just left black.

For the price, and the amount of time it would have taken me, I was pretty happy with the cost. From memory I think it was about £600 inc. VAT for the front pods and front and side white indicators (including respraying the pods to get rid of pesky stonechips). The rears were about £500 inc. VAT and including blending the colour to match bodywork.

Very very happy with the quality of work - it was by Team Proactive ( now Central TVR - see www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=61319&f=13&h=0&hw=team+proactive )

There are some before and after shots on my website - see http://members.lycos.co.uk/tommomic

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Tommo

[GCerbera]

James ( J S G ) has had this and many other upgrades
done over the last few months.

It's all be documented and will be on the new look TCR.

He may care to chip in now though...

Go create some weather...
It's a road legal Concorde!
Graham
TCR The Cerbera Register

www.TVR-Cerbera.com

[Pinkney]

BTW if you decide to go for the afterburners from zertec, they can in fact be painted prior to fitting - painted them myself - quite easy to do. But as for fitting them, after seeing the instructions - best left for a dealer IMO.

www.fotango.com/p/eba00199066f00000006.jpg

www.fotango.com/p/eba00199066f00000008.jpg

Found out that 'antique turquoise starmist' is a near match for 'Vauxhall Caribbean Blue'!

Dan P

[j_s_g]

satman said:

has anyone had experience in a headlamp conversion? Anyone attempted the conversation themselves and if so what was involved and costs? have you had the converstion done by others? what was the cost? also rear light conversion....i understand the light cluster is a fiesta MK4/5, and im sure ive seen the 'new' round light 'jobbys' on a few boy racer fiestas locally...does anyone know if this conversion is something that can be done without huge cost?

GCerbera said:

James ( J S G ) has had this and many other upgrades done over the last few months. It's all be documented and will be on the new look TCR. He may care to chip in now though...

Yep, happy to chip in now, and once we've got all the visual aspects of TCR sorted out, I'll be putting an article together all about it. When I had mine done (front only), I made sure they had a disposable camera to take pics of the entire process, so it'll be good to show everyone what's involved.

I ended up going for the blended conversion - cost about £500 more, but looks much better (in my opinion). If you were very savvy, you may be able to attempt the non-blended conversion, but even then I think you'd be pushing your luck. You've got to align the lights correctly, etc.

I paid £1k + VAT for the conversion, with cleared indicators, bonnet re-spray, couple of other paint touch-ups. This was from Team-Proactive (now Team Central - sort of!) My local TVR dealer quoted more like £1400, without a bonnet respray. The quality of the work was top-notch, and I've only ever come across one person with a complaint about their paint jobs (that was on Rosso Corsa red, too).

The Cerbera rear lights are off a Mk3 Fiesta. The "afterburner" conversion is based on this pod: www.quadconversions.com/Fiesta_Mk3.htm. This'll need painting, unless you're OK with it in black. Then there's the (now) standard TVR part. Fitting this yourself isn't too bad from what I've heard, again if you're savvy! All the bodyshops should be able to do it for you, too, at about £400 + VAT.

Hope that helps... Happy to provide numerous photos if necessary!

[sportie]

Paddy,

I have just fitted a set of rear afterburners from Zertec. They cost £310 inc vat and postage and took 2.5 hours to fit.

The old Fiesta lights are fitted in with 3 screws and some black sealant. They are out in minutes, new ones go straight in with three small holes to drill. Cut off the old plugs and wire up new ones and your done. Left mine black, but you can paint them prior to fitting.

[satman]

Thanks Dave,
Had a look on the the various sites earlier, and feel brave enough to do the rears now, but might leave the fronts to the experts!(after ive saved up as well!!)

[gazzab]

satman - dont forget that it is arguably better to upgrade suspension before cosmetics

[octane junkie]

This is all excellent stuff - I have been forced into some kind of rear light upgrade for 2 reasons, one regulatory and the other self-inflicted.

1. In order to register the car on Dutch plates I need to swap the reversing and foglights.
2. I reversed into my wife's Jeep bullbars the other day (ouch!) cracking the perspex cover (but fortunately nothing else).

Both a good excuse to upgrade I think? The photo's show some excellent workmanship and the explainations are helpful.

Looks to me as though some of you have clear perspex covers on the rear clusters. Are they standard?

I too will keep a photo diary and share my experiences.