Timbo33

I'm beginning to wish I hadn't binned my orangey bits now - I could have tinted 'em!!!! (did think about it at the time but didn't know you could get the stuff.......)

Post! Post! Post!

[Edited by Timbo33 - 7/3/2002 11:12:44 AM]

Steve vRS

I'm thinking of taking out the yellow indicator globes on the bugeyes after seeing a method on Scoobymods. Has anyone else done this and how easy/difficult is it to both part and then reseal the two halves of the headlamp unit. I don't want to risk knackering the lamp as I cannot aford to replace it!!

Steve

Phil

Several people have done this by putting the units in the oven

I can't find the thread though

btw I'm sure there are enought Morretted MY01 owners that would do a deal with there old lights

Phil

DT

I've done it and painted mine. Due to a few silly mistakes, I've done it twice now. It is easy though when you know what to do and should take no more than an hour for both. You will need Phillips Silver Vision bulbs that look silver but flash orange.




mail me if you want the full details. address in profile.

BugEyed

Hi Steve

I've also done this without problems.

A couple of quick pointers;

• use matt paint
• don't forget to keep the temp down to about 100 C (the 220 quoted is in F) - somebody melted their lights slightly by doing it at 220 C.
• use some silicone sealant to help seal them - although you can reseal them using the original goo a bit more helps!
• the Philips bulbs need one of the two mounting tabs filing as they won't fit otherwise (they are offset on the Philips, aligned on the originals).

HTH

Duncan

Edited to add a picture and a link to the previous thread


[Edited by BugEyed - 5/30/2002 2:42:38 PM]

carl

Are you saying that you need to have the headlamp unit apart just to change the orange indicator bulb

Steve vRS

Just finished and they look smart. I've not painted the reflectors, just removed the yellow globes. I'll post pictures soon.

Steve

Timbo33

DT/BugEyed....'twas me that the 'Morettes back to Bug Eyes' thread ridiculed.....I must admit I remember the original post by Mikael S about how to paint the Bug Eyes and I did have a bit of a laught at it but now i see your pics the painted ones look pretty cool, and a lot cheaper than 600 odd quid for STi7 lamps!!!!

Have you painted the whole reflector, barring the headlamp unit?

What did you do with the orang globey thing? just bin it or paint it?

Do the indicators show up as well with a black reflector and do you get any grief from the boys in Blue?

Answers on a postcard please.......

DT

Timbo,

Yep loads cheaper than Morettes and a bit different too. I like it - not bad for £8.
Orange globes are in that box of bits that we all have in the garage.
No probs re brightness of indicators they are plenty bright.

If you pull the light apart its quite clear which bit to paint as the whole chrome surround around the indicator and sidelight comes out. The main headlamp reflector is seperate and remains in the botton half. Thus just paint the whole of the chrome bit that comes out. easy.

Oh an Bugeyed it, was me that followed the American instructions and stuck my light in at 220 and melted it, not realising that they use F and we use C. Opps! Fortunately, a kind Scoobynetter gave me another. That whopping mistake aside, its easy.

Steve vRS

My effort!

Steve

Phil

Can't see the picture?

Phil

Timbo33

Steve,

Could you mail me your pics if they're too big for the uploader? I'm going to try this at the weekend and I'd like to see yours first (oo-er....)

If the pics are too big you can optimise them:

http://www.aviz.co.uk/imagepost/

However I've just tried to get to on to that site and been refused so maybe that's why your upload didn't work?

Tiggs

Tim,

call me before you do it- i'll pop over and lmao as you try to explain to your wife why your putting your lights in her oven

Tiggs

BugEyed

LOL @ Tiggs.

Tim

What noone has mentioned is that the sealant stinks so even if you've sent the Wife out shopping she'll spot the smell when she returns!

Duncan

PS The smell goes quickly if you leave all the windows open in the Kitchen.

Steve

So you opted to bin the orange globes but didn't go for the painting. Any reason why not?

Timbo33

Tiggs,

You can tell you've got your e-mail back on - all these posts suddenly!!

Actually Sue is remarkably supportive of the multi-use of catering facilities - particularly when I explained the difference in cost between painting my Bug Eyes black and replacing them with UK300 lights!!!


The only hard bit for me is swallowing my pride having taken the pi$$ out of the poor guy from Sweden who originally posted the idea!!!

Timbo33

Did my lights at the weekend!!!

Before......





After.......





Many thanks to BugEyed and DT for all the tips. Unfortunately I don't have an Internet connection in my kitchen so I forgot the bit that Dave (DT) put in his e-mail about unscrewing the three screws that hold the reflector in place...so broke it trying to get it out......dohhh!!!!

It's not a problem as it's such a snug fit that it goes back in without sliding around.

Word of warning to anyone else contemplating this -

1.don't be too impatient to get it all back together again - I managed to scratch the paint slightly where the reflector contacts the back of the glass

2. Keep your fingers clean!! I managed to get a smear of silicone on the INSIDE of the glass which I didn't notice 'til I was reassembling the units on the car. As it's the one I broke the reflector on I'll probably try to scrounge another lamp from someone and do it again - but not for a while!!!

Steve vRS

Hmm,

Yery cool.

Could be tempted to do mine again and paint the reflectors...

Steve

BugEyed

Timbo

Well done for taking the plunge - the results look excellent.

Duncan

PS So much nicer than Morrettes - you'll have Tiggs changing his next.

DT

Nice one Timbo - looks ace.

Timbo33

Thanks for your kind comments chaps, and for your inspiration - I couldn't have done it without your help!!

Tiggs

easy bug eye! i can confirm that tims new lights look better in the flesh than before he painted them.......however, thats like saying John Merrick looks better with a bit of lip gloss.



T

BugEyed

Tiggs

LOL!

Duncan

Go on, you know you want to

Fulham71

i love the look but ive only had my car 2 weeks & i havent got the ***** to do it !
Anyone care to do mine for a few beers ????
Paul

Caronte

Can somebody of you post a picture when the turning light is on please?

I'm tempted..

C.

Timbo33

Fulham,

It's fairly easy and only took at most about two hours. The idea of cooking the lights sounds scarier than it is!!!

Where in Surrey are you? I'm in Reading so I wouldn't mind popping round to give you a hand now I've done it....I'd also now know what NOT to do

If you do screw it up there are enough people who've swapped their lights you cod scrounge a unit from.

Caronte,

I'll take some pics this afternoon and post them, it's a good point about the indicators 'cos they certainly aren't as bright as before - though bright enough IMO

Fulham71

cheers mate
Im near Sutton in Surrey
and it does sound very scary !

Timbo33

Caronte,


On.......




off.....



On.....



Off......



On....

Timbo33

Fulham,

My Mum lives in Bromley so I could combine a 'duty' visit with a DIY workshop....The other alternative is that my office is in Sunbury so I could pop over one evening....problem is I don't go there very often!!!!

Mail me your address/phone details and we'll talk offline.

You'll need to get some Philips Silver Vision Indicator Bulbs first and also have some Silicon Sealant - you can get it in small tubes from DIY shops now....

You'll also need high temperature Matt Black paint - Halfords do it in Aerosols

Timbo33

If anyone wants to give this a go here are the full instructions on how to do it. It's really a pice of pi55!!

This is based on an e-mail I got from Dave Thrower (DT) and I've interspersed bits of my own. If you follow these instructions it's really no problem:

You will need:

8mm and 10mm sockets.
Philips and flat head screwdrivers.
A Flat file
Halfords High Temperature Matt Black Paint
Some clear Silicone sealant
Philips Silver Vision Indicator Bulbs
Philips Blue Vision Headlamp bulbs (recommended but not essential)


Step1. Remove the lights:

You'll need to remove the front grille and the little trims between the grille and the lights.
The grille is held on by push fit clips. You'll need to use a small screwdriver to depress the two big clips at the bottom/sides.
Once they are released, just pull forwards and the ones at the top will just pull out.

The trims are held on by three black fasteners; two on the top and one at the bottom. use a small screwdriver to prise up the centre piece.
The fastener will then just pull out as it acts a bit like a screw and rawlplug.
The bottom of the trim is held by a clip at the bottom. Just carefully pull the trim towards you and it just slides out.

The trims cover the main fastening bolts for the lamp units which need a 10mm socket or spanner.
The third fastening is an 8mm bolt with a big washer at the top near the wing. With the three bolts removed, just jiggle the lamp unit and pull it forward
to remove it.

take all the leads off the back. The main head lamp one has a spring clip behind the rubber cover, so grip the rubber and whats
underneath and give a firm squeeze as you pull it out. Alternatively, prise the rubber seal back to reveal the bulb which is held in with a wire clip.
Spring the two parts of the clip in towards the centre and remove the bulb with all the wiring attached.

(Most people find the OEM lights a bit dull so this is a good opportunity to change them for Philips Blue Vision lamps.
They come as set with two Headlamp and two side light bulbs- Tim)


Step 2. Preparation for Cooking

With the lamps off the car. undo the little screw on the back of each which holds the electrical connector for the side and indicator bulbs and then remove
both bulbs with the wiring intact.

There are also a couple of small screws which hold the front and back of the lamp unit together. Remove these as one of them also retains the reflector inside
and it will break if you don't remove this screw.

Preheat oven to 100C. This is the lowest Gas mark. On mine it was 'S' but Gas Mark 1 should be o.k.

Stick a tea towel on the bottom shelf. Put light in oven for 8minutes.


Step 3. Separating the two halves

Black sealent should have softened enough now. Prise the two halves apart
with three flat head screw drivers (I used one and an Oven Glove - Tim) requires a bit of effort, helps if you
push in the tags around where you are working.

Light will come apart- Black sealant goes all stringy like mozarella cheese. (I found it helps to break the 'strings' with the screwdriver as the sealant is quite stiff - Tim).
Be careful not to let it snap onto the reflector as its a pain to remove. (use nail varnish remover if it happens)

The Orange Indicator Globe just pops out.


Step 4. Spraying the reflector

Assuming you want to paint the reflector black, you will need to remove two more Philips screws that hold the reflector in place to the front of the lamp unit and take it out.
(If you do break any of the fixings - don't worry - it's quite a snug fit and when you reassemble the units they will stay in place - Tim)

use Matt Black high temperature exhaust paint from Halfords. I gave it three coats. (Don't be too impatient to put the lights back together - the paint is
touch dry in a matter of minutes but the reflector makes contact with the back of the lamp glass and if the paint is still soft it will scratch off - Tim).


Step 5. Reassembly

BE VERY CAREFUL not to get any black sealant on the reflector as you pop it back in to the bottom half of the light.( Also make sure your hands are scrupulously clean as
any smudges on the back of the lamp glass will show and will look cr4p. Replace the two Philips screws that retain the reflector in the front of the lamp. - Tim)

(do this when light is cool to minimise chances of sealant sticking on.) If you do it will show and you'll need to remove it with nail varnish remover and
respray that area.

Stick both halves back in the oven for a few mins to soften the sealant. Squirt a thin bead of Silicone in to the groove in the back of the unit to help seal the unit tightly
and then reassemble. (Make sure all the tags snap back into place when you reassemble the units - Tim)

Relace the screws in the back of the unit which will help to hold it tightly until the sealant sets.

The Philips Silver Vision indicator bulbs have offset pins - the bulb holder has opposing pins. You will therefore ned to file/grind one of the pins on each lamp flush with the
metal before inserting the bulbs in the bulbholder. They spring in and are quite a snug fit so don't worry.

replace the screw holding the connector block on the back of the lamp.

Replace Lamp units on the car.

Replace the trims and grille (or good excuse to replace with WR Sport Grille while you've got it off!!)

Stand back and admire your handywork. ( a beer is helpful here)








Tim

Caronte

Thank you Timbo!

cool

C.