Plastic headlamp Ring Conversion

[rodo]

Ah, Wetminkey, now I see what you are talking about! Got it from dinghyguy photo, thanks. Right, so if you can fit tabs, that should do the trick. My fender, '81, does seem to have the space for a tab to be fitted. (Upper one looks jammed with undercoating and paint.) Let us all know how this goes as you may be on to something great.

[wetminkey]

Tightest slot is 0.030 +, so I'll not have any problems with this!
All of the slots give a straight shot rearward to the outer edge of the can that the headlight bucket is mounted into, so I'll just grind to shiny metal for each strip, and JB Weld. Primer, paint, and undercoat (plastic wheel liners protect the whole area anyway).
I've already got brand new 'rubbers' for my chrome bezels and all fits nicely. I'll call and remind Brady (The Body Wizard) on Monday that I need those 9/16", and 3/4", three inch sheetmetal strips,...
Pics ASAP.
Todd.

[wetminkey]

rodo, you can check everything by using a thin piece of cardboard (not 'box' thickness, more like back-of-a-pad-of-paper cardboard thickness,....030", or less). Top slot should be 9/16" in width and about 0.030 high. Bottom slot should be far bigger than 0.030 high and about 3/4" wide.
You can slide the cardboard through the slots, and check out where it clears the metal can (that the headlight bucket is mounted into) inside the fender,...without changing anything!
Easy to see how simple an alteration it is,...I'm surprised that I don't find anything about this through searching.
Todd.

[wetminkey]

Here's my new strips of 0.037" thick auto sheetmetal resting in their slots.

I've already bent the upper strips to create the tabs. And I have no problems with a JB Weld attachment of the bottom strip (just the one, 'cause pass. side has a good one,...). But I'm still 'engineering' an imaginative attachment for the uppers, due to the headlight bucket upper adjustment screw/rubber protector. I think I can 'wrap' around the top, back of the headlight 'can' (that the headlight bucket mounts into), but I'll be working on that today,...

[wetminkey]

Piece of cake,...but cut 'em to 10mm and bend them to 5mm first. I used the JB Weld sparingly the first time, and manipulation broke the epoxy bond.
I simply wirebrushed everything, lacquer thinnered surfaces, re-epoxied, and used vice grips to clamp for a couple of hours.
Conversion from black plastic ring to the old "tab" attachment:

and this side is supposed to be this way:

Here's my Spider's front, at this point:

Getting closer to that cruise across Horsetooth Reservoir!

[wetminkey]

Perhaps I should stick this entire thread in the "Custom" section of the forum as "Headlight ring conversion",...opinions?
Todd.

[wetminkey]

This headlight bezel attachment conversion works just PERFECTLY! And looks SO much nicer than the ol' black plastic pieces of garbage,...nice trim fit.
The headlight bezels can be removed and attached with ease, unlike the plastic ring attachment method.
Happy Motoring, all! Todd.