Lights in bumper...

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.gmi.edu>]

On Wed, 22 Jan 1997, Dave Head wrote:

> >view to mount them from inside the bumper assembly, shining out through   
> >carefully cut holes?  It seems like that could be a really good looking   
> >alternative.
> 
> Doable, but iffy. The understructure is fiberglass. Cutting that large a
> hole would weaken it considerably - it would need to be reinforced. Add to

This is true, and although you might think it easy, that glass really 
chews up cutting tools.  The extra reinforcement would only be necessary 
if you were really anal, or if you got into an accident.  :-)

> that the fact that the bumper isn't flat across - it angles back on each
> side (looking from the top. That means the inside edge of the lamp would
> have to be recessed for proper aiming - at least 1/2 inch. So they wouldn't

This is also very true.  You don't realise how smooth some of the lines 
are until you look really close.  The car looks boxy at first, but it 
does have some great curves, and highly angled front end.

> I took my latest Autoweek out to the car yesteday and compared the full
> sized Catz driving/fog lamp picture to the turn signals - now theres an easy
> job! 

Jeff Goggin discovered that the fogs in the new Camaro have exactly the 
right size AND ANGLE to fit in the turn signal opening of the 
5000/100/200 cars!  I saw it with my own eyes - it is true!

I installed a set of el cheapo projector beam fogs _in_ the bumper of my
'86 5KCSTQ, just a little inboard of the running lights.  Took exactly 2"
dia holes.  It was a little tight in there, and it is difficult to aim,
but it really looks cool.  Unfortunately, that's about all it looks,
because the projector beams are too cheap to be really effective.  Maybe
some PIAAs would be better, but I can't afford that kind of light right
now. 

I sent someone a photo of this a while back - I don't know if they posted it
on a web page or not.

Later, ---------------------------------------------------------- 
Graydon D. Stuckey 	'85 Mazda RX7 GS, no toys 
graydon@apollo.gmi.edu 	'86 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro, has toys
Flint, Michigan USA	'89 Thunderbird SC, lotsa toys