1927 Pontiac Fiero (Page 32/41)
Gokart Mozart FEB 02, 01:50 PM

quote
Originally posted by toddshotrods:

Finally, I am also chewing on an idea for the hideaway lights that will also incorporate the mirrors. The basic idea is for units that look like trim pieces (when in the "off" position) on the sides of the nose, that revolve like an old department store door to reveal the fore/aft guides. This is another part I have to do some serious sketching, maybe some 3D models, and then the cost/time analysis. They would involve significant CNC machine time ($$$) but from what I see in my noggin, they would be awesome!

More to come...




I think of the semaphore turn signals on old Bugs http://www.oldbug.com/323%20018.jpg Mount the mirrors on the flat edge, Headlights would be HID with ballist inside. The mirrors are just for legal purposes, right?
toddshotrods FEB 02, 01:56 PM

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Originally posted by Gokart Mozart:
...The mirrors are just for legal purposes, right?


Bingo!


quote
Originally posted by Gokart Mozart:
...Headlights would be HID with ballist inside...


That really has my attention - just imagining the possibilities, if that means what it sounds like. I'll look into it more later today...

[This message has been edited by toddshotrods (edited 02-02-2009).]

toddshotrods FEB 02, 04:09 PM

Starting to work out the switch design. This is the lowest part of the dash, where its asymmetrical "humps" meet and extend down into a curved switch panel. The actual panel, in this sketch, is a CNC'd aluminum panel with raised sections for each switch group. The group consists of a miniature baseball bat levered toggle, and an illuminated glass globe indicator. The lever would be made of exotic hardwood screwed onto the aluminum toggle section, that is is the center of the hemispherical lower shape. The glass globe is clear, and covers a symbol screenprinted on a flat LED indicator lamp.

An incredible amount of work and detail in each section of the panel, that would hopefully give it a handcrafted, upscale, appearance.

[This message has been edited by toddshotrods (edited 02-02-2009).]

Gokart Mozart FEB 02, 05:18 PM
Forget about hiding it in the body, hide it plain sight, steampunk style
Stick the ballast in something like http://www.drillspot.com/pi.../2473/247339_300.jpg with the mirror on top.
Have a working oversize gear http://www.copper.org/resou...cations-figure12.jpg that opens the panel with the headlight on it
toddshotrods FEB 02, 07:40 PM

quote
Originally posted by Gokart Mozart:

Forget about hiding it in the body, hide it plain sight, steampunk style
Stick the ballast in something like http://www.drillspot.com/pi.../2473/247339_300.jpg with the mirror on top.
Have a working oversize gear http://www.copper.org/resou...cations-figure12.jpg that opens the panel with the headlight on it



That's too much steampunk for me. I just want a slight influence. I love the idea for the HID lights wit hidden ballast though. I was trying to design an assembly that would hide the whole thing, which was making it much larger than it needs to be.

I am shooting for somewhere in between the modern theme of not seeing any of the function of parts, and the steampunk idea of seeing everything. For example, on my toggle switch you can see the that the aluminum mechanism pivots in the hemisphere, but you can't see the contacts and springs; whereas on a modern switch all you see is the handle poking out of a hole. It's just a little more functionality on the surface, and a great deal of extra work to make it look like an antique part. Hope that makes sense.

Keep it coming though, you're definitely feeding the fire My switch design came from you posting the link with the steampunk supercar. I was just going to poke a handle out of a hole...
Gokart Mozart FEB 03, 05:20 AM
Haven't stopped yet! I'm glad you like my ideas, even if they become yours. Every failure is just one step closer to success!

headlights? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymot...39809#ht_5218wt_1351

I thought the real steampunk wasn't what you're looking for, just influenced by. Take the extreme and smooth and streamline it.
toddshotrods FEB 03, 08:19 AM

quote
Originally posted by Gokart Mozart:
...I thought the real steampunk wasn't what you're looking for, just influenced by. Take the extreme and smooth and streamline it.


Exactly.

I like those headlights. I've seen them on an older hot rod before but can't remember which one. I have way too many pics saved to try to find it right now. So is that just a bulb, with a separate ballast needed?
JRP3 FEB 03, 09:06 AM

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* Real Xenon Upgrade, Real 8000K Xenon HID Bulbs with Ballasts. We have Professionally Pre-installed Xenon HID in the headlights for you.
Gokart Mozart FEB 03, 09:23 AM
More art deco concealed headlights
1938 Buick Y-Job http://www.topspeed.com/car...k-y-job-ar10584.html
1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt http://www.autoweteran.gowe...sler_Thunderbolt.jpg

How about a panel that raises/lowers in the body and out pops this

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 02-03-2009).]

toddshotrods FEB 03, 09:44 AM

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Originally posted by JRP3:...Xenon HID Bulbs with Ballasts...


Thanks, I missed that

When I get some time, I'll do a sketch to show you what I had in mind. Rather than having a body panel like the two cars you mentioned, I was planing on making the assembly look like a piece of trim on the side of the track nose.

I had considered HID before but never thought of the possibility of having a separate ballast. These are the units I had been considering but (without the reflector) they are already 4.5" deep. If I made my own reflector I could reduce the diameter but it would still make the whole assembly a bit larger than I had planned. If the ballast can be separated from the bulb, I have almost total freedom.

[This message has been edited by toddshotrods (edited 02-03-2009).]