TheSamba.com :: View topic - Polycarbonate (AKA "Lexan") Headlamp covers...

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:27 pm

…for the poor and aesthetically challenged:

Has been knocking around in my head for a couple years, finally did it.

Glad I did. Works a treat.

Words can not describe the decrease in wind noise from this mod.
Air was quite obviously blowing past the grill edges as well as the headlight opening. No longer. 8)

Neil2

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:32 pm

NICE...

where you get that... what thickness?

thanks

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:50 pm

I like that. Of course, I'm a redneck. 8) :lol:

Sun Apr 13, 2014 6:20 pm

Got it at Hell Depot in Signal Hill… .093 12by 24 inch sheet. Heated it with a Heat Tool (can't call them GUNS anymore, not "P.C."), bent it, cut with jigsaw, sanded, drilled it and pilot holes and then screwed it with the shittiest Stainless screws on the planet (also from Hell Depot) (no.6 by 1/2 inch).

Jeff Foxworthy defines a Redneck as: "a Person with a glorious lack of decorum". If that be the case, sign me up.

Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:33 am

Did you seal the screws so that rust does not start?

Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:44 pm

Nice. Very NASCAR.

:wink:

Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:25 pm

That's likely to need periodic removal to clean the back side. If you do it again, I'd suggest a way to seal it off. On a moving vehicle, muddy water, dust and other light-output-reducing things are flowing through that space and will matter.

If your goal was protecting the lamp, I suggest using 3M headlight protection film. Cheaper, takes about 5 minutes to install and no periodic maintenance.

DougM

Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:06 pm

I have had my square plastic headlight protectors on for about 3-4 years and not even once I needed to clean them. This type

Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:18 pm

I don't understand how polycarbonate covers drilled into the body of the van could possibly cut down on wind noise in any way.

In stock design format, the entire upper grill section of the van is open to the wind coming in through the grill. Since the space to allow the wind in through the grill has now been reduced by the plexiglass covers, the resulting noise levels should be higher if anything, since you have the same frontal exposure, but a smaller ventilation path. Did you do something to seal the central body edges of the headlight compartment from the inner sections of the grill as well?

At face value, this modification appears that it would only serve to trap water or dirt/mud that would normally be able to find its way out from under the grill if it wasn't trapped by the polycarbonate sheet.

The photo that madspaniard posts makes much more sense to me, since it will allow for proper cooling of the light fixture, allows drainage from the grill as designed at the factory and can be installed and removed easily without the need to drill into the body of the van.

Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:54 am

Lexan is shatter resistant, but scratches pretty easily.

It will be interesting to see how quickly they glaze over.

Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:10 pm

madspaniard wrote: I have had my square plastic headlight protectors on for about 3-4 years and not even once I needed to clean them. This type

Mad ~ how about letting us know where you got those things! :D

Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:31 pm

LandSailor wrote: Lexan is shatter resistant, but scratches pretty easily.

It will be interesting to see how quickly they glaze over.

Interesting? Seeing if headlamp covers get scratched?

I gotta get out more.

On the topic of scratching: sure they can and will get scratched.

However; 1. I would much rather they take the beating than my headlamps, I mean if a stone were to hit them I would be thrilled it hadn't hit my lamps.

2. I never tailgate. I have bought cars that looked like the front had been sandblasted with driveway gravel. My vehicles never look like that.

3. For the dramatic decrease in cabin noise I would glad spend the hour it took to make these every month.

I love them and I think they look cool as sh*t. But that's me and my van. I like customizing it. I think these could be made even better and possibly marketed in a "no drilling" version.
One of my favourite mods so far.

Tue Apr 29, 2014 2:12 pm

I think it will be "interesting" from a materials choice standpoint to see how long it takes until the polycarbonate begins to show micro-cracks and scratches that will begin to disperse the light differently than the optically superior glass reflector lens it is covering.

OEM type polycarbonate headlamp lenses are encapsulated in a silicone based hardcoat by the manufacturer that must be heat and UV cured in a cleanroom environment to offer scratch resistance. This is why most modern cars with "plastic" headlights look pretty good for a couple years until the constant spray of particles hitting the lens degrades the hardcoat and exposes the base material.

Once the hardcoat has been damaged, the telltale cloudiness and yellowing that is so often seen on newer vehicles headlights will start to take place. This is when people start to use the "headlamp restoration kits" and other products that work on a very short basis until the problem returns and the treatment must be repeated.

For a piece of normal off the shelf "Lexan", within about 1,000 miles of driving, you should begin to see a significant reduction in optical clarity, which will create significant glare for other drivers and will negatively effect the designed beam pattern and lumen output of the headlamps. This is created by the small scratches in the lens acting to change the emitting angle of light being distributed through them.

The surface of the 7" round glass lenses on an 80-85 Vanagon is many times harder and more resistant to scratching and chipping than any plastic over-shield could ever be. Adding any sort of protective layer over them can only decrease their performance.

This still does not explain to me the claim of reduced noise though? Are the headlamp compartments sealed from the grill back to the body of the van to create a separate enclosure for the lenses?

In my 25+ years of customizing and modifying vehicles, I can honestly say that this is the first time I have ever encountered a headlight modification that required drilling multiple permanent holes into the metal body as well as the grill of the van. I'm glad you like the look and agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think you would have a very hard time convincing anyone else that this is a valid mounting method.

Where you live in CA, this mounting style might last a while before rust becomes a major issue. For many parts of the world, where salt spray in the air, or salt on winter roads is a constant reality, rust would be a problem within a month or two.

Please take the time to post some follow up images of your system in 6 months and a year. I am very interested to see how the Lexan will hold up to the combination of the heat of the headlight bulbs, the UV radiation from the sun and the sand, bugs and other objects that will bounce off them in the coming months.

Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:33 pm

markz2004 wrote: madspaniard wrote: I have had my square plastic headlight protectors on for about 3-4 years and not even once I needed to clean them. This type

Mad ~ how about letting us know where you got those things! :D

as far as I know, no longer available. I think I got them from BusDepot so many years ago, to protect my square H4s. Funny, since I posted here I have received several PMs asking about them. Good business opportunity for TerraWagen, T3 Technique or the likes...

Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:37 pm

furrylittleotter wrote: 2. I never tailgate. I have bought cars that looked like the front had been sandblasted with driveway gravel. My vehicles never look like that...

But your front license plate appears to have taken a beating.

If you like the covers then aesthetics are irrelevant, only time will tell if functionality is there.

Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:43 am

madspaniard wrote: markz2004 wrote: madspaniard wrote: I have had my square plastic headlight protectors on for about 3-4 years and not even once I needed to clean them. This type

Mad ~ how about letting us know where you got those things! :D

as far as I know, no longer available. I think I got them from BusDepot so many years ago, to protect my square H4s. Funny, since I posted here I have received several PMs asking about them. Good business opportunity for TerraWagen, T3 Technique or the likes...

I had a set of these and one went missing in a car wash I think. Anyways, if some one is interested in a single, go ahead and PM me. I will bring it down to Syncrofest if it is wanted.