clear lenses for zenki

[iwearpro]

I have been researching finding a vacuum molding machine and try out trying to make clear lenses for the 240...
Has anyone ever tried this or know anyone that has with any results...
I found a hell of a machine that will mold up to 1/4 thick plastics and such..The machine is only 650.00 so I figured if the machine worked for me,maybe I could sell a couple and pay for the machine...
Any input?


Brian

[Jakob]

im intrested but it depends on how much a pair would be and if you'd ship them to germany

[drift-it]

why would you want clear plastic lenses when oem euro ones are glass?

[iwearpro]

I want the ones like the super made ones....

these.
http://www.raretrick.com/store/images/products/7663_detail.jpg

[vvtisupra]

i'll buy a pair if they are ~150 or lower and good quality

[projectRDM]

I want the ones like the super made ones....

these.
http://www.raretrick.com/store/images/products/7663_detail.jpg

I sincerely hope you plan on projectors or something else. The covers alone will give you light output of a triple AAA battery Maglight.

[axiomatik]

what are you going to use to mold them? (the actual mold)

[iwearpro]

what are you going to use to mold them? (the actual mold)


Well,I have been playing with ceramic...I used a zenki headlight cover and filled it with ceramic to make the mold and if you use the exact thickness of the oem plastic and by the time thermo vacuum molded it will be exact.
You have to sand the ceramic slightly to get a smooth texture other then that its pretty straight and forward.
hmmm

[ixfxi]

old_s13 says, sorry.. i dont mean to be negative.. but lets look at the reality here.

creating a good quality plastic mold that will have these characteristics:
- anti UV
- proper fitment
- completely transparent without warping'/bending the beam pattern
- shatter proof material
- sealed properly

if the costs of the materials and machines were that cheap, there would be a lot more people AND mfg's cranking out lenses. the reality is, there is no simple mold-making solution that will cover all of the above bases.

its pretty obvious that taiwan/china, king of mold knockoffs and such, have a hell of a time making just plain side-marker lenses and such - the majority of parts that ive ever worked with from ROC suck donkey balls. the plastic is brittle and the castings are very rough, not to mention the water leakage issues. from the estimates ive ever received, mold making costs in the tens of thousands per mold (per side), and that was for smaller pieces. you really better have some volume, and not some broke-ass cheap 240sx owners who cant even afford coolant.

if you can get this shit to fly, i'll bow down to your greatness.. but in the meantime, i just gotta fill this thread with hate (its my duty).

[Dousan_PG]

super made
the new fan boy choice
wasnt it DMAX before that
and um..who else before...the list goes on and on

haha

get the Euro
OEM
high quality
perfect upgrade for LHD mobiles

[Jakob]

the germany glass headlights look badass, but they arent as clear as this shit is, which looks better imo...
dont worry i would've selled my german headlights to you...

[iwearpro]

old_s13 says, sorry.. i dont mean to be negative.. but lets look at the reality here.

creating a good quality plastic mold that will have these characteristics:
- anti UV
- proper fitment
- completely transparent without warping'/bending the beam pattern
- shatter proof material
- sealed properly

if the costs of the materials and machines were that cheap, there would be a lot more people AND mfg's cranking out lenses. the reality is, there is no simple mold-making solution that will cover all of the above bases.

its pretty obvious that taiwan/china, king of mold knockoffs and such, have a hell of a time making just plain side-marker lenses and such - the majority of parts that ive ever worked with from ROC suck donkey balls. the plastic is brittle and the castings are very rough, not to mention the water leakage issues. from the estimates ive ever received, mold making costs in the tens of thousands per mold (per side), and that was for smaller pieces. you really better have some volume, and not some broke-ass cheap 240sx owners who cant even afford coolant.

if you can get this shit to fly, i'll bow down to your greatness.. but in the meantime, i just gotta fill this thread with hate (its my duty).


Yeah you are right to some aspect..The super made ones are not superior in any way..Just a vacuum molded material..I know from dealing with the aftermarket that trying to find anything in the aftermarket that is equal in quality to eom is tough to find....I am more doing this to see if I can do it and if it works great!..lol..

[drifting_changed_mylife]

iwearpro, u got a pic of them things on a car?

[iwearpro]

iwearpro, u got a pic of them things on a car?


http://www.smg.sphosting.com/images/240sx/DSC02378.JPG

[iwearpro]

sorry for the big,pic...Its not my car just one I saw while doing research.

[fran13]

they look good man you should do it. i think you would sale these alot.

[Jakob]

i think they dont look good with that retrofit...

[iwearpro]

i think they dont look good with that retrofit...


I agree the one Im using is smalled with the same output...
If done right these look tits.

[memesh]

i'll buy a pair if they are ~150 or lower and good quality


where i'm interested too..:wiggle:

[Dousan_PG]

150 or lower
for quality
on headlamps


jump off a bridge

god i love 240sx owners

[Johny5]

http://www.smg.sphosting.com/images/240sx/DSC02378.JPG

what is this thing. if i saw it on the road i'd hit it with my daily

[DaPCWiz]

I might be down for a set if they are reasonable price - if you can pull it off given what everyone has already said.

[Slidin240Wayz]

Holy shit people, the super made are $300 with the side markers.

How cheap do you want this shit to be.

I purchased my first set of Final Konnexion covers (just the front) for about$300.

Phase2 had the set of just covers for $450 + shipping.

Please get real, save up, work overtime, sell parts, and get in contact with Drew at raretrick for the last 1 or 2 sets he has.

SHEESH!

goshdarncheapassmutherflubbers

Carlos

[addikted2bass]

theres a guy thats making his own vaccum table and his own lenses, its @ 240sxforums.com look for zenki headlight advancement

hey carlos and everyone else, i contacted supermade in japan and the do not produce the side corner lights anymore. only the clear headlights... i have a guy in japan that would sell me just the headlight lenses shipped here for 320. if anyone need his email you can contact me.

[iwearpro]

Holy shit people, the super made are $300 with the side markers.

How cheap do you want this shit to be.

I purchased my first set of Final Konnexion covers (just the front) for about$300.

Phase2 had the set of just covers for $450 + shipping.

Please get real, save up, work overtime, sell parts, and get in contact with Drew at raretrick for the last 1 or 2 sets he has.

SHEESH!

goshdarncheapassmutherflubbers

Carlos



Lol,I own my own business and trust me the money is not a issue...Its more about trying a different type of fabricating skill...This type of knowledge can be used for numerous other things other then just headlights...

I know what you are saying though...I have actually left numerous emails and voice mails for rare trick with no returned message or calls...I would buy a set just to see how well they are made and try them out...Ill still work on this project though.

[ixfxi]

all that work, and it still looks strange.

while function is important, looks also have their play. looks are responsible for getting girls, and looks are equally responsible for making the owner smile and proud every time he/she walks up to their car.. to admire its looks.

this is why i said, and will always say... the choice headlamps for 95-96 is the e-code german lamps. 95-96 is known for its simplicity, this keeps it simple. good clean looks, period.

those wanting more complex setup, go with 97-98. more aggressive overall appearance, with an easier headlamp solution where you swap the halogen projectors for a xenon counterpart. its not simple, but its much more feasible than mucking around with all this injection molded bullshit.

why re-invent the wheel? sell your front end to some sucker who mashed up his car. buy the new front end and enjoy a quality setup that performs as good as it looks.

period.

mike / clearcorners.com

[ixfxi]

http://clearcorners.com/contrast/Image03.jpg

prime example....

its a very clean, simple representation of what a nice 95-96 setup should look like. while i dont agree that my customer is rocking an HID retrofit kit, i dont care.. its not my car. he loves the retrofit kit, regardless if its has tons of non-compliant lighting flaws. it glares, but for him.. hes stuck on the looks.

the point being, overall.. the car doesnt deviate from what a 95-96 looks like, atleast not in a bad way. its a highly polished version of what its always been.

now, you can buy supermade blahblah retrofit tsx bi-xenon this that, into your JB welded physics experiment of an HID 95-96 headlamp, and you're left with just that - a lab experiment.

unless the job is done with extreme precision and care, its ultimately doomed to be a failure. its not impossible, it just requires a lot of time, money, and work.

[vanish1]

all that work, and it still looks strange.

its bc the projectors are too big, has absolutely NOTHING to do with the clear lenses.

the man who preaches lighting solutions posts a picture of a zenki with fluted lenses and a drop in HID kit!!!! the irony!!

clear lenses on zenkis are beautiful, when done right they are better looking then the euros.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/526000-526999/526842_271_full.gif

I2aine had it close, but zenki headlights blacked out w/ clear lenses + S2k projectors are a masterpiece of art.

[ixfxi]

its bc the projectors are too big, has absolutely NOTHING to do with the clear lenses. the man who preaches lighting solutions posts a picture of a zenki with fluted lenses and a drop in HID kit!!!! the irony!!

clear lenses on zenkis are beautiful, when done right they are better looking then the euros.

read the post, ass-munch. i never suggested the hid retrofit kit, i suggested the e-code lamps with a quality bulb setup. do me a favor, before you start running off at the mouth, close it and respect someone's opinion - especially when they not only have more experience, but have been doing this longer than you've probably been driving.

ever heard of high output halogen bulbs? they perform pretty damn good. but then again, keep chasing your s2k/projector/clearlens/blahblah hid retrofit dream. think about it, its 2007 and still to this date.. no company offers a quality lighting setup for the 95-96.

[vanish1]

think about it, its 2007 and still to this date.. no company offers a quality lighting setup for the 95-96.

so? use other companies parts to achieve the lighting that is desired, retrofits are awesome.

[iwearpro]

so? use other companies parts to achieve the lighting that is desired, retrofits are awesome.



+1:D :D :D :D :D :D

[BC240]

http://www.smg.sphosting.com/images/240sx/DSC02378.JPG

Thanks, Now i'm not going to be able to sleep tonight because i'm going to picture your car eyeballing me

[ixfxi]

so? use other companies parts to achieve the lighting that is desired, retrofits are awesome.

Great.

Rather than talk, here is what I'de like:

1) To actually see a product
2) To actually see a product that actually works
3) To see a product that can be easily aligned
4) To see a product that can be installed and removed with ease
5) To see a product that performs well
6) To see a product that complements the aesthetic beauty of the car
7) To see a product that will not have condensation issues
8) To see a product that will be able to evaporate any moisture that accumulates
9) That passes vibration, corrosion and impact resistance
10) That has high beams with a proper, useable beam pattern

and last but not least
11) That is cost-effective and affordable, so that cheap bastards such as yourself can afford it and not gripe like you are now.

See, I dont take any of this stuff personal.. because every creation that we fab, has all of the above in thought. Not everything always ends up being ideal in life, but all fabricators need to consider the above engineering aspects (and marketing aspects) before mouthing off.

You're suggestion of mixing and matching parts isnt a bad one. The only thing YOU need to do, is actually make the above work. If you can do that, hats off. Otherwise, enjoy the fact that since the release of the S14, there hasnt been ANY note-worthy lights ever introduced for people to buy.

HID-planet is a group of hobbyists, some make good conversions - some fabricate lights that look like ASS. While atleast its a decent source to acquire information, its next to near impossible for the average hobbyist to create a light that has the safety, performance, and reliability characteristics of a well-designed OEM light.

Peaceout and have a great holiday weekend people.
Mike / ClearCorners.Com

[vanish1]

^the funny thing with you is that your involved in a lighting company. but instead of trying to come up with a semi cheap decent zenki headlight or competitive clear lense that would sell like hot cakes you sell overpriced $850 LED zenki taillights that no one buys and then sit here and run your mouth about the so called "pipe dream" that is alternative zenki lighting, man I wish I ran a buisness, I would be making mad duckets off of this.

[surge s14]

damn head light why are they so damn [email protected]
i don't wanna bust out $700 bucks on having nice head lights!!!!

[projectRDM]

^the funny thing with you is that your involved in a lighting company. but instead of trying to come up with a semi cheap decent zenki headlight or competitive clear lense that would sell like hot cakes you sell overpriced $850 LED zenki taillights that no one buys and then sit here and run your mouth about the so called "pipe dream" that is alternative zenki lighting, man I wish I ran a buisness, I would be making mad duckets off of this.

The difference is Mike builds quality lighting products that meet DOT standards are actually better designed and safer for all driving situations. Anyone can throw a light together with shit they buy at Home Depot and sell it for $25, but if it's worthless to the driver then what good is it? You could sell a million of them but if all your buyers end up in a ditch, are you really making a good product? Trying to cut corners just to turn a profit is not what most reputable companies are about. If you want something cheap, call OBX, I'm sure they'd be happy to churn out a mass produced piece of shit that you can afford but can barely see a damn thing with at night.

Otherwise, buy the Ecode lights and quit crying.

[vanish1]

The difference is Mike builds quality lighting products that meet DOT standards are actually better designed and safer for all driving situations. Anyone can throw a light together with shit they buy at Home Depot and sell it for $25, but if it's worthless to the driver then what good is it? You could sell a million of them but if all your buyers end up in a ditch, are you really making a good product? Trying to cut corners just to turn a profit is not what most reputable companies are about. If you want something cheap, call OBX, I'm sure they'd be happy to churn out a mass produced piece of shit that you can afford but can barely see a damn thing with at night.

Otherwise, buy the Ecode lights and quit crying.

your missing the point bud. yeah obviously he charges alot bc as quality goes up so does the price (in most cases).

But now your taking the argument into a completely different direction. This has nothing to do with cheap lighting solutions, ebay crap headlights w/ crappy projectors that ppl stick halogen bulbs into...no. Im talking about some type of cheap blank headlight housing or clear lense that you could install a HID retrofit into.

theres a difference between using a cheap product that yields cheap lighting results and finding an inexpensive way to have state of the art lighting.

[iwearpro]

The difference is Mike builds quality lighting products that meet DOT standards are actually better designed and safer for all driving situations. Anyone can throw a light together with shit they buy at Home Depot and sell it for $25, but if it's worthless to the driver then what good is it? You could sell a million of them but if all your buyers end up in a ditch, are you really making a good product? Trying to cut corners just to turn a profit is not what most reputable companies are about. If you want something cheap, call OBX, I'm sure they'd be happy to churn out a mass produced piece of shit that you can afford but can barely see a damn thing with at night.

Otherwise, buy the Ecode lights and quit crying.


Are the super made lenses junk? Are the eom lenses junk? how were both made? With a thermal vacuum forming machine..If you took the exact lens as oem,make it out of the exact same thickness and type of material but change it to a non fluted design then now you have a good platform to build off of..(super made)
The material that the oem uses is called Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol This material is very clear,very durable and is what I plan to use in my project...

[Zilvia4eva]

+1

well said,

I say go for it and keep us updated....I will be in the marked for some oem style clear lenses.The sealing issue's some talk about all depends on what is used and what process was taken into account.

And for those that have doubts,they make Hid projectors small enough to fit in zenkie lights.Retrofits are done all the time on headlights much smaller than zenkie headlights

BTW:alot of the pro retrofitters on hidplanet.com use a sealant made by nissan with great results.:)

[ixfxi]

surges14> damn head light why are they so damn [email protected] i don't wanna bust out $700 bucks on having nice head lights!!!

The cost of the E-code glass headlamps is extremely affordable. If you had a Supra, you'de be paying more. If you have a G35 w/ HID, you'de be paying more. If you had an NSX, you'de easily be paying 1000 per headlamp. If you guys dont know the costs of quality parts, thats your problem. Things cost money because they're worth money. The stuff that doesnt cost much money, sucks - and you can easily see where that has gotten you guys now, or else you wouldnt be on a forum griping.


idiot> the funny thing with you is that your involved in a lighting company. but instead of trying to come up with a semi cheap decent zenki headlight or competitive clear lense that would sell like hot cakes you sell overpriced $850 LED zenki taillights that no one buys and then sit here and run your mouth about the so called "pipe dream" that is alternative zenki lighting, man I wish I ran a buisness, I would be making mad duckets off of this.

You are whats called an internet complainer. You're not doing anything to help find a solution. Instead, you're doing what I typically call.. the fat kid behind the computer talking instead of wrenching.

Start a business, focus on offering this magical product that is currently in your mind. Do the above that I've listed.

Now, if you dont like what we fabricate.. thats cool, no one is asking you to buy our work. Actually, we dont even try to market it or sell it. Its expensive. If someone wants a quality setup, sure.. come our way. We never created lamps for the S14, or any car for that matter, to get rich. We fab our work because we know there are a select few out there who dont mind spending some coin for quality goods (ie: not you). And just like when it comes to headers and such, when I need my parts.. I dont even hesitate to think about buying something from Full Race, or any other company that sells quality parts. You can sit here behind a screen and bitch, or you can save and buy something that is quality from a company that actually puts R&D and heart behind their work.


theres a difference between using a cheap product that yields cheap lighting results and finding an inexpensive way to have state of the art lighting.

Thats right. We all know state of the art and cheap come hand in hand, right? Thats why the space shuttle is a cost effective form of flight transportation. Thats why all the quality headlamp setups are cost effective. What you have in your mind, is a headlamp that is built together off of used junk yard parts.. not a real product.


zilvia4eva> BTW:alot of the pro retrofitters on hidplanet.com use a sealant made by nissan with great results.

Yeah? Are you aware that the operating temperatures of that sealant is lower to that of factory lighting sealant? Are you aware that the taillamp sealant stays flexible and soft at room temperature, and that actual headlamp sealant has a different composition that not only gets softer at much higher temperatures, but also behaves different to oil, gas, and other chemicals?

Cheers!

[Zilvia4eva]

Yeah? Are you aware that the temperature of that sealant and composition is not identical to that of factory lighting sealant? Are you aware that the taillamp sealant stays flexible and soft at room temperature, and that actual headlamp sealant has a different composition not only gets softer at much higher temperatures, but also behaves different to oil, gas, and other chemicals?

Cheers!

Yes their is some truth to what you are saying....but the sealant I'm talking about is the same OEM sealant used by Nissan.Are you saying that the this sealant used by the manufactur is no good?

If applied in the proper way it should be fine.I dont have time to be searching for that info at the momment,but I'll get back to you with some more concreate facts

[Zilvia4eva]

I get the feeling you are against this option....

Just let the guy find out for himself if this would be a good solution.

"you will never know if you never tried"

[projectRDM]

Are the super made lenses junk? Are the eom lenses junk? how were both made? With a thermal vacuum forming machine..If you took the exact lens as oem,make it out of the exact same thickness and type of material but change it to a non fluted design then now you have a good platform to build off of..(super made)
The material that the oem uses is called Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol This material is very clear,very durable and is what I plan to use in my project...

No, the OE lens are not junk. The Super Made and Final Connection lens are though based on the idea that you can just throw any projector in them and go. There's more to it that that.
My point was that people are complaining about not being able to afford quality lighting so they're willing to sacrifice it and halfass their own car with clear lens and janky projectors.

[Zilvia4eva]

wait a min..is that really his car?

I thought that S14 was owned by another member,and those are FK lenses w/bmw projectors from what I recall

bmw = not cheap

[iwearpro]

No, the OE lens are not junk. The Super Made and Final Connection lens are though based on the idea that you can just throw any projector in them and go. There's more to it that that.
My point was that you're complaining about not being able to afford quality lighting so you're willing to sacrifice it and halfass your own car with clear lens and janky projectors. But it's your car, so have at it.



Woah woah here..I NEVER complained about not being able to afford them,go back and read..I actually would like to get a set of Super Made so I can check them out and test them in comparison to the ones that I plan to make...I cant get anyone to sell me any..I have called and emailed Rare Trick multiple times with no reponse.I am a 33 year old grown man that is a business owner and there is one thing you wont hear me bitch about and thats money...Im not saying I can go and start racing Lambo's or something but I am well enough to do anything I want with a 240sx...lol..
I just want to do this as more of something to prove to myself...

[iwearpro]

wait a min..is that really his car?

I thought that S14 was owned by another member,and those are FK lenses w/bmw projectors from what I recall

bmw = not cheap

No thats not mine,just one I found to show with the Super Made lenses..

[Zenki_S14]

I have a pair of 2007 Infiniti FX projectors that I was planning on fabricating into my own zenki headlights. I haven't gotten around to getting it done nor the money to get a ballast for it. If anyone would like to give it a try, I could sell you my projectors and hopefully see something happen.

[Slidin240Wayz]

This thread is going nowhere...

Quit all the bickering and get to work.

[vanish1]

halfass their own car with clear lens and janky projectors.

last time I checked OEM HID units arent janky....

to ixfxi:

Yeah Id like to start my own buisness, too bad im a broke 20 year old student whos just trying to get thru school at the moment.

Ur like 40 right? when im your age hopefully ill have a buisness, then we'll have a conversation dude.

and lets get some facts straight, a HID retrofit isnt cheap. HIDplanet sells their package for 250 IIRC??? Unless you get lucky on ebay or got sticky fingers you wont really find it cheaper. Plus if you get supermade lenses thats another 250. I do understand the importance of quality lighting, but id rather spend 500 on a HID retro then 500 on euro glass and halogens.

yeah I kno there are decent halogens out there, cibie, etc. But fuck it, I want that sharp HID cutoff

[ixfxi]

actually, i'm 63. hence the name, old_s13.

cutoff means nothing, its just another trend that folks on hid-planet are craving after. good headlamps come in different shapes and sizes, with different characteristics. just because something has a sharp cutoff, doesnt make it a good headlamp. like i said, folks on hid-planet are not engineers.. they are mostly hobbyists.

my wifes car runs a pair of HIR-spec headlamps that out-perform factory hid configurations - you're going to tell me that HID is superior? thats hardly the case.

like i said, good headlamps come in all shapes and sizes. one thing for sure, there arent that many people around that are knowledgable when it comes to lighting.