T4 Quad Headlight Project .......... latest update

[TURK]

Well, I just received my blade adaptor for my machine, six week wait .......... and they sent the wrong one !


What an absolute pile of tosses !




Been in touch with them ( by phone, as people tend to ignore emails of complaint these days ! ) ........ and I've been informed that they have to get in touch with their supplier, before they can exchange this one !


I hate Internet shopping, that's twice I've been conned in less than two months


If anybody here has ever tried peeling an orange while wearing boxing gloves, you'll know exactly what I mean by 'impossible' ..........as it's really getting impossible to deal with online retailers these days !






TURK

[slimjim]

FFS... sorry to hear that bud.

You getting out and about in the van or on the bike? Summer is starting to appear and I am sue it is making your part of the world look amazing.

[TURK]

Thanks mate,

Yeah, royal pain in the ass mate ......... you're powerless against it though, just have to grin and bare it I'm afraid It has put the short nose version of the quad headlight system behind schedule again unfortunately, but on the plus side I have made massive advancements on the long nose version

I'm constantly touring around in 'BigBlue', such a joy to drive these 151 MultiVans ........... and there's so much worth seeing around here, the landscapes are absolutely amazing at the moment, particularly at this time of year when the trees begin to leaf up, light greens, dark greens, yellows, silver and some even look orange ! You can just imagine what that looks like early in the morning down by the lake ................. I'll take some pictures when I get a bit of free time ......... but that could be a while as some bits and pieces I ordered are beginning to arrive. So I'll be hanging around my front door tomorrow for the postie



TURK

[TURK]

Hi Guys ....... and gals !


Well folks, as most people are by now heading to bed, I'm wide awake ! ........ Been sleeping all day I: as I worked in my workshop all day yesterday and through the night, by 10 am this morning I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.


Wish I could show you all a completed set of headlights, but that's not the case is it and it's been a while since my last update. But I have been busy none the less ....... So a small update to keep you all in the picture, and interested


Ever wondered into a factory, or an engineers workshop and seen all those lovely machines ? Machines developed for particular tasks, machines churning away, thumping, sanding, forming stuff, machine that can't be bought anywhere, well those machines are actually custom made for the manufacturer, to special spec. And that's exactly what I've been doing these last few weeks, but obviously on a much smaller scale. I've got to the point where I have to begin thinking about 'production'.


First on the agenda was to modify my scroll saw for my use, as each and every OE headlight retainer has to be modified for my system to work properly. Scroll saws if some of you don't know have a very limited cut depth, as they're usually designed for people who make things like retro jigsaw puzzles and inlays for furniture, flat pieces of wood basically.


And here's what I'm cutting, quite a bit higher than a jigsaw puzzle I'm sure you'd agree ! >>







But as this is a work in progress so to speak, I didn't want to waste €900 on a scroll saw as I'm not sure this will work, so I bought a 'budget' one. Proved to be a big mistake folks, as trying to get hold of the blade adaptor seems to be as difficult and rare as 'Indium' ! However, if you throw €900 into a decent machine you will get the adaptor that accepts all types of cutting blades. Anyway, I set about sorting out the cutting depth ...... that I could do. With a mere cutting depth of 54mm, which is more than adequate for a jigsaw puzzle I: I new I could gain an extra 20mm cut depth simply by cutting down the hinge supports and installing a new top lower down, and dispensing with the original metal top that came with the machine >>





Next was to cut off offending original top' mounting bracket. This may be a cheap machine but it's pretty sturdy that for sure. Can't complain about the quality either >>







Planning the new top isn't just a case of chucking a plank of wood on there either, it's still a precision machine and has to perform like one. Also, as an example I've put a spiral cutting blade next to an everyday object ...... we all know what a pencil looks like. That blade is a mere 0.88 of a millimetre ! When installed and tensioned correctly it should sound like the 'E' string on a guitar >>


Don't know what that sounds like ? > http://chordbook.com/guitar-tuner/







You then have to make an allowance for the blade and adaptor to be fed throught the top. I just used a 30mm Forsner bit and a 30mm x 1mm washer. And then drilled a smaller hole inside that so it acts as a guide plate >>







Plastic trimming machine almost completed, dead flat working surface, all squared up and levelled out. As fun as it is to make things like this, it also serves another purpose, and that is to familiarise yourself with your tools and machines. Nothing beats hands on experience >>







While I was having fun with said machine and jigs ( and patiently waiting for my bits to arrive ), I also decided to have another look at the long nose version of the quad headlights. I did have a look a few months back, but I realised that I didn't even know if this would be possible ....... after all, I am attempting to install a rather large 100mm low beam headlight unit in there. As with any prototype or project of this nature it all begins with cardboard templates >>







As you can see there's not a lot of space left ....... enough for the Hella high beam unit ? ....... just about ! The cardboard I used is 3mm thick so that's my surround sorted ( as the ABS I'll be using is 3mm thick ), but next, the hard bit ! >>







That crazy angle that dictates the 'plane' of where the units sit. Basically, how far forward to mount the high beam unit compared to the low beam unit. As the long nose T4 has a much more rounded front end than the short nose T4, the difference is quite substantial. Specially when viewed side on >>







So now we plan what I've been calling 'the dog leg'. As there's no real rigidity to cardboard I decided to use hardboard at this stage. Right from the get go you should have worked out the assembly process, this procedure is for how to make your mould, you should at this stage already know how you will be assembling your completed headlight parts. So the part will have to be inserted from the front, and that's quite handy actually, as there's a little lip there. Using that little lip and not completely cutting out the back of the OE headlight assembly, will help when it comes to assembling the parts as you won't physically be able to push the part in all the way. And now you have the distance between the high beam and low beam units >>







Then you transfer all those measurements to a sheet of 3mm ABS starting with the centre and then the two ends >>







After cutting and trimming down the edges ( wish I had the use of my scroll saw ! I: ), by carefully applying heat you just bend the 'dog leg' at the required 90° right angle. I don't have a heat gun ( yet ) so I simply used my Proxxon MicroFlame blowtorch. 3 to 4 minutes on each side of the ABS is sufficient to make the plastic pliable, you just got to make sure that you don't actually melt the plastic ! >>







And voila ! >>







And then the first test fit ......... we're finally getting somewhere >>







It's all very fine bending plastic and forming the basic shape of what will lead up to my mould, but will this particular shape lend itself to vacuum forming ? The left hand side on the inside of the OE headlight assembly has a generous positive draft angle, but if I were to lay that shape flat on my vacuum forming machine, I would end up with a negative draft angle on the right hand side. You can clearly see that in the picture above.


This setup allows me to see the angles that would be required to eliminate that negative draft angle on the right. Imagine that big aluminium ruler being the bed of the vacuum forming machine as in a cross section, by moving that up and down you can see that it changes the angle on the right. So you can deduce that at an absolute minimum your mould hight will have to be 100mm. It stands to reason that if you double that height, more plastic will have to be stretched over your mould making the part thinner and thinner around it's base >>







What you see in the picture here is, an original long nose ProjektZwo headlight assembly, a set of headlights that would of set you back about £1300 at the time ! They solved the problem of modifying VW's OE headlight units the only way they knew how, and that's pretty much the same way that I'm doing it. You could say that I'm copying them, but there just isn't another way ........ The only difference mine will have is the actual vacuum formed headlight mounting part, and not a bent piece of steel riveted inside the OE headlight unit >>







Next on my agenda is to complete the mod on my original resin plugs. It's safe to say that I'm not looking forward to this bit ........
if this should go wrong I would not only damage my plugs, but destroy them rendering them useless ! >>











Sorry it's been a while for the update folks, but there you have it ......... I'm still hard at work T:














TURK

[arfur fox-acre]

Coming along nicely now, keep at it.....

[Mark Wilkes]

I would love to have the skill that you have. Amazing post. Looking forward to the next one.

On the seventh day there was the t4

[TURK]

Thanks Arfur very little sleep these last few days, but when I get the bit between my teeth there's no stopping me !

I'm very reluctant to dismantle my new 151 MultiVan, but I have to do a test fit with the prototype I currently have. Knowing the actual depth at which the low beam unit will sit will be the clincher. As you can see from the pics above that unit is massive. There's a power steering unit directly behind the headlight assembly, you certainly couldn't move that, so this 100mm Hella unit has to fit or I'm stuffed ........ last resort, I would have to install the Hella 90mm low beam units instead as they're not as deep as the 100mm ones. Not really in my plans for a successful quad headlight system


TURK

[TURK]

I would love to have the skill that you have. Amazing post. Looking forward to the next one.

On the seventh day there was the t4

Thanks Mark appreciate it mate.

Anybody can do things like this if they set their minds to it, I see it mostly as 'logic' ........ how you perceive or view things, if your strategy is wrong, you will undoubtedly fail. Having faith in your ability plays a big part. I used to manage a group of 8 electronics engineers and satellite installers, and when I used to plan their days for them some of them would say "I can't do that !" .......... my response was, how d'you know you've never tried ! So some people are beaten even before they've begun because they doubt their abilities.




TURK

[Mark Wilkes]

Very true.

On the seventh day there was the t4

[Thebigredone]

Cool post TURK 👍, would it be an option if it's only a couple of mm and not massively out due to the steering unit, to adjust the lights to sit forward a little, you might not even notice it mate ? I'm sure you'll sort something either way bud, top work !!!

Sell my T4 ? I'd rather stick wasps up my butt !!!

[TURK]

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it

Every millimetre counts on a project such as this Bigredone . One of the issues with the low beam unit sitting too far back would be the rear bulb cap. You have to have a space directly behind the headlight unit as you wouldn't be able to remove the cap to replace a blown bulb. Having no access to the rear of the unit would also mean you lose the ability of changing the RHD/LHD option. Moving the entire headlight unit forward really isn't an option either unfortunately, as it would virtually destroy the design of the headlight covers. Under UNECE regulations there should be no protrusions on the vehicle, so things 'sticking out' are a big no no.

This is one of the things that all designers have to go through ......... finding and solving issues. I will solve the issues, but it will take time.



TURK

[Thebigredone]

Best of luck mate, I look forward to reading more posts from you and how you get around this possible problem 👍

Sell my T4 ? I'd rather stick wasps up my butt !!!

[TURK]

Best of luck mate, I look forward to reading more posts from you and how you get around this possible problem 

Sell my T4 ? I'd rather stick wasps up my butt !!!

Thanks mate ....... I'll need all the luck I can get, specially now that I've seen what's in store for me !




TURK

[TURK]

Hi all,

To get to this stage you would need to see the 'Removing the long nose T4 bumper and headlights' thread >
http://just-t4s.co.uk/showthread.php...ll=1#post20111


Anyway, onto my reason's for removing my van's front end and needing access to my headlight units. First test of my long nose quad headlight prototype.
First, remove the four flat head Torx bolts, T28 I think they were >>




It does help if you have the correct tools also T: >>




Once all four bolts are undone, you can safely disconnect the plug that feeds the headlight bulbs ( top arrow ). Unlike the short nose version of the headlights, these headlight units don't plug directly into the bulbs, but go through a four pin connector block ( 3 pins for the H4 bulb and an extra one to feed the side light bulb ). Chances are if you have a Caravelle or a Multivan, it'll be equipped with 'headlight levelling motors' so just unplug that also ( bottom arrow ) >>




The two connector blocks arrowed >>




My OE headlight unit to the right ........ and my 'Prototyping' headlight unit to it's left, both made by Valeo but strangely enough, both are different !
I've already marked out an area that needs to be cut out as it wasn't a direct fit to my van ! >>




So it was back to the carpark for another fit ........ and it still didn't fit ! I've marked out where my next cut needs to be, so it'll be another trip back to my workshop. I think the reason why these don't fit a 'standard' Multivan is because I have an air-conditioning system, so I have an extra radiator in front of the regular radiator >>




Prototype headlight assembly now seated correctly, but things are a little skewiff ! Bottom left hand corner is catching on a part of the radiator ( arrowed ) so has the effect of pushing the entire headlight mounting bracket over to the right. The good news is, there seems to be two parallel lines on the headlight assemblies that are dead plumb, so I can use those to align the headlight mounting brackets with >>




I seem to have the 'Plane' ( where the headlight unit mounting points will be positioned ) pretty close for now >>




It was a fun day and an interesting day ........ also an expensive one ! as I realise now this will cost me even more money. But what the hell, every hobby costs money ! >>






Just a couple of tips before I leave you all ....... If you're ever stuck identifying part numbers, you could use the solution I use ........ The VW parts diagram you see further up the page came from this website >
http://www.auto-parts.spb.ru/cat/au/...wRf0VOEmlPBQ==
It's Russian ! ...... not a problem

Install 'Google Chrome' web browser, as it has an online translator this is very good, and set the browser to 'Always Translate', that way you'll get all the parts description in English !


As I always say ........ 'Upstairs for thinking, downstairs for dancing' LOL:

* EDIT: Finally managed to fix it ! so the links should be working now.


TURK

[TURK]

This 'WYSIWYG' editor is an absolute nightmare !!!!

Can't even cut'n'paste a document ! ........ it seems to want to add an extra free line after every line of text.
It's going to take me another half hour of editing to get this right.


Can we not have a simple Text Editor guys !? as this is becoming unbearable ?
And the 'Preview' doesn't work either, so you can't check what you're uploading





TURK