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

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  • No worries mate. I know what you mean though .................. seems easy at first, just chuck in two headlight units in your OEM headlights and Bob's your uncle! There's a fair bit more than that though. That's how the quad headlight project started, I started making my own at the weekends for my van as I got tired of buying garbage that either didn't work or didn't fit properly. Then people started asking 'can you make me a set' ? ...... and me too! and so on and so forth.

    Even making a set for yourself means having special tools, machines, and then there's special materials .................. the list just keeps on growing. Then there's all the research and the legalities of diy headlights. If I'm to make a set for myself as may as well make them for other forum members




    TURK
    Yeah, baby ! ........ new Multivan 151bhp AHY 'BigBlue' ; ) >> http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1023689
    And ......... Lulu, T4 2.5 TDi short nose 126bhp > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=276554
    The T4 Quad Headlight Project > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=249064

    Comment


    • Hi Guys,

      As Activ8 mentioned in another post, it's about time we had a project update, so I put together a little something to let people know just where we stand. I've not had everything my own way however, in fact, some things were quite difficult to accomplish. But as I hate being beat by mere materials and inanimate objects .................... I just try and try again until I get it right!

      I spent an awful lot of time just getting the headlight covers plugs right ( weeks! ), I even spent a few days just polishing them to the point of them being like glass >>

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      Somebody once said that vacuum forming is an 'art form', you're basically sculpting, or creating a shape with air ................. or the lack of. Looking at my plugs ( moulds ) it's obvious that the shape needed isn't quite right, it's the shape that I need for the headlights but it's not entirely the correct shape for vacuum forming. The sides are too straight >>

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      So I had to make some angled bases to give the plugs the necessary draft angles. It wasn't as straight forward as I'd of hoped to work out the angles required on the bases to give me a 5° angle on the sides of the plug. But it worked out OK in the end >>

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      You can clearly see from this image that I now have draft angles, so now these are ready for vacuum forming >>

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      Not all prototyping is about making moulds, applying resin and sanding ................ an awful lot of time is spent on fabricating templates and jigs. I also had to modify my CNC machine. As I need to profile the tops of the quad headlight brackets for mounting the Hella headlight units, I had to raise my CNC machine by 80mm. And by making a special jig that fits inside my CNC machine, I should now be able to cut all the holes in my parts accurately >>

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      I'm still working on the 'manufacturing' side of things, so various jigs are still being worked out, one process leads to another process which results in your 'workflow'. I think if you get that right that the entire process of making all the assemblies, will make things much easier. I could feasibly make half a dozen sets per week. I don't really want to push it further than that, as speeding up or rushing the process could effect the quality of the final parts.



      TURK
      Yeah, baby ! ........ new Multivan 151bhp AHY 'BigBlue' ; ) >> http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1023689
      And ......... Lulu, T4 2.5 TDi short nose 126bhp > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=276554
      The T4 Quad Headlight Project > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=249064

      Comment


      • Thanks for the update mate. They're coming along nicely!

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        • Are you prototyping anything else - other than headlights -within your workshop Turk? Just thinking that with all that machinery you could be making a lot of T4 replacement / upgrade parts?

          Sent from my SM-G901F using Just T4s

          Comment


          • Not at the moment Activ8 as I'm up to my eyeballs with headlight assemblies, but I do have on the drawingboard a few things!

            First of which is, a decent alternative to the cubby hole in the top of the dash, I've always seen that as a waste of space. You can put things in it, but they just tend to slide about in there. My idea is to fill that gap with a 'top glovebox' including lid ( lockable if poss ), and inside the glovebox I'll design some inserts to put things in, maybe add things like mobile phone charges. But more importantly, what ever you put in your 'top glovebox' will be kept out of prying eyes!

            Also, once I've mastered my CNC machine I'll try my hand at making badges. Various plastics, carbon fibre and aluminium. And who knows, I may produce some VW T4 keyrings as well



            TURK
            Yeah, baby ! ........ new Multivan 151bhp AHY 'BigBlue' ; ) >> http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1023689
            And ......... Lulu, T4 2.5 TDi short nose 126bhp > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=276554
            The T4 Quad Headlight Project > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=249064

            Comment


            • Sounds interesting mr Turk....


              Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s

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              • Doesn’t a polo cubby hole lid fit flush into the top space on the T4 dash? Seen a few of those.


                Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
                Slowly slowly catchy monkey!

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                • Originally posted by tommo1366 View Post
                  Doesn’t a polo cubby hole lid fit flush into the top space on the T4 dash? Seen a few of those.


                  Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s

                  Don't know Tommo ........................ you got a link ?

                  It would certainly sort out my problem! I rarely use that space as I hate people just looking through my windscreen at my stuff. God forbid that you should keep things of value in there.




                  TURK
                  Yeah, baby ! ........ new Multivan 151bhp AHY 'BigBlue' ; ) >> http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1023689
                  And ......... Lulu, T4 2.5 TDi short nose 126bhp > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=276554
                  The T4 Quad Headlight Project > http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=249064

                  Comment


                  • Glad to hear you're keeping busy. A few ideas like that will add to the workload. I quite like the idea of a new gear lever base and coloured gator. A T4 designed alloy base to pin/bolt down on the damn mat with a removeable box underneath to suppress road noise!!!

                    Sent from my SM-G901F using Just T4s

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                    • Couldn’t find the polo one but found another. https://www.ag-fiberglass.co.uk/prod...h-lid-and-tray


                      Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
                      Slowly slowly catchy monkey!

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Activ8 View Post
                        Glad to hear you're keeping busy. A few ideas like that will add to the workload. I quite like the idea of a new gear lever base and coloured gator. A T4 designed alloy base to pin/bolt down on the damn mat with a removeable box underneath to suppress road noise!!!

                        Sent from my SM-G901F using Just T4s
                        You'll not need any of that soon.... 6 speed shifter should isolate road noise well. Tempting to run it sans gaitor for the pukka motorsport look.

                        Though I am in two minds about taking the standard left hand drive offset out as well - it does sit too far over to the left on the cab floor

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by regcheeseman View Post
                          You'll not need any of that soon.... 6 speed shifter should isolate road noise well. Tempting to run it sans gaitor for the pukka motorsport look.

                          Though I am in two minds about taking the standard left hand drive offset out as well - it does sit too far over to the left on the cab floor
                          Sounds good. What's the time frame Reg.... you've still got that loft conversion to finish, Summer house to start and the fridge door "Things To Do" is four Post-Its deep!

                          Sent from my SM-G901F using Just T4s

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                          • Originally posted by Activ8 View Post
                            Sounds good. What's the time frame Reg.... you've still got that loft conversion to finish, Summer house to start and the fridge door "Things To Do" is four Post-Its deep!

                            Sent from my SM-G901F using Just T4s
                            Velux turns up today for the loft.

                            Decided I couldn't get the blockwork done for the summerhouse in any sensible timeframe so got a couple of mates turning up next weekend - which ultimately means the old conservatory framework becomes summerhouse and no longer clutters the garage meaning I can get T4/2 in, mount up engine and box. All the while picking up the odd job from the fridge just to show I'm not totally ignoring it.

                            Then it's V10 crew cab time.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by tommo1366 View Post
                              Couldn’t find the polo one but found another. https://www.ag-fiberglass.co.uk/prod...h-lid-and-tray


                              Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
                              That lid looks kinda nice shut, those hinges let it down a bit tho, looks like an Ikea special !

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

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by Thebigredone View Post
                                That lid looks kinda nice shut, those hinges let it down a bit tho, looks like an Ikea special !

                                Sell my T4 !!! I'd rather stick wasps up my butt.
                                I’d probably have it shut while driving..


                                Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
                                Slowly slowly catchy monkey!

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