Body mounted front turnsignals idea needed ?

Dean_Fuller

Dean_Fuller

Daily Driver
I have a 1980 with the US front bumper. I would like to remove the bumper and body mount the turn signals. I have a 74 front grill already. Is there a common set of aftermarket signals that would work well in this situation? Don't need to be factory...just functional. Ideally mounted to the removable plate just under the headlight....but not a must. Car is a DD...not for show but would like something that would not look too out of place.

Thanks, Dean
 
Always remember... Google is your friend...

First off... for a DD I recommend you NOT remove those "ugly" bar bumpers. They get to be very "beautiful" when some a** runs into the back of you or pulls out in front of you. They have worked very well for me and many others on this board with little to no damage to our cars.

Remember, they are 5 mph bumpers, versus all others rated at 2.5 mph.

As for lighting... Hopefully others can tell you EXACT make and models they used. Here are some other ideas:

Here's something that might work...

http://fastnissanparts.com/images/?id=5661

and...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-FIAT-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c489da6ac

Now don't laugh...

https://www.google.com/search?q=ima...ww.ebay.com%2Fbhp%2Ftruck-turn-signal;168;225

Visit you local truck stop... wear dark glasses and don't bring your car.

The dark glasses are protection from the GLARE from all the CHROME parts... and leaving the X at home and bringing measurements will assure it isn't run over. NEVER mention what the parts are REALLY for as well. BUT... they usually have TONS of different lights and stuff...

HTH...
 
Relocate the stock signals?

I did not do this mod to my 85, I bought the car this way. I believe these are the stock turn signals installed in custom metal plate below the headlights.

front_end.jpg


I think some folks have used Miata signal in that same location. Either way you need to fabricate a plate to mount the signal to.
 
And check your local bumper laws

One other gotcha on removing the bumpers. As I learned when I bought this modded 85, the state of Missouri will fail your car if it is not wearing bumpers of the appropriate size. So my 85 was failed on its first attempt solely due to the bumper issue. They actually look up pictures of what the car looks like in stock form and compare it to your car. :(

The inspector was cool and explained to me that "of an appropriate size" in the case of the X meant it had to be at stock height and span the width of the track of the car. He said is I could bolt a 4x4 fence post on he would pass it. Fortunately I have a pile of parts at home. He was pretty surprised when I rolled back in 45 minutes later with a set of 1978 ladder bumpers mounted.

He said he actually liked the look of the ladder bumpers better than the stock set up for the 85. You don't hear that real often.
 
HA! Yur right about the ladder bars... but from...

the perspective of a SAFETY INSPECTOR... they must look GLORIOUS!
 
Dean_Fuller said:
I have a 74 front grill already.
Click to expand...

A real '74 front grill won't work on anything '75-on without modification. It doesn't have the cutouts for the bumper shocks.

If you really do have a '74 grill you might want to see if anyone wants to trade for a '75-'78 grill. It would save you some work and avoid butchering a much more rare grill.
 
I de-bumpered my '81, put on a grill from a '78 I think it was, took some front blinkers off some ladder style bumpers, cut holes in the stock blanking plates and mounted them in there.
http://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/21810/

file_zpsc4ea9168.jpg

file_zpsc10bac6f.jpg


Here's a shot lit up. After ditching the bumper and it's "spacer" that lays across the top and fills the gap, you expose those openings under the headlights, so I made some plates out of ceiling tile light covers (suspended ceiling type stuff). So I can disable my headlight motors (via a switch in the cockpit) and turn on my running lights or full on headlights with buckets down and voila, I have more "running lights" showing through the plates and shining on the ground. Pretty cool. Wish the car still looked that good.
file_zps5dfbbde6.jpg
 
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Ya know Steve... I owned one and saw one...

that appeared to be a "universal" grille for '74 - '78's...

It had BLANKS where they would need to be cut out for the bumper shocks on '75's on up. Neat!

I would assume they would be a RARE find these days...
 
I de Bumpered my '84

used existing lights from the ugly bumpers and cut a hole in the blanking plate , my mechanic had to fabricate a bracket in back of the plate to mount the lights to



 
Grill was from a 75

jvandyke said:
I de-bumpered my '81, put on a grill from a '78 I think it was,
Click to expand...
Jeff,

That grill was from a 75 parts car I had years ago. I still have a nice grill from a 77 parts car on the shelf... just in case something happens to one of my Xs. I think I have a decent late model grill around here somewhere too.

The parts do tend to pile up over the years. :rolleyes2:
 
Here's what I did



Oem side marker lights in the block off plates. Requires about a 1" hole for the light socket, and two small holes for the studs. Super fast and easy
 
AleX1/9 said:
Here's what I did



Oem side marker lights in the block off plates. Requires about a 1" hole for the light socket, and two small holes for the studs. Super fast and easy
Click to expand...

Without trying to hijack this thread,Alex i see what i believe is a headlight mod.Like been exposed like in the Prototipos.If so can you tell more about it?.....you can email me at:
Betanal at hotmail dot com........thanks!!
 


Lowering the head lights cut down on the reach of the light. I went to a clear crystal lens and at this time using an h4 bulb. The lighting is a lot better than the regular seal beams. These lenses are also available in round to fit stock headlights. As for the marker lights I have an led setup that is white light for driving and alternates to amber blinking for turn. These type of led's come in various shapes and sizes and can be found on good old ebay.


 
..

Dean_Fuller said:
I have a 1980 with the US front bumper. I would like to remove the bumper and body mount the turn signals. I have a 74 front grill already. Is there a common set of aftermarket signals that would work well in this situation? Don't need to be factory...just functional. Ideally mounted to the removable plate just under the headlight....but not a must. Car is a DD...not for show but would like something that would not look too out of place.

Thanks, Dean
Click to expand...

:)
 
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Another Idea

I went with flush mounted motorcycle running light/turn signals. Midwest did the LED lights when the car was built. I wanted some sort of running light without having the headlights up. The turn signals can be mounted without drilling holes, just use larger washers on the backside and the already there "vent" holes.

6814065_zpsf759a56d.jpg


1082014009_zps73a4a57c.jpg


Gerald
 
Have a search thru the N54 archives......!

Roobus said:
...... I wanted some sort of running light without having the headlights up.......
Click to expand...

...Lez (or maybe it was Ulix?) developed a super-easy mod to achieve the above, involving adding/repositioning a new short wire in the fusebox.
I did the mod on my 1300 X years ago, taking about 10 minutes only - worked perfectly.
I've tried finding the post in the N54 archives, but my 'olde-worlde' brain got too confused :dunce: (needs a search-nerd like JimD for this sorta job).

cheers, Ian - NZ
 
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