headlight protector windows

[simon84]

Had to replace both headlights recently so I decided to do the protective work I'd been thinking of doing for a while.
The old lights had holes in them from rocks and then they both went after driving in the rain.
I used some 1/8 inch thick plexiglass. I have some 8x10 pieces and cut them down to about 6x10, pre drilled holes, 3 screws per pane, a bit of duct tape to keep out most of the rain and dirt and it was done.
Here are the pics

[ARCHINSTL]

They look pretty good!
Obvious questions, I guess...
Does the lighting pattern seem diffused or compromised in any way?
I presume heat from the lamp is no prob?
While it seems unlikely you would attract legal attention (well, maybe your orange Tercabaker might, but most of us need not fear attention), are these legal? As I recall, the plastic covers are why the XKE became slightly less sleek with Fed rules.
Tom M.

[Neu]

I like the major bug splatter already. haha

[Petros]

I was thinking something similar myself. I have ruined a number of lights due to road stones damaging them. They look kind of cool too (reason enough to make them).

I thought it might even improve the fuel economy very slightly since the little arrows will not swirl around in the light pocket but move more smoothly over the headlight area. That is of course if you ignore all the little arrows being deflected by that hood ornament.

[ARCHINSTL]

That is of course if you ignore all the little arrows being deflected by that hood ornament.

I think the hood ornament is an actual acting airfoil, helping the Tercabaker waft on its way and making it lighter on its tires and saving buckets of fuel to boot...
Tom M.

P.S. I liked your "little arrows" tags!

[Highlander]

Let us know how they work in the winter. I did something similar when I made a windshield deflector out of polycarbonate years ago. I found they worked great until we got a wet evening snow, then the snow stuck to the protector and made it like driving in the dark with no lights. . Needless to say, it came off soon thereafter since we do a great deal of night driving in the winter time. Nice Job though.

[simon84]

I will have to do a night drive and report back on any diffusion effects.
The snow report will have to wait. Here in the Canadian rockies that report could come any day tho. I just heard that there are only about 6 days of the year that have never seen snow in recorded history. I have experience wet snow gumming up the existing lights. We tend to get more of the dry stuff here so I'm not too worried. I'm also not too worried about legality in these parts. Alberta is fairly lax in that way. I know BC is more strict and I have been hassled by cops who do not like the state of the beaters I drive. They usually encourage me to get back to lawless Alberta.

[takza]

"Little arrows" are the bane of automotive aerodynamics. The more of them you see on your car...the slower you go.

[Petros]

Yep, it is the little arrows that slow us down. The little arrows come swirling in your windows and around your head when the windows are rolled down, they tumble along behind the car, they cause all kinds of havoc. Yet some are still useful, like the little blue arrows from the fresh air vents, and little red ones coming out the heater vents and the defroster. Sometimes the owners manual even shows them, even if you can not see them, but they are there all the time. And it is those little arrows that lift aircraft large and small into the air. Powerful little buggers.

I was even considering making a new streamlined front end out of fiberglass that replaces the grill and bumpers (with built-in head light covers) that would allow the little arrows to go around the front of the car with as little molestation as possible. With the little arrows able to slip past the front of Tercel all of the following benefits can occur: improve the economy, speed, reduce noise perhaps, reduce the front end lift at speed, reduce the weight (by eliminating the front bumper) and improve the looks of the front of the Tercel. Not sure it is worth the effort, but it would be a fun creative experiment.

[simon84]

I was finally out on an evening drive last night. Funny that it happened at the solstice when we have the longest daylight of the year.
No problems with the headlight beams or the brightness with the headlight covers.

[TuffGong]

Nice, don't forget to update for the snowy evening drives....

Cheers

[takza]

I was thinking about doing this...if there's some opening at the top...any moisture will be evapped out with the heat from the light?