New Headlights..Not Round for Me Thx

[kwikshifter]

I have found several people who have documented a change to round lights. Nice, but I don't really like the look when everything is angular except the lights. I thought I'd try normal (GM) rectangle buckets instead. I'm sure the actual mounting is pretty much the same as VW round ones. You need 2 long skinny bolts/ nuts per side and need to drill 2 holes.



First the Festy light area without the bracket. Actually the light will easily mount here and be an inch or so deeper into the car. On mine a larger frozen wiring loom is there and doesn't want to move. The circles show predrilled locations for the adjusters and spring.



Next the Festiva bracket in place. Needs to be blasted and painted but that's what is under your light fixture.



Now the GM (Fiero actually) bucket set into the Festiva bracket. Fits very nicely using the stock top adjuster. I'll use a long bolt and jam nut as an adjuster on the side where the arrow is. At the bottom, near the 'X' there isn't a long distance to use the spring. I think that a small, long bolt through the trim ring/bucket to the bracket will be fine to hold everything in place.

Still will need a small trim piece to go around it to fill in some dead space. I think it looks more at home than a round light. The actual light is not important. This one has a three prong GM type end and will need the car's plug changed to suit. I just didn't disassemble the trim ring, bucket and bulb yet. I'm sure a Japanese fixture is around in the same size which will use a Festiva bulb and plug.

[Safety Guy]

Thanks for the pictures. I see better how this swap is done.

I'm no fan of the old rectangular headlights, though. I much preferred the round ones, and the aero lights which evidently became legal here in 1986. Although the rectangular headlights do seem to fit better in the open space on the Festiva and may throw all of their beam out (the lower part of some of the 7" round headlight swaps appear to get some of their beam cut off at the bottom).

As far as looks, that's of course subjective. On the other hand, I believe that in choosing glasses, people with rounded faces should go with squared off glasses while those with square faces should go with rounded glasses. Just some fashion tips...not that I subscribe to that idea.

Oh yeah, get some pics up of your whole front end so we can see what the end result looks like from a better view!

Karl

[Damkid]

Round or square, either one is not for me, they just don't fill the hole like the stock ones do and the gaps are what I think look like crap

[lanemeyer14]

I used to want to do the round conversion but now I've realized I like the stockers the best.....especially when you add some mean looking eyelids!

[1988festivazoom]

Nice thing is u can always upgrade to the clear plastic housings with hid's and it would look pretty good! I like the stockers myself but the hid's kinda suck in a glass housing and I've got the 10,000k. Let's see some pics with a trim ring filling the gap. I don't like the look of the rounds..... dosent match a single feature of the rest of the car.

[DriverOne]

98-00 Ford Ranger headlights.

[NOS-tiva]

You have a set of 98-00 ranger headlights?? they fit?

[kwikshifter]

The basic reason for changing lights. A little deterioration of the stock fixture. As I can't find a good set of them here, innovation rears it's ugly head.

I saw the post about the Ranger lights. I'll have to grab one and see exactly how much work is needed. The standard rectangular light I tried is everywhere and virtually a bolt on.

The only thing needed is a small surrounding bezel which will look okay. I'm not opposed to modifying the entire grill and using a wider rectangular light(s).

[kwikshifter]

Oh yeah, get some pics up of your whole front end so we can see what the end result looks like from a better view!

Karl

Nice try!!!!!!! :toothy1: I don't do cheesecake shots for just anyone.

[kwikshifter]

Rather than add a surround piece to clean up around the rectangular light (not hard to do), I thought a grill mod may be in order. Something like this maybe. Black part done in mesh. This isn't my car unfortunately.

[NovaSS]

Rather than add a surround piece to clean up around the rectangular light (not hard to do), I thought a grill mod may be in order. Something like this maybe. Black part done in mesh. This isn't my car unfortunately.

Thats a nice different look.

[Safety Guy]

Those certainly do look nice!

Karl

[kwikshifter]

That pic is just a ps mock up. I just 'painted' over the edge of the Festy light. The rectangular light is slightly recessed and a bit smaller. It leaves a very small gap on 3 sides and a larger one in the middle as it does not jut into the center as far or on the angle of the Ford light.


If you just want to make a piece to fill the gap left by replacing the Festiva light with a generic rectangular light, I found a potential donor. Oddly enough a school bus. A Thomas bodied bus on an International chassis. They have the same light, and have a plastic surround trim that would be great. May need a little trimming, but it's definitely usable. I'll get a pic later.

[kwikshifter]

BTW, I was out today and saw a Mazda p/u (yr unknown) go by. The light is shaped very closely to the Festiva light and is not quite as large as the Ranger unit. Looked almost perfect.