[swooshdave]

Just playing around with Photoshop and some car picture off the internet as I ponder what my car might look like one day.

I like the 69 grille with extra lights, and I like the GT with driving lights although they are small. Plus the GT500 with the wide lights looks mean but that whole front end is different from the base Mustang.

 

[pcarlson]

I like the general idea, for sure, and definitely agree with your thoughts on the GT lights being a bit small for the look you appear to be going for. I played with ideas on how to flush mount some driving lights in the billet grille, but I ultimately decided to go the stealth route and hid a set of Hella Black Magic (~6.4") driving lights behind the grille, mounted on the rad support. Can't even see them unless the lights are on.

 

[Grabber70Mach]

You should look at pictures of @4ocious car. What he did sounds similar to what you are thinking about.

 

[swooshdave]

You should look at pictures of @4ocious car. What he did sounds similar to what you are thinking about.

He sure the heck did. Thanks for the tip!

 

[4ocious]

You should look at pictures of @4ocious car. What he did sounds similar to what you are thinking about.

Allow me. Those aren't fogs by the way, they're a set of 5.75" Hi-lo's.

 

[swooshdave]

Allow me. Those aren't fogs by the way, they're a set of 5.75" Hi-lo's.

From your thread it looks like you pushed the grille out? Was that to clear the back of the lights or just the style you were going for?

I need to read up more on what you’ve posted.

 

[4ocious]

From your thread it looks like you pushed the grille out? Was that to clear the back of the lights or just the style you were going for?

It was purely style. I always liked those old Ferrari models that had (nearly) flush to the bodywork grilles, and I wanted a second set of driving lights poking through to boot. I also never liked the extended forward '67/68 Shelby nose jobs, too much hanging out front. The stock mustang deep set grille is iconic though, no argument. I should mention that very few people notice what I did. It's "subtle".

 

[Woodchuck]

My vote....

 

[swooshdave]

I should mention that very few people notice what I did. It's "subtle".

Yeah, but now I can’t unsee it!

Are they also halo lights? I believe 5.75in. Could you have gone any bigger?

 

[swooshdave]

This might be a little Fast & Furious but I like the integrated turn signals! It’s not like the car won’t get sequential tail lights.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/332593640171

 

[4ocious]

Yeah, but now I can’t unsee it!

Are they also halo lights? I believe 5.75in. Could you have gone any bigger?

They're '68 Shelby spec halogens (Tony Branda HL1), and no, I could not go larger than 5.75". Here's another angle on the front end, and there's more detailed close-up images and a description of the mods for it in the thread titled "What I came up with" pics.

 

[Ptool2000]

I like the general idea, for sure, and definitely agree with your thoughts on the GT lights being a bit small for the look you appear to be going for. I played with ideas on how to flush mount some driving lights in the billet grille, but I ultimately decided to go the stealth route and hid a set of Hella Black Magic (~6.4") driving lights behind the grille, mounted on the rad support. Can't even see them unless the lights are on.

Do you have a picture of your setup?

 

[swooshdave]

They're '68 Shelby spec halogens (Tony Branda HL1), and no, I could not go larger than 5.75". Here's another angle on the front end, and there's more detailed close-up images and a description of the mods for it in the thread titled "What I came up with" pics. View attachment 736587

 

[pcarlson]

Not the best picture

Do you have a picture of your setup?

This isn’t the best picture but it shows the setup.

 

[Ptool2000]

Did you have to cut the core suport?

 

[pcarlson]

Yeah, there wasn’t enough clearance between the support and the grille otherwise. And that’s despite the fact that the Hellas are pretty damn thin (~2.4” I think)

 

[4ocious]

Yeah, there wasn’t enough clearance between the support and the grille otherwise. And that’s despite the fact that the Hellas are pretty damn thin (~2.4” I think)

Early on I thought of doing something like that, with the grille in the stock location. The depth issue I ran into was mostly on the passenger side, the battery is right behind the rad support and would've entailed moving it back somewhat. But maybe with those Hella lamps it's not a problem? The A/C plumbing on the driver's side would have required some rerouting too. Then there's a goodly portion of the light output being compromised by the grille. I liked the stealthy idea of it all but in the end just couldn't see it as optimum. Anyway, that was my take. Where's the damned "shrug" emoji?

 

[pcarlson]

What surprised me is that it is t symmetrical behind the grille so there were different problems on both sides. And yes the A/C plumbing was an issue... and now that everything is in I’m going to a serpentine system that moves the A/C to passenger side.

As far as functionality, mind look to be plenty bright but it’s not all buttoned up quite yet.

 

[4ocious]

As far as functionality, mind look to be plenty bright but it’s not all buttoned up quite yet.

Yeah, I never had any doubt the lights would be quite visible when on and looking AT the car from outside. Unmarked cop cars use colored lights like that, meant to be an alert to others when activated, but by no means capable of showing you a way home. In effect, the grille becomes a perfect diffuser, scattering the light output every which way and thereby reducing its intended focus on the road ahead. I'm no automotive lighting expert, but I know how diffusers work to reduce harshness and soften light in a given environment. That's what diffusers are for, to disrupt light paths. I'm just not sure how much effectiveness will be lost in an application like that. We REALLY NEED a shrug emoji.

 

[pcarlson]

I hear what you’re saying but think (hope?) that because the billet grille only has horizontal bars, that the diffusion will be minimal.

During the test shown in that screengrab above, the driving lights threw a very tight circle of light on the far wall of the garage. (Insert shrug here)