Want to make fog light covers - ideas please
 

I want to make fog light covers, hoping that flattening out the bumper will decrease drag.

Has anybody made fog light covers? Here is a pic of how they look.
https://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...567/mazda1.JPG

The pic was taken this winter after the wifey slid off the road. Ignore the dent. It eventually popped back out and the scratches are virtually invisible with wax.

I use the fog lights a lot because we have fog here. So removing them or getting a bumper sans fog lights isn't really in the works. Not to mention budget considerations.

M

I'm thinking that clear lexan would be the most logical choice for material to maintain the light function. You'd have to cut it to shape, finish the edges, the possibly mount it with small aluminum "L"-shaped brackets which could be easily screwed into the bumper/lexan cover. I've seen aftermarket headlamp covers made in a similar fashion.

This is a practical idea and is used quite often. If you need to curve the lexan use a heat source to bend it. Another way would be make a positive mold out of plaster then form it to the mold when hot.

Sweet. Thanks for the tip.

Also, where is a good place to get lexan? Home Depot? Hobby shop? Online? Auto zone?

Really, I am that clueless.

M

Home Depot will have plexiglass for sure, but I'm not sure about lexan. I'd try the hobby shop.
Another thing to consider, you might want to choose the thinest lexan possible(maybe 1/8th") to minimize light loss from your foglamps.

Home Depot or Lowes should also have lexan. For light covers, I would use thin lexan to reduce light loss. I like the idea of making a plaster mold. It seems like it would need to be really smooth (to avoid transferring a texture to the lexan), but that should not be too much of a problem.

Hmm... I could make something like this for my empty fog light holes. A nice clear cover would look pretty good. I might try to hold it in place with a tiny bead of silicone caulk rather than metal brackets.

Use plexiglas. See my video for instructions on how to bend, drill plastic glass.

Video thread

Lund makes headlight covers, not sure if they make fog/driving light covers. the plexiglass i just used for my porch says its shatterproof and will not yellow from the UV sun rays. i got the glass at Lowe's

oooh, what kind of porch? A Boxster? a 911? :D

I think lexan is a brand name, polycarbonate is the commen name, home improvement stores should have it, so should industreal suply compenies.
if you want something that will last a long long time I would think about regular temered glass, it's going to be harder to deal with for cutting to shape, but a bit of silicon will hold it in forever, and it will stay clear and less scrached.

OK, you're cracking me up with the running beer tally first. Love the sense of humor.

I think I can actually use some ideas for my fog light covers. I'm also looking into building an air dam rather than a whole under-the-engine guard.

m

Update
 

OK, so I went to home depot and got the plexiglas and a really cool Black Y Decker saw. I don't have many power tools because I am not really a DIYer. I'm learning though. Necessity is truly the mother of... learning new stuff.

Today, I washed and waxed my wife's car, though, so I haven't started on tracing out the fog light shape. I have a neighbor who is really handy, so I'm thinking of asking if he wants to get involved. He's really good at stuff like this.

m

Please take some pictures of the finished product!

Whats the differnce between lexan and plexiglass??

lexan is polycarbonate
plexiglass is polyacrylate
polycarbonate is stronger, more scratch resistant, etc. and more expensive :-)

I'm taking step by step pics. I've got a cardboard cut-out right now that is just about right. I'm going to cut out the plexiglass, sand the edges, and then stick it in place with some silicon I got for my aquarium. It holds all sorts of materials together, and in my aquarium it has held stuff together under water for a couple of years.

I have an annoying neighbor who keeps coming over when I'm trying to work, and I'm studying for a big test, so progress is slow. It might be next weekend before the covers get mounted.

m