I have had a plan to create a new round headlight, just no time. I say do it, and don't give up.
Round headlight in a square hole.
- Thread starter jay3253
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
I was expecting to absolutely hate the whole idea, but when I opened the link to the pic on Pinterest I was really surprised at how good it Looks! For some reason my 100 eats drivers side bulbs. It is bizarre. In 3 years I've had 5 or 6 bulbs fail in the d-side low beam. It is getting identical volts and amps as the p-side, which has yet to fail. I'd certainly look at this if it were an option.
Someone got a quote to retro their rig in Japan, if I recall, and it was in the $3k neighborhood, not 300... they are one-off fiberglass pieces so all built by hand = money.
For a product to succeed in the USA though, it would have to <cough> Keep It Simple to keep cost down - we're just not that flush of a community to support $3k-for-mostly-fun-mods.
I'm going to finish my round light design. I have put it off for 2 years now and I'm going to complete it. Been obsessed with grilles, so it's been on the back burner. Shouldn't take long to complete it, hopefully by dec. although my design might look lame
we shall see. Has a pretty cool feature that is appealing, hopefully it won't suck!!
It's really cool that so many people with 100's are building things by hand. It's kinda old fashioned, like it was back in the old days when nobody ordered crap built overseas. It's special, and a small community that is rare to find.
Surely that included more than just some round headlight housings. Like the aluminum wheels they use, new paint, grill, tires, etc. Which then wouldn’t seem too steep. I can’t see any way someone would pay $3K for housings.
However, if the guys in here can design it and “mass” produce in plastic, I think a reasonable price will be attained.
I’m all for it. You guys have a lot of skills here. If I could use CAD I would. Or if I had the time to hand make two molds....ha
I might be wrong on the 3k but it's what's stuck in my head, if you find the original threads in this forum or the 80 you can double check, but yes, it was just the front grill & headlights, not wheels or anything else.
So sit tight, either @kelly saad or myself will transform your rigs into proper Gaijin! (trademark pending :] - you know, a foreigner with round eyes)
Last edited:
I assume the housings will have provisions for adjusting beams? I can't wait to see what you guys do. I blacked out parts of my headlights and painted the trim under my grill to go for the look. Cant get enough of those Flex LC's. My next steps are to pop off the trim and weld the holes, then paint the bumpers black.
I remember that too, like 3k someone said. I personally think the flex stuff is cool, but a bit boring? Anyone else agree? Maybe it's the bumpers, I don't know. It's well done though for sure. Abs moulded parts, not cheap to do.
Last edited:
I think it's closer to "understated" than boring. It looks factory retro, which I like.
$3000? Not going to happen. But there is definitely a lot of work into making those by hand. The smart entrepreneur would get his hands on a pair and 3D print some molds. Once you have those, mass (relatively) production would bring manufacturing costs down to a few $$ per set. The potential profits could be large, but you'd have to be careful as your market would be very small.
$3000? Not going to happen. But there is definitely a lot of work into making those by hand. The smart entrepreneur would get his hands on a pair and 3D print some molds. Once you have those, mass (relatively) production would bring manufacturing costs down to a few $$ per set. The potential profits could be large, but you'd have to be careful as your market would be very small.
While the part cost may end up low, the R&D will be brutal and you have to recover that. Just getting an adjustable/alignable component to the design, that is vibration-proof, will be a significant undertaking. As for 3D printing, I shudder to think of the investment cost for machine that can do a 12x6x6 part... and molds for injection or hand-glassing parts are also painful. All that said I have some ideas, just no time at the moment (gotta get m'grill on
It would help Kelly & myself as we/he/I/others develop something to know what the market will bear - of course not 3k, but what price range would you pay? (assume 2 housings, electrical bits included, no bulbs so source your own)
While the part cost may end up low, the R&D will be brutal and you have to recover that. Just getting an adjustable/alignable component to the design, that is vibration-proof, will be a significant undertaking. As for 3D printing, I shudder to think of the investment cost for machine that can do a 12x6x6 part... and molds for injection or hand-glassing parts are also painful. All that said I have some ideas, just no time at the moment (gotta get m'grill on
It would help Kelly & myself as we/he/I/others develop something to know what the market will bear - of course not 3k, but what price range would you pay? (assume 2 housings, electrical bits included, no bulbs so source your own)
$99 for the two pack. Paypal sent.
Just kidding. For the mechanically challenged like myself it would be nice to get a LED headlight retrofit/install instructions as part of the process. That would get me excited and I'd be inclined to spend irresponsibly.
If you search Amazon for "7" LED Headlight" you'll get 5,087 results... which is why I suggested no bulbs. Wiring conversion from current plugs to the rounds would be in the kit I would assume. Kelly may be up for stocking bulbs and packaging and shipping them and dealing with breakage but personally I don't feel that I would add value there, and just make my life hell.
As for the $99, I'm hoping some folks chime in with higher dollar amounts, but maybe they don't and that's really all the market will bear?
@jay3253 this is your thread, can you edit the original post to add a poll for pricing? (hate to start a new thread)
I'm not a fan of the flex roundies for the 100. Don't like the way they sit back from the grill.
But, I love the way these look on the 80:
If someone built a grill with the headlights integrated flush like above AND there was an improvement in light output either LED or HID, I'd be willing to spend $500 ish for something like that.
But, I love the way these look on the 80:
If someone built a grill with the headlights integrated flush like above AND there was an improvement in light output either LED or HID, I'd be willing to spend $500 ish for something like that.
I would think it would be difficult to move them flush. The 100 has a rounded front, looking down on it from the top where the 80 doesn’t. If you tried to bring them flush to the front, the outside edges of the lights may stick out. Makes me think that’s why they are designed that way by Flex. I dig the recessed look tho personally.
I’d say 2-300 would be my max dollar point. Would still have to buy the lights too.
And I agree with “understated factory retro”. Function over form kind of a look.
I’d say 2-300 would be my max dollar point. Would still have to buy the lights too.
And I agree with “understated factory retro”. Function over form kind of a look.
Dave, I was just thinking the plastic part would be fairly easy to get molded, but you're right in the thought that the adjustable bucket portion would be difficult. Would it be possible to source some sort of oem style 7" round bucket and make a "simple" (?!) mount to install behind the new plastic bezel? The pic below is an example from LMC truck catalog, but the mounts are available, and maybe an adapter could be made easier than a scratch built assembly?
Just brain storming here...
Just brain storming here...
I also agree that bulbs/lamps should be left to the individual. I could NEVER put something as ugly as the JW Speaker lights on my truck, but I know some people love the look. There are just too many choices. I think a price in the $300-$400 range might be palatable for the conversion kit. Although as long as my wife daily drives the 100, I give the likelihood of getting something like this past the acquisitions committee a low chance of success...
I will be using FJ Cruiser headlights. My bezels or whatever you call it, will hold mounts for the FJ headlight assemblies to mount into. So, the best part is that it's still Toyota, and there are so many aftermarket FJ headlight options out there, so that work is done. Also, the FJ lights have the adjusters built in so that's done. That's my secret. Factory replacements are about $140, custom halo LED blah blah blah I have seen up to $400. My plan is to have replacements for our lights, and additionally to build a retro "40 series looking" 1 piece grille/headlight combo to replace all of the front (grille and headlights) my stuff will be steel, no plastic.
Yea, you are right. It looks good, something just seemed missing, but I think you nailed it. We all have such dramatic looking rigs with bumpers and lights and stuff. The simplicity of the 100 hasn't really existed like it does the flex stuff.
Here's my lights I'm using. Should work perfectly. FJ cruiser assemblies. Thought I would share the ideas.
- Thread starter
- #40
Darn been out of touch a while and this is what I come back to. I'll add the price poll to the thread.
Okay, how do I add a poll? I tried to edit my initial thread but that option is there.
And my vote it for $300 to $500. Our lights are $295 per side that would make it comparable to OEM.
Okay, how do I add a poll? I tried to edit my initial thread but that option is there.
And my vote it for $300 to $500. Our lights are $295 per side that would make it comparable to OEM.
Last edited: