993 headlight conversion
#16
Drifting
Looking closer at your pics, it looks like you had to meld in more than just the top portions of the fenders.
It looks like the guides were added as well as the portions just inside the engine compartment where the headlight lock/latch is located - if so, how did you go about this?
It looks like the guides were added as well as the portions just inside the engine compartment where the headlight lock/latch is located - if so, how did you go about this?
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Looking closer at your pics, it looks like you had to meld in more than just the top portions of the fenders.
It looks like the guides were added as well as the portions just inside the engine compartment where the headlight lock/latch is located - if so, how did you go about this?
It looks like the guides were added as well as the portions just inside the engine compartment where the headlight lock/latch is located - if so, how did you go about this?
was there some magic needed to bring about the smooth transitions of the sides of the fenders?
perhaps, but there's not much plastic there.
as to the photos illustrating the lamp latches;
that's a stock photo from what appears to be a Minerva or Horizon Blue 993.
(my car is still on the rack at Eric Hill's shop, so I couldn't take a photo),
but it's very similar to what I've got on the inside of my engine bay,
only it's still the inside of my stock 968 fender, with some original sheet metal removed, so not near as clean.
*eventually, i'll do some fiberglass work though and clean that up.
as for the bringing the fenders together,
the 968 fender actually starts it's rise all the way at the rear, albeit by a mm or so along the first 10~12"....
but, it eventually begins to get worse: my fenders are covered fairly deep in plastic (as much as 3/8" deep
at the most egregious section about 1 foot behind where the two fenders are joined).
in my case, this is the price I chose to pay to have those fenders reach their truest natural shape.
and I achieved that (in spades). their shape is close to Porsche factory-quality.
and with the 6.35 liter V8, the added weight is insignificant.
for me, the alternative is clearly worse, and I'm still ahead via the oem headlamp delete....
but added weight is added weight.
of course I would much prefer epoxy/carbon/composite fenders.
but I'm not at all thrilled by how much complexity getting to that place will entail.
I want... but, it's gong to be a tall order......
first; I desire to extend the contour of the bottom of my front bumper cover and extend the lower lip forward
about another inch in a lightweight version.
ok, so how do you avoid using too much mud on a one-off??
the answer is simple: superior sheet metal work!! are you up to the challenge??
if not, then we'll need to get my fenders to a capable copier.
I had a chat with Eric about this at his shop last month.....
I think he said something like 10~12 sets prepaid and he'd consider it... otherwise, the topic is dead.
but, even then, I can't imagine what he'd want to charge.
finally, if a shop were to make a decent set of fenders, as with the case we had with the Deutsch-9 968T spoilers,
I'm sure that any composite fenders made from molds will require a lot of finish work
to get them presentable as finished body pieces for painting.
I've been down that road (after they were close).... [brutal].
btw, if I were attempting an epic 968 Turbo build, as what it appears Gene is doing,
I'd still run my fenders, and improved nose.
I just don't think Porsche 968s *(that aren't original Turbo's or RS models) are under any requirement to be oem style,
especially, when Porsche had so-desperately needed/improved versions on the drawing boards, anyway.
hell, we don't see such dedication to purity even in many air-cooled 911s... they're still considered fine with custom work!!
look at RUF... Porsches have always been designed to be a work in progress!!
Last edited by odurandina; 03-11-2015 at 09:22 PM.
#18
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Thanks for the additional details OD.
I guess I was looking at those pics showing the inner tracks and thought that was you car - color is so close from what I remember seeing before.
Sounds like a fairly significant change in planar elevation has to be accommodated to meld the 993 headlight housing area to the 968 fenders.
Still, this is a damn sexy look!
I guess I was looking at those pics showing the inner tracks and thought that was you car - color is so close from what I remember seeing before.
Sounds like a fairly significant change in planar elevation has to be accommodated to meld the 993 headlight housing area to the 968 fenders.
Still, this is a damn sexy look!
#20
Drifting
Check this out, these look like original fenders, and the opening cut even less to take the 993 carriers.
Euro is near 1 to 1 right now, 1,000 buck is a great deal for the work that has already been put into those, if you can convince to ship here for several hundred I am sure.
Also small matter of the side marker light.
I wonder how well those aim as it seems only 1/2 or so was take out of the original fender on top, but I guess a few more inches to deepen the light. Looks like a good chop job.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Porsche-968-K...item1e9af825e7
Euro is near 1 to 1 right now, 1,000 buck is a great deal for the work that has already been put into those, if you can convince to ship here for several hundred I am sure.
Also small matter of the side marker light.
I wonder how well those aim as it seems only 1/2 or so was take out of the original fender on top, but I guess a few more inches to deepen the light. Looks like a good chop job.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Porsche-968-K...item1e9af825e7
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wow. what's not to like!! surely a big improvement over oem.
they're pitched a fair bit lower than mine, so I'm wondering; will they accommodate the full 993 housings??
not trying to be play negative Nancy, quite the contrary...
but I tend to doubt it, as the full, xenon housings are quite big.
the top rear of the lamps present a challenge,
as the rise behind the sockets has to be large enough to provide clearance.
that's why the hump at the front of my fenders is about the same as the 993.
the D-9 fenders are flatter still and will only accommodate the lens/covers only; (not the full, xenon housings).
then you have to decide where to go from there.
one thing I've not mentioned is that on a 1-off 968 fender conversion, and as you see with these fenders,
some of the sheet metal (behind the oem 968 headlamp area) must be removed from the fenders to allow
for the deep rearward extent of the 993 xenon lamp housings.
.
they're pitched a fair bit lower than mine, so I'm wondering; will they accommodate the full 993 housings??
not trying to be play negative Nancy, quite the contrary...
but I tend to doubt it, as the full, xenon housings are quite big.
the top rear of the lamps present a challenge,
as the rise behind the sockets has to be large enough to provide clearance.
that's why the hump at the front of my fenders is about the same as the 993.
the D-9 fenders are flatter still and will only accommodate the lens/covers only; (not the full, xenon housings).
then you have to decide where to go from there.
one thing I've not mentioned is that on a 1-off 968 fender conversion, and as you see with these fenders,
some of the sheet metal (behind the oem 968 headlamp area) must be removed from the fenders to allow
for the deep rearward extent of the 993 xenon lamp housings.
.
Last edited by odurandina; 03-12-2015 at 11:37 PM.
#23
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Excellent points OD.
Based on what we're seeing in the pics from the underside and your experience - what is the purpose of that slit/welded line represent going from the housing toward the front point of the fender (4th pic)? Seems like a very compact area of replacement - limited to just the bucket area.
BTW - the listing is now gone.
Based on what we're seeing in the pics from the underside and your experience - what is the purpose of that slit/welded line represent going from the housing toward the front point of the fender (4th pic)? Seems like a very compact area of replacement - limited to just the bucket area.
BTW - the listing is now gone.
#24
Drifting
Excellent points OD.
Based on what we're seeing in the pics from the underside and your experience - what is the purpose of that slit/welded line represent going from the housing toward the front point of the fender (4th pic)? Seems like a very compact area of replacement - limited to just the bucket area.
BTW - the listing is now gone.
Based on what we're seeing in the pics from the underside and your experience - what is the purpose of that slit/welded line represent going from the housing toward the front point of the fender (4th pic)? Seems like a very compact area of replacement - limited to just the bucket area.
BTW - the listing is now gone.
Other thing I wonder, and since last time I owned a 968 was 2001, so I have missed a few threads, is if the 993 cover was just attached, does it look that horrible? I imagine the top is not level, but I also wonder about, and I mean doing this for fun, modifying a 993 and making a replica lens with a 3D printer, and having that turn into a mold for a shop to manufacture.
My understanding is the cost of developing the model is the high part, after that having it produced in bulk is the cheap (relative I know) part.
Would give me an excuse to buy a printer as I have wanted one for around a year now.
Any thought on this from others?
Of course as mentioned above, you have to then get something inside still.
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well, the 993 lenses aren't expensive... it's the housings that cost a small fortune.
the housings aren't critical, because, you can fab something up with resin, or modify some other lamp.
but those reflectors.... if they're not *critical - they're highly desirable imo.
can you all think of how you would substitute there?
*(you can always go to 1+1/all-xenon to make your high beams, which some 993 people do)....
but you'll still need a nice reflector, and attractive look under the lenz.
what say you all?
the housings aren't critical, because, you can fab something up with resin, or modify some other lamp.
but those reflectors.... if they're not *critical - they're highly desirable imo.
can you all think of how you would substitute there?
*(you can always go to 1+1/all-xenon to make your high beams, which some 993 people do)....
but you'll still need a nice reflector, and attractive look under the lenz.
what say you all?
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The listing worked for me this morning, so ill chaulk that up to Operator Error.
Regarding the depth and angle - I would venture a guess that as long as the bucket area could fit within the same plane from an angular position as the 993 within the 968 fender housing - in theory it should be ok. I have to bow to your experience here OD as I'm looking at this from up here in the cheap seats!
Regarding the depth and angle - I would venture a guess that as long as the bucket area could fit within the same plane from an angular position as the 993 within the 968 fender housing - in theory it should be ok. I have to bow to your experience here OD as I'm looking at this from up here in the cheap seats!
#27
Drifting
As for lams and reflectors, maybe a mat black, which would fit with the other black trim on the car, and projectors like these?
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...and-986-a.html
Or 911 Kevs conversion looks good, but not as polished (no insult to his work intended)
https://rennlist.com/forums/968-foru...onversion.html
These have a nice internal fit, but I like vertical vs horizontal for the lights, also same problem as the others, you need a better cover to fit over the hole and flow with the body.
https://rennlist.com/forums/944-turb...-or-car-3.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...and-986-a.html
Or 911 Kevs conversion looks good, but not as polished (no insult to his work intended)
https://rennlist.com/forums/968-foru...onversion.html
These have a nice internal fit, but I like vertical vs horizontal for the lights, also same problem as the others, you need a better cover to fit over the hole and flow with the body.
https://rennlist.com/forums/944-turb...-or-car-3.html
#29
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I think they support the lenses only. Mark, the co-designer explained that D-9 might do an 'updated' 2nd fender mod to allow fitment
of the 994 Xenon lamp housings down the road. (from post #24 of their fender thread).
https://rennlist.com/forums/968-foru...ect-car-2.html
pardon for being such a stickler on doing the 993 headlamp mod at the correct pitch angle.... and i don't want to knock the designer.
but, Mark is over-simplifying quite a bit here – about what he would have to do to make a new fender design work:
he'd have to re-design the entire slope of the tops of the fenders all the way to the back. (a considerable undertaking).
as it stands, the D-9 fenders are just 968 fenders made of composite materials – but, with the correct-sized hole to accommodate the 993 lens/lamp covers.
imo, the weight of the 993 lamps were designed perfectly to permit no shaking whatsoever (a crucial component for all classes of headlamps).
1.4 kg for each Xenon lamp is probably about standard in recent high-performance sports cars...
not to mention, compared to the deleted pop-ups, the weight is completely insignificant.....
what is most important is running lamp housing that don't allow shaking of the inner components.
once obtaining the 993 lamps and fenders, and once taking the original lights off, the correct outcome became obvious.
that's why I'm rather resolute about doing the mod such that the Xenon lamp housings can be used.
I think they're masterpieces of form and function where Porsche and Bosch rose to the occasion.
.
of the 994 Xenon lamp housings down the road. (from post #24 of their fender thread).
https://rennlist.com/forums/968-foru...ect-car-2.html
We have obtained a set of new 993 light units.... consisting of a front lens cover and then the actual light unit itself....
Unlike most other 993 conversions we have seen, we want the 993 lights to sit at the same angle as when fitted to the 993.
To do this we need to modify the shape of the light holes in the fenders and then we will remold them so we have the mold
in stock. these are very heavy as previously stated and are a 2 piece affair. The covers alone are 920 grams with the rear light
projector assembly and housing coming in at another 1.4kg per side. Whilst this is still a considerable weight saving over the
OEM units fitted to the 968 we want to reduce weight and cost....
Unlike most other 993 conversions we have seen, we want the 993 lights to sit at the same angle as when fitted to the 993.
To do this we need to modify the shape of the light holes in the fenders and then we will remold them so we have the mold
in stock. these are very heavy as previously stated and are a 2 piece affair. The covers alone are 920 grams with the rear light
projector assembly and housing coming in at another 1.4kg per side. Whilst this is still a considerable weight saving over the
OEM units fitted to the 968 we want to reduce weight and cost....
pardon for being such a stickler on doing the 993 headlamp mod at the correct pitch angle.... and i don't want to knock the designer.
but, Mark is over-simplifying quite a bit here – about what he would have to do to make a new fender design work:
he'd have to re-design the entire slope of the tops of the fenders all the way to the back. (a considerable undertaking).
as it stands, the D-9 fenders are just 968 fenders made of composite materials – but, with the correct-sized hole to accommodate the 993 lens/lamp covers.
imo, the weight of the 993 lamps were designed perfectly to permit no shaking whatsoever (a crucial component for all classes of headlamps).
1.4 kg for each Xenon lamp is probably about standard in recent high-performance sports cars...
not to mention, compared to the deleted pop-ups, the weight is completely insignificant.....
what is most important is running lamp housing that don't allow shaking of the inner components.
once obtaining the 993 lamps and fenders, and once taking the original lights off, the correct outcome became obvious.
that's why I'm rather resolute about doing the mod such that the Xenon lamp housings can be used.
I think they're masterpieces of form and function where Porsche and Bosch rose to the occasion.
.
Last edited by odurandina; 03-14-2015 at 05:51 PM.
#30
Former Vendor
Odurandina, how does it come that you do "seem" to know so much about the D9 headlight conversion wings when you never have actually seen them in person / fitted a set of the wings / are aware of the product specifications?