project: rally fever/ light bar

[flatblackrab]

nothing to do this turkey day so i headed out to work.

once the paint is dry it will finally be hooked up.

i can make these if anyone else wants one. price=cheap


here is some more details on how it mounts.

the first picture is of these sleeves i made, this allows you to use the stock bolts that is on the lower part of the core support, then a tab was welded on the side of it.

the bar is tapped so from left to right the hardware goes like this.... bolt, brace, serated lock washed, then the bar. i gave some extra room up front so if i wanted to i could pin it once i found the "sweet spot" after putting it all together and driving around with it like that last night i dont think it needs it.

the nice part is the only thing you have to really do is mod your drivers side lower bumper insert.

i made it so i can take it off in the summer....... but now im starting to like how it looks.

thanks

 

[span1_85]

Thats Awesome.. Now you've done it too me.. now i don't know if i want the mean rally look.. or the sweet clean dubber look.. oh the important choices in life..

 

[OhMagoo]

Is there enough room that screens can be mounted for lens protection? Mounted far enough from the lens so a solid impact won't distort the screen and damage the lens regardless?

I like that set up, though, I'd be inclined to angle the bar upwards a bit. Around these parts, winter road servicing sees alot of crap spread on the roads and also, there are 5 active busy quarries with more crap ending up on the roads.

Nice work

 

[superfastsilver]

NIIIIICE!

Me likey!

 

[SilverGhost]

Sign me up! Are going to do cost plus a few $ for your time? I've been kicking around the idea of a couple hella 500's, but never found a solid mounting point.

What do we need to do to get the ball rolling on these?

 

[20IndigoBlue02]

Nice work!

Is that Hella 500 I see???

I was thinking about adapting the RallyHo Motorsports Impreza light bar to my car eventually

 

[VTJC]

Looks great.

This is how I mounted some PIAA 80 Series on my old Jetta, I have a similar mount on my current Jetta. So nice for long commute in darkness.

More Pics: http://www.jamiecarroll.com/piaa/

 

[weasel]

Well done. I am with Magoo. I'd angle that bar up a bit to try and get the tops of the lights even with the top of the bumper. Put a reinforcing bar across it and it would look like a pre-runner type bar. Hmmm ... if it weren't for the fact I already have fogs down there ...

I am looking into getting some Hella 550's and putting them where VTJC has them. Either that or a new set of headlights ( cause ours SUCK in the fog ). Oh, how I wish someone made a grill like Votex did for the A3's.

 

[flatblackrab]

if i angle the bar up more you will have to mod your vents out more....not that its a big deal. i am going to tray and make a version where you can angle it up, all it will take is dropping the posts i think.

i am going to make a few of these this week and we can go from there, ive had a pretty good response to it so i figure why not.

 

[weasel]

Damn you for filling my head with ideas ....

 

[oldpoopie]

Looks great!

 

[buttonfly]

I want one!

You've obviously got more time and talent than I do.

I was going to do something VERY similar, but never got around to it. Definitely count me in for one. I'll volunteer my '04 Wagon for "beta" testing. And I'm just down the road in Kalamazoo.

 

[span1_85]

hey do you have any pics of it fully complete and mounted.. i'm going to school next fall in upstate NY i think something like that would be right up my alley.. although i do agree with some of the guys about makeing the lights sit higher.. maybe like 3' inches or so.. nothing to major.. i don't want them to look like i've got them nounter to my hood.. the steathier the better..

 

[arvina]

Looks great.

This is how I mounted some PIAA 80 Series on my old Jetta, I have a similar mount on my current Jetta. So nice for long commute in darkness.

More Pics: http://www.jamiecarroll.com/piaa/

like right about there?

 

[span1_85]

Nahhh.... draw a line across the bottom of the headlights and thats where i would want the top of a 6" fog light to be..

 

[VTJC]

If you mount them low you’re more likely to break them going through snow banks and other stuff. Jamie

 

[onehotspud]

One question: how much?

 

[flatblackrab]

I will have a for sure price by Friday...I was going to make them by hand but now I have certain things sent out for quotes....like cnc mandrel tube bending with all the holes and ends being tube laser-ed.

I will still weld them up and finish them myself so its not all out-sourced but if I am going to sell them I need them to be 100% true and accurate.

I am not looking to retire off them since I have a good job and all...I'm an industrial designer and this is what I love...coming up with cool stuff....the more people that have them...makes it very enjoyable.

 

[burpod]

i think this is a really cool project! i like it!! i don't really need one, but it almost makes me just want to get one anyway but for now i will resist the mod

 

[PDwagon]

Interested, but I too wouldn't mind seeing the mounting a little higher, a couple inches would be great. Should I order the Hella 500's now?

 

[SilverGhost]

I will have a for sure price by Friday...I was going to make them by hand but now I have certain things sent out for quotes....like cnc mandrel tube bending with all the holes and ends being tube laser-ed.

I will still weld them up and finish them myself so its not all out-sourced but if I am going to sell them I need them to be 100% true and accurate.

I am not looking to retire off them since I have a good job and all...I'm an industrial designer and this is what I love...coming up with cool stuff....the more people that have them...makes it very enjoyable.

I just had a thought, maybe you should show this to some of the canadian retailers. Same people who sell skid plates may want better lighting? That way we could get some cool products (that we don't have the equip or know how to make ourselves) and you can get a few bucks for your time. I'm just chuckin' an idea out there....

 

[Ian F]

I just had a thought, maybe you should show this to some of the canadian retailers. Same people who sell skid plates may want better lighting? That way we could get some cool products (that we don't have the equip or know how to make ourselves) and you can get a few bucks for your time. I'm just chuckin' an idea out there....

Agreed. This might be something Dieselgeek may be interested in carrying... although personally, I would like the lights mounted higher.

Driving lights: high (so they aren't lighting up the weeds on the sideo f the road).

Fog lights: low (to cut under the fog).

At least that has always been my understanding for mounting aux lights from back in the day reading about OR race trucks...

Beautiful work, btw. Wish I could weld like that.

 

[span1_85]

Wish I could weld like that.

I second that!

 

[flatblackrab]

As far as the heights go, i am thinking about making another style bar ...they will raise the lights, i totaly agree with people and what they have stated....when i was making it i really wanted to but using a hand bender it would have been really hard to make more bends. now that it is going to be cnc mandrel bent...for sure.

- - - - - - - - - - -UPDATED PART BELOW- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

here are some updated photos, i have the bar sent out for quoting and i should know soon on how much it will cost.

here it is before the install, the wires are ran through the inside this can be something you want or something you man not want.

next is the bar ready for install,

once you get each side started to the vechile mounts you can stand your vent pieces up like this to support it while you work on it (totally got luckly) but it makes it so you can install it by yourself.

once you have your grounds tight you can start to adjust the bar and tighten it down here are the right and left sides

after the the stuff it tight you can push the vents back into place,

here are some parts of it installed

distance from above

side to side with min wires exposed.

finally all done. the install took about 10-15 min after i had the vent modded out.

i had the bar on for about a week now and i can honestly saw there is little to no movement or bounce on the bar.....on my way home i go over a series of train tracks that they are as steady as my headlights are.

i did change the bar some what for the final parts im gonna make. they will sit closer to the bumper, they have a larger radius 3" compaired to 2.5" (you cant tell the differance) and its a little bit wider in the front (this allows the vent to slide on and back in place really easy.

thanks aaron

 

[burpod]

nice!!! that looks sweet

 

[LNXGUY]

Man, thats killer. I wonder how hard it would be to splice that into the stock Euro switch and make this almost seem factory. I'd love some extremely bright lights for the crappy weather and the back country roads...

 

[span1_85]

Holy crap thats hot... I'm so getting one... i think being a a little closer to the bumper will be better. doesn't look so obviously out there... but looks real real good... let me know when its all done.. oh and definately keep it so u can keep the wire hidden... so much better looking..

 

[MWVDUB]

definately interested if you will ship to the wild west. quick question, would you ship painted and if so, is black the only choice. i would like to powder coat mine since the new powder came in on friday

 

[Jackilus]

That's badass.

Fine craftsmanship.

 

[weasel]

Well I am jealous. Now I am going to have a real problem. Do I get new headlights first or this ??