2G headlight bucket conversion questions.

Hey guys, Im swapping in some 2G headlight buckets and keeping my 1G bumper and I have a few questions.

1. What kind of cutter should I use to cut the buckets from my car. I used a regular drill bit to remove the 2G buckets from the donor car, but I cant do that to my car as there would be nothing to weld the buckets to on my car.

2. Any tips on welding the buckets in? Im planning on tacking about 4 or 6 spots before I start going at it. Being that the metal is so thin, what setting should my welder be on (eastwood mig)? Im guessing a little bit lower on the amperage?

3.Wiring up the 2G headlights is pretty simple on the headlight end. On 1G cars the high and low beam are not on at the same time, and are not wired to be. IIRC the 2G headlights both are on when the highs are on. How do I go about wiring them both to be on with a 1G harness? Im guessing a jumper wire on a relay would work, but If there is a better way I am all for it.

1) Spotweld cutter would be easiest
2)Use .023 wire (hopefully not flux core). Experiment on some scrap of equal thickness. It is easy to measure. Dial your settings in from there until you have a decent weld with good penetration and no blow through. Settings may need to be a little hotter than normal due to the short length of time you are striking an arc.
3)I think brian had a post on this on the other site. My old car was converted already, so I can't remember how this works, but I think they were just jumpered together. I was not really completely satisfied with that arrangement either. You gotta be careful wiring it up or you will blow that bigass 40 amp fuse and the thing is like $7

Im using my neighbor's welder. I used it to weld in my AWD frame mounts with shield gas, but it is all out now. Ive gotta look into getting it filled tomorrow and see how much it costs. It is a relatively small bottle, but im not sure on it's size.

well whatever they quote you to fill it, try to negotiate. They try to get me for $60 for a little 40 cuft tank, but if I tell them that's too much all of a sudden it is $30.00. They have HUGE flexibility in what they can charge you.

I wouldn't use flux core if you want the welds to be pretty and it will throw a lot of splatter around, so it will be hard keeping the rest of the car safe.

oh I got one of these for on the car jobs:

Amazon.com: Hobart 770635 Heat-Treated Fiberglass Welding Blanket, 4-Foot by 6-Foot: Home Improvement

It is not bulletproof, but it helps.

Im pulling off my bumper and fenders to do the whole thing so I should be easily able to grind away and splatter/ deposits. Airgas just quoted me $27.30 to fill a 20 Cuft tank. Doesn't seem too bad to me, but I've never had a tank filled haha. Ill likely split the cost with my neighbor anyway. Going to fill the tank tomorrow before work. Going to get this project rolling by Friday. Got a link to that wire-up btw?

Not really much to it. Just use this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_13440.jpg


And drill out all of the same holes. Do one bucket at a time, and then take a cross measurement from something like the strut bolt to a common mount (radiator support bolts) and make sure they line up together vs. the other bucket which you just left alone. Tack it on and re-measure then weld it up.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but like mentioned above Brian does somewhere I'm sure.

I really need to grab a few of those haha. Found the headlight wiring diagram Brian made

http://www.3si.org/forum/attachments...ingcropped.jpg

I think you could do all of it with one if you get a quality tool and use good cutting lube. I replaced my radiator support and I didn't even have to flip it over and use the other side.

LOL, I made that diagram in paint like 10 years ago. My typo is still there.

If the diagram doesn't make any sense to you I can try to help explain it better. The main thing I can offer is make sure your separate ground is sufficient. A frind of mine 2G converted his car and said his wiring starting sparking when he was testing. Found out after calling me and me walking him through it that his ground sucked. As soon as he fixed that it was good to go.

Yeah. Im going to find some good spots to ground them, maybe just ground it to one of my added ground wires on the frame.

So the 2g lights line up with 1g bumpers? How did it come out? Did you take any pics? Any update?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mborkush

So the 2g lights line up with 1g bumpers? How did it come out? Did you take any pics? Any update?

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You must cut the 2G buckets slightly on the sides and then trim the bumper to fit the 2G headlights. Eventually I will fill the gaps between the headlights and the bumper. Here's some pictures of it.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps2dz78dcj.jpg
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...psc5ayjnjj.jpg
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...psx6b2kb6e.jpg


http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...pstnqscqgr.jpg

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...psjmbwlzud.jpg

You can use flux core for welding the buckets in just fine. I have done 10 bucket conversions using a flux core welder without issues. The key is when you use the spot weld cutter to not cut through both welds. Only the top portion of the weld to separate the bucket metal from the frame. I usually drill a pilot hole through all layers to guide the spot cutter pin as it likes to wander. once you have them all drilled out and the old buckets off you will need to grind down where the spot welds are so that they are flush with the metal layers. If not then the new bucket will sit on the old spot weld not the metal. Bend any metal back straight and if you can't get it straight then bend it back some away from where the bucket sits. Most of what you can bend are tie-in pieces that don't affect lining up the buckets.

My welder has two settings "Low/High which is 60/120 amps. I use 60 amps for this sheet metal and run my wire on about 5 but that will vary for all welders as they are not all the same speed. The big thing with flux core is get a good nozzle gel and a good wire "lincoln". It will help tremendously on how it welds and the spatter.

Welding blanket is a must to cover the engine and protect the paint. Spatter and slag will burn through paint and rubber hoses, etc. I usually use two as I have seen spatter burn through a fiberglass blanket.

IF the buckets were cut off in one piece then your golden as the radiator support is welded in the right place. New buckets are a pain as you have to weld in the center radiator support and that takes a lot of measuring from the body manual to get it in place correctly. The ends of the buckets that attach to the upper frame rail have guide holes, it;s about a 1/2 hole that is used to line the bucket up on the frame. Not the hole for the hood stopper, but right next to it in that area. Line the holes up on both sides using a taper body dowel or punch to center it into both holes. Then clamp that portion to the upper frame. I use vise grips to hold it in place as it about impossible to get a clamp in there.

You want to work on the 4 main mounting points for the buckets first and then the rest. You have the two upper frame rails and the two lower ones that the impact bumper mounts to. Drop a small spot weld or two at that upper location on the outside edge where the layers meet under the fender to hold it in place. You may need to move it again so doing it on the ends under the fender is better than the top and having to grind out that exposed visible area. Now check your alignment holes again and make sure you are still centered. being off here will affect how the front bumper mounts and lines up..... With the two portion held in place you can now work on welding the bottom to the frame rail.With the top locked into place and aligned, the bottom will be in the correct position. Don't worry about the spot welds not matching up. Robotic welders are not that exact on spot welds.

Drop a small tack or two through one of the old spot weld holes into the frame rail to hold it down as it is likely swinging upwarp a little away from the frame rail. They all bend a little on removal. Now fill in the spot welds securing it to the bottom rail. Once both sides are done, do the same to the top. At this point the buckets are welded to the frame and secured. Now you can go back and get the other loose tie-in pieces. Those pieces are left for last as they just connect to the bucket and are not there for bucket support but the other way around. The bucket need to be in place and aligned first before those pieces can be welded back.

Wire brush all your welds and burned off paint off, Grind down and welds smooth and hit all spots with a good etching primer. Some spots are hard to get to but it all needs to be primed. On the undersides I usually hit the weld spots with an underbody rubberizer to help keep rust away but thats up to you.