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Chrome Eyebrows... Help!
kathawkephotos - May 13th, 2013 at 05:55 PM

Hey all!
I've just had a set of EMPI chrome eyebrows delivered, they seem to be well manufactured/ have no defects, but they don't seem to fit in behind the headlight rims too well...
It appears to put too much metal between the chrome surrounding the lens & the rims, so they wont pop back into place completely.

Just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues/ know any tricks? (don't really want to bend/trim/ jimmy the chrome-work at all!)

hope that didn't sound too convoluted!
cheers guys,
Kat

Joel - May 13th, 2013 at 06:43 PM

It;s nothing you are doing wrong, eyebrows are always a terrible fit when fitting to upright headlights, especially the 3 screw style we got here in aus.

They were designed for the slopy 6 volt style headlights with sealed beams that Beetles had in the 60s and earlier to keep snow off.
never intended for the upright headlights type 3s and later beetles had.

Trimming and hammering the groove flatter is the best way to get them in to 3 screw headlights.

vw54 - May 13th, 2013 at 06:55 PM

what year car are you fitting these too

the problem may be there EMPI

silver - May 13th, 2013 at 07:26 PM

are these still legal??

68BUS - May 13th, 2013 at 07:27 PM

i had the same issue on the bus.
Needle.nose pliers.to bend out the side lips worked.
First one took 20 mins. The 2nd took 5.

helbus - May 13th, 2013 at 07:40 PM

Rounded edge ones would not be illegal as they have no sharp edge.

kathawkephotos - May 14th, 2013 at 05:52 PM

Thanks Joel, that is a big help, I'll have another fiddle with them tomorrow :)

vw54: it's a 67' type 3, should I be concerned about EPMI craftsmanship or something...?

Silver: they're rolled/ folded edge ones, so should be perfectly legal.

68BUS: Thanks for the tips! I'll have a play with them tomorrow :)

eXraycer - May 18th, 2013 at 02:00 PM

Now we need photos of your car. ;)

RE: Empi craftsmanship. Some reasonable quality parts and a lot of lower quality parts driven down by price and possibly a lack in focus on quality since the good ol' days. Vintage Empi parts are highly collectible but the new stuff is not too exciting. The market to a large extent has been driven by price for years since bugs and buses were typically old beaters that people fixed up on the cheap so bare that in mind when choosing parts. If the part is important to you or you figure that you would pay more for greater reliability/quality then shop sround and you're bound to find alternatives of higher quality and price.
As for the chrome eye lids you bought , I'm not sure if there is an alternative so you might just have to make-do and fiddle with the fit a bit. You may find the chrome doesn't last long though before rust starts appearing. It's like cheap repro hub caps vs original hub caps. Pick them up, feel the difference, the chrome lasts longer on OG (Original German caps) and for some reason even looks better. Perhaps that's just psychological but it makes you feel better nonetheless.

DakDak67 - May 18th, 2013 at 02:55 PM

They fit in the bin really well, best place for them .. sorry..

kathawkephotos - May 18th, 2013 at 09:04 PM

Quote:

Now we need photos of your car.

RE: Empi craftsmanship. Some reasonable quality parts and a lot of lower quality parts driven down by price and possibly a lack in focus on quality since the good ol' days. Vintage Empi parts are highly collectible but the new stuff is not too exciting. The market to a large extent has been driven by price for years since bugs and buses were typically old beaters that people fixed up on the cheap so bare that in mind when choosing parts. If the part is important to you or you figure that you would pay more for greater reliability/quality then shop sround and you're bound to find alternatives of higher quality and price.
As for the chrome eye lids you bought , I'm not sure if there is an alternative so you might just have to make-do and fiddle with the fit a bit. You may find the chrome doesn't last long though before rust starts appearing. It's like cheap repro hub caps vs original hub caps. Pick them up, feel the difference, the chrome lasts longer on OG (Original German caps) and for some reason even looks better. Perhaps that's just psychological but it makes you feel better nonetheless.


Thanks eXraycer, i appreciate the help!
I totally agree about the OG chrome though! my hubcaps are the original german ones and it shows!!
as for the eyelids... I FINALLY GOT THEM ON!!! :)
took me 4 days and a lot of swearing, but i got there, turns out apart from getting at them with a pair of needlenose pliers a little, i also had to adjust the aim of the headlights to allow space, but i am so relieved they're finally on, i was pretty close to chucking in the towel.


Quote:

They fit in the bin really well, best place for them .. sorry..


DakDak67: a matter of opinion, so i guess we'll have to agree to disagree ;) Although they were designed to keep snow off... which admittedly isn't much use in sydney haha!

eXraycer - May 18th, 2013 at 10:05 PM

Wow nice car! . We need more photos of that. It's a beaut.
The eyelids look good. Thumbs up for being persistant.

kathawkephotos - May 19th, 2013 at 03:37 PM

Thanks eXraycer!
will you be at nationals in sydney next weekend?
Because i'll be there with her then, better than photos hehe

shaven - May 19th, 2013 at 11:46 PM

hey kath,
saw them on insta today...
very nice. looks great. love your SB... more pics of the old girl.
cheers matty

eXraycer - May 20th, 2013 at 10:47 AM

I'm going to check out the Nats so I'll be sure to look out for your blue square back. Will be spending some time hovering around with camera in hand.

kathawkephotos - May 20th, 2013 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

hey kath,
saw them on insta today...
very nice. looks great. love your SB... more pics of the old girl.
cheers matty



Thanks Matty, will be sure to put some more up soon :)


Quote:

I'm going to check out the Nats so I'll be sure to look out for your blue square back. Will be spending some time hovering around with camera in hand.


Good to hear eXraycer! I will either be with the car or wandering around photographing too, be sure to come say hi :)

scot70wagon - May 20th, 2013 at 05:55 PM

kat we,ll have to start a type 3 parking section at the nationals. They seem to be coming out of the woodwork everywhere.

kathawkephotos - May 22nd, 2013 at 06:59 PM

Scot, I agree! Are you entering any this year? I know Johnny in Collaroy is taking his sage-green fasty, but he's not entering it :(
So keen for sunday! :)

shaven - May 22nd, 2013 at 07:58 PM

Plenty of Type 3 pics please... can you take some interior ones to please:love: thankyou

kathawkephotos - May 22nd, 2013 at 08:04 PM

I will do Matty! (i assume you meant T3's at Nationals :P)

shaven - May 22nd, 2013 at 08:55 PM

yes Type 3's:smilegrin:
Squareback, Notch, Fasty

kathawkephotos - May 23rd, 2013 at 03:35 PM

Piece of cake ;)

eXraycer - May 27th, 2013 at 04:58 PM

Congrats on picking up a 1st in class at the nats Kath. You must be happy.

There's some pics of your car here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolo1/sets/72157633726712455/ 

kathawkephotos - May 27th, 2013 at 06:41 PM

Thanks Paolo! So stoked!
Also, those images are great :)
It was lovely to meet you on the weekend too.

eXraycer - May 28th, 2013 at 04:08 PM

Nice to meet you too. I have more black and whites on film but that might take a while before I develop and scan them.

kathawkephotos - May 28th, 2013 at 04:20 PM

haha, totally understand the film thing, patience is a virtue i reckon!
film's always better anyhow :P

shaven - May 28th, 2013 at 05:00 PM

there are some beautiful Squarebacks there... nice Type 3's as well.
pffft eye lids are like lingerie... they should be... ooops wrong forum:lol::no: