I'd been thinking about the different ways I could mount my round lamps into an oval hole over the weekend but when I took a look at 2CVGB's March magazine, a light went on in my head. Looking at the SPOG section, I noticed a picture of a Dyane headlamp bowl which seemed to basically be a round bowl at the back and oval at the front. That made me think about simply making an adaptor plate on which to mount the bowl which could then be bolted inside the wing.

First of all I took a piece of metal and cut it to shape using a Dyane headlamp trim as a template. Then I used the rubber gasket that comes with the headlight as a template for the central hole and mounting holes.



I chain drilled around the central hole in order to cut it out and then tidied it up with a half round file.



Once the headlamp was secured to the adaptor plate I could then offer it up to the inside of the wing to make sure the headlamp sat correctly before marking and drilling mounting holes for the wing bolts.



Luckily, the wings came with some Dyane trims and they fit nicely over the headlamp so I'll be able to use them to cover the plate & mounting bolts.



They're not in the best of condition (the mounting lugs have been broken off the one shown so small angle brackets have been used) and they need a little bit of work to make them sit flush against the wing but this is a kit car and I'm used to that by now!!

Whilst I was making the adaptor plates and thinking about what some of you had said about the scarcety of Dyane headlamps, would this be something that Dyane users could/would want to do?

Looks really good Bertie, I like the facelift

Thanks Sam - I'm really happy with the way it's going. Although the existing front end was sufficient to get the car back on the road, I always intended to "make it right" and this is a major part of that process. I was really lucky to find those parts on fleabay and wouldn't have known about them if Uncle Ken hadn't informed me of them.

Just a quick update on what I've been doing over the last couple of days. I've been on late shift this week (and will be for the next 2 as well) and I've only been able to get in the garage for a couple of hours each morning so I decided to remove the plates that were rivetted to the bottom of each wing.



They appeared to be strengthening some brackets that I can only presume were there to mount some pod type headlamps (or even round 2CV ones?) and as I have sorted my headlamps, there was no need to have the plates or brackets any longer. I did think the plates sort of suited the style of vehicle and if they had been symetrical I might have kept them but they looked as if they'd been made & fitted in a hurry so off they came. The trouble was that they left behind quite a few holes as well as some quite deep gouges



but the wings are fibreglass so out came the P40



and after a couple of enthusiastic hours with some wet & dry and a bit of filler they're not looking too bad now



In between waiting for things to dry I've also been sorting the other bonnet so hopefully next week should see holes for the indicators cut, the wings painted, the headlamps fitted and the whole front end come together.

I came across this bertie. don't know if it's the kind of look you're after but it works doesn't it.

Certainly does mate and I have settled on something similar in Beige, Dark Brown & Black. I'm thinking about something similar with Jerry Cans as well

iv got a jerry can and the spade, hmmm all i need is brackets

Well Belinda's most recent facelift is almost complete (perhaps I should have called her Micheal Jackson )



I had a slight problem with the paint early in the week when the top coat reacted slightly with the primer and crazed, but after rubbing down with wet & dry it went on ok with a new foam roller.

I found that there was a lovely space for the coil behind the grill in the end and mounted it with mounts purchased from Uncle Roy when I ordered a service pack at the same time.

The lower grill still needs a bit of fettling and some tabs with which to attach it to the wings & chassis but and the only extra work I've got to do now is run another earth wire from the chassis seeing as the front lights were all earthed to the metal bracket that has now been removed.

Hopefully next week should see the lights fully functioning & the bonnet attached. Whilst I'm on the subject of the bonnet, although it is lovely & light compared to the other one it's not strong enough to carry the spare wheel (which I'd like) but I'm thinking of fabricating a tubular strengthening bracket to fix inside and then attach the spare through the bonnet into the bracket. All will become apparant.

Finally, I've posted a pic of an idea that a mate's given me. It might cause a bit of a problem at International Meetings though :eek:




BTW the rectangular headlamps are now redundant (as well as the wings!!) so if anybody wants them, PM me.

Rather than those, I'd be tempted to put VW/Audi/Merc/BMW logos/silhouettes of cyclists/pedestrians/prams...

That's another good idea mate, hadn't thought of that. I did think the crosses suited the desert staff car theme though!!