Well here is my scooter retrofit project that i've been working on. I didnt know if it should be here in the pit or in the "Modify" section (since its not on my accord). If it should be moved, then please move it. Anyway, maybe some of the stuff in here will give others some ideas.

Here is what we have so far.

The stock headlight of the Kymco Agility 125:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1758.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1760.jpg

The vacuum forming table that I made for molding a plastic shroud and a new headlight lens. Its not pretty but its very functional:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1762.jpg

Stock headlight and Infiniti FX35 Bixenon projector side-by-side comparisons:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1770.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1771.jpg

I pulled the headlight lens off using a screwdriver and a heatgun. I set the heat gun to around 300-350F to heat up the sealant and worked my way around the headlight.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1772.jpg

The headlight was marked and the beam pattern was marked on the wall so I can aim the projector the same as stock after mounting the projector.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1773.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1774.jpg

The projector cut-off. Yes, the old headlight is still on and you can't even see where it hits the wall! The cut-off in person is a bit sharper... my camera made the cutoff 'flare'.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1775.jpg

Projector mounted to the original reflector housing... it has already been aimed at this point:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1780.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1781.jpg

More pics:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1810.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1813.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1821.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1823.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1827.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1830.jpg

Cut the main headlight lens:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_0174.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_0175.jpg

First test fit:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1842.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1854.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1857.jpg

The reason why I cut the main lens is because the projector was too deep for the stock headlight housing... the neck of the bike is directly behind the headlight so I couldnt have it stick out the back instead.

Still to do:

Vacuum form over the main lens. I'm not sure if i'm going to leave it clear so that you can see the parts behind it, including the two little lights at the top of the headlight or paint it black.

I also need to get two relays with 12V AC triggers. For some reason the stock wiring puts out 12VAC to the stock bulbs rather than 12VDC. Once I get the 2 relays, I'll be ready to go :D

Nice work! I was looking into a Honda Ruckus last summer. But couldn't find one. Is it similiar to ur scooter?

Looks like a one-eyed monster, the nice kind that is! Doesn't it drain your battery though?

Wow, just wow. Job well done, man! http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
The vacuum forming table that I made for molding a plastic shroud and a new headlight lens. Its not pretty but its very functional...Can you please post some details about this, a simple D.I.Y. & materials used! Thanks, in-advance! :cool:

Nice work! I was looking into a Honda Ruckus last summer. But couldn't find one. Is it similiar to ur scooter?

The honda ruckus is only a 50cc scooter. It will go about 35-40mph. The scooter I have is a 125cc and will go about 60mph (also gets about 80-90mpg :D) and it actually requires a motorcycle license. Insurance is only about 140/yr and everything else is negligable. The ruckus is a pretty sweet scooter though. If you are looking into getting a scooter, also check out Kymco, Vespa, and Piaggio.

Wow, just wow. Job well done, man! http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
Can you please post some details about this, a simple D.I.Y. & materials used! Thanks, in-advance! :cool:

Do you mean for just the vacuum forming?

For the vacuum forming table, I made it about 24" x 18" x 6"... its large enough to do the parts I want and small enough that my acrylic sheet frame will fit in the oven. So I started building the table with a frame using 1.5" square wood stock, then I cut 3/8" plywood for all the sides. I screwed everything in place with wood screws then I used wood glue on all edges that the plywood meet. Once dry, theres an airtight seal. Then, I took a set of calipers (not really necessary) and marked off a 1" spaced grid on the top. I drilled small holes (cant remember the size... maybe a 1/16" or a little bigger) at each intersection so now my holes are 1" apart. Then, on one of the sides of the box, I drilled a 1.25" hole so that my vacuum hose will fit snuggly in it. Now you're done with your vacuum table.

I also built a frame just slightly smaller than the vacuum table surface. I used the 1.5" square stock again. I think you are supposed to build to frames and sandwich the acrylic sheet between the two frames but I didnt do this. I used aluminum tape to secure my acrylic sheet to the frame. I used 0.080" sheet that is found at lowes. I set up my work on the vacuum table... remember to set it up so that the majority of your forming and force will be downward and that once your acrylic has hardened, you can pull it back off. If your acrylic sheet wraps around any of your parts, it will have to be cut.

The tricky part is getting a feel for the amount of vacuum pressure you have vs. the thickness of acrylic sheet vs. the temperature of your oven to get the curvature etc.. that you want. When I used the 0.080 sheet, I set my oven to 325 and ended up leaving the sheet in for about 5 min. I didnt really rely on a set time though... I watched the material in the oven. When its first put in, it will start to curl up a bit. Then after a minute or so it begins to flatten back out. This is around the time where I go ahead and turn on the vacuum. Also with thinner sheet, this is about the time to pull it out. On the thicker stuff, and because my sheet needed to stretch a bit farther, I waited until it started to sag a bit, then I quickly pulled it out of the oven, turned it over so that my sheet would lay flat against the table and not the frame, then I quickly place it on the table and let it form. Dont leave it in too long either though or you'll get small bubbles in the acrylic. The thinner sheet like 1/16" will pull very quickly and tightly and will cool VERY fast. Probably within about 15 seconds with the vacuum running. The thinner sheet also ends up being very brittle. The 0.080 gives you just a little less definition but is incredibly strong once it hardens. It also gives you much more time to form and more control. Once I got the curvature I wanted, I started turning off and on the vacuum to hold it in place while it hardened.

After that, just dremel your piece out and sand it and you are ready to go :thmsup:

BTW, this was the first time I have ever vacuum formed anything or have even seen anyone vacuum form anything first hand. I just had some leftover material laying around and thought I'd throw a table together and try it out. The acrylic sheets were about $6 for a piece about 18"x24" or something like that. So it wasnt too expensive to experiment with. It is very cool to do though, it just takes several several tries to get the right balance between your vacuum pressure, oven temp, and sheet thickness :)

Looks like a one-eyed monster, the nice kind that is! Doesn't it drain your battery though?

LOL. No the scooter has an alternator too just like the car. The projector that I got is 35W and is replacing a 35W bulb, so there really wont be any difference in electrical strain on the scooter.

Here is the main piece that I am now going to use. I formed it with the other smaller shroud on and since the smaller shroud was painted, when I put the hot acrylic sheet over it to form it, it acted like glue and I broke the smaller shroud in the process. No big deal though since I had already decided on painting the entire thing black. I primed and painted it a FLAT black to try and match the plastic already on the scooter as much as possible. And I just received my relays :D

More Pics:

Headlight on the vacuum forming table with the small shroud and factory cut lens:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1864.jpg

Acrylic sheet vacuum formed over the headlight assembly:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1865.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1866.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1867.jpg

Main lens painted matte black.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1874.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1875.jpg

More to come. Here is the original post BTW:
http://www.scootforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=499

Very cool, nicely done!

Very cool, nicely done!

Thank you... it is my first retrofit and my first time experimenting with vacuum forming. I'm very pleased with how its turning out so far. It would have been MUCH easier if the headlight housing was deep enough to hold the entire projector behind the lens, but oh well. I'll post up some final shots when its done either later this afternoon or tomorrow.

Here is the headlight and shield assembled. I will be able to put the headlight back on the scooter this afternoon and will take more pics.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1879.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1880.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1881.jpg

Well I finished wiring and installing tonight. Here are the final pics:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1883.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1888.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1889.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1890.jpg

I didnt have time to post pics of the cutoff because I was taking it for a test ride before it started to rain. WOOOW, the light out of this thing is unbelieveable! I can actually see the road now! Not only that, but I can see about 1/4 mile down the road or better :lol:

Before:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_0951-1.jpg


After:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1883.jpg

Heres a couple more pics and an output pic as promised :banana:

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1904.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1899.jpg

I have trouble taking night pics with my camera but this one came out ok:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l117/lilmike2069/IMG_1906.jpg

wow that is crazy, and amazing craftsmanship!

Thank you very much! :thmsup: