7" retrofit (GDAA WRX)

[satrya]

Transfer the amount of recess that need to be retained from the paper mache to the ABS piece using permanent marker (on blue tape). Note the 3800K ambient lighting.


With a good amount of force, a simple light duty cutter can be used to trim the extra amount of recess:




Test fitting the amount of recess (should work since the paper mache was already trimmed to fit) and the amount of curvature on the edge of the bumper cover.

[satrya]

Experimenting with the angle of the "oval" created by the foglight opening relative to the shape of the headlights. Left side (or first one, depending on the width of your browser), oval pointing down. Right side, oval pointing up.

From a standing observer:


From "opposing traffic" (same order; left is oval pointing down, right is oval pointing up):


In terms of the ABS piece conforming to the curvatures of the bumper cover, the oval pointing up is a better match.

[Fstrsn]

I would vote oval pointing up then. Matching the curvature of the bumper IMO is more important than the orientation of the oval.

[satrya]

I would vote oval pointing up then. Matching the curvature of the bumper IMO is more important than the orientation of the oval.

I agree. Although the orientation of the oval also can dramatically alter the look; not that I've decided which one flows better.

[csjoh]

I just love how this build keeps going and going

[satrya]

I just love how this build keeps going and going

Thanks.

And in the spirit of keeping this build to never end by thinking of mundane things, there's this "ring" of blue from the painters tape around the foglight trim piece. It wasn't intended to mimic a particular color scheme, but it seems to work well with how the dichroic film on the foglight "shroud" appears. I wonder if adding that blue color around it works, in spite of the fact that there's no blue whatsoever in other parts of the car...

[Fstrsn]

I'd say nope.

Do you plan on leaving this cover black or are you gonna color match it?

[satrya]

I plan to color match it, but not until the whole shape and mounting is resolved.

[satrya]

Test fitting upper and lower reference lines for the fog trim piece. The upper and lower edges of the piece need to sit at a local high point on the bumper cover in order to make it look as snugly fit as possible.


Unfortunately, the local high points on the upper side curves down a bit at the corner, where the foglight opening feature gradually transitions to the 3 vents on the side:


It isn't that obvious from some angles:

[satrya]

Place the ABS piece in the right orientation


And then eyeball where the "horizontal" lines are on the ABS piece. The areas taped on the ABS will remain unchanged. The upper and lower boundaries will be either cut or bent.


The top boundary might need a bit of adjustment:


Maybe like so:

[sevenism]

lol dude your lights remind me of the sentinels from the matrix

[satrya]

^
The foglights?
I think the sentinels were more like the vertically stacked 2 sets of LS600h LED lenses into Lexus GS headlights (that makes a 2 by 3 lens pattern on each headlight). The hexagonal blocks at different heights here mimic the ends of basalt rocks.

My starting point was to replace the oem reflector foglights with the Hella Micro DE halogen projector fogs. This was after testing both during winter in a nearby mountain area. If the Micro DE were any bigger, I would've settled with just replacing the oem 7" with them, and that's it.

[satrya]

Trimming the bottom excess. Instead of trimming all across, I left a section on the edge, and folded it inwards. It took several gradual tries using the lowest setting of a heat gun and a pair of pliers.


The fold affords for a gap on one side closest to the center grille opening that I plan to use to vent air to cool the halogen projectors:


And a similar exit on the front fender side:

[satrya]

Bottom side trimmed and edges folded:


After a few back and forth of small adjustments in the bottom shape and the heat forming of the curve to match the bumper cover's edge; checking alignment of the top side to the reference to the blue tape on the bumper cover.






Now for the top side.

[gold94corolla]

I hope you aren't going to leave any of that thing covering the bumper like that