Author Topic: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders  (Read 3048 times)

David K

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Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« on: August 09, 2022, 04:24:01 AM »
Once you start the drill, you’re committed to finishing the project. So after acquiring my first parts in 1989 or thereabouts, I finally got all the correct factory parts for the front. I used (because I thought it was a good idea) the gasket the Impalas, Chevelles, etc use as a template.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2022, 04:26:34 AM »
The AIM doesn’t lie about the hole sizes to drill. Your results may vary…+-.10.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2022, 04:31:45 AM »
Sits flush, sits straight.

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2022, 11:44:53 AM »
Ladies and gentleman - I introduce to you a man with guts!!!!!  BTDT!!!!

Looks great, now have a few beers....

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2022, 05:34:28 AM »
Guts or stupidity? If I gouged the paint, I would have said…” what the hell was I thinking?” Or “Worst decision without alcohol involved” Too late now…I’d like to see yours in pictures. Getting my correct front bezels rechromed too. Might as well.

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2022, 11:09:03 AM »
Mine look just like yours except I used the plastic bezel / paint protectors from The Parts Place.  Its not correct for the Camaro, but I really don't givva rats.  I feel the pressure from the bottom of the metal bezel edges will eventually crack the paint underneath.  So I'm using them.

Now the rear unit - oiiiiiiiii!!!  Drilling that huge hole is not going to be fun. 

Good Luck!!!
« Last Edit: August 10, 2022, 12:10:08 PM by camaronut »

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2022, 02:11:08 AM »
The black gaskets are original used one from a Chevelle/Impala/Monte. The reproduction ones have a mostly round hole whereas the originals are a 1/2” hole which is perfect for drilling—see pictures. I trimmed the lip off and will fine tune it so the chrome bezel sits on the plastic and not the paint.  I don’t want water pooling underneath or even the opportunity. It’s jagged as hell, but I’ll fine tune it so it will be mostly unseen but still protect the paint. Like you, don’t care. And if anyone can see it, they’re probably too close without permission. 😆😆😆😆😆

Mounting the rear? What big hole to drill? It’s a convertible with a fold down seat; so just mount the Cobra head on the bracket and just mount the bracket right? Wait, who makes that bracket for the convertible?  That’s right! That would be …..wait for it…….NOBODY. The bracket sold with the currently available Cobra Head is w-r-o-n-g for the Camaro. It might be for a Chevelle/Impala/Full Size, but even these seems models have different part numbers for their respective brackets. Big Thanks to Belairbob for providing confirmation-see the picture provided by Bob. It’s not even close by a 2 country miles. 
What to do? Anyone have one hanging around? I’m working on something, but it’s not ready.

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2022, 11:03:21 AM »
A convertible - gotcha.  Well - that bracket is gonna be a b_tch to find.  I suggest finding a picture and making one.  If my feeble memory serves me right, I think there was a thread - maybe on Camaros.net, where someone made a similar cobra-head bracket and showed the measurements. 

Check this out.....

https://www.camaros.net/threads/u46-rear-convertible-cobra-head-monitor-mounting.485165/

Good luck!!!

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2022, 12:28:55 AM »
That’s my thread. Gotta cover all the Camaro bases ya know. Thanks to a few peeps here, (I will give credit when it’s installed) my bracket is stamped out and ready pickup from the machine shop for final approval. if no adjustments are necessary, Pretty sure it’s ok for my car. But for a car heading heading to the Nationals, it’ll be a head turner for sure. Staaaaaaay tuned.

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2022, 12:48:19 AM »
If that bracket you're making is a go, hell - make a hundred and sell them on eBay.  LOL!!!

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2022, 03:25:31 AM »
That is the plan now, but wasn’t the original plan. I emailed and called several of the Camaro suppliers with fully detailed items description, and got several answers. Here are the most popular:

“The catalog is complete, so submit it for next years catalog”.

“If we didn’t respond to your email, we’re not interested.”

“That’s not something we’d be interested in carrying”.

And some with no reply at all.

So be it…Jedi.

Tomorrow the installation of the front bezels/cables /lenses begins.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2022, 11:25:26 PM »
Done…ish.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2022, 03:12:02 AM »
Finito!

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2022, 03:23:54 PM »
Gotta love it when a plan comes together.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2022, 05:30:23 PM »
Me too…except for the machine shop making the Cobra head mount brackets. Sent pictures and a technical drawing to scale, and they got part of it right. They guy assigned to make them got some of the info and not the pictures to reference and didn’t read all the numbers. Next week I guess and than I can install the rear. Stay tuned as the 🐍 Cobra spits.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2022, 11:36:48 PM »
Mocked up the rear until the rear bracket is ready. The light shining through the cables is from the sun, and not the lights.

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2022, 11:50:33 PM »
If you ever wondered how to turn spaghetti into a working piece of art…..
If you’ve ever wondered what a cobra head looks like without its hood….now you know….sort of like Darth Vadar without his helmet.

camaronut

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2022, 12:32:23 AM »
It's getting there!!!  Like my dad use to say ' "Keep a go"...!!!  LOL

David K

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Re: Vigilite Install—Drilling holes into perfectly good fenders
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2022, 03:00:55 AM »
It’s done and I’ll just switch out the bracket whenever it gets done.