As you know, progress by inexorable steps flies forward and does not intend to stop. And this applies to almost any area of human activity, including the automotive industry. Thanks to modern achievements, many motorists have the opportunity to significantly transform the appearance of an iron horse. On the face of any person there is one noticeable detail, and in women it is, of course, the most attractive. So why not put the cilia on the headlights and on your vehicle ?!
What kind of tuning is this?
In the language of motorists, special plastic pads are called cilia for cars, with the help of which a certain charm is created. This decoration will appeal to many ladies who have their own car. And thanks to the cilia, the car will look more feminine, as if being a reflection of its mistress. For everyone else - this is a sure means to give automotive optics a little original zest.
Only during the acquisition of this accessory it is necessary to be careful, because due to improperly selected sizes, the functionality of the front automotive optics will be seriously impaired. And under no circumstances should this be done. In the best case, this threatens a fine, in the worst - there could be much more serious consequences.
Sometimes, in addition to the decorative function, cilia may have a different functional purpose. They will help protect the headlight from damage when struck by gravel or other small stones.
Advantages and disadvantages
As with any thing, installing cilia on the headlights of a VAZ or a car of any other brand has both pros and cons. The characteristic advantages include:
- A good opportunity to eliminate the gap between the headlight and the edge of the hood.
- An attractive car appearance is created.
- Lightness, simplicity, low cost.
As for the shortcomings, here they are:
- In some cases, cilia are very difficult to fix on the headlamp.
- If the car moves at high speed, you can lose the decor (rather, it applies to those products that were poorly fixed).
As you can see, such a car accessory has fewer minuses than pluses. Therefore, more and more drivers are trying to "ennoble" their vehicles.
Varieties of cilia
Many manufacturers in the field of manufacturing automotive accessories can offer several options for cilia decor:
- Protective - these are just those cilia whose main function, as you might guess, is to protect the headlights from mechanical damage. They are made of thermoplastic.
- Chrome plated. Such cilia on the headlights serve more as a decoration and emphasize the exterior of the car. And if several details of their chrome are already present on it, then such cilia will serve as a wonderful addition.
- Plastic Such products, without a doubt, are widespread. This is due to their availability and versatility.
Only here is not always an accessory made in an industrial way, fully able to please the motorist.
For this reason, some car owners decide to make their own eyelashes. In addition, the cost of manual work will not cost more than the price of finished products.
Implementation methods
The main advantage of cilia is that they fit any car. There are two main ways how to put into practice the idea of transforming your personal vehicle in practice:
- Purchase finished products.
- Self assembly.
Cilia of headlights today are considered a certain trend of automotive fashion, and therefore this decor is found on sale in most of the relevant stores. You can also contact a car repair shop. If the master is able to understand the wishes of the client, then the result will be obtained with minimal cost in terms of labor and time.
You can try to make a ciliary accessory yourself, only in this case you need to be patient. Especially when the work is done for the first time, because it is possible here that it may not work out.
What should be considered?
If someone decides to significantly transform their car by installing cilia on the headlights, they should consider something. On the way, a number of nuances await. And first of all - this is the complete preservation of the functionality of automotive optics.
The second point is that in the course of work you have to manipulate small details. And for this, certain qualities are simply necessary, such as:
- good perseverance;
- attentiveness;
- shutter speed;
- simplest skills for working with tools.
As a rule, cilia on headlights (Toyota, Nissan, Ford, VAZ and other cars) are made of fiberglass, but some craftsmen manage to use other materials for work.
Manufacturing methods
If someone decides to make their own eyelashes for their car, then it will be useful for him to find out what methods for implementation exist. Each of the options has its own disadvantages and advantages. In this regard, it is necessary to choose for yourself exactly the method that best suits personal preferences and capabilities.
In addition, today there is plenty to choose from, since the modern automotive market is full of new interesting materials. In addition, thanks to an individual approach to the work of the car, a new, brighter appearance will be presented.
What kind of cilia manufacturing methods are we talking about? More about this later.
Film edging
There is a great variety of film material, but far from every option is suitable for making cilia on headlights on a Nissan (for example). It is better to buy oracal, but vinyl or tinted film will do. The final result depends on the time spent and the quantity of materials. If all the work takes from 5 to 10 minutes, then it is unlikely to significantly transform the appearance of his iron horse. Otherwise, we can already talk about a "masterpiece".
The narrowing of the headlights with a black film will look actual on a car of the same color. Otherwise, you need to look for an acceptable shade that will be in harmony with the body color. Fortunately, today it is not difficult to do.
With the help of a vinyl film, which is usually glued to cars, you can show your imagination. The carbon shade will give a more expressive look and will look no worse than bright cilia.
First, with the help of an insulating tape, the contour of the cilia is made, then the pattern is transferred to the tracing paper. Then it is already possible to cut on the patterns themselves the lining of the film. There is nothing easier, you just need to act carefully so as not to spoil the beauty of the cilia on the headlights. At the Chevrolet, for example, they look very interesting. We should not forget that the light from the optics through the decor should not be visible. To do this, it is better to make them layered.
Plastic decoration
Today, there are many types of plastic on sale, which comes in sheets of different thicknesses. For the manufacture of cilia, plastic up to 1.5 mm is suitable, but, as practice shows, it is advisable to opt for a thickness of 2.5 mm. In this case, reliability and beauty will increase.
The first step is to make a template, as in the case of the manufacture of film decor. Only cut the cilia will have another tool. Workpieces should be attached to the headlights and, if necessary, amended.
After that, you need to round the edges of the cilia, for which you can use a small file or a grinding machine. The entire flat surface must be treated with sandpaper No. 600 to increase the adhesion coefficient so that the primer is well fixed.
But before priming and painting the cilia, you should give them the desired shape. This is easy to do with a building hair dryer. The surface of the product heats up, after which it becomes more ductile. It is better to bend the cilia on the headlights slowly, step by step. Ready-made decor is attached to double-sided tape.
Fiberglass solution
This method is the most time-consuming of all, but all the work is worth it, because the result will be at its best. All bends and design features are repeated in great detail, which is relevant for most foreign-made machines. Therefore, you should analyze this method in a little more detail.
First of all, you need to prepare everything you need:
- the material itself (fiberglass or fiberglass);
- epoxy resin or glue;
- household and masking tape;
- a brush with a short but hard pile;
- small roller;
- rubber gloves (to protect hands);
- respirator (also for protection).
After that, it is better to remove the headlights, which will facilitate the work. In addition, it is possible to exclude the possibility of dirtying the hood or bumper with resin. Next, the removed optics should be pasted over with household tape, over which the masking tape rests. Moreover, he must close all the joints between household tape to avoid getting on the headlight epoxy. And it is almost impossible to remove.
To cilia on the headlights "Ford", for example, get strong, it is worth preparing an epoxy glue. To do this, take 1 part of hardener and 10 parts of glue. Violations of the proportions will lead to undesirable results: the glue will dry too quickly or very slowly. Also, do not forget about safety precautions and work with glue in gloves.
Manufacturing process
Now, in fact, the work itself:
- Cut several strips of material, and they should be longer than the width of the headlamp.
- Then, a thin layer of epoxy is applied to the removed headlight, on top of which fiberglass (or fiberglass) is laid. It is necessary to roll it with a roller before the epoxy resin appears.
- On top of the material is applied another layer of resin, on which, in turn, lies another strip of fiberglass. Then it is also rolled by a roller, which will allow air bubbles to be removed.
- The last layer of material must be abundantly sprayed with resin. In this case, the final thickness of all layers will be at least 4 mm. Then everything needs to be left to dry for the whole day. Moreover, the headlight should be located strictly horizontally, which will avoid smudges and bumps.
- After the resin has completely dried, the pads can be removed. Then remove all adhesive tape from the headlamp, rinsing it with any solvent or gasoline.
- On the surface of the workpieces, a drawing should be applied, after which the cilia on the headlights are cut with a jigsaw or grinder (to whom it is more convenient).
- Ready-made linings should be tried on the headlight - how they will look. If everything is done successfully, then you need to process them with sandpaper. And for starters, you need to take rough material, and then smaller for the final stage.
- The next step is to primer and paint the cilia to match the body. Usually, after applying the first coat of paint, small defects appear that can be easily removed by finishing putty. Then, the entire surface needs to be sanded again, covered with a primer and paint (there should be three layers in total).
Now ready and dried cilia can be fixed with double-sided tape. Whether to engage in all this work independently, with the support of friends and relatives, or to entrust this matter to specialists, is the business of every motorist.
In any case, the end result, regardless of the method of implementation, is worth the money spent - the machine will be transformed to the joy of its owner and everyone else. In addition, the manufacture of cilia on headlights with their own hands will allow you to acquire new skills, and the products themselves will be original due to their individual approach.