How to replicate French yellow headlight bulbs

[Junkman]

OK, it's a diecast. But the same principles apply to all the Heller kits, and the yellow fog or driving lights also found on American cars.

I'm using this Maisto Citroen 2CV as a demonstrator:

It also has one of my pet hates, the headlamp lens is attached with a stalk:

I'll take care of this too, but it doesn't apply to most kits.

Pop, pop, lenses and reflectors come out:

Poor eyeless ugly duckling:

Reflectors with lenses:

Pry apart:

Cut stalks off:

Edited May 22, 2015 by Junkman

[Junkman]

You need these beads:

This is a lifetime supply and then some. I got it off Ebay for 2 quid.

Only two beads are needed:

Also needed are two German spec clothes pins (courtesy of Ebay.de, they cost pennies. Go to ebay.de and search for "Stecknadeln"):

Tamiya Clear is used as a glue:

Simply on the grounds that it sticks like ###### and will stay clear until long after the last archeologist is dead.

Glue the two beads onto the two pins with Tamiya clear like this:

Glue the pins with beads into the reflectors with Tamiya Clear like this:

After the above has dried, glue the lenses back to the reflectors with Tamiya Clear:

Cut the pins flush with the reflectors and glue the whole shebang to the model with - you guessed it - Tamiya clear.

The effect is very convincing:

Edited May 22, 2015 by Junkman

[cchapman195]

Very nice. I like simple, especially when it looks so good.

[jeffs396]

Great tip Christian, very clever

[Danno]

Good show!

[Harry P.]

Another simple yet effective tutorial. Nice work!

[martinfan5]

Nice write up

[Greg Wann]

Very Cool! Now what are you going to do with the other 300 of those little yellow thingys??

[Danno]

Very Cool! Now what are you going to do with the other 300 of those little yellow thingys??

Build 150 more Peugeots and Citroens.

[Junkman]

Well, I used another two in my Welly Peugeot 504:

So that's 4 down, a myriad to go...

Edited May 22, 2015 by Junkman

[Joker]

Thanks..

[Junkman]

I wrote "German spec clothes pins" but I just realised in another thread that you have the same ones in the States.

The ones sold in the UK are different, so the tip to get them from Ebay.de is for our members from the UK.

[Ddms]

Good one! I've tried using Tamiya Yellow Clear, but yours looks better. Maybe I can find somebody in the neighborhood who's into beading or jewelry.

I really like those French models, too!

[charlie8575]

I've always wanted to run yellow headlights here just to watch the local cops go completely blank with confusion....which, sadly, for many of them, the difference will be unnoticeable.

This is very cool. Thanks, Christian.

Charlie Larkin