Frenching?

[mnwildpunk]

I was wondering how a person would french a set of headlights? I looked in the search function and only found a way to french antenna

[Fat Brian]

What kit are you working on? The method kind of depends on what you're working with.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Have you done a google image search for "frenched headlights" to get an idea of all the possible looks you can get from frenching?

Okay, in that case I'll give you an illustration. The object, for the most part, is just like on a real car. You want to strip the chrome from the stock headlight rings and mold them into the fenders. The headlights themselves will appear tunneled into the fenders, and are mounted from behind.

One of the easiest is the AMT '49 Ford. Using a razor saw, CAREFULLY cut the reflector portion off of the back of the chrome headlight rings. You will reuse them, and you will use the rings, so be CAREFUL. CAREFULLY sand the cut edges of the rings and reflectors flat with 400 grit paper, and paint the cut area of the reflectors silver, Alclad or buffing matalizer. I try to preserve the factory chrome inside the reflectors if at all possible.

Strip the chrome from the rings. I use Easy Off, and then scrub with Comet. Square up the front of the fenders where the headlight holes are and cement the rings to the openings, making sure they're in line with each other and parallel. When fully dry, mold them in with your putty of choice. Make the holes ROUND and SYMMETRICAL.

Decide how deep you want the headlight reflectors to be in the fenders, carefully offer up the reflectors from the back of the holes in the fenders, and see if they are just a light press fit. If not, you can build up the outside diameter with putty or gel superglue until they are. DO NOT GLUE THEM IN. Make sure when you have the buckets (reflectors) fitted that they're both the same depth in the fender openings and parallel to each other and the fender ends.

Now take the buckets back out. Finish your molding in of the rings, primer and paint as you want. Make sure the insides of the fender openings are sanded slick and ROUND and painted too, as they will show when completed, obviously.

Mount the clear headlight lenses to the reflectors with white glue that will turn invisible as it dries. Allow it to dry fully. Now re-install the completed buckets /lenses from the rear as you did during test fitting. You may have to lightly sand a little material off of the outer diameter to get them to fit correctly again, as the paint will take up some space inside the holes. Make sure the scribed lines on the lenses are going in the right direction, and that both sides match. A little white glue applied from the back with a toothpick will hold the reflectors in place.

This is the most basic approach, but variations of this theme will, if done correctly, produce the frenched look on any car.

Edited July 22, 2012 by Ace-Garageguy