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Glass / Crystal Headlights...

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by ramonortiz55, Dec 26, 2012.

  1. Dec 26, 2012 at 4:39 PM
    #1
    ramonortiz55

    ramonortiz55 [OP] Not A Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know if there is such thing as aftermarket glass / crystal headlights?

    Today's vehicles all have that plastic garbage that hazes out after awhile.

    Yes, I know the plastic headlights can get buffed out to remove the haze, I just miss the glass / crystal headlights where all you had to do is get some soap and water and they were as good as new.
     
  2. Dec 26, 2012 at 10:08 PM
    #2
    ramonortiz55

    ramonortiz55 [OP] Not A Well-Known Member

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  3. Dec 26, 2012 at 10:10 PM
    #3
    BuzzardsGottaEat

    BuzzardsGottaEat Well-Known Member

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    I bought glass and metal (rather than plastic and more plastic) housings for my 93.

    I don't know if they make anything for your brand new whip though. Headlights are a little more intricate now that the basic 5x7s
     
  4. Dec 26, 2012 at 10:56 PM
    #4
    ramonortiz55

    ramonortiz55 [OP] Not A Well-Known Member

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    yeah i know what you mean..

    i bet if a company out there made them out of glass and sold them as aftermarket headlights they would make a killing..cause no one likes those plastic ones..

    if there is a company out there..i would like to know who it is!
     
  5. Dec 26, 2012 at 11:01 PM
    #5
    BuzzardsGottaEat

    BuzzardsGottaEat Well-Known Member

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    "Find a need and fill it."

    Make em and make some dollars if you think it's a good idea. May not be cost effective since every vehicle has it's own custom headlights nowadays.
     
  6. Dec 27, 2012 at 6:21 AM
    #6
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

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    Sand on the winter roads up here kills the glass head lights pit them some wicked.
     
  7. Aug 26, 2015 at 6:58 PM
    #7
    beavis87

    beavis87 Well-Known Member

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    bump for this. any glass lenses or glass replacement housings?
     
  8. Aug 26, 2015 at 7:53 PM
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    Jimmyh

    Jimmyh Well-Known Member

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    I don't think anyone does this as the shapes on every car is different and that would make the manufacturing process way too expensive for glass. When all cars and trucks used the same shape it was easy and cheap.
     
  9. Aug 27, 2015 at 4:33 AM
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    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

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    Unlikely, if nothing else they are too heavy for modern vehicles.
     
    Conumdrum likes this.
  10. Aug 27, 2015 at 4:41 AM
    #10
    Conumdrum

    Conumdrum Well-Known Member

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    Amen. That's the perfect answer.
     
  11. Aug 27, 2015 at 6:04 AM
    #11
    NPulver

    NPulver Active Member

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    Plus Plastic is typically less dangerous in accidents. Part of another reason they changed to plastic.
     
  12. Aug 27, 2015 at 7:33 AM
    #12
    127.0.0.1

    127.0.0.1 AKA ::1

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    1999 4runner had glass stock, and I found glass aftermarkets, but the optics were extra shitty (as all aftermarket light assemblies are)
    BUT, it's glass.


    If you really really want glass, a glassblower can make you glass copies of the plastic lens but

    a) it won't be photo-metrically correct
    b) it will weigh more than the assembly was designed to use
    c) it will cost you a ton of money because molds will need to be built for left and right
    d) actual cost of the glass blowing part won't be bad

    doable, but not practical

    if you did this spec a 1000 unit run and sell them
     
  13. Aug 28, 2015 at 9:10 AM
    #13
    beavis87

    beavis87 Well-Known Member

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    I just find that the plastic lens will fade no matter what u do and requires extra care to keep it halfway decent. At least glass won't yellow or haze up like plastic does.
     
  14. Aug 28, 2015 at 9:21 AM
    #14
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

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    Sealed beam headlights were worse than buffing plastic every 6 years.

    Plastic is cheap to manufacture, you'll never find a company making glass replacements. For a set of one off covers in glass I'm sure you could buy 2 decades worth of aftermarket replacement housings and have less issues over that time.

    Glass housings and rocks on the freeway don't get along too well, so even a one off set wouldn't be, they could need a costly replacement as well.
     
  15. Aug 28, 2015 at 9:52 AM
    #15
    127.0.0.1

    127.0.0.1 AKA ::1

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    I don't understand this sentiment...my 4runner lights were replaced because they broke from a tree limb smashing the front off

    they were 13 years old at the time, and were perfect and clean and I never noticed any visible chips
    far, far less pitted than the 13 year old windshield.

    glass lights are far superior to plastic, but they are heavy and costly to produce for the various shapes
    designers keep changing...plastic is cheap cheap cheap and lightweight to help with overall mpgs [total vehicle weight matters]
     
  16. Aug 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM
    #16
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

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    I didn't say they weren't superior in durability. That's pretty obvious.

    Sealed beam headlights had glass lenses and metal housings. I doubt the OEM plastic housing would do well with 5+ lbs of heavy glass attached to it.

    So, if you can find someone to make a completely new housing out of metal and then still find someone to make a glass lens, then great. Thousands of dollars can be better spent on replacement housings if hazing really is too annoying to deal with over a lifetime of the vehicle.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2015
  17. Aug 28, 2015 at 10:13 AM
    #17
    stump jumper

    stump jumper Well-Known Member

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    +1, I have found that if you take care of the plastic ones they last a lot longer. Use a good plastic polish a couple of times a year. I remember the glass ones turning yellow too.
     
  18. Aug 28, 2015 at 10:21 AM
    #18
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

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  19. Aug 28, 2015 at 11:00 AM
    #19
    127.0.0.1

    127.0.0.1 AKA ::1

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    dudemanguy...look at 99 4runner assemblies really close. custom toyota design, fat glass lens, stuck to plastic housing. yes heavy but it is glass on plastic, there
    is no metal other than some springs and hardware to bolt to the truck

    anyway, the only thing metal in them of any significance is the interior reflective mirroring all assemblies have. there is more glass surface
    area on those than plastic surface area on my '13 lenses...so your 'heavy glass on plastic ain't gonna work' doesn't fly
     

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