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New smoked headlights from American Muscle

  • Thread starter Thread starter 20BlackGT02
  • Start date Start date Sep 3, 2008
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20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 3, 2008
#1
  • Sep 3, 2008
  • #1
I just bought the smoked headlights from American Muscle and can't get the driver side light to fit flush against the fender. Has anyone come across this and fixed it? I've gone thru three sets and they are all the same. They do look bad @ss, but I don't like the gap inbetween the light and fender.
 

RedDaemon

10 Year Member
Mar 31, 2005
3,470
9
108
Atlanta, GA
Sep 3, 2008
#2
  • Sep 3, 2008
  • #2
20BlackGT02 said:
I just bought the smoked headlights from American Muscle and can't get the driver side light to fit flush against the fender. Has anyone come across this and fixed it? I've gone thru three sets and they are all the same. They do look bad @ss, but I don't like the gap inbetween the light and fender.
Click to expand...


it will happen. mine are the same way. just live with it or go OEM next time
 
L

Lifter583

New Member
May 29, 2008
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Sep 3, 2008
#3
  • Sep 3, 2008
  • #3
I had the same thing! The passenger side fit great, the drivers side was loose and popped out at the bottom when I closed the hood. The first set I got were scratched to hell, so I exchanged them. The second set was fine, but the fit problem was the same. I played with it for some time when I cracked the tab on the top. I smashed the POS on the floor and through them in the garbage. Now I see it is common, $60 lesson I guess
 

20BlackGT02

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Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 4, 2008
#4
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #4
Lifter583 said:
I had the same thing! The passenger side fit great, the drivers side was loose and popped out at the bottom when I closed the hood. The first set I got were scratched to hell, so I exchanged them. The second set was fine, but the fit problem was the same. I played with it for some time when I cracked the tab on the top. I smashed the POS on the floor and through them in the garbage. Now I see it is common, $60 lesson I guess
Click to expand...

$60 dollars? I'm paying $199 for the pair. I guess I'm either going to have to live with it, or get my money back. I can't see how these lights got past inspection. Does anyone else sell smoked headlights like American Muscle?
 
8

89lxsport50

10 Year Member
Feb 25, 2003
550
5
39
Franklin Tennessee
Sep 4, 2008
#5
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #5
PPI sells OEM Ford lights for less than what you payed for the aftermarket junk lights. It says right on the American Muscle website that you will have to seal their lights with silicone so they don't leak. At least they tell you they're junk before you buy them, but who wants to mess with that?

#1 in Original Equipment, Performance and Restoration Parts for Late Model Ford Mustangs!!!
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 4, 2008
#6
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #6
89lxsport50 said:
PPI sells OEM Ford lights for less than what you payed for the aftermarket junk lights. It says right on the American Muscle website that you will have to seal their lights with silicone so they don't leak. At least they tell you they're junk before you buy them, but who wants to mess with that?

#1 in Original Equipment, Performance and Restoration Parts for Late Model Ford Mustangs!!!
Click to expand...

I look there last night and the smoked headlight picture showed the OEM clear lights I just took off. Are you sure they are as smoked as the American Muscle lights? Could the picture be wrong?
 
8

89lxsport50

10 Year Member
Feb 25, 2003
550
5
39
Franklin Tennessee
Sep 4, 2008
#7
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #7
I don't know how dark the AM lights are. The PPI lights are stock replacements. They are called "smoked", but it is really the black plastic inside that makes them look darker than the early style OEM lights. I bought a pair, and have had no problems.
 
S

snowb07

New Member
Jul 22, 2003
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soon to be CT
Sep 4, 2008
#8
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #8
I had this issue with my aftermarket headlights but on the pass. side. just loosen up the fender bolts and adjust the fender and the light till they line up. not all cars have the same gaps between the fender and the hood.
 

20BlackGT02

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Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 4, 2008
#9
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #9
snowb07 said:
I had this issue with my aftermarket headlights but on the pass. side. just loosen up the fender bolts and adjust the fender and the light till they line up. not all cars have the same gaps between the fender and the hood.
Click to expand...

How did the gap between the hood and fender look? I would guess there would be a huge gap. Good idea though.
 

myponyrocks

I have more billet on the Stang than most women ha
Apr 18, 2004
1,219
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Sep 4, 2008
#10
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #10
theres like 3 bolts on a plate where the light pins go in on the fender. You can loosen and slide this plate left or right and it will bring the lights closer to flush.
 

scupking

Active Member
Sep 18, 2005
1,186
1
36
Enfield, CT
Sep 4, 2008
#11
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #11
I have the same issue with ones I put on last week. Driver side is perfect but passenger side won't fit flush. Can't tell much so I'm just going to live with it. I paid $139 for the pair.
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
63
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Sep 4, 2008
#12
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #12
myponyrocks said:
theres like 3 bolts on a plate where the light pins go in on the fender. You can loosen and slide this plate left or right and it will bring the lights closer to flush.
Click to expand...

I hope you're right. That would be awesome. I'll check after work. From what I remember, I only have a few millimeters to play with the slots where the bars go in. Hopefully it'll help. Let you know later. Thanks for the idea.
 
R

RV302GT

New Member
May 3, 2007
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Sep 4, 2008
#13
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #13
I got my smoked lights from "Blue Oval Industries" (ebay) for my 88gt. I dont know if they make them for your year but check em out. They are absolutely perfect in every way..look, fit and finish!!. I dont know how dark you want them but these were perfect for what i was looking for. Dark but not too dark as to attract attention from the cops. They look lighter in daylight and darker at night...i also put on xenons and the combo is beautiful. I'll try and post my before and after pics..but keep in mind..they look darker in the garage then they would on the street in bright sunlight. Goodluck!
 

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spederman

Member
Apr 13, 2005
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Sep 4, 2008
#14
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #14
exactly where is the gap? Can somebody post pics? I have aftermarket headlights and have a gap on both headlights too. Just wondering if its the same gap, i thought it was my bumper that was cut out of spec.
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 4, 2008
#15
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #15
Here is the gap. It looks worse in person.
 

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20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
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Sep 4, 2008
#16
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #16
I tried the fender pull, but now the gap in between the fender and hood is huge and it didn't make that much of a difference for the light. I also tried moving the housing that holds the light in place like ponyrocks said, but the housing appears to go all the way across the car to the other light so it really doesn't budge when you loosen up those screws. Oh well, maybe I'll have to live with it.
 
B

blubullett

Member
Jun 22, 2006
535
6
18
Modesto, CA
Sep 4, 2008
#17
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #17
Its not that hard to loosen the housing like myponyrocks said. Just pull out the other light. There are also a couple by the grill. When you loosen them it will let you slide it side to side and up and down. By the way you can take a body pannel from any mustang and it wont line up perfictly with the ones on yours, just ask anyone who has ever worked in a body shop. So dont be so quick to judge them. I have had mine for 2 yrs and have never had a problem with leaking or fogging. And after I adjusted the front end they fit perfictly.
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
63
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Sep 4, 2008
#18
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #18
I figured out a fix! After all this work, all I needed to do was take a few shots of whiskey and pop out the plastic circle deals that the metal rods on the light go into on the car under the fender. Now the light fits almost flush. I mean a millimeter away from the fender at most. I can't believe a plastic piece like that could make such a difference. Now the light just pops right out instead of jiggling it out of place. The two rods that hold the light in place under the hood are good enough to hold it or at least it seems so. Thanks for all your help.
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
63
0
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Sep 4, 2008
#19
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #19
blubullett said:
Its not that hard to loosen the housing like myponyrocks said. Just pull out the other light. There are also a couple by the grill. When you loosen them it will let you slide it side to side and up and down. By the way you can take a body pannel from any mustang and it wont line up perfictly with the ones on yours, just ask anyone who has ever worked in a body shop. So dont be so quick to judge them. I have had mine for 2 yrs and have never had a problem with leaking or fogging. And after I adjusted the front end they fit perfictly.
Click to expand...

I thought of that, but wasn't too sure I wanted to get that deep into it. I also thought then I might mess up the other side. I know what you mean about the body. I bought the car, brand new, with the fender on the same side, not lined up with the door. That might have been the problem too. But I'm happy now. It's a lot better.
 

20BlackGT02

Member
Mar 24, 2003
63
0
6
Sep 4, 2008
#20
  • Sep 4, 2008
  • #20
RV302GT said:
I got my smoked lights from "Blue Oval Industries" (ebay) for my 88gt. I dont know if they make them for your year but check em out. They are absolutely perfect in every way..look, fit and finish!!. I dont know how dark you want them but these were perfect for what i was looking for. Dark but not too dark as to attract attention from the cops. They look lighter in daylight and darker at night...i also put on xenons and the combo is beautiful. I'll try and post my before and after pics..but keep in mind..they look darker in the garage then they would on the street in bright sunlight. Goodluck!
Click to expand...

They look a lot better!
 
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