Pop Up Lights: A Brief Refraction 

"mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/" (mxxxxxm24) 02/26/2019 at 13:00 • Filed to: Miata, Arisu, pop-up headlights

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People often talk down about them being over complicated, outdated, and heavy, but when used correctly they never will see any UV damage. Never. They are protected from really any kind of damage (when down). Fun fact: a deer literally jumped out of the woods at my car soon after I bought her. You can see the indentation on my passenger side headlight: o ne of the only remaining scars on Arisu from the incident. No damage to the headlight itself. I was admittedly extremely fortunate to have only grazed the deer. It could have been much worse, but that is another story.

Pop up lights are sleek and effectively increase aerodynamics (again only when down; I know). In obvious truth all the practicality of them goes out the window when they are popped up, but it remains a fact they are just plain awesome regardless.

Now, most people think of 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's cars when they think of pop up lights, but it might surprise some people to know they have actually been around since the 1930’s!

My ‘96 Miata

1936 was the year. Cord 810 was in production. It was one of those cars that was ahead of its time. No one really understood it enough at the time to appreciate what it was. It garnered the reputation of being unreliable and production only lasted for 2 years (second year it was the 812). Even still, it made a lasting impression in automotive production and design. Amongst other innovations such as the front wheel drive, independent front suspension, a hidden gas cap, and the horn ring (clearly the true highlight here); the 810 was the first car with pop up headlights. It was beautiful.

Kinda looks sad though. Must have been lonely being the first of its kind, especially with no one really accepting it for many years.

Here’s to the Cord 810! An important piece of automotive history. Show us your pop up lights oppo!

Sources:

unforgettable-cars-with-pop-up-headlights

1936-cord-810-812-the-beautiful-baby-duesenberg-that-never-caught-on

54778-auburn-and-cords-but-no-duesey

Nick- Professional Car Destroyer > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:07

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The only ones that don’t have a huge impact on the aero of a car would be like the ones on an Opel GT, but do you consider those to be flip ups, or just hidden.

Deltyn drives a meh car > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:09

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Glass headlights and sealed beams don't really get uv damage

jimz > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:16

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plus they gave us the “Fiero Wink.”

jimz > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:18

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I remember when I was a kid being mesmerized at how the C4 ‘Vette’s headlamps rotated open. up until I saw one I assumed they just popped up like the Firebird and Fiero.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Nick- Professional Car Destroyer 02/26/2019 at 13:23

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I  consider them flip up lights.  A very good aerodynamic implementation of them at that!

Nick- Professional Car Destroyer > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:25

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And would probably pass a pedestrian safety test, which is what my understanding of why they were phased out was.

Just down to making sure they land at the proper height and other specs required by law.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Deltyn drives a meh car 02/26/2019 at 13:26

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I know glass doesn’t, but sealed beams don’t either?  Isn’t it the same kind of polycarbonate plastic that shows significant uv damage?

Berang > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:26

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T hey are ugly... even when down.

Sorry.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > jimz 02/26/2019 at 13:27

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Haha they do indeed!

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:29

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Permission for Hot Take sir?

Pop up headlights suck

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > jimz 02/26/2019 at 13:29

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Another great implementation!

way2blu does a rev update > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:30

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It’s always poppin’

They’re actually super easy to replace too, basically a 10-minute job with just a screwdriver:

way2blu does a rev update > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:33

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Your take is entirely aligned with the guy who designed the Z32 as well:

https://jalopnik.com/the-nissan-z32-300zx-happened-because-its-designer-brok-1796709610

Sourced cutting-edge projector headlights just to avoid having popups.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Nick- Professional Car Destroyer 02/26/2019 at 13:34

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Yeah that along with overcomplication. But to your point, wasn’t the reason why some like the  Japanese companies started using them due to headlight height requirements in other markets?

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Berang 02/26/2019 at 13:36

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Get out. Just kidding, but you’re telling me you find all pop up lights to be  ugly?

Nick- Professional Car Destroyer > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:36

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I didn’t really dig too deep, but I read something about in the 70s headlight height requirements made it an easy way out of making the cars look odd.

BeaterGT > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:36

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Love my p op up lights! People throw fixed lights on the C5 all the time but I would never be able to, it just ruins the look . Also, I don’t need that extra aero at night and pedestrians shouldn’t be in front of my speeding car in the first place! /rant

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:38

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You are entitled to your opinion, even if it is a bad one :P

Why you feel  they suck?

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > way2blu does a rev update 02/26/2019 at 13:39

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I knew i had a good rea son to get it

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:40

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when up they ruin the whole design of the car

way2blu does a rev update > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:44

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How’s yours doing these days? Still reasonably reliable?

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > way2blu does a rev update 02/26/2019 at 13:44

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Yeah and you just reminded me of the ease of taking them out all together for replacement or adding lightness for a day time race car!

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > way2blu does a rev update 02/26/2019 at 13:45

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omg someone took your engine!!!!

way2blu does a rev update > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:45

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I guess I’d better LS swap it now...

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Nick- Professional Car Destroyer 02/26/2019 at 13:46

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Yeah that’s my understanding and the main thing was they could keep the cars low and not destroy the handling characteristics.

way2blu does a rev update > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:49

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Also, the popups are a good anti-theft option if you buy the fancy halogen or LED sealed beams:

When the lights are retracted, nobody will ever know they’re there.

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > way2blu does a rev update 02/26/2019 at 13:50

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lol It never was!

but mostly because previous owner. I m working towards reversing t he damage done

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > BeaterGT 02/26/2019 at 13:50

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No kidding. I feel that way about most pop up headlight conversions. They can look ok, but come on. Headlights no longer go up and down and then up and down

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:52

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Just drive only during the day from now on and remove all headlights to save maximum weight.  Now you can enjoy them!

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 02/26/2019 at 13:54

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*me in my Miata at night*   lol

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > way2blu does a rev update 02/26/2019 at 13:55

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Very true! You’d never know  I have cibie h4 conversions , but they look pretty oem anyways lol

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 02/26/2019 at 13:56

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See look at that.  Problem solved.  

Nauraushaun > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ 03/01/2019 at 01:12

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My MR2 got ‘em and it's sick

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > Nauraushaun 03/01/2019 at 22:01

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F*ck yea!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No 03/16/2019 at 19:49

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You laugh but I have actually done this in my Miata. Granted I have perfectly functional lights in my NB2 but it is still a Miata that I drove with a headlamp nonetheless. I was driving in a campground late at night and wanted to be courteous as I drove past sleeping campers to my campsite. So I just switched to parking lights and put on my headlamp to have minimal and focused light to see at low speed. Plus my exhaust is loud in a quiet campground so going slow was needed anyways.