Return to the BUILD

“Next, you will assemble and attach the Left Headlight to your NISSAN GT-R (R35) model.”

The first part of this pack is basically be a repeat of the previous pack. However, after that, we will be installing some of the wiring and switches we have been storing since Pack 61. This is going to be a long one!

Contents

Parts

Build

The Left Headlight

Step 01

Just as with the headlight in the previous issue, insert both the Headlight Lens and Sidelight Lens into the matching circular recesses of the Left Headlight Base, as shown. Make sure it is fully seated by gently tapping it down with a straw or pen.

These lenses have a flat side and a convex side. The flat sides should be facing the Left Headlight Base. I pushed them into place with a cotton swab:

Step 02

Fit this Left Headlight Base to the Left Headlight Holder as shown, and secure together with two (2) BP screws:

Step 03

Retrieve your Body assembly. Fit the two posts underneath the front edge of the Left Headlight Holder to the matching holes at the right front corner of the Front Body, as shown.

This headlight assembly should sit flush with the body when installed correctly:

Step 04

While holding this headlight in place, secure it to the Front Body from below with two (2) GP screws, as shown:

Step 05

Fit the Left Headlight Cover on top of the headlight assembly, aligning the two posts underneath to the matching holes in the Front Body, as shown:

There are also two tabs along the clear edge of this Left Headlight Cover that need to slide down into slots between the headlight and the body:

Step 06

Secure the Right Headlight Cover into place from below with two (2) GP screws:

The Under Hood Wiring

The Interior Light Switches

Step 07

Retrieve your Interior Light Switch assembly (from Pack 61).

Take note that one set of wires is shorter than the other:

Retrieve your Body assembly, carefully turn it upside down, and locate this square recess on the left side of the Rear Body:

Fit the switch on the shorter wire into this recess, as shown:

Retrieve the Interior Light Switch Clip (part 65B from Pack 65). Fit this Interior Light Switch Clip over the switch, as shown.

The two Interior Light Switch Clips are not the same, they are mirror images of each other. Check that you use the correct one here so that this tab (marked with the arrow below) will hold the switch in place:

Then, secure the Interior Light Switch Clip to the Rear Body with one (1) GM screw, as shown.

This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Step 08

In a similar way, fit the other switch of the Interior Light Switch assembly (on the longer wire) into this square notch on the right side of the Rear Body, as shown:

Retrieve the other Interior Light Switch Clip (part 65C from Pack 65). Fit this Interior Light Switch Clip over the switch so this tab is holding it in place:

Then, secure the Interior Light Switch Clip to the Rear Body with one (1) GM screw, as shown:

At this point, I checked the operation of these two switches. The white post of the switch should easily move in and out of the switch body (pictured below). I am happy I did this as the second switch post was rubbing against the metal body and would stick. I loosened the screw holding the Interior Light Switch Clip a little and the switch started operating normally:

Step 09

Run the wiring of the Interior Light Switch assembly along the back edge of the engine bay opening, as shown:

Retrieve your Headlights wiring assembly from Pack 61 (with the red/black wires).

Take note that one set of LEDs is on longer wires. The LEDs on the longer end of the wiring are for the right headlight and the LEDs on the shorter end are for the left headlight:

NOTE: In order to keep my wiring as neat as possible, I skipped ahead at this point and completed Steps 10 and 11 now. You may want to do the same. This way I knew the headlight LEDs would be able to seat correctly and I could remove excess slack in the wiring while I was clamping it all down.

Retrieve the Wire Clips D from Pack 65 as well as Wire Clips 3, 4, 5, and 6 from Pack 66. Cut them from the sprues, if necessary.

These Wire Clips are all marked with letters/numbers so we know which ones are which. We will need five (5) of Wire Clip D and two (2) each of Wire Clips 3, 4, 5 and 6. I used sprue cutters here, but you could also use a hobby knife or other sharp tool:

Right Side Wiring

These wires can be run in more than one way. As long as they are tidy and the connection plugs end up on the left side of the car we should be OK. I did not follow the instructions exactly, as I wanted both plugs to be even and at the same point on the right side.

Starting behind the right headlight, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 3 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘3’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown.

All of these Wire Clips have tiny pins on them to help align them to a matching notch on the Front Body, but you still may need tweezers here to keep everything in place while you add the screws:

Next, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 4 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘4’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw.

You can see how I looped the excess wiring from one of the LEDs so the white plug would sit neatly down into the groove of the Front Body here:

Then, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 5 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘5’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Finally, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 6 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘6’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Center Wiring

First, fit the Interior Lights Switch wiring from the right-side switch under a Wire Clip D and secure the clip to this hole marked ‘D’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown.

I am not sure the wires and pins of the switch sticking straight out will clear the interior, and we may have to bend them flat later on, so I left a little extra slack in these wires:

Next, I ran BOTH the Headlights and Interior Lights Switch wiring under another Wire Clip D and secure the clip to this hole marked ‘D’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Then, fit both the Headlights and Interior Lights Switch wiring under another Wire Clip D and secure the clip to this hole marked ‘D’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Continue to fit both the Headlights and Interior Lights Switch wiring under a Wire Clip D and secure the clip to this hole marked ‘D’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Finally, fit the Interior Lights Switch wiring from the left-side switch under a Wire Clip D and secure the clip to this hole marked ‘D’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown.

Again, I left some extra wire slack here:

Left Side Wiring

Starting behind the left headlight, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 3 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘3’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Next, fit the Headlights wiring under a Wire Clip 4 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘4’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw.

Same as before, I looped the excess wiring from one of the LEDs so the white plug would sit neatly down into the groove of the Front Body here:

Then, I skipped the hole marked ‘5’ and fit both the Headlights and Interior Lights Switch wiring from the left-side under a Wire Clip 6 and secure the clip to the hole marked ‘6’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown:

Finally, I slid only three of the wire sets under a Wire Clip 5 and secured the clip to the hole marked ‘5’ on the Front Body using one (1) DM screw, as shown.

Look at the pictures below as I left two of the wire sets out of this clip…

This was to keep the plugs located between clips ‘4’ and ‘5’ on the ‘left’ side of the car and at the same wire lengths:

Step 10

Push the LEDs on the longer end of the Headlights wiring into the matching holes at the back of the Right Headlight Base, as shown.

The inner LED did not want to go into the hole! Be careful here as it can take some force to get these LEDs inserted all the way:

Step 11

Push the LEDs on the shorter end of the Headlights wiring into the matching holes at the back of the Left Headlight Base, as shown:

The under hood wiring should now be complete:

Since the headlights and wiring are now installed, I hooked up 4.5VDC (three AAA batteries through a 220 Ohm resistor) and took a quick picture of the head and sidelights lit. Nice!

And just for another fun photo, I dug out our front fascia we built all the way back in Pack 05. It will fit underneath like this. Pretty darn sharp!

Thoughts

I think I am worn out on installing wire clips! They are small and frustrating, but everything is neat and working so I am happy. After this long and consuming pack, we can now move on to more details of the body.

Next Up

Pack 70 – Body: Windshield