Headlight blanks for rally, racing and drifting — why we chose ABS over fiberglass

When building a race car, every gram and every component matters. Headlight blanks are one of the most important upgrades you can make — and here we explain why Race3D focuses on ABS manufacturing instead of fiberglass.

Why replace the original headlights?

Original headlights on a rally, racing, or drifting car are not designed for the track. They are heavy, fragile, and expensive to replace when they break. A headlight blank does three things at once:

• Saves weight — A complete headlight blank weighs a fraction of the original lenses. That makes a difference, especially up front where every kilo affects the balance.
• Collision protection — No shattering glass. No shorting wires. In a front-end impact, it's quick and easy to reassemble or replace.
• Makes room for other upgrades — Many use the headlight blank combined with air intakes, auxiliary lights, or cooling ducts directly in the front end.

Fiberglass — why it didn't cut it

Fiberglass has long been the standard material in motorsport for lightweight body panels. But when it came to headlight blanks, we discovered early on that fiberglass had major shortcomings:

• Inconsistent quality — Each part was laid up and cured manually. The results varied from time to time. Fitment was rarely perfect, and the surface often required hours of post-processing.
• Cracks and chips — Fiberglass is stiff but brittle. Under vibrations and track impacts, the parts cracked. Small stone chips from the track surface turned into spreading cracks.
• Fitment issues — Without precise tools, maintaining tolerances was difficult. The parts rarely sat flush against the body, meaning ugly gaps and extra mounting work.
• Time-consuming production — From mold to finished part, fiberglass took days. Lamination, curing, trimming, sanding — and the result was still mediocre.

That's why we chose a different path!

ABS — the solution that changed everything

By manufacturing our headlight blanks in ABS plastic, we solved all of fiberglass's problems in one go:

• Identical quality every time — Every part is produced from the same digital model. Part number 1 and part number 100 look exactly the same.
• Impact-resistant material — ABS absorbs impacts instead of cracking. Perfect for track use where contact and vibrations are everyday occurrences.
• Precise fitment — Our models are designed directly from the original geometry. The result? Millimeter precision ensuring the parts fit snugly with original mounting points and clips.
• Fast turnaround — From order to finished part, it is significantly faster than fiberglass. Need a new one before this weekend's race? No problem.

Which cars do we make headlight blanks for?

We have developed headlight blanks for the most popular race cars in the Nordic region:

Volvo

• Volvo 240 — Our classic. Replaces the original glass lens and mounts using original clips. Prepared for external headlights with an angled position for minimal adjustment.
• Volvo 740 — Perfect for anyone rallying or drifting a 740.
• Volvo 940 EVO2 — Developed specifically for the 940 chassis. Available in several variants depending on needs.

BMW

• BMW E36 — Complete headlight blank, available as a pair or individually. Also available with an integrated air intake for those wanting to maximize cooling.
• BMW E46 — Popular choice for drifting. Fits perfectly with original mountings.

Opel

• Opel Ascona B — A cult classic in rallying. Our headlight blank gives it the right look while saving weight.
• Opel Manta — Headlights and headlight blank for one of motorsport's iconic cars.

Volkswagen

• Golf 4 — Available in two variants (V1 and V2) depending on the look you want.

Combine with air intakes and headlights

Many of our customers combine the headlight blank with our rally headlights and air intakes. Our range includes:

• 90MM Headlights — Compact, bright, and lightweight. Mounted directly into the headlight blank.
• BMW E36 Headlights+Air — A complete solution featuring both light and air intake in a single unit.
• LED Halo Rings — Gives your car a modern look with high visibility.

Made in Sweden — for Swedish conditions

All our headlight blanks are designed and manufactured in Karlskrona. We know how the Nordic climate and Swedish tracks wear on materials, and we test our products accordingly. Have a specific car not found in our lineup? Contact us — we are happy to develop new models based on demand.

Check out our full range of headlight blanks and lighting in the webshop, or get in touch if you want to discuss which solution best fits your race car.