The Retro has begun. Headlamp overhaul.

[VXCL]

its raining again!!! so pics will have to wait.

[wai_pang2]

oh, comeon. stop making us wait. lol. i'm sure everyone is as excited as i am to see pixs and have your tutorial on how to do this retrofit install. well i found a kit for 425 or so. i rather use a new unit. is you unit new or is it off another car, slightly used or what? well this is the kit i found, tell me what you think.

 

http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=71

[VXCL]

oh, comeon. stop making us wait. lol. i'm sure everyone is as excited as i am to see pixs and have your tutorial on how to do this retrofit install. well i found a kit for 425 or so. i rather use a new unit. is you unit new or is it off another car, slightly used or what? well this is the kit i found, tell me what you think.

 

http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=71

 

my parts are from another vehicle. you dont need new. i've been retroing and selling parts for 4 yrs now and never once had a problem with anything i've sold or installed. oem is VERY reliable stuff. i'll snap some pics on my own but im still aranging to meet up with some. also you might want to check out my piaa ion post. i had my xenons on in those pics.

 

anyways i just sold another member a setup just like mine and will prob have a walk through done this weekend for it. if you want the same parts i believe there is still some avail for about $125 less shipped then those other units u posted

[IwannaSportSedan]

Just out of curiosity, do you know of any projectors that fit the housings a tad bit better?

 

It just seemed as though your BMW projectors work very well, the ellipsoid lens is set back from it's chrome ring, and is larger than the stock projector.

 

I am wondering if there is another D2S projector that would fit better, with the same lighting performance... s2k maybe? I don't know...

 

Here's also hoping that the 06 STi still has HID in it's new projector headlights, and the projectors swap right over to the Legacy housings... Wouldn't mind borrowing the city lights from the new impreza lights either.

[VXCL]

Just out of curiosity, do you know of any projectors that fit the housings a tad bit better?

 

It just seemed as though your BMW projectors work very well, the ellipsoid lens is set back from it's chrome ring, and is larger than the stock projector.

 

I am wondering if there is another D2S projector that would fit better, with the same lighting performance... s2k maybe? I don't know...

 

Here's also hoping that the 06 STi still has HID in it's new projector headlights, and the projectors swap right over to the Legacy housings... Wouldn't mind borrowing the city lights from the new impreza lights either.

 

actually the there are several that are smaller, but the ones i used are prob the easiest to retro in. its like they wanted to go in there. anyways the most similar in shape and everything is an older audi a4/a6 plastic d2s projector. s2k are great projectors and would be slighltly smaller. i've heard the lexus sc430 uses the same type of projector as s2k or its a knock off. anyways the older bmw e46 or audi tt is prob the smallest you could easily get a hold of however i had them once and they just dont cut it compared to almost everything else out there. there is a hella unit just like mine that is slighlty smaller but i can't remember what car it comes from. i will be throwing somethign together with all the measuremnts of our oem projector to help picking a d2s or d1s projector to fit correctly. ill be trying to do that on sunday. i've been so busy.

[IwannaSportSedan]

I am not in a rush... Thanks for all the info you've already provided. I look forward to more, when you get the chance.

[VXCL]

the move out of college blew my whole weekend.

[al-gorithm]

actually the there are several that are smaller, but the ones i used are prob the easiest to retro in. its like they wanted to go in there. anyways the most similar in shape and everything is an older audi a4/a6 plastic d2s projector. s2k are great projectors and would be slighltly smaller. i've heard the lexus sc430 uses the same type of projector as s2k or its a knock off. anyways the older bmw e46 or audi tt is prob the smallest you could easily get a hold of however i had them once and they just dont cut it compared to almost everything else out there. there is a hella unit just like mine that is slighlty smaller but i can't remember what car it comes from. i will be throwing somethign together with all the measuremnts of our oem projector to help picking a d2s or d1s projector to fit correctly. ill be trying to do that on sunday. i've been so busy.

 

Can you put together a package for me? Shipping to Canada an issues? I don't think I will get dinged for duties or taxes as they are a used auto part. PM me and let me know if you have time. I don't mind waiting either, as long as it is before winter... too cold to do work outside.

[VXCL]

Can you put together a package for me? Shipping to Canada an issues? I don't think I will get dinged for duties or taxes as they are a used auto part. PM me and let me know if you have time. I don't mind waiting either, as long as it is before winter... too cold to do work outside.

 

yeah i will get on this asap. i had to move last weekend so it was a set back. i've got so many things going on right now i get no time for myself. they still get ya if they open the packages and see made in germany on the ballasts or bulbs. i found that ups sometimes sneaks through while usps is almost always checked. anyways ill check if there is more still avail however shipping will be more. email me mrk183@psu.edu or pm me. CombatCQB just received his parts so i have to check in with him. i think there was 2 other people interested but i haven't heard from them again so its first come firts serve.

 

peace

[VXCL]

***UPDATE***

 

After over a month everything is perfect. My system is setup to operate just like OEM so that means anytime the e-brake is off my xenons are on. I have also taken several 4 hour trips lights on the whole time. absolutley no moisture in headlamps at anytime, no issue of heat, and plastic oem shroud is completely unaffected my lense touching it on bottom.

 

There has been several people who have contacted me about parts and a few who are now happy owners of the same setup. I have been helping them with their retro and have completed the majority of my guide. Once I'm done helping them I will post the completed guide as well as complete and precise measurements of the oem projector for those wanting to convert and use diff setups. Either way it should help walk anyone through the process and answer any of their questions. however as soon as i meet up with mmmdef to take pics of OEM vs my setup at night i will post them ASAP. no wait for the guide.

 

peace

[VXCL]

wtf here's a tease

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/vxcl/legacy/xenon_guide/housing_mod_2.jpg

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/vxcl/legacy/xenon_guide/lower_mount.jpg

[Precise]

So if we decide to do this, should we use the same oem projectors you did, because i thought you said they were a pain because they were soooo huge? Should we use a smaller one? Last question, the new projector is actually touching the plastic housing of the headlamp? I know you said you havent had problems since you finished the project, but its a little uncomforting.

[VXCL]

So if we decide to do this, should we use the same oem projectors you did, because i thought you said they were a pain because they were soooo huge? Should we use a smaller one? Last question, the new projector is actually touching the plastic housing of the headlamp? I know you said you havent had problems since you finished the project, but its a little uncomforting.

 

I said i didn't recommend using such a large projector becuase there is little room for error to make it work. you must do it perfect which for a newb would be very frustrating. if you use the same parts i did all you have to do is copy what i did which makes it cake and perfect fit.

 

when my guide is completed i will have all measurements of the oem projector so if you decide to use diff parts which will def happen becuase you cant always find them, you can make sure certian things will fit and line up, making for a lot less headaches when trying to figure it all out.

 

the projector doesnt touch the plastic housing the very bottom of the glass lens does. that plastic is made to withstand VERY hot temps. it is used in the high beam relfector where it takes all the heat of the 9005 bulb. the lens of a projector is one of the coolest parts and is much cooler then what it is exposed to in the high beam reflector. i see absolutley no reason why there would ever be a problem. also on my very first retro (4 yrs ago) i had to use duct tape! duct tape! to close up the back a headlamp housing and it attached to the metal bowl of the projector. it would easily burn you if you touched it yet the duct tape held up for 2 yrs when i sold the car and is prob still going! there is nothing to worry about.

 

again you dont have to use the parts i did. you can just look for something closer to the size of the oem units which would be certain valeo (audi) units. however the projectors i used ended up working perfectly and by far the best retro i've done to date. its just one of those things. you really want to mimic the oem setup exactly, but its not necessary. im sure subaru would be amazed that i cramed such a large projector in there with a 99.9% perfect fit. good thing they leave so much potential in their car components. especially the engine i love my subie

 

peace

[praedet]

So are you going to be doing any trips close to Ohio so I can meet up with you to help install my parts?

I just sent you the money...

 

Ted

[VXCL]

So are you going to be doing any trips close to Ohio so I can meet up with you to help install my parts?

I just sent you the money...

 

Ted

 

if i was i would def help. we could bang it out in like 4 hrs prob. minus the wiring. thats the boring part. anyways ill check on everything tonite and hopefully you'll have the parts this weekend. if there are none left ill refund you asap. there were 2 sets left a week ago. im sure you'll be able to do it. what i sent you so far takes care of all the guess work to mount them. i'll be avail to help answer any ?s and give you tips on taking the lamps off the car and removing the lenses so there is no damage. this will all be in my complete guide which i hope to complete soon. im just so busy working all week i dont get much free time anymore.

[IwannaSportSedan]

VXCL,

 

I was just curious for your take on Hella's dual-beam D2S projector, that has the servo-activated cutoff sheild... Basically, high beams just drop the cutoff sheild and use more of the reflector and lens.

 

http://www.hidsuperstore.com/product.php?product_id=71

 

I was thinking that would be an interesting alternative to driving lights. Dual-pattern HIDS, and HIR high beam bulbs, so that switching to high beams would , turn on the HIR bulb in the high-beam reflector, and leave the HID bulb on, and drop the cutoff sheild, extending the low beam to high-beam range, as well...

 

I have always liked older Porsches (like 80s 944s, 928s, 968s) with both fog and driving lights, in addition to the headlights. The thing is, that unless the car's aesthetics were designed for that many forward facing lights, that driving lights, in addition to fog lights look like overkill.

 

Turning low-beam projectors into dual beams might also acheive some of that, in addition to the normal high-beams with good bulbs, without the appearance costs of lots of tacked-on light assemblies.

[TSiWRX]

^^^^

 

Very interesting take!

 

Since everything is co-axial, this might indeed just be ideal....

[VXCL]

I had hella bi-xenons in my last car out of a 04 3 series bmw.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/vxcl/headlampclose.jpg

that above link is for a diff one. mine actually had the solenoid under the projector. and the shield actually dropped down foward instead of just slide the top of the shield down. anyways it was cool as hell. it activated so quick you could almost strobe it. people sure moved out of my way anyways for actual lighting purposes it really wasnt that much better then my sep 9005 high beam for the minimal amount i used it. it was best for flashing people. after a year my solenoids seized up for whatever reason. both got stuck in the down position at the exact same time!!! wow were people pissed at me when i drove from pa to nj that night. anyways they are cool, but the extra work of wiring them correctly and the fact that i wasnt all that impressed with the output to begin with made me opt to just doa regular conversion this time. i'm a fan of valeo units and is what i was originally looking for until i stumbled across the hella units i installed in my legacy. i remember them from a jag lamp i came across a year ago and i was impressed with them so i knew they were good units, plus i knew they would be retro friendly with all the mount holes on them. i also liked the fact that they were hella gen 4 not 3 setups. which means i could easily hide wiring in the oem lamp and not modify the housing. and the ballast is much smaller since the ignitor is sep and would be real easy to attach to the bottom of the lamp. bi-xenons are normally the biggest projectors out there so install may be difficult.

[VXCL]

Update

 

still no comparision with mmm defs sock setup yet. my job is killing me. anyways 3 months later the setup remains flawless. Not really surprising though. i mean after 9 retros i should know what i'm doing by now

 

i did manage to make about 50% of a very detailed how to. there are 2 other members still with parts i sold them that have yet to do the swap, so i'm still waiting to see how they do.

 

peace

[laz]

This thread is great! Makes me want to do a retro so bad! I am usually in New Jersey a lot, so if you ever want to take pics of OEM vs. your setup then let me know, maybe we can meet up if the other person can't.

 

X

[skubdu]

VXCL - would this work for the retro or are they too small, possibly foglights?

 

Hella HID

[praedet]

I am definitely looking forward to putting in the set that I got from Mike!

I am just really scared of the install. I have done lots of wrenching in the past, but not much wiring...

 

Ted

[VXCL]

I am definitely looking forward to putting in the set that I got from Mike!

I am just really scared of the install. I have done lots of wrenching in the past, but not much wiring...

 

Ted

 

i took pics off all the harness parts. i can send them to you. also did you get the wiring diagram in the pics i sent you before?

[VXCL]

VXCL - would this work for the retro or are they too small, possibly foglights?

 

Hella HID

 

if those are th 50 mm ones then they are too small. i wouldnt bother. stock is like 60mm and the ones i have are about 75mm.

[VXCL]

This thread is great! Makes me want to do a retro so bad! I am usually in New Jersey a lot, so if you ever want to take pics of OEM vs. your setup then let me know, maybe we can meet up if the other person can't.

 

X

 

im in nyc all the time i work for mtv. but you should def meet up with all us nj guys some time. mmm def is stage 2 and tmic. which is what forced me to go buy an dup and dp right away. should be here within the week.