My Retrofit Projector thread

[Importroller]

My project is about to begin. Got my spare set headlights off ebay for DIRT CHEAP!!!!!

I Paid $66 for both headlights shipped. Search for "tigergirl7845" on ebay if you are looking for headlights cheap.






I ordered my 6K halo rings and 6K projectors from The Retrofit Source yesterday, and they shipped out today. Should be here by monday and I can start the project officially. I got the kit with the Chrome gatlin gun shrouds, with the H1 bulbs and the clear lens.

Bi-xenon: Morimoto Mini (H1) - HID Projectors from The Retrofit Source Inc








So far I have a rough idea of how i'm going to do the internals. The housing is going to get painted the same color as the car. I think I'm going to get a set of amber angel eyes to go around the hump by the turn signal and have the turn signal wired through the halos instead of a regular bulb. (may need to get resistors, but not sure yet how this will work out). All the chrome inside will be wrapped in Carbon Fiber Vinyl. The amber running lights will be removed completely. I believe there is a chrome piece inside that section that I will leave alone so light will still reflect off it. I doubt I will be doing any LED lighting inside. Still trying to decide what I'm going to do with the High Beam location since it won't be getting used anymore.

[dubeeyu]

Wow that is a sweet deal you got on those headlights! Very excited to see updates on progress and final product!

[QR25DE]

BE CAREFUL with those rings. DO NOT pull them apart they will shatter instantly with no warning (personal experience) lol.

[Importroller]

BE CAREFUL with those rings. DO NOT pull them apart they will shatter instantly with no warning (personal experience) lol.

Not an issue. From what I've been told, the sedans are easier to take apart than the coupes.

I got bored an anxious tonight, so i decided to bake the lights and take them apart to get the project started. Here is the progress

First, I start by removing the lower guide. Remove these three screws


then I baked the lights for 18-20 minutes at 260 degrees. Tried 10 minutes first, and it wasn't enough to get the glue to release. I put wood blocks under neath so that the plastic wouldn't touch the metal rack and risk melting the housing where it touches the rack.








Still trying to figure out how to seperate this chrome section from the backing. Can't find any screws holding it in.



Top portion completely disasembled and the orange reflector removed



Reassembled awaiting the projectors to arrive



Comparison





These lights came apart easy as hell too.

[dubeeyu]

Nice - I messed my headlights up when I black housed them... 350 @ 12 minutes for the first one and it came out nicely in the end although it was a PITA to pull apart for some reason and the second one... well lets just say that some of the lens warped (same procedure as the first one, but I left it in there for too long after I turned the oven off). I also didn't realize that the assembly required a T15 torx screw so I had to run out and get one (At least the factory HID's did anyways.. should have had my bro pull out the other headlight instead of just turning it off and letting it sit there).

[Importroller]

i had the torx screw at the top on the back as well. I took off all screws i could see that were on the outside before I put it in the oven. I set the timer and made sure to take it out quickly. After it was apart, I used a heat gun to get the rest of the excess glue off the edges so it will be a clean for the reassembly

[KilaDragN]

I believe there is a chrome piece inside that section that I will leave alone so light will still reflect off it. I doubt I will be doing any LED lighting inside.

i dont think you'll need to keep it chrome anymore...since the light wont reflect off of it at all...you're projectors will just beam straight forward. so it won't need to reflect back into the bowl.

[Importroller]

I believe there is a chrome piece inside that section that I will leave alone so light will still reflect off it. I doubt I will be doing any LED lighting inside.

i dont think you'll need to keep it chrome anymore...since the light wont reflect off of it at all...you're projectors will just beam straight forward. so it won't need to reflect back into the bowl.

I didn't mean the projector lights. I'm talking about the actual running light reflection. Just to give you a rough idea. Plus the rest of chrome around it will be blue as well, but the inside will stay chrome

[Importroller]

Picked up my paint today.

[Importroller]

Package came today, and I had to start on one of the lights right away. (i just couldn't wait to get into it)



I tested one of the halo rings, and that sucker is BRIGHT!!!!!!


You need to remove this light deflector to install the projector housing.



You need to lossen this green screw, and on the other side, you need to lossen the 10mm nut to release the tension to get the Torx Wrench in the back to remove the screw that holds the reflector in place.





Once that is apart, place the projector housing inside the light housing, and from behind trace what you need to dremel out to have the back slide through. I also had to dremel out a little on the inside to allow the projector to recess further back so more of the screw on the back would stick out to put the lock nut on the back better.

This is just a test fit to get an idea of how it will look.







Masked off the sections I don't want painted.





Sanded down the areas that will get painted Blue.


Applied two layers of Black primer. I think that should be enough, but may do a 3rd to be sure it has a good surface.



While the primer is drying, Here is part of my accent pieces wrapped in CF

[wade001]

Thumbs up for a great write-up so far ! I'm getting ready to do a quad projector setup myself. should have all the parts by the end of the week. But I'm away at college so I have to wait till school is over and get back home .. If you could mention how you aim the projectors it would be appreciated cuz im not fully sure on doing it. it's going to be CRAZY when I'm done! It'll be my first major mod as well, my car has been stock except a few small mods since i bought it.

[Importroller]

Yeah, i was debating about doing the quads too, but i didn't want to spend so much money on it so i just did the Bi-xenons. I already plan on a writeup for the aiming process. Once i do the second light and get everything setup, I'll be working on the aiming portion of the project.

Here is an update on the current progress.

Paint on first light - Completed









Partial assembly







Comparison




Unbroken halo ring mounted

[wade001]

Yah, I know what you mean, I've got almost a G in parts for it already. I just want to do this once. I go to school in the middle of nowhere with dear everywhere and want as much light as possible because I almost hit one doing 60+ and was all over the place till i recovered, gripped the steering wheel so hard I broke my fingernail. I've read that 35W bulbs give out about 600 lumens and maybe 1K high beams, my setup will be putting out 12K, oh he*l yah lol! after doing this my dad said he's interested in my doing his lights next so he's helping soften the blow on this. I'm pretty pumped!

[Importroller]

This is not complete yet. I have to shave down some more on the backing of the housing so the projectors can mount properly and have room for adjustments.











Click on image below for video

[PHENOMenalVinyl]

wow this is looking great!!!!!! A long job but well worth it!!

[masterbeatty]

Damn i had this idea in my head for quite some time now im glad to see someone do it. phemnom yours are sweet too. everything CF. looks good dude. Dont you live in the san diego area?

[Importroller]

Damn i had this idea in my head for quite some time now im glad to see someone do it. phemnom yours are sweet too. everything CF. looks good dude. Dont you live in the san diego area?

Yeah, i have seen your car before at your complex. One of my customers that I did some vinyl work on his truck lives in your complex off Friars.

I tried taking pics at dusk, and they didn't come out any better.

here are some day time pics i took today

















This is the best my phone can do at dusk either

[masterbeatty]

Nice. I havent seen anyone from the forums yet around town. Once my schedule calms down i am going to try and put together a meet and drive on hwy 79 out towards Julian maybe sometime in may or june. So how long did this take along with your car being OOC?

[Importroller]

My car wasn't OOC. I had a second set of lights. Plus I have my G35 to drive if i had to have it down.

Here is dusk with the projectors on and the halos. You can't see the halos too well

[dubeeyu]

How did you get the projector to stay put? Did you use poly seal? Looks great btw!

[Importroller]

the projectors have a threaded back. no need for any kind of seal

[Importroller]

[07WinterFrost 3.5 SE]

Looks Great!

[midnite2.5s]

Amazing job and seems like a pretty good output as well. Very clean

[Ricko]

Nice bro! I cant wait to see them the next time we meet up. Going on Sunday?

[Importroller]

whats on sunday?

[Ricko]

You mean the Kia did not txt you? Miguels 11am Coronado.

[wade001]

can you tell us how you aimed the lights and what it took? have an idea but not sure.

[Importroller]

with the mini's it doesn't take much to aim them if you make an equal size centered opening on the housing for both sides. I didn't even have to aim them. the passenger side was dead on from the start, and the drivers one was tilted slightly, so I had to twist it counter clockwise to get it straight.

You mean the Kia did not txt you? Miguels 11am Coronado.

i had something to do that morning.

[ea_da_king]

Wow nice job!!!! I don't I have the balls to do this.. Lol.. Plus hows the wiring process? Take into consideration I have no wiring/ electrical skills, pretty much a newbie on that...