my low budget projector headlight project....

[guynlidia2006]

Ok well thanks to airborneparainf82 I came up with what i think a great idea for a project. I looked how nice his project came out and thought to myself how could i do that eaiser, cheaper and quicker and without fucking up my headlights. So since i saw that airborneparainf82 did not use his chrome reflector i thought that would be a great opp to try my idea without risking my headlights and with the least amount of amout of pocket money.
He sent me this...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_009.jpg

So i was looking thru ebay at projectors and thats when i had my bright idea. To combine a projector and the above reflector, thus still using my stock light bulb/holder. I plan on upgrading to hids but thats besides the point. So I then bought these from ebay for about $50 shipped

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-24-08_2120.jpg

So now to my idea to combine them. I want to keep it clean and still look factory but with projectors, So i thought i could split the bracket for the projector lens and split the projector in two just useing the lens and the lense holder like this.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_012.jpg

so once i seperated them i simple bent the posts so it fit in the reflector and was straight. i then drilled holes and bolted it in place with small skrews, washers and nuts. Like this...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_002.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_004.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_005.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_010.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_014.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_015.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_016.jpg

So now all i need to do is the bake process and switch out the reflector which just bolts in and just aim, i was going to use a shroud but honestly like how it looks without one.

and this is the back of it with the projector in, all u see is four nuts. When u drill the holes just use a sharpie to mark the holes and drill a hole a little bigger to u can line the projector stright.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/IMAGE_007.jpg

The projecter is from a 5 series bmw, i know it is not as fancy as others u have seen, but i think your normal car guy can get this done and have it look good. I will post pics on sunday when I bake my lights and clear the corner

[greddy]

Looking good, be sure to post more pics as more work gets done.

[airborneparainf82]

Looks good man... kind of depressing to know I'm still working on mine and yours is almost done already! haha ;)

make sure and get some pics with the lights on too. I wanna see how it came out!! Glad the reflectors found a worthy home other than the local dump lol

[guynlidia2006]

ok here is pics of it lit up... damn its bright

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-26-08_2348.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-26-08_2349.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-26-08_2350.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-26-08_2351.jpg

[shockwave000]

damn bro, that's some creative stuff right there. I like where your head is. Keep up the good work on behalf of us cheapskates.

[G-spot]

cheap and innovative. Plus use the stock parts. You win 8)

[Reelax]

umm this will not work correctly. the whole reason of using projectors is to have a sharp cuttof and focused light. by removing the parabolic reflector made specifically for the lens it is attached to (the rear of the projector is integral) and using the non projector reflector, you now have extreme light leak and a complete lack of focus. the rear of the projector precisely reflects and focuses light thought the lens at the front of the projector... they are made to be a unit. splitting them up will put your bulb/capsule in the wrong place and your beams will not throw correctly down the road. your headlights will now just be glaring to look at and will offer pretty much no increase in performance (actually they will probably perform much worse meaning you will see less). also, where is the cutoff plate? w/o a cutoff plate, you will blind everyone since light will be allowed above the level of the projector. since you have the entire projector assembly, just do the normal retrofit by mounting the entire projector to the OE reflector bowl via long bots and nuts... you will retain the aiming dials of the OE housing and now have projectos. and to do this and maintain your high beam without doing a bual beam setup, just get a bi-xenon projector (acura TL for example).

[IceDouTGaLanT]

nice idea very creative, but i would like to see the output on the road

[Fishboy55]

umm this will not work correctly. the whole reason of using projectors is to have a sharp cuttof and focused light. by removing the parabolic reflector made specifically for the lens it is attached to (the rear of the projector is integral) and using the non projector reflector, you now have extreme light leak and a complete lack of focus. the rear of the projector precisely reflects and focuses light thought the lens at the front of the projector... they are made to be a unit. splitting them up will put your bulb/capsule in the wrong place and your beams will not throw correctly down the road. your headlights will now just be glaring to look at and will offer pretty much no increase in performance (actually they will probably perform much worse meaning you will see less). also, where is the cutoff plate? w/o a cutoff plate, you will blind everyone since light will be allowed above the level of the projector. since you have the entire projector assembly, just do the normal retrofit by mounting the entire projector to the OE reflector bowl via long bots and nuts... you will retain the aiming dials of the OE housing and now have projectos. and to do this and maintain your high beam without doing a bual beam setup, just get a bi-xenon projector (acura TL for example).

Not to bash your idea Guy, but Reelax is right. You're never going to get a proper headlight alignment. Basically what you've done is just added a magnifying glass to your headlight. That doesn't mean your project is dead, and I think your idea is a good one for aesthetic purposes only. You can keep this set of headlights for shows. The judges will never know you didn't do a full retrofit. But please don't drive with these for your safety and that of other drivers.

[ericbla03]

Oh no.... like they said, this is not going to work with just the lens in there. This will decrease the performance of your stock headlights. The projector consists of the ENTIRE projector unit, not just the lens.

What others have done in the past thogh is mount the entire projector inside the stock chrome reflector. That way you still use the stock adjustment screws.

[lonestar22]

it would be just as easy to retrofit the entire projector assembly into the headlight as it would just putting the glass in. though u will have to enlarge the rear where the bulb sits.

[mitgalantes]

this would be a neat feature and a classy look for a car show...and i think he mentioned about get HIDs in the future..will that bring the performance up and what look will that have like SUPPER brightness hahha clever idea

[Danger DANJ]

Yeah, I almost did the same thing years ago, but didn't go through with it knowing it wouldn't work right. You should find a way to mount the whole thing to the chrome reflector.

[ericbla03]

this would be a neat feature and a classy look for a car show...and i think he mentioned about get HIDs in the future..will that bring the performance up and what look will that have like SUPPER brightness hahha clever idea

HIDs do not bring the performance up, they just make it brighter and even more blinding to oncoming traffic if you dont have HID projectors retrofitted correctly.

Actually the lens of the projector FLIPS the beam of light upside-down when spaced correctly from the bulb. Think about it, when you see the cutoff sheild inside the projector, it covers the light on the bottom half coming from the bowl.... but when its projected through the lens and is flipped, the blocked portion of light is ABOVE the cutoff line, and the light is below the cutoff line.

So this means the portion of light coming from your stock reflector and passing through the projector lens is actually being flipped, up into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Not saying your not off to a good start, just mount the entire projector into your reflector. Its not much more work than you've already done. I KNOW there is a tutorial on this kind of retrofit on HIDplanet.com. Its not galant specific, but its pretty much the same method, and even has a rotational adjustment. ( i dont have time to search for it right now, but i know its in the forums section)

[guynlidia2006]

hmmm i have an idea... i created a clynder to go around the bulb so all the light goes thru the projector instead of the reflector... it bolts in where the chrome reflector thing did... what if i add the cut off plate to the end of this cylinder...

[guynlidia2006]

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-27-08_2043.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

that actually goes to the tip of the bulb... so all the light goes thru the projector lens... i can cut up the cutoff and weld it on the end if that will make a difference... I wanna make it work with stock compents... so any ideas will help...

[guynlidia2006]

Do you think the pic below will work ????
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/Cutoffplate.jpg

[mapid145]

lol.. looks like an eye.. i have no idea how that will look

[guynlidia2006]

that is the cut off plate.... i can put it in befor the projector... but i dont like how it looks... i love the way it looks now... i can point them downward since it will be adjustable,,,, i honestly dont care about the cut off point... and i put it in place of my headlight to check it out and it is much brighter than stock and looks really clean... they cylinder above actually makes it too dim... so i took them out... i do realize i am not gonna have all the beneficts of projectors , but thats ok... thats why its projectors on a budjet...

[Dominicano]

that is the cut off plate.... i can put it in befor the projector... but i dont like how it looks... i love the way it looks now... i can point them downward since it will be adjustable,,,, i honestly dont care about the cut off point... and i put it in place of my headlight to check it out and it is much brighter than stock and looks really clean... they cylinder above actually makes it too dim... so i took them out... i do realize i am not gonna have all the beneficts of projectors , but thats ok... thats why its projectors on a budjet...


you might not care about the cut off but the incomming traffic will, just hope its not a cop who gets a blinding from your lights.

[Reelax]

u really don't understand how projectors work. here:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Headlight_projector_schematic.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Headlight_reflector_optics_schematic.png

see how the light path flips vertically in the projector... this is caused by the specially shaped reflector section that it comes with. also the blub has to be in the EXACT correct location for this all to work... move it an inch off in relation to the reflector and/or from the lens, and the focus is thrown completely off. notice that the cuttoff shield is at the bottom but the light it cuts off is going towards the top... this shields lights from blinding others on the road especially oncoming traffic or people you are following. putting this sheld in front of the lens would be useless as the light does not converge near that point.

notice that in the reflector headlight, like what we have stock, the light paths are NOT flipped by the reflector. as siad before, you are basically just putting a magnifying lens int front of the OE headlight. did you notice that there is actually a shield in that location on the OEM headlight so that all light coming out of the front of the headlight is being reflected from the back and sides of the reflector (you should not be able to see the bulb directly from in front)? removing this shield and magnifying the section of beam hotspot createdit, then adding a cylinder (projector shroud) to limit light leak to the sides of the reflector bowl (which is where more than 50% of the light thrown onto the road is coming from), will effectively undermind all the engineering that went into making your headlight throw light down the road; you will now have possibly the WORST visibility possible other than not having headlights at all... it may look bright when facing your car but it will have extremely dissapointing coverage and beam pattern when looking from behind the wheel.

in a projector, the light source, lens, ellipsoidal reflector, and cutoff shield, all have to be in perfect alightment for the light operate correctly, move any of those components and the light loses its function (except for a movable shield in a bi-xenon application). the first anology that comes to mind of using a projector lens with a normal reflector bowl is like mounting a 19" tire on a 18" wheel... no matter how you want it to work, it just won't.

you have basically done 50%-75% of the work to do a correct projector retrofit. abandon this misguided idea and do it correctly with the entire projector.

[guynlidia2006]

ok guys i got you.... thanks for the smack in the face... this is what i did(i know i am hard headed)... i put the cutoff plate in the stock reflector between the reflector and the the projector and i hooked it up and i see what your talking about... and thanks for the pics they were helpfull... i am going to stick with the stock reflector but use the cutoff... it gives me the desired results... it is brighter but the cut off looked even with the stock headlight but alot sharper... so once i get them in and adjust them i think u guys wiill be surprised... here are some pics with the cutoff,

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_0105.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_0104.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

when turn on i was thinking only half of the projector would glo or light up but the whole thing does and it loooks good..

[RedGalant2k1]

Can't even really tell the cutoff is there anyways...post final pics, I'm interested to see the results.

[4-G-rim]

Awsome fab work on the budget projectors!! Looking forward to the final finished pics of the lights on the car.

[ASTIG]

like relax said, you're only a few steps into doing it the RIGHT WAY. Why take short cuts and do it the ghetto way. you just dont use any kind of reflector on a projector. SO many factors come into play; reflector shape, distance of the bulbl from the lens or shield.

it's not about budget. you got all the major pieces.
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/199535968_PyBFY-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/195024004_gQR6s-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/276883359_GUeyX-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/276886618_CWf28-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/276885203_pTsDw-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/276886681_JMG9w-L.jpg

[ASTIG]

hope this helps and gives you a few ideas.

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321273988_7byxS-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321274309_HjtWH-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321274409_JUzdG-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321274536_k8dpo-L.jpg

custom aluminum L brackets
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321274938_vSW2o-L.jpg

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321275054_DithJ-L.jpg
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/321275117_xBR8C-L.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

so now i have the cutoff in both headlights and u cant really tell they are there... what i did was use the piece that the stock bulb is under to reflect the light... i cut off the end and fabed a bracket for the cutoff so it is inbetween the bulb and the projector on the bottom... just like the pics u showed me... thanks for all your help... i will post pics once i get the heads together and all lined up... i know it would of been easier to cut it up and retro it in, but i wanted to keep my factory bulbs... soon i am gonna put hids with hi/lo... i just like to be able to unbolt everything back to stock...

[guynlidia2006]

wow that looks really nice... but i think it is gonna work out right for what i am looking for... and not everone has the right tools and the know how to do a sick set up like u did... i didnt do it the ghetto way i did it my way, when u look at it in person it looks like it should be that way and i am even using the cut offs... so no one will become blind in the process of me driving... lol

[Reelax]

the stock reflector will not focus the light through the lens correclty. this will yield horrible beam patterns. i doubt the cutoff shields will do anything since the light path is not being flipped by the ellipsoidal reflector (the projector reflector). all this work will be for nothing once you see how they shine on the road, or worse yet, you hit something you didn't see at night becasue you made your headlights useless. there is a reason nobody does this "your" way... it simply does not work. and really you are so close to doing it right... why do you want to retain your stock bulbs? H4 sucks. speaking of H4... u know that your gonna lose your hi beams if the cuttoff shield does it's job and actually creates a cutoff (but it wont because your reflector will not focus the beam correctly anyways). in a bi-xenon projector (hi/lo projector), the shield itself moves to change beam pattern... there is no secondary filament to activate a hi beam (and even if there was it wouldnt do anything unless the cutoff shiled moved as well). seriously just do it the right way like ASTIG. if you want to go back to stock later, just get new stock headlights.

this is all great fun for you to learn what alot of us allready know, but you want to do it your way and find out for yourself. we're just trying to save you the effort.

BTW, ASTIG, looking at your pics i realy want to go and get some TL bi-xenons and throw them into my JDM's...

[greddy]

Best of luck with the lights, listen to the advice, they are only trying to help. Post some finished pics when installed in the car.

[guynlidia2006]

i hear what u guys are saying... but i test fitted them yesterday and the car and it looks good to me.. they were bright and it was night time and i could see... i hear what u guys are saying... has anyone ever tried the install this wayy or just figured it would not work and did not try it? Funny thing is i usually go against the grain, sometimes it works out, sometimes it dosent... but in the end i am goning to have some nice looking headlights... and from what i could see when test fitted I should be able to see just as well as before maybe even better.... i did notice a cutoff almost even with my hoodline... and from the pics of cutoff i see that looks about normal... i do thank all you guys for your impot... because with out the cut off installed i was deff gonna fail... so now i have a 50/50 chance... :-)

[Fishboy55]

You absolutely cannot tell where your beam pattern and cutoff are without a proper headlight alignment grid. Just because it looks nice at night doesn't mean it's aimed properly. You're making a huge mistake by proceeding without listening to what we're telling you. You do not have the proper tools to align a reflector lens. Reelax told you the beam will be distorted and out of alignment if the bulb is an inch off. It's actually more like a quarter of an inch. You will miss the center of the beam being where it needs to be, you've reversed the cutoff by at least 180 degrees and you haven't shielded the ambient light from your stock bulb bouncing off the stock reflector, missing the projector lens altogether and shooting forward.

So basically, you're still doing what I told you in my first post. You're putting a magnifying glass in front of your headlight. And worst of all you're doing it strictly for the sake of looks with no concern for safety.

If that's a picture of your kid in your avatar, are you willing to risk his safety by potentially blinding an oncoming driver that could then swerve head-on into your car for the sake of cool looking headlights? Think about the potential consequences of your decision....

[guynlidia2006]

well i guess the bulb is in the right place... Because the cut off looks pretty good, dont get me wrong it is not crisp.. but it looks good... i got them aimed but i am going to a place i know tommorow night to do it aiming at a wall.. there not too bright , they are just right.. i know i was taking a risk, but it just made sense in my head... i made sure the bumb was in the excat center of the lens and the cut off was blocking about what it was before i took it apart. I know you guys dont agree with me, but if u saw what i saw tonight you would agree... it looks good and the cut off is pretty good, the hi beams dont really work anymore... so i guess the cut off is doing its job... gime me a few mins to post some pics... my camera phone takes crapy night pics so i need to find my digi cam to take some cutoff pics

[guynlidia2006]

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_1944.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_2020.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_1943.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_2010.jpg

[peanotation]

let's see some light patterns on the road at night

[guynlidia2006]

i will tommorow

[pinoyesv6]

try to take pics like astig did so we can see the cutoff.

if you haven't aimed the headlights yet, you can probably take the pics when u do that.

[guynlidia2006]

well i aimed them even, cause one was pointed up and one done... but i was using a bush... i am actually very happy with the results... it is excatally what i wanted... and i got to finally clear my corners.. :-)

[Reelax]

this looks just like stock...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-28-08_2010.jpg

if that's how it's going to look when on, then it was a total waste of time. projectors don't light up the entire housing like refelctor headlights do. you will only look like you have projectors during the day (to people that don't even know what projectors look like). to make them "look" like projectors when on, you need to add shrouds to block the light leak surrounding the round lens (on projector headlights the light only comes out of the lens, not the sides)... the only problem with that is that more than 50% of your light output on the road and in front of your car (by virtue of the OE reflector design) will be blocked if you put a shroud on... this is the WHOLE reason you need to go back and do this again using the projector's ellipsoidal refelctor. the way you are going about this is NOT clever since you are basically ruining your healdight performance, not improving it!

projectors look like this when on:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL885/3179800/12089837/239110754.jpg

[Fishboy55]

Reelax, give up. This post is dead. He's going to go ahead and do what he wants despite what you, Ericbla and I have told him, because he thinks the lights look cool. He doesn't care about safety or performance. He's after a look. Very similar to Honda owners that tag Type R badges on their cars. He doesn't realize that anyone that knows about projectors will be laughing their asses off when he actually turns on the headlights. I'm wondering what his answer is going to be when people come up and ask "Are they projector headlights?" "Ummm, no, I took the budget route and just shoved a useless lens in my stock reflectors. But I'm getting HID's soon so they'll look even cooler."

Oh and BTW, when you put HID's behind those lenses, expect your headlight reflectors to begin to melt from the intense heat refocused in one spot.


http://www.sportscrew.com/vb/images/smilies/icon/+signs9-1+.gif

[peanotation]

a bush Lol

[Dominicano]

Oh and BTW, when you put HID's behind those lenses, expect your headlight reflectors to begin to melt from the intense heat refocused in one spot.


http://www.sportscrew.com/vb/images/smilies/icon/+signs9-1+.gif


man I would love to see that!!!:smt026

[guynlidia2006]

no.. i disagree to put myself in the same cat as someone who puts type r on a civic... What i was looking to do was find a different way to do projectors, just because you dont agree dosent mean you have to keep talking shit... I agree it does not looklike real projectors... because i did not do the whole process... but now i have the xtra reflectors i may try another route. it is brigther than stock and what i was going for... The difference bewtwwen me and the stupid honda guys is they think their crap is a type r.. and i know what my headlights are...

[pinoyesv6]

i totally agree that it is nice to have something different, do something on your own, maybe try a different way.

and yea, i think it is a good idea that you want things brighter but you also want to focus that light in the road directly in front of you so u can harness that light and use it to your advantage.

we haven't seen pictures of the beam pattern your lights put out yet, but if everyone is correct, you might be better off just driving with the high beams on all the time. those seem brighter too.

[Fishboy55]

no.. i disagree to put myself in the same cat as someone who puts type r on a civic...
This is going to be my last post, because it's obvious you don't want to take any advice. You just want people to support what you did.

What i was looking to do was find a different way to do projectors,
In fact, you didn't find a different way to do projectors. You didn't do projectors at all. You threw some projector parts in front of a stock halogen bulb.

just because you dont agree dosent mean you have to keep talking shit... None of us are talking shit, We're telling you the truth and trying to help you correct your mistake and teach you something.

I agree it does not looklike real projectors... because i did not do the whole process... but now i have the xtra reflectors i may try another route. it is brigther than stock and what i was going for... The only other route you should try is to install the projectors the way Eric and everyone else has. There is absolutely no benefit or purpose in shining a stock bulb through a projector housing.

The difference bewtwwen me and the stupid honda guys is they think their crap is a type r.. and i know what my headlights are...We know what your headlights are too. They're crap, diguised to look like something they're not. Sounds like a civic with a Type R badge to me....

[ericbla03]

OK, now post up a picture like this and prove everyone wrong.



http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/199535968_PyBFY-L.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

after seeing that pic i think i need to point mine down some... at first one was pointing up and one down... so i got them almost even now... gonna tweak them somemore tommoow and point them down a couple inches... but i like it..
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-29-08_2143.jpg

[ASTIG]

you're not even putting the light where it belongs...on the road. 95% of the light is firing straight ahead onto the eyes of oncoming drivers. See those 2 distinct ovals.

ANyway, sorry I tried to help out. I guess I wasted my time putting those pictures up just to give you some help.

Why dont you post your project up on the HIDPLANTET forums? You think we were harsh.

[guynlidia2006]

likw i said i am going to aim them down...

[ericbla03]

likw i said i am going to aim them down...


Thats not going to eliminate the "hot spots". Look at the picture of the beam pattern that Astig posted. PERFECTLY even light distribution, Sharp cutoff

[Fishboy55]

Thats not going to eliminate the "hot spots". Look at the picture of the beam pattern that Astig posted. PERFECTLY even light distribution, Sharp cutoff
Give up Eric, he isn't listening. You and Astig shouldn't waste anymore time with him. Just send him a VR4 badge to put on his car....

[guynlidia2006]

i agree, but once pointed down i think it will be alot better than what you guys thought... come on guys... admit it.. its not as crisp i'll admit, but once aimed right it looks better than stock.. not better than astig but better than stock.. i'll post pics tommorow once i align them... how high should they be so that they are pointed right

[greddy]

I had high hopes for this project, but then you didn't listen to the vast knowledge that trying to help you, so much for budget projecters:cry:

[pinoyesv6]

I had high hopes for this project, but then you didn't listen to the vast knowledge that trying to help you, so much for budget projecters:cry:

you can still do budget projectors. its just that guynlidia2006 decided to take some shortcuts and as a result, decreased the potential of those projectors.

[greddy]

Yeah, I suppose, I'm gonna give this projector thing a shot after I get my blacked out heads, I'll take my old ones and see what I can do, and if it works out, then I'll just put them in my new ones, fortunately, all the good advice is listed in this thread:)

[Reelax]

...
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-29-08_2143.jpg

wow. that looks HORRIFIC from a headlight performance standpoint. you have effectively ruined the usability of you headlights by taking away the side dispersion that they had stock, and creating 2 magnified hot spots in front of you. if you are going around a turn you will now probably hit something that you didn't see that was just to the side of (or even in between) your new hotspot beam pattern. this is a perfect example of stop, go back and try it again. aiming them down will not fix anything but will now just give you 2 bright spots on the ground in front of you. you might as well just tape 2 flashlights to your hood and drive around, as this is the same coverage you are going to get. adding HID to your new optics will only exagerate the defects of your design.

seriously, NOBODY does this to their headlights... ever wonder why? because it is both unsafe and inneffective. you were better off not doing any of this except for using this failure as a learning experience. just because you think it looks good does not make it work. i understand wanting to achieve exclusive visual mods (anybody that has seen my ride can attest) as long as they do not detract from a neccesary function of safety equipment... and worse yet you are greatly reducing your chances of avoiding hitting anything not direclty in your hotspots. this is not a good idea since it makes one of the most important safety devices on your car function drastically worse than it did stock. your approach is fundamentally flawed... in a projector headlight, a correctly matched ellipsoidal reflector and projector lens are BOTH required to disperse and throw light correctly where you need them, to see what is both in front of you and at least 30 degrees laterally (to both/either sides) of directly ahead; using only one of the two requisite components ruins its usefulness and enormously diminishes its intended design. the beam pattern spread you have created looks to now have less than 10 degrees of significant usable light, creating substantial blindspots in your path!

for the record, if you do not heed my advice and you later end up posting about some mishap stemming from your inability to see something that was essentially right in front of you, at any speed, let this post (and the previous informed posts made by those qualified by both knowledge and experience) dissuade anyone on earth from deciding to follow your example, modding their headlights "your" way. in this vain, the next mod idea you should spearhead is to change the light output of your tail lights to direct illumination exclusively to the sides of your vehicle, as the "hood cracked open" mod idea has allready been undertaken by another potential darwin award candidate.

[Fishboy55]

And that ^^ boys and girls is everything that needed to be said in a nutshell. Great job Reelax.

[devgrp]

lol noobs

[6G72Galant]

Lets see the final product before we all pass judgement. I mean hey, hes trying to find a different way to go from A to C. Aint nothing wrong with innovation. Hopefully he will make some needed adjustments from the pic to get this looking right.

*You should prolly look into a set of eye lids to try and reduce some of the light scatter towards the top

[peanotation]

or i say you cover your headlights in vinyl and poke tiny holes in it so it spreads out the intensity of that insane light beam, that way you can project star constellations on the road and really get the unique look that means everything to you.

[Serstylz2]

Mr. guynlidia2006, what you've just did is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever seen. At no point in your illusioned, incoherent attempt were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational solution. Everyone in this room is now dumber for following this thread. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[polishmafia]

ugh.

if you dont want to convert back to stock headlights or do a true projector retrofit... AT LEAST take apart your head lights and paint the stock reflector flat black. that would help with the glare.

but yeah... ugh.

[quicksilver22]

Mr. guynlidia2006, what you've just did is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever seen. At no point in your illusioned, incoherent attempt were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational solution. Everyone in this room is now dumber for following this thread. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

i just roflcoptered out of my chair at work...

[Fishboy55]

or i say you cover your headlights in vinyl and poke tiny holes in it so it spreads out the intensity of that insane light beam, that way you can project star constellations on the road and really get the unique look that means everything to you.
ROTFLMAO Should be easy to spot the Big Dipper, it's behind the wheel... LMAO

[guynlidia2006]

ROTFLMAO Should be easy to spot the Big Dipper, it's behind the wheel... LMAO

why dont u keep your personal comments to your self, you dont know me, if u did you would not make the mistake of taking my lack of knowledge for projectors as me being weak... I was simply trying to come up with a easy way to do projectors that your normal car gy could do... because honestly i dont have the pacients to do it like the pics shown... nor do i have the time... but once i pointed them down a bit i see just fine... i am not gonna run shit over because i fucking pay attention when i drive and i can see just fine... my fog lights also help out... no one flashes me as i drive because i do not blind people as i drive towards them.. so why dont u guys stop being pricks and hiding behind your computer talking shit... U wanna talk shit i will be more than happy to give u my adress so u can do so in person.... If you dont agree thats ok, because it isnt you car... But for thouse of you who have some imput that does not include an insult i am all ears, i already tires to retro the projector reflector in the other stock reflectors i have and it ject looks like shit... i was thinking of maybe using some sheet metal to make a shoud to fource all the light thru the projector.. noit sure yet... i have not sealed up the headlights for good yet, so if anyone has anything usefull to say i am all ears

[guynlidia2006]

ugh.

if you dont want to convert back to stock headlights or do a true projector retrofit... AT LEAST take apart your head lights and paint the stock reflector flat black. that would help with the glare.

but yeah... ugh.

i was thinking of doing that, but if i did, would the light output go down alot... because once i paint it black then i wont be able to go back chrome u know...

[guynlidia2006]

Lets see the final product before we all pass judgement. I mean hey, hes trying to find a different way to go from A to C. Aint nothing wrong with innovation. Hopefully he will make some needed adjustments from the pic to get this looking right.

*You should prolly look into a set of eye lids to try and reduce some of the light scatter towards the top

Thanks man... all i wanted to do was come up with a way that anyone could put projectors in their headlights with the least amount of knowledge as possible and make it not so damn complicated so anyone could do it...

[guynlidia2006]

ok i pointed them down... i was thinking of making a shroud so all the light will go thru the projector... just not sure if that will make a difference or make the hot spots worse... i am gonna figure this out...
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-30-08_2053.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

with fog lights on
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-30-08_2055.jpg

[SkylineG1]

lol noobs


dude., where the hell have you been? Holla at me. I lost everyone's number

[devgrp]

dude., where the hell have you been? Holla at me. I lost everyone's number

I've been busy man and all these southern women taking up all my time lol. I lost my phone in a strip club so I lost all my damn numbers lol. I'll be in NYC sometime next month

[Reelax]

... all i wanted to do was come up with a way that anyone could put projectors in their headlights with the least amount of knowledge as possible and make it not so damn complicated so anyone could do it...

you still don't get it. you did not put projectors in your headlights; all you did is put a magnifying lens in front of your bulbs. you came up with an idea that was doomed to failure because you are ignoring that the lens and reflector act as ONE UNIT and do not work without each other. you complain that it's too much work or too hard to do it right but you allready did 80% of the work to do it right! you simply cannot mix a regular reflector bowl with a projector lens (or an ellipsoidal reflector w/ a non-projector lens). they were NEVER meant to work together and they never will. the correct ellipsoidal reflector that came with the projector lens was meant to stay with it (along with the cutoff shield) since they were perfectly matched for bulb position, focus, light dispersion and cutoof sharpness. by seperating them you are corrupting the projectors' effectiveness... and seperating them NEVER needed to be done!

all you have to do is attach the ENTIRE projector (put it back together!) to the OE reflector bowl and you will have projector headlights! after that you just add a shroud to block light leak. you really are that close to having great headlights instead of crap. taking the projector apart was more than useless. the lens and ellipsoidal reflector bowl are ONE unit and do not work without each other!

btw, why did you call this a low budget build... you acquired all the main components to do the retrofit before you started, so it was not low budget at all. what you should have called this is, "how to make your headlights look they are wearing glasses and totally reduce their usefullness at the same time!" in fact i may just change this post's title for you.

adding shrouds on your pseudo projectors will decrease the light output significantly and spread since your stock reflector is not focusing light through the lens... it is doing what it was designed to do which is reflect light from above and to the sides of the bulb, forward though the font of the headlight, mostly AROUND and past your maginfying lens! a shroud would block all this light and you would be left with pencil beam driving lights.

stop being stubborn. the members who have chimed in here about how what you are doing is a great idea do not posess knowledge about lighting and headlight functionality so they do not understand the flaws of your design. those that have pointed out the errors of "how" you are doing this actually have experience and some expertise... when people are giving you advice, it is best to listen to those that are well informed, as they are looking out for you and actually are the ones that have your back. if you listen to the advice of those that don't know what they are talking about, you will not know what you are talking about either (hint: ericbla and astig might know what they are talking about when it comes to projectors).

[IceDouTGaLanT]

I don't think he cares bro, let him do what he wants. its his car at the end of the day, if he want to go the incorrect route with projectors then his choice. Just hope people in future don't make the same mistake, when they have all the right parts to fully implement a retro fit. Personally i rather have visibility on the road, then it looking "cool" and not benefiting me shit visually on the ground. But its your car, so if your happy thats all it matters and good job..

[h2o]

with fog lights on
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i310/guynlidia2006/06-30-08_2055.jpg

have you ever seen those hondas or whatever coming down the road just blinding you because they have a "hid kit" from ebay, in essance thats what you just did, projectors are meant to be brighter, but also control the beam of the light. Yes you are brighter but you just blinded oncoming traffic, and if someone swerves into your lane and hits you im pretty sure the court will find it your fault.

[guynlidia2006]

its not blinding... the bright light is not above my knees... no one has flashed me telling me i am blinding and to test i passed my wife and she said it did not bother her in the least...

[h2o]

its not blinding... the bright light is not above my knees... no one has flashed me telling me i am blinding and to test i passed my wife and she said it did not bother her in the least...

hey man im just saying if someone does cross your lane because you blinded them and then they investagate guess who is going to be at fault. and trust me you are blinding people, your just ignorant to it because they are your project, i can already see that reflection off the garage or whatever your pointing it at the stray lights will hit the oncoming cars.

[RedGalant2k1]

hey man im just saying if someone does cross your lane because you blinded them and then they investagate guess who is going to be at fault. and trust me you are blinding people, your just ignorant to it because they are your project, i can already see that reflection off the garage or whatever your pointing it at the stray lights will hit the oncoming cars.

Why do people have to be on him about 'blinding' people? Why don't people here chastise others who have installed HIDs in their oem headlights? Its more than acceptable to help him along the way to doing a proper retrofit but if you won't add anything constructive to the conversation why post? If his wife complained about it I'm sure he'd be changing a lot of things, and the police for that matter if they are really bright would have pulled him over by now.

The bottom line is 1) This just goes to show you should not do a 'budget' projector retrofit, use the proper shrouds, housings, ballasts, parts, etc... and 2) some people will just argue for the sake of arguing.

Guy, as long as you are satisfied, and the retrofit is a least 95% of what Reelax has stressed to you than I'm sure its more than adequate for your everyday needs. Good job otherwise.

[rez887]

The bottom line is 1) This just goes to show you should not do a 'budget' projector retrofit, use the proper shrouds, housings, ballasts, parts, etc...

x2!

[h2o]

Why do people have to be on him about 'blinding' people? Why don't people here chastise others who have installed HIDs in their oem headlights? Its more than acceptable to help him along the way to doing a proper retrofit but if you won't add anything constructive to the conversation why post? If his wife complained about it I'm sure he'd be changing a lot of things, and the police for that matter if they are really bright would have pulled him over by now.

The bottom line is 1) This just goes to show you should not do a 'budget' projector retrofit, use the proper shrouds, housings, ballasts, parts, etc... and 2) some people will just argue for the sake of arguing.

Guy, as long as you are satisfied, and the retrofit is a least 95% of what Reelax has stressed to you than I'm sure its more than adequate for your everyday needs. Good job otherwise.


i stated a fact, im trying to help him be safe, if he blinds someone and something happens guess what, guy is going to jail. This is unsafe and why would you support it? he tried, he failed we live and learn. but throughout this whole thread people are telling him its unsafe so i tried my best to be as blunt as possible so it saves him in the future.

[RedGalant2k1]

i stated a fact, im trying to help him be safe, if he blinds someone and something happens guess what, guy is going to jail. This is unsafe and why would you support it? he tried, he failed we live and learn. but throughout this whole thread people are telling him its unsafe so i tried my best to be as blunt as possible so it saves him in the future.

Never said I support it or not, just pointing out that if it was so 'blinding' to oncoming traffic he would have already had issues. I have HIDs in my factory headlights without projectors are you going to chastise me? A mention also, I've had them in for 6 months + and not one single time have I been flashed by oncoming drivers or had issues with the police.

[h2o]

Never said I support it or not, just pointing out that if it was so 'blinding' to oncoming traffic he would have already had issues. I have HIDs in my factory headlights without projectors are you going to chastise me? A mention also, I've had them in for 6 months + and not one single time have I been flashed by oncoming drivers or had issues with the police.

hey go ahead have them, i honestly could give a rip already, but if i see a thread in here(look at honda-tech) saying you were at fault because you caused someone to crash i am going to laugh my ass off at your expense.

[RedGalant2k1]

hey go ahead have them, i honestly could give a rip already, but if i see a thread in here(look at honda-tech) saying you were at fault because you caused someone to crash i am going to laugh my ass off at your expense.

Driven by tens of thousands of cars, no problems. You are just a inconsiderate little newbie aren't you?

[G-spot]

This thread title needs to change to:

"8G Stupid Mod Theory #3 (Budget Projectors)"

[guynlidia2006]

well since none of u have seen this in person i guess no one really knows right... so this is a dead topic.. can someone lock this tread

[Reelax]

well since none of u have seen this in person i guess no one really knows right...

none of us have seen this in person because we don't know anybody that would separate the lens from a projector and think that it work w/ a stock headlight reflector. u are in a class of your own. how can i relay the information to you that the reason you have such horrendous hot spots is because you are no using the ellipsoidal reflector that was made to match the projector lens you simply affixed in front of your stock bulb... that simply will NEVER work well. I'm not so concerned about you blinding anyone, I'm more appalled that you have spent all this time and effort only to make your headlights function worse than before, and are still defending your errors. and as far as none of us knowing... look around at some of our cars; it's pretty evident that some of who gave u advice might now a lot more than you about this subject and were trying in vain to help u to avoid the pitfalls that u were insisting on achieving. bottom line, the beam pattern you have created is unsafe for u, let alone other drivers.

i appreciate your initiative: it's the ignorance of the wisdom of more knowledgeable members that defies my comprehension. i still think u are so c

[ZigenScarface]

hey guyn props on the try.. at least ur doin diff things n i support that to an extent.. it is good to try new things and its good to have the guts to do a project but in another aspect i think unless youve had experience with hids and projectors then you should listen to what people have to say.. dont get me wrong im not bashing u at all i think its cool ur doin ur own thing and all just at the end of the day i think u should sit down and look at what u have and what u could of had and think about it

[guynlidia2006]

later if i get a second set of heads i will try it the other way, but for now i am happy

[dwjp90]

guynlidia,

take a vid of your lights in a Dark parking lot or a street that isnt busey have someone walk about 1000ft in front of the car and have them walk from the far right side to the far left, or vice versa.

[ASTIG]

just for reference.

see my beam pattern below:

white light= low, nice and wide. sharp cutoff doesnt blind drivers on opposite side, but gives you the width the see where you are turning into. see how much light goes up over the cutoff? the little angle going up the right side gives you engouh light to lighten up the road signs on the right side.

yellow=high beam pattern=like your heads. you dont have to go up much on the angle to blind oncomming traffic. a very minute increase in the angle gets pronounced at a distance.

Headlights are tricky. proper alignment is just as important as planning/designing and the actual build process.
http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/201540632_doJpf-L.jpg

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/201540639_pfHBe-L.jpg

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/201539281_YytrY-L.jpg

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/199536181_PxBxU-L.jpg

[guynlidia2006]

mine does look like the high beam pattern... but it is much lower... like i said eariler i will get another set of heads and try it the other way, i still have all the compents to do it...

[ZigenScarface]

astig sell me your headlights and guyn post progress of the next set!

[h2o]

Driven by tens of thousands of cars, no problems. You are just a inconsiderate little newbie aren't you?

haha ya im a newbie ON A FORUM!!!! whoopty doo, also you ever think to yourself why it is now illegal to sell hid retrofit kits? I may be new to the forum but at least i know simple facts.

[RedGalant2k1]

haha ya im a newbie ON A FORUM!!!! whoopty doo, also you ever think to yourself why it is now illegal to sell hid retrofit kits? I may be new to the forum but at least i know simple facts.

If its such a bad thing, why doesn't the government go after those that sell these retrofit kits? Regardless of legality adjusted properly I've not had any issues, and better light output. Neons are illegal, people use them. Fireworks are illegal in many states, but people can buy them. That aside...whats the big deal with what the OP did? Have you seen the light pattern in person? Have you been blinded by someone who had HIDs? Is it as right to say that you'll laugh when someone crashes because they were blinded from someones HIDs?

Anyways...

[Fishboy55]

Dave, this looks like a good example of "some people arguing just for the sake of arguing... :lol:

And I'd just like to point out, throughout this entire post and with all the advice that the OP has been given NOT ONCE has he had his headlights aligned professionally or even aligned to a grid on the garage door. He aligned his headlights to a f*cking bush. So as long as he drives on roads with oncoming bushes his retrofit should be adequate.

[airborneparainf82]

just for reference.

see my beam pattern below:

...

http://tangonan.smugmug.com/photos/199536181_PxBxU-L.jpg

DAMN! I need TSX projectors :D

[ASTIG]

DAMN! I need TSX projectors :D

and that's output from 8000k. it was slightly brighter with 6000k and 4300k, but I needed more rice. hehe

[silver01g]

its yall projector guys that make me wanna go down that road. i love that cutoff line

[airborneparainf82]

and that's output from 8000k. it was slightly brighter with 6000k and 4300k, but I needed more rice. hehe

yeah I'm really debating taking my stock heads I pulled off when I put my new project heads on and redoing it all with those TSX projectors. Plus there were some kinks I worked out durring the 1st headlight an a few minor kinks that I would need to change if I do it again.

Oh so tempting..... :smt100

Any suggestions on a good place to get a set? I noticed on ebay they were pretty pricey. But then again, they were coming with the HID bulbs and ballasts too.

[airborneparainf82]

its yall projector guys that make me wanna go down that road. i love that cutoff line

DO IT!

Once you go projector you'll never do reflector! ;)