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Topic: (New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics) (Read 34762 times) previous topic - next topic

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #105 –
FX-R's, E-46 shrouds and angel eyes, nice.  Full custom.  You're taking the next step.  But, um, what's with the back of the reflectors?

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #106 –
Quote from: TheFoeYouKnow;386626
FX-R's, E-46 shrouds and angel eyes, nice.  Full custom.  You're taking the next step.  But, um, what's with the back of the reflectors?

I am impressed! Are you a member on HIDplanet?

If you are talking about the back of the OEM reflector missing, I went through a lot of trial and error to get the clear lenses to turn out as nice as they did. Those reflectors were collateral damage! LOL

If you are talking about how you can see the table through the new projector, that is just once again where the projector lense screws with the camera. It is funny you can not see through the projector with your eye, but yet the camera picks it up... :dunno:
...and there was light!
 

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #107 –
Will you do the whole projector and assembly?

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #109 –
kinda cool, but the car looks like it has Zombie eyes.
-pete
july/88 turbo coupe auto

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #110 –
Quote from: T-BirdX3;386624
On another note, it makes my day when new goodies are waiting on my door step!



I actually really like the way this looks compared to the other set. I like how it is on the inner side of the housing. It just looks "right" in that spot. That is a better looking projector to I think. Now you're making me want to do it.
--Steve
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L
2011 Mustang 3.7L

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #111 –
Quote from: sarjxxx;387689
I actually really like the way this looks compared to the other set. I like how it is on the inner side of the housing. It just looks "right" in that spot. That is a better looking projector to I think. Now you're making me want to do it.

If you had the chance to drive it at night you would want to do it no matter what it looks like. I might try to make a video of it the next time I go for a late night drive.

I personally think the first set look amazing in person. I was delivering a van the other day and had the wife follow me to pick me up, I couldn't quit looking at the front of it and thinking about how good looking it was. Maybe it is just me :dunno: :D
...and there was light!

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #113 –
I just don't drive enough at night that it would make me want to do it. With the first set at least. I'm glad that you like it. It's really awesome when you take a big chance and then it comes out the way you actually wanted it to. (kinda when I chopped my roof up lol). You're definitely not the only one who likes it though. And don't think for a second that I'm bashing your look, I'm just saying it's not for me. :) But I'm very interested in seeing what these new ones come out looking like when they're done. If I like it then I'll be contacting you for some clear lenses. You are willing to make them to fit cougar lights right? btw, what did you pay for these new projectors, minus all the halo stuff?
--Steve
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L
2011 Mustang 3.7L

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #114 –
Quote from: sarjxxx;387769
If I like it then I'll be contacting you for some clear lenses. You are willing to make them to fit cougar lights right? btw, what did you pay for these new projectors, minus all the halo stuff?

I am sure I could make some for the cougars too.

The new projectors, ballasts, bulbs, harness, and shrouds cost me $315. The halos were just an extra $25.
...and there was light!

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #115 –
Wow that is a lot more than I was thinking. It'll certainly be a while if I do decide to do this mod. :p
--Steve
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L
2011 Mustang 3.7L

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #116 –
Quote from: sarjxxx;387972
Wow that is a lot more than I was thinking. It'll certainly be a while if I do decide to do this mod. :p

It can be done a little bit cheaper, the first set cost somewhere around $270, they also sell some "value" stuff that didn't meet their requirements that is a good bit cheaper. But this time I bought the best stuff available outside of going with all OEM stuff (which is expensive). I personally don't see to many spending that kind of money all at once on headlights, but what they will end up doing is the same thing that I have done over the past couple of years. Which was wasting a bunch of money on used lights, polishing/refurbishing those used lights, buying new/better bulbs, and so forth. With the end result being very little improvement. Shoot I even considered going with the '86 header panel but by the time you figure buying the parts and paint I would still have couple hundred involved and I would have had a front end that I personally don't like as much..

With the Birds new housings being $100 bucks plus each and "good" bulbs being $60(?) I felt like the projectors were not a bad deal at all. My favorite part is I will never again see the shadow of my car in my own headlights caused by the car behind me having lights that are so much brighter than mine! lol
...and there was light!

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #117 –
Yeah I get it, I just can't afford it lol.
--Steve
[thread=28690]1988 Cougar V6[/thread]
2012 F-150 3.7L
2011 Mustang 3.7L

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #118 –
let me know if you ever make a 1 piece to replace the 3 piece we have on our cars now...ide buy a set....  i think that would look intresting seeing as your stuff looks really good so far :)

(New Goodies)Need Your Opinion on Headlight Color!(Lots of Pics)

Reply #119 –
I was just pointed to this thread. I agree that HID lighting is tons better than stock - I did this 5 years back using huge Acura TL projectors (not worth the hassle of using these). With stock headlights, good condition stock fog lights helped light up the road. With HIDs, the foglights do nothing on the road, and only light up things above the cutoff slightly (trees and such). Worth the project imo as our stock lights suck, even with new reflectors, lenses, and 14.4v at the bulb.

Now the problems:
1) 3 piece headlights. Doing a single piece front lens is almost as complicated as doing the tail lights. Not doing it is very ugly I would like to tackle this one day, but combining the headlight and inner marker is much easier than making the side marker light wrap around and inward. A proper way to do this would take a HUGE vacuum forming chamber and some far more unique molds to help the piece wrap 270 degrees around the piece. One could probably get away with 180 degree wraps through, since the rear edge of the side markers are nothing spectacular to look at already.

2) I miss the capability of having flash to pass, or other such usage. HID ballasts or bulbs don't like being turned on and off.

3) The ballast/igniters can be a bit of work to mount.

4) HID bulbs have a terrible color rendering index. They do offer more LUMENS and more controlled light, but the CRI is MUCH lower than daylight and filament-based bulbs, like stock halogen. What this means - colors suck and you can't discern things as well or quickly as having a light with a higher CRI. HID is typically 60-70% of the color spectrum of daylight, halogen is up in the 90s, closer to 100. This is terrible for night safety.

5) It isn't LED ;)

I'm trying to build a 3-axis CNC mill to start fabrication work and hope that precision cut parts can be made to use the front optics of HID projectors with 90+ CRI LED emitters (around 3000 kelvin). LEDs have gotten to the point that they are making HID obsolete (30W in led, plus 90% driver efficiency versus 35W hid plus 84% ballast efficiency for the same color temperatures and luminous output) and it's the next logical step for us to go to. So what say you X3? ;) I wish I could start, but between all my other body modifications (tail light Cree XRE emitters at 2W each, versus 27W stock bulb, led trunk lights to replace my CFL tubes, finishing up my carpc install (yay, nearly complete), building a CNC mill/lathe combination (starting), custom dash (less important), covered interior panels (after other interior work), etc...), my front lights are at a standstill. I need to find someone else to help the design and research phase of it all.

Wish you were closer, for some collaborative efforts ;)
1988 Thunderbird Sport