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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » what i did to the stang today

April 2, 2010 4:51 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

I'll have completed pictures later or tomorrow

Well I was going to do a proper HID projector retrofit for someone on a local forum, ordered the parts, never heard back from them. Ordered some used headlights for about $80, took them apart, threw these infiniti fx-r bi-xenon projectors in there, got them aimed, waiting for some paint to dry, gonna pop everythign back together and I should be good to go by tonight. I recently helped a friend retrofit the same projectors into his camaro. The guy wanted 3000k bulbs, so I'll be using those until my 4300k philips bulbs get in.

low beams and fog lights on...buddies camaro

high beams on
April 2, 2010 5:08 p.m. cwh SuperDork

I likey. Just don't want to be coming the other way.
April 2, 2010 6:24 p.m. Stealthtercel Reader

I know headlight photos are tricky, but the low-beam picture doesn't look as though it would blind anybody. Pretty good cutoff there. The highs are another story, but nobody would have those on when approaching other traffic, right? Right?
April 2, 2010 6:58 p.m. MrMook New Reader

Yeah, kudos for what looks like a truly proper install with a nice cutoff, and responsible aim (I guess that's the Camaro, but I'm sure the 'Stang is dun rite). I absolutely hate 99% of the aftermarket HID installs I see. At night. Blinding me.
April 2, 2010 7:01 p.m. wlkelley3 HalfDork

cwh wrote: Just don't want to be coming the other way.

Second that!!!
April 2, 2010 7:46 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

if aimed right, you don't have to worry about anything. It's like a factory car with a real HID/projector headlight. Nice cutoff, low aim, etc. The lenses I'm using have those lamin-x things on them as well to tone down on the brightness. I just finished up, I'll get pictures up tomorrow
April 2, 2010 8:30 p.m. pigeon HalfDork

Nicely done. My wife hates xenons on other cars, especially in the rear view mirror, but once I got my 750 which has them she insisted that she have xenons on her car when she got a new one. They really can turn night into day, much better than halogens.

BTW. tell your buddy with the neon license plate frame that the 90s called and want it back
April 2, 2010 9:47 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

haha it's not neon nor is there a license plate frame, it's just a LED replacement bulb. We did his whole car up in LEDs and HIDs lol. here's a pic of one side completed, everything installed but no pictures until i get 4300k (white/daylight) bulbs in, the 3000k yellow is interesting as a headlight, similar to GT cars in ALMS and Grand-Am.

and led interior from that camaro (map lights, gauge cluster, HVAC panel, and gear select indicator (which you can't see)
April 2, 2010 9:50 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

Oh and pigeon, it's amazing what a PROPER HID retrofit can do for a car's lighting performance. Riding in a TL is what convinced me back in the day. Then I did a retrofit on the Trans Am a couple years ago and loved it, happy to have it done on the stang. Crazzzzy how much better it is.
April 2, 2010 11:57 p.m. AngryCorvair SuperDork

hey dirtybird, care to give a price breakdown for the entire job on the stang? headlights in my probe suck balls, and i'm considering a swap like this. thanks for the inspiration!
April 3, 2010 8:18 a.m. aussiesmg SuperDork

Ditto, 95 to 97 Town Cars have the weakest headlights I have ever seen. In 80,000 miles i have never dipped my high beam, nor have I ever been flashed.
April 3, 2010 4:09 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

Well I did a lot of research first, kind of bought some fancier stuff, but you can do it cheaper.

Used headlight housings - $80 - ebay Infiniti FX-R projectors GTi Projector Shrouds H13 wiring harness for bi-xenon retrofit = $210 shipped from theretrofitsource.com (they do custom package deals) I had a D2S hid kit laying around, but you can buy plug and play styles from places like DDM tuning for $60. 4 sheets of acrylic = $12 Mounting hardware (nuts and bolts) = $6 Aluminum weather tape = $5 (that HVAC stuff i think?)

So all in all around $375, this can be done for way cheaper, but I wanted the bi-xenon projectors, and the special wiring harness to make it easy, etc. You can find all kinds of used OEM style projectors on ebay for $50-$100 a set, shrouds are cheap, etc etc etc. But think about it this way, if you went to a dealer and wanted all these oem parts, you'd easily be sitting at almost $900 in parts, so i'd say it's cheap and effective, and a proper hid setup.

More pics
April 3, 2010 4:09 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork
April 3, 2010 4:20 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

sure it works great... but is sure funky looking.
April 3, 2010 5:24 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

mad_machine wrote:

sure it works great... but is sure funky looking.

since when has form ever trumped function on this site?
April 3, 2010 5:42 p.m. aussiesmg SuperDork

NevAr
April 4, 2010 5:28 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

I think I would have left the stock reflectors and just mounted the projector into the centre of it. It may have made the reflector redundant.. but it would have been a lot more subtle
April 4, 2010 8:19 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

mad_machine wrote:

I think I would have left the stock reflectors and just mounted the projector into the centre of it. It may have made the reflector redundant.. but it would have been a lot more subtle

i took this into account, but that would have been more a PITA, plus I like how they turned out, which is what matters the most. Plus I'm all about color coordination, chrome, silver, just doesn't work in this equation.
April 4, 2010 8:20 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork
April 4, 2010 9:04 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

aussiesmg wrote:

Ditto, 95 to 97 Town Cars have the weakest headlights I have ever seen. In 80,000 miles i have never dipped my high beam, nor have I ever been flashed.

You haven't owned a 2nd gen Escort, have you?

Actually... let's just put this out there. Ford lighting until recently in general has been scary.

My girlfriend had a Taurus before she started driving the Escort. Neither the Taurus or the Escort can generate with their high beams on 50% of what the Celica can generate with low beams. It's sad. It's scary.
April 4, 2010 9:05 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

BTW: I'm really digging the look of these, to be perfectly honest. They fit will with the otherwise blacked out car.

Zombie Mustang will steal your soul.
April 5, 2010 12:05 a.m. MitchellC Dork

HIDs are wonderful. I am really glad that whoever purchased my car new sprung for them (they were a $1k or so option but don't add to the resale value). It is not just the amount of light that is improved; it really is crisper and a better shade.
April 5, 2010 11:12 a.m. ultraclyde Reader

Sweet work. I've been scoping this my stang btu I'd prefer to keep the reflectors since mine's silver

And what are the specs on those rims - diam x width, offset, and tire size? I'm hunting grassroots budget ways to get 275s on all four corners
April 5, 2010 11:36 a.m. Tetzuoe Reader

now just gotta get some black bumper lights hotlinked for terrible cut n paste graphics
April 5, 2010 6:30 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork

Clyde, the shrouds and everything were chrome/silver, but I painted them, plus the lexan back plate i made could be painted silver as well to match.

Got those wheels from Americanracing.com they are the saleen replicas. Tires are Sumitumo 275/40/18s. I think I spent $900 total.

I already have different bumper lights with the clear lens. Got them for a a GRM priced deal.

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