The end all to lighting...99-04

mijo_latino · Aug 24, 2008

I decided I needed an other project and this is what I came up with...

Pair - Acura TL bi-xenon projectors
1 Pair - Hella Gen 3 replica ballasts
1 Pair - Philips 85122+ D2S bulbs (4300K)
1 9007 Bi-xenon wire harness

1 Pair Ebay smoked headlights

Just ordered everything this weekend so it will be about a week before I get started on this retrofit. Ill try to do a write-up with tons of pics and such. Also, I really have only done one retro so far and with cheating so yeah... im going to be figuring out as I go. Luckly I won't be chopping up the originals in case this turns out to be an utter faliure.(for sale if it is...)

V_Eight · Aug 24, 2008

TL's probably won't fit. You're going to be pushing it for space.

Those are RX330's. That's what I'm going with and what you need to look for.

And why are you getting REPLICA ballasts? Just get brand new Matsushi-t-a G3's for $170.

mijo_latino · Aug 24, 2008

i got the replicas for $110, (the retrofit source) and they garentee their stuff. Positive comments is all i see from them. Plus I have them in the 98 for 2-3 years no prob.

the Tl's measure at 4.35" wide 4.55" tall and 6" long. the long is what may give me trouble, I measured 5" before some modding may occur in the framing. The way the projector slopes down may clear things though.

Whats the demensions on those? looked and couldn't find them...

V_Eight · Aug 24, 2008

mijo_latino said:
i got the replicas for $110, (the retrofit source) and they garentee their stuff. Positive comments is all i see from them. Plus I have them in the 98 for 2-3 years no prob.

the Tl's measure at 4.35" wide 4.55" tall and 6" long. the long is what may give me trouble, I measured 5" before some modding may occur in the framing. The way the projector slopes down may clear things though.

Whats the demensions on those? looked and couldn't find them...

I don't know the dimensions yet, but all the research I did on hid planet (2-3 hours worth) resulted in the RX330's being the best and easiest retro possible, based on quite a few installs.

mijo_latino · Aug 24, 2008

heh, theres where im at too. Will see how it goes.

edit:

found yours, looks to smaller overall. 8mm lower 5mm narrower 32 mm shallower. Looks like its going to be a tight fit. yours is low beam only too. I don't need the high beam(no inspections here), but decided to go for it anyway.

V_Eight · Aug 24, 2008

mijo_latino said:
heh, theres where im at too. Will see how it goes.

I searched for "mustang" and had at it.

san~man · Aug 24, 2008

I don't believe the TL will fit as the solenoid will be the sticking point. You will probably have to cut the bottom of the reflector out, as well as the housing. Protecting those exposed areas will be hard to do, if even possible at all.

The biggest projector I've seen retro'd was an FX, and even that was pushing it.

My pic looks great above, no? ^ ^

evil281 · Aug 24, 2008

this looks promising lets see that right up soon for me

mijo_latino · Aug 28, 2008

Everything's here! The headlights came in today and all the rest was here Tuesday. Talk about quick, theretrofitsource(ordered saturday).

Let the fun begin!

this is just some of the things I think I need
View attachment 305983

blubullett · Aug 28, 2008

Good luck! Take lots of pice and keep us informed.

mijo_latino · Aug 28, 2008

Taking the headlight apart

ok, Preheat oven to 250-270 Deg F.
Remove bulbs, rubber hoses, 2 hidden screws, and the guide pins.
Turn off oven and put headlight in for 5-7 mins. This loosens the glue.
CAUTION!! HOTT!!
remove from oven and start working the lense apart. This is a bit tricky to get started, try at the turn signal first and work your way around. You may have to reheat the oven and place the headlight back in for a bit.

Use various flat heads to keep the area you seperated apart while you spilt futher.

eww messy

mijo_latino · Aug 29, 2008

MAKE SURE IT FITS!

hehe

Ok, don't start cutting until you know exactly where the projector is going to go. I started to try and center the projector and started hacking at the casing. Carnage..

Once you have the rear casing off. Restall slider pins and mount in the car. Helps to see where the projector needs to sit.

Then you want to visualize where the projector is going to go. make sure there is enough clearance for the bulb and the ignitor.

Looks like the TL's are pushing the limits on the size of the headlight. For anyone else I say go for the smaller ones out there. This can be done but its going to require fabbbing up some flashing(more on that later), and alot of modifing of the internals.

Once your sure its can be done, you can start laying out where to mount the projector to the casing. Since these are so big, I cannot use the stock adjustments on the headlight. they control just the refective bowl, not the entire light. So, I needed to mount the projecttor directly to the casing.

I made some angles out of the alum. stock and used a long screw to the back of the casing for adjustment. All of these will come into play to level and properly aim the beam. Im waiting for it to get dark. Going to grab some before pictures also to compare.

crzyhrse99 · Aug 29, 2008

Subscribing Cant wait for the before and after pics.

san~man · Aug 29, 2008

How are you going to adjust for horizontal beam alignment? Your mounting solution doesn't seem to provide for that. If you search for a thread by my friend Farrukh ("JNC" on HIDP), he shows a method for allowing for horizontal alignment.

Also keep in mind that the stock headlight housings only allow for a certain degree of left/right alignment, so make sure the spread of your steps is within the stock alignment range.

Looking good so far, but you have to consider how you're going to cover up the top, bottom and back for waterproofing measures.

mijo_latino · Aug 29, 2008

The bracket on the right im leaving stationary, may put some washers to level it out with the left bracket(that what you mean?). The left braket is slotted to aim left/right. There is a long machine screw on the top left of the projector for up/down adjust. Also it doesn't(more or less cant anyway) need to telescope in or out, the beam of light clears the lip of the headlight.

I decided to put the harness on in the morning to aim tomorrow. I remounted the turn signal shroud and hacked up the reflector and bezel to finish off the face. I may paint the reflector pieces black and just leave the ring around the projector. Ill see how it looks once everythings in place.

as for sealing I have some sheets of metal that ill be molding in place and JB/rtv in place. Painting black after thats set. I did this to the 98 and that sucker is holding strong.

EDIT:

hehe found the thread, thanks, and its pretty much exactly what I have, just I have to adjust the beams before I can seal the headlight back together. No way to get to the screws after the shrouds are in place.

Mustang5L5 · Aug 30, 2008

Looks good. Nice to see someone who care's about how the light is projected rather than just slapping them in the stock housings and blinding everyone

mijo_latino · Aug 30, 2008

Didn't get much done today. Just thought Ill keep the pics coming. I was able to install the harness at least. The wires that came with the harness were just the right length. No hanging wires anywhere.

V_Eight · Aug 31, 2008

Watching for more...

mijo_latino · Aug 31, 2008

Waterproofing ballasts

pretty much nothing done today either. Will try to finish tomorow, long day. see the mess in the backround?

You can pick this stuff up(or something similar) at any home improvement store. I used this after I fryed one ballast on the 98, works great. Its pretty much liquid rubber. Just put a liberal amount around all the seams of the ballast. DO NOT coat over the breather, thats the middle black circle thing in the front. Usually you want to mount the ballast with the breather facing down. Try not to coat the entire thing either, you don't want to start insulating the heat coming off.

TURBO80LXCOUPE · Sep 1, 2008

ive wanted to do a retro for a while kind of scared and i need hi/lo for typical seattle weather,but need small projrctors + i want to stay 50 watt

The end all to lighting...99-04

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