HID Lights
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,972
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From: Witness Protection Program Somewhere, USA
2026 Restomod of the Year Finalist
HID Lights
Anyone know what happened to the member that was developing a HID replacement headlight? Post ran on for several months with "progress" reports. Now nothing. What happened? 
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
I've been running BMW E46 hid projectors now for almost a year, and recieve compliments are inquiries every time i drive at night. I had an overseas manufacturer ready to create a complete mold, but held off in respect to the guy who was going to make the original set. I think it's been enough time. If the interest is there, i'll start checking around again
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,454
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From: The Surgeon General has warned that it's ok to smoke mustangs!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Originally Posted by SFengineer
I've been running BMW E46 hid projectors now for almost a year, and recieve compliments are inquiries every time i drive at night.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 5
From: Plainfield, IL
I am running Valeo e-code projectors (audi A4/S4) in my stock housing. Some of you may remember my post several months ago. I paid $410 shipped for the projectors, Philips D2S bulbs, and Hella Ballasts. Took a ton of time and effort but now its done and they are amazing. Do a search for my name you will see the original thread with pics.
Hope this helps.
JT
Hope this helps.
JT
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
Mines similar to an HID retrofit. As mentioned before, it takes a hell of a long time, and I wouldn't feel 100% confident in marketing something that doesn't have a strict quality standard. I cut the back of the housing out and used our plastic welder to seal in the projectors. As far as making them DOT legal, that's a whole different story. I have never once been flashed while running them, and i've put about 10k miles on my car, most of them at night. New DOT requirements call for motors to be put on them, to level them out if say, you put 10 - 60lb bags of concrete in the back of your car. Makes sense, the cutoff line would be much higher, and therefore blinding oncoming drivers due the front of the car sitting up at an angle. On our vettes though, we never load them! I'll take some shots tonight of the cutoff lines and down the road illumination.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 1
From: GA
I have been sitting on my hands waiting for this "new" kit to come out, afraid to drive at night because I can't see with the stock lights (a lot of deer around here). Somebody come out with a kit that replaces the light and the cheap plastic lens! Please!
Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,741
Likes: 4,569
From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
Originally Posted by TOOGECKO
I have been sitting on my hands waiting for this "new" kit to come out, afraid to drive at night because I can't see with the stock lights (a lot of deer around here). Somebody come out with a kit that replaces the light and the cheap plastic lens! Please!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,811
Likes: 31
From: Minnetonka MN
St. Jude Donor '06
by simply puttin in a HId kit, u can better your stock output... i know, some of u may be thinkin, ohh, but that blinds oncoming drivers, blah, blah, blah...but hey, aim them right and your golden!
now im running the C5R lights with an 8000K kit, and man, its like im driving a benz or something german. the light output is controlled and there is a cutoff. never been flashed once!
the kit you are thinkin of is being "made/designed" by Mray on this forum. last i heard, he is making the pop-up kit. soon to follow the non-pop up. i "think" he got the projectors DOT approved... not sure.
i too was waiting for this, but i came across a deal on a set of C5R's and said the heck with it. took on the challenge of installing them. not as hard as most would think, just time consuming if your a perfectionist (which i assume most of us are, LOL)
Aj
now im running the C5R lights with an 8000K kit, and man, its like im driving a benz or something german. the light output is controlled and there is a cutoff. never been flashed once!
the kit you are thinkin of is being "made/designed" by Mray on this forum. last i heard, he is making the pop-up kit. soon to follow the non-pop up. i "think" he got the projectors DOT approved... not sure.
i too was waiting for this, but i came across a deal on a set of C5R's and said the heck with it. took on the challenge of installing them. not as hard as most would think, just time consuming if your a perfectionist (which i assume most of us are, LOL)
Aj
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
pics as promised. So far, lights have been 100% trouble free for a year. Don't have pics of the high beams, completely forgot. They're just as bright, but doesn't use the cutoff, so there's light everywhere
Inside Car
Outside car
Under cutoff
Projector
Cutoff (reflections above cutoff)
Behind car
Inside Car
Outside car
Under cutoff
Projector
Cutoff (reflections above cutoff)
Behind car
Last edited by SFengineer; Aug 10, 2005 at 03:17 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,454
Likes: 1
From: The Surgeon General has warned that it's ok to smoke mustangs!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
WOW!!! Looooove those lights! Seriously! Thank you for sharing them. Cutting, welding, sealing...... Definitely no task for an amatuer!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
The total cost for the system was about $450, using genuine Bosch Bi-xenon projectors ($230, used), ballasts, and D2s bulbs. Going with standard projectors would have cut the costs by about $50, and going with a ballast other than Phillips would have saved another $50. So total cost for the whole HID setup, including projectors, could be around $350 using generic parts. I wanted the Bi-xenon, which puts an unbelieveable amount of light on the road when the high beams are activated. Honestly, turning on the cars stock high beams with this system on looks like you just turned your DRLs on at night.
The overseas manufacturer created this light, they can do one to mount directly to the C5's mounting brackets. They're good at doing the halos too, and they don't really add any additional costs.
The overseas manufacturer created this light, they can do one to mount directly to the C5's mounting brackets. They're good at doing the halos too, and they don't really add any additional costs.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
Halogen versions are easily DOT approved, but with HIDs, they're requiring leveling motors for when the back of the car is weighted down. Personally i never load my vette with heavy things in the rear, and to date, i've never had a problem.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 0
From: Rowlett TX
Thank you for the reply SFengineer 
The C6 HID Lamps aren't self leveling as far as I know. I thought that a self leveling lamp was only required in Europe, along with washers.
I could be totally wrong
The C6 HID Lamps aren't self leveling as far as I know. I thought that a self leveling lamp was only required in Europe, along with washers.
I could be totally wrong
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,838
Likes: 1
From: Volusia. Las Vegas FL, NV
Originally Posted by SFengineer
I've been running BMW E46 hid projectors now for almost a year, and recieve compliments are inquiries every time i drive at night. I had an overseas manufacturer ready to create a complete mold, but held off in respect to the guy who was going to make the original set. I think it's been enough time. If the interest is there, i'll start checking around again
Too bad your version isn't out already. I've been waiting for the HID from Mray but not sure what the status is. It has been a very long wait. 
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Alameda Ca
It's made all the difference in night driving. Seems like the interest is there, i'll see if i can get a definite price. For a non hid setup, shouldn't be more than $250, and hid's could be used in it, just the cutoff wouldn't be as clean. This would be for those running 9006 HID's in their stock housing right now. Generic HID lights shouldn't be more than $350, and Bosch xenon or bi-xenon would have to be set by market price.
I'll try and get some hi beam pics up tonight. The hardest part is finding a part of town that's not lit by streetlights! I had to go to the ghetto to get those shots last night!
I'll try and get some hi beam pics up tonight. The hardest part is finding a part of town that's not lit by streetlights! I had to go to the ghetto to get those shots last night!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 0
From: Rowlett TX
Originally Posted by Sportsdude
Nothing wrong with a little competition Too bad your version isn't out already. I've been waiting for the HID from Mray but not sure what the status is. It has been a very long wait.
Too bad your version isn't out already. I've been waiting for the HID from Mray but not sure what the status is. It has been a very long wait.