Gauging interest: ACA Bi-xenon headlight conversion
#61
Safety Car
Member Since: Aug 2004
Location: Southwest Kansas
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2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Unmodified
2021 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
So these are just a matter of pulling the old housings out and screwing these in? And then making the connections for the Hi-4 harness?
Are they available now?
Are they available now?
#62
Supporting Vendor
Thread Starter
Not available yet. Pending installation by the new owner to make sure there was nothing overlooked. Looking to start the first GP in mid march.
#63
Corvette Cowboy
I have a question I like the look of the ACA headlights and would like to have them so how do I go about this find a set of ACA or do you provide them in this GP also I already have HID lights in my stock light buckets
Pops
Pops
#64
Supporting Vendor
Thread Starter
1) Purchase ACA lights with the Radioflyer ACA modification
2) Send in your existing ACA lights for the modification.
#65
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#66
Corvette Cowboy
#67
Supporting Vendor
Thread Starter
#68
Le Mans Master
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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Prototype units are in!! Spent a few hours yesterday putting them in, and got to test them last night. My conclusion? These things are AMAZING!!!! Even my fiance could notice right away how much better they are than the HIDs in factory housings (and yes I discovered the original owner had already upgraded to HID bulbs) Way more light output on both low and high beam, and the beam pattern has to be one of the best I've ever seen. I've used euro code lights on several other cars, and these have a beam patter that is at least as good as the best euro lens I've ever seen, and the bi-xenon bulbs put out so much light there is just no comparison.
Install was fairly easy if you take your time, although there are two big "gotchas":
1. Make sure to pre-tap the ACA housings with the factory screws before tyring to mount the headlights. They are not tapped, and trying to do it while mounting would not be fun. (Big thanks to Jesse Asis for this heads up.)
2. Apparently the polarity on the GM wiring and the HID ballast are opposite. A big thanks to George (thedaioflyer) for taking the time to answer his phone on a Saturday and help me troubleshoot this. For future reference, if you install these and the brights work but the lows don't, reverse the low beam plug going into the ballasts.
Now to one thing I don't like, but it's not anything wrong with the units or the conversion, but I definitely can see the "bounce" that everyone talks about. However, I've had this on all pop-up light sports cars that I've ever converted to upgraded headlights. Both my 4th gen Firebirds had it pretty bad, as did the 01 Z06 I had. I will say that the C4 I had didn't do it as bad, but I think a lot of that is the design of the pop up design. Both the f-bodies and the C5 use a simple pop-up mechanism, whereas the C4 used a unique design that rotates around a shaft instead of "popping" up. Anyway, with the pop-up design and the much, much greater light output, I think the "bounce" is just a fact of life with stiffly suspended sports cars that use pop-up lights. It's definitely something I can live with for the HUGE improvement in light output.
Install was fairly easy if you take your time, although there are two big "gotchas":
1. Make sure to pre-tap the ACA housings with the factory screws before tyring to mount the headlights. They are not tapped, and trying to do it while mounting would not be fun. (Big thanks to Jesse Asis for this heads up.)
2. Apparently the polarity on the GM wiring and the HID ballast are opposite. A big thanks to George (thedaioflyer) for taking the time to answer his phone on a Saturday and help me troubleshoot this. For future reference, if you install these and the brights work but the lows don't, reverse the low beam plug going into the ballasts.
Now to one thing I don't like, but it's not anything wrong with the units or the conversion, but I definitely can see the "bounce" that everyone talks about. However, I've had this on all pop-up light sports cars that I've ever converted to upgraded headlights. Both my 4th gen Firebirds had it pretty bad, as did the 01 Z06 I had. I will say that the C4 I had didn't do it as bad, but I think a lot of that is the design of the pop up design. Both the f-bodies and the C5 use a simple pop-up mechanism, whereas the C4 used a unique design that rotates around a shaft instead of "popping" up. Anyway, with the pop-up design and the much, much greater light output, I think the "bounce" is just a fact of life with stiffly suspended sports cars that use pop-up lights. It's definitely something I can live with for the HUGE improvement in light output.
#69
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Omaha
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Oh, one last thing I forgot to mention, I did not need to do any trimming of the headlamp mounting bracket for the housings to fit.
#70
Supporting Vendor
Thread Starter
Prototype units are in!! Spent a few hours yesterday putting them in, and got to test them last night. My conclusion? These things are AMAZING!!!! Even my fiance could notice right away how much better they are than the HIDs in factory housings (and yes I discovered the original owner had already upgraded to HID bulbs) Way more light output on both low and high beam, and the beam pattern has to be one of the best I've ever seen. I've used euro code lights on several other cars, and these have a beam patter that is at least as good as the best euro lens I've ever seen, and the bi-xenon bulbs put out so much light there is just no comparison.
Install was fairly easy if you take your time, although there are two big "gotchas":
1. Make sure to pre-tap the ACA housings with the factory screws before tyring to mount the headlights. They are not tapped, and trying to do it while mounting would not be fun. (Big thanks to Jesse Asis for this heads up.)
2. Apparently the polarity on the GM wiring and the HID ballast are opposite. A big thanks to George (thedaioflyer) for taking the time to answer his phone on a Saturday and help me troubleshoot this. For future reference, if you install these and the brights work but the lows don't, reverse the low beam plug going into the ballasts.
Now to one thing I don't like, but it's not anything wrong with the units or the conversion, but I definitely can see the "bounce" that everyone talks about. However, I've had this on all pop-up light sports cars that I've ever converted to upgraded headlights. Both my 4th gen Firebirds had it pretty bad, as did the 01 Z06 I had. I will say that the C4 I had didn't do it as bad, but I think a lot of that is the design of the pop up design. Both the f-bodies and the C5 use a simple pop-up mechanism, whereas the C4 used a unique design that rotates around a shaft instead of "popping" up. Anyway, with the pop-up design and the much, much greater light output, I think the "bounce" is just a fact of life with stiffly suspended sports cars that use pop-up lights. It's definitely something I can live with for the HUGE improvement in light output.
Install was fairly easy if you take your time, although there are two big "gotchas":
1. Make sure to pre-tap the ACA housings with the factory screws before tyring to mount the headlights. They are not tapped, and trying to do it while mounting would not be fun. (Big thanks to Jesse Asis for this heads up.)
2. Apparently the polarity on the GM wiring and the HID ballast are opposite. A big thanks to George (thedaioflyer) for taking the time to answer his phone on a Saturday and help me troubleshoot this. For future reference, if you install these and the brights work but the lows don't, reverse the low beam plug going into the ballasts.
Now to one thing I don't like, but it's not anything wrong with the units or the conversion, but I definitely can see the "bounce" that everyone talks about. However, I've had this on all pop-up light sports cars that I've ever converted to upgraded headlights. Both my 4th gen Firebirds had it pretty bad, as did the 01 Z06 I had. I will say that the C4 I had didn't do it as bad, but I think a lot of that is the design of the pop up design. Both the f-bodies and the C5 use a simple pop-up mechanism, whereas the C4 used a unique design that rotates around a shaft instead of "popping" up. Anyway, with the pop-up design and the much, much greater light output, I think the "bounce" is just a fact of life with stiffly suspended sports cars that use pop-up lights. It's definitely something I can live with for the HUGE improvement in light output.
GP begins tomorrow!!!!
#72
Safety Car
I'd be interested in this also, for a GP price.
I have one of the original ACA setups; not sure what bulb type is installed currently. Will this bixenon upgrade kit work on any ACA housing and will there be different wiring needed if the original kit has a different bulb style?
I found in the original box the bulbs are a D1S style, if that helps answer my questions above.
I have one of the original ACA setups; not sure what bulb type is installed currently. Will this bixenon upgrade kit work on any ACA housing and will there be different wiring needed if the original kit has a different bulb style?
I found in the original box the bulbs are a D1S style, if that helps answer my questions above.
Last edited by Z06ufgrad2002; 03-21-2012 at 07:36 PM.
#74
Supporting Vendor
Thread Starter
I'd be interested in this also, for a GP price.
I have one of the original ACA setups; not sure what bulb type is installed currently. Will this bixenon upgrade kit work on any ACA housing and will there be different wiring needed if the original kit has a different bulb style?
I found in the original box the bulbs are a D1S style, if that helps answer my questions above.
I have one of the original ACA setups; not sure what bulb type is installed currently. Will this bixenon upgrade kit work on any ACA housing and will there be different wiring needed if the original kit has a different bulb style?
I found in the original box the bulbs are a D1S style, if that helps answer my questions above.
You can find the GP here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...flyer-gp1.html
#75
Le Mans Master
Sent you an Email
#76
Le Mans Master
In light of CF member "matthewlfd's" Bi-xenon retrofit in the ACA projector housings, I'm considering offering this both as a conversion service to people's existing lights and at an entire kit with brand new headlights.
Brand new kits would be $600
Conversions to existing headlights would be $275
Note: The conversions I offer would correct the alignment issue between high and low beam that has plagued the ACA design since it's introduction.
Anyone interested?
Brand new kits would be $600
Conversions to existing headlights would be $275
Note: The conversions I offer would correct the alignment issue between high and low beam that has plagued the ACA design since it's introduction.
Anyone interested?
Did you receive the Email I sent you?
#78
Le Mans Master
Haven't received it. Probably because I failed to update on the forum. Could you please resend to: rmerce12@gmail.com. I'll update on the forum. The hotmail address currently listed is dead.