Ebay HID Projector headlights
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 119
I have a set of the Chinese ACA headlights. I took them over to the Lightwerkz shop and had them look at them. Once I get the low beam receptacles removed from the assemblies, I will go back to their shop and purchase the parts I need to complete the conversion. It will be their adapters and a set of bi-xenon Morimotos. The final assembly should duplicate the best on the market at half the cost. I too can't justify the super expense of other products. I have too many things going on. I'm in the middle of a restoration and working on two vehicles at once is not easy. Lightwerkz is less than an hour's ride from my home.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
I don't guess you tested the beam pattern before sending them off to get modded? I'd love to hear from someone who actually bought these with one of the HID kits to chime in. I will say, I'm willing to spend UP TO what JWM is asking for these things if it's truly a better product. I'm a little leery that they're just throwing a premium price on it to make people think it's better though.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
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I gave you a cost breakdown above. The generic Mini H1s are bi-xenon and are generally around Morimoto Mini H1 5.0 levels of performance (currently Morimoto is on 7.0). A bit more expensive option for projectors are the Supers from Lightwerkz or Acme from TRS, again around 5.0 performance but you get more of a guarantee than generics.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
most are halogen projectors - even the Taiwanese ACA versions (with the H9 low beam), however, they're a lot better than stock regardless, and even putting your own HID kit in them won't be the worst thing in the world. not good enough to satisfy lighting snobs by any means, but not dangerously blinding either.
I have the ACA version with my own HID kit and they are 10x better than stock. No issues over 5 years later.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 119
Just to clarify, you're running one of the ebay housings, and then put HIDs in it without changing the projectors? If so, can you post pics of the beam pattern?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,429
Likes: 973
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Radioflyer is probably the best light modifier on the Corvette forum. I have no personal proof or frame of reference, but I’ve followed his design process whenever he shares it, leading me to believe that his product is more thoroughly engineered than any of the others and offers the most top notch options an build quality. Could that explain the price? I don’t know. From what I know of George, his products are bulletproof, perform better than any alternatives and he backs them 100%.
I’m very interested in further discussion in this thread, to see what others have done since I’m an obsessive DIY’er.
I’m very interested in further discussion in this thread, to see what others have done since I’m an obsessive DIY’er.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,429
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Radioflyer is probably the best light modifier on the Corvette forum. I have no personal proof or frame of reference, but I’ve followed his design process whenever he shares it, leading me to believe that his product is more thoroughly engineered than any of the others and offers the most top notch options an build quality. Could that explain the price? I don’t know. From what I know of George, his products are bulletproof, perform better than any alternatives and he backs them 100%.
I’m very interested in further discussion in this thread, to see what others have done since I’m an obsessive DIY’er.
I’m very interested in further discussion in this thread, to see what others have done since I’m an obsessive DIY’er.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 119
No hacking involved as long as permaseal is not used to seal the projectors to the headlights. Four screws to mount projector to bracket (bracket doesn't come with screws). Unscrew four screws to remove original projector and use same four screws to mount new bracket + projector.
I have done a Morimoto FX-R 3.0 retrofit into ACAs. Total cost was about 650 with about three weekends of work. The Morimoto universal LED fog lights also fit almost perfectly into the C5 fog light brackets.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,429
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Not trying to be argumentative here, since I know you do good work. If it cost you $650 to do what you did, why not buy the Radioflyer unit for the same price?
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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may I ask what you did to mount those projectors to the aca housings?... I have a set of fxr 3.0 (2.5") that I was going to put in my aca housings when I get around to it and from what it looks like they will need some sort of conversion bracket but I haven't been able to find one already made... I believe the only one lightwerkz has is for mini h1 projectors
Last edited by StingrayRebel; Sep 17, 2018 at 04:47 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
may I ask what you did to mount those projectors to the aca housings?... I have a set of fxr 3.0 (2.5") that I was going to put in my aca housings when I get around to it and from what it looks like they will need some sort of conversion bracket but I haven't been able to find one already made... I believe the only one lightwerkz has is for mini h1 projectors
Last edited by Tsumi; Sep 17, 2018 at 04:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
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From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
As far as I can tell regarding the ACA-type lights I don't think the clear lens has anything to do with the beam pattern. They are all plain clear lenses. The beam, IMO, comes from the light module you install, the Morimoto bi-xenons seem to be one of the best and use low and high beams from one module. Lightwerkz has what you need to mount these to even the Chinese clear ACA's. I will be doing this conversion eventually, but at this time I'm working on another project which is taking up my time. I'm interested in what George does with the high beam reflectors since they are typically aimed too high for actual use. I am under the impression he modifies them somehow to align lower.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
As far as I can tell regarding the ACA-type lights I don't think the clear lens has anything to do with the beam pattern. They are all plain clear lenses. The beam, IMO, comes from the light module you install, the Morimoto bi-xenons seem to be one of the best and use low and high beams from one module. Lightwerkz has what you need to mount these to even the Chinese clear ACA's. I will be doing this conversion eventually, but at this time I'm working on another project which is taking up my time. I'm interested in what George does with the high beam reflectors since they are typically aimed too high for actual use. I am under the impression he modifies them somehow to align lower.
I don't think George modifies the high beams. The bi-xenon function takes over the high beams, which is why he uses LEDs as floods.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 37
Likes: 2
Are you guys talking about these headlights for $339. I installed LED bulbs in my z06 and they sucks, I was thinking about just installing HID in the stock housing. I never had issues with the way HID looks but LED bulbs never looked bright enough to me.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-Corve...xZbgUW&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-Corve...xZbgUW&vxp=mtr
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 119
If it's really as simple as a bracket, and popping out the included projector, and popping in a replacement HID projector, I'm definitely interested in retrofitting these. I'll have to do some research this weekend.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Miami FL