ballinfizzle89

iTrader: (6)

Damn, that looks great! Ahhh, makes me want to do my headlights again

What turn signals did you decide to go with?

ililillilillilil

that looks sick with the cf!

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

I tell ya... I took my time, because I only wanted to do this once. After doing it, there's no way I'd do it again anytime soon. It's serious chunk of time and labor.

My only regret is I wish had purchased like new 2006 headlight casings. My lenses are already a bit "tattered" after 30K miles up and down 95. It would have made install easier too, as I would not have had to open 2 sets of headlights, and mounting a matter of removing old headlights and installing new ones.
I shrugged off this concern this afternoon... I commute a lot. Had I put new headlight lenses in, they'd look like they do today within a year.

I installed V-leds 36 HPR led... (see post 72)- I mentioned this earlier in the thread. You'll see em tommorrow.

ililili - thanks.

TLin401

If they look that good in the living room I can only imagine what they are going to look like on.

Bearcat94

I think, in general, carbon fiber is over-done and/or over-rated. However, this is a GREAT application for the CF. Really looks good without trying to be "flashy". The apparent good quality of the CF helps too.


"It's raining" .... WTF???

Kennedy, I think you need a garage.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Yep... Exactly. CF as an accent is great looking. Rememebr though, I'm the guy with the gaudy CF fuel cover, CF A-pillars, and fake CF roof spoiler. I'm probably "overdone".
The final piece for me is the lower lip overlay aznbo is making ($$$ ), and perhaps a cust grill where the inner grill section is overlayed in CF.

Garage... Got one. It's full of other toys and unfinished projects.
"Note: the polished intake manifold in the left corner and the unseen SC compressor on the other side of the bike..."

Bearcat94

Oops! :removesfootfrommouth:

Ilya

Imagine if you have the TL-S lights...they have that second ring where the DRL's are. That would look even more sick.

JnC

iTrader: (12)

Meh, what REALLY would be awesome if someone gets a set of S2k projectors installed in that DRL opening for a quad projector retro.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

I thought about trying to install another projector in the fog bowl with a nice hella fog projector... To much hacking involved for a first time project. I talked myself out of it after looking at the GT-Rs headlights. It has two equal sized projectors/lenses.

In thinking about this, I was concerned the smaller projector on the inside of the lens would look out of place and dwarfed by the larger 3in TL bixenon. To look right, you would need dual 3" projectors in my mind.

The 2007/type s lens might lend itself to an easier 3" lens retro...

Now that would be the 10 million dollar headlight:
- Cleared and painted
- ZKWs
- 3" yellow fog retro
- Paint the orange reflector and install led inlays (like the taillight)...
- CF trim

Who will step up to that challenge?

Snapping more photos within the hour.

Ilya

I dunno...I think one large projector and one small would look quite hot. And hack job or not, it would look great. My headlights on my Maxima are pretty hacked. The guy had to cut the bottom out a bit to fit the bi-xenon mechanism (the projector is none other than an Acura TL Bi-Xenon projector with a non-ZKW clear lense.)

Ilya

Imagine a slightly smaller projector on the inside of those. I think it would look down right SEXY .

JnC

iTrader: (12)

I am running quad projectors in my TL (2nd gen) as you might have seen pictures at HIDp or here at AZ, I personally think quads are an overkill, there is just too much light. That being said I do love the look of quads though and on the 07 TL headlights it would look right at home since the DRL bezel is wide enough to let the lens come through. Instead of an S2k a small Bosch fog light projector can also be VERY easily installed without going through a lot of trouble . I would love to do some work on 07 TL headlights but i have yet to come across a set of headlights.

Ilya

I saw some on ebay a few days ago for relatively cheap (I paid $460 for my retrofit).

JnC

iTrader: (12)

Kennedy, when you come across a set of 07 headlights then lemme know, here is an idea for the next project

TLs with ZKW
S2ks in the DRL
CCFLs
LED arrays like I showed you on page 5 i think


The thing I love about cars that already have projectors is that there isnt much of an alignment issue cause you can just align the 2nd pair of projectors with the OEM ones and install the headlights.

Ilya

Yeah I still haven't been able to aim my shit right lol.

Anyone have a good way to aim projectors? I'm struggling. Can't get a good setup.

Should the cutoff be ____/--/---- or ____/---___/---- or just ____/---- (merge the two headlights together)? And how many feet back from the wall should I be for HID's/Projectors?

JnC

iTrader: (12)

Cut off should be

__________/''''''''''''''''''''________/'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

This is how it is in my car (white balance is way off in the following pictures)

TL/ZKW



AP1 S2ks




both on




Kennedy since you took the projectors off to do the swap make sure you readjust them after the install

Bearcat94

There is a scan from the Service Manual for aiming the headlights in a thread somewhere - check the 3G Garage.

The distance is to adjust from 25 feet (IIRC), but I don't remember the height they should be at that distance.


Found it:

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-parts-sale-361/custom-radio-dash-kit-92736/

Ilya

Thanks for the help guys. I'll do it tonight I think before I leave town for NY's.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Here are some day shots... Just snapped these to appease the masses. It's bad form to post pics of such a hot mod without washing... No hassles over the cleanliness please, it's new years eve for crissake, and I'm also prepping for the bash in the basement.

More "clean" pics, and night shots to follow.

TLin401

WOW That is amazing! I can only imagine what they look like at night.

Ilya

Uhh...registration sticker in middle of windshield. VA?

It's such an eyesore.

Second to last pic is the money shot...SO NICE.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

"Safety Inspection"... Virginia, one of the highest taxed nanny states in the union. Just another way for the state to extract your hard earned dollars in the name of "protecting the public". You'll get a ticket while parked for not having one.

Ilya

Inspection sorry...that's what I meant.

I was saying that unlike all other states...(NY is right on the left lowest edge (driver side) of the windshield)...VA fricken puts it right in the middle. Such an eyesore.

SSM6MTNAVI

Jus gotta say that those lights look sick! I mean dayum ..... man I miss my TL.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

1 more day pic... Perhaps my new avatar:

Bearcat94

Nice!!


Looking forward to more pics.

ballinfizzle89

iTrader: (6)

Damn Kennedy, feeling those! I love how you can see the CF on the side
Whats the emblem on the grill? I've been contemplating painting the middle bar as well, heard the rock chips are killer though!

THTL

iTrader: (2)

how come yours doesn't have the inner circle on the projector like the other member.

ballinfizzle89

iTrader: (6)

I think he does, but it seems to be brighter out so you can't really see it.

trancemission

sick

stavebomb

Wow, that looks really nice kenedy. Good work. So where did you hook the angel eyes wires up to? I think I remember reading that they are day running lights too?

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Ballin, the emblem is a "supercharged" emblem from a cobalt SS. Yes, I'm a little ahead of the game. I'm really putting it in, as soon as I get the SC manifolds back from the polisher...
It really fits well with the rest of the work. It looks very similar to the A-spec emblem, and ties together nicely.
Rock chips... Ugh, tell me about it. My headlight lenses look like ass, after 30K miles. nature of the beast. Nothin stays new forever.

They're there... These pics were taken in direct sunlight, Rocky's were taken at dusk/night. You can see it in the last pic I posted, and that's at full on daylight... That shows you how bright the rings are. You can see them illuminated during the day, they're hella bright at night. In fact, due to the crystal clarity of the ZKW lens, I think the inner reflection is even brighter.

Thanks, E
Lot of work represented here...

stavebomb, I tapped the green wire in the wire loom that runs to the wiper motors (that's ignition switched power) as the + lead. This means, the angel eyes are on anytime the car is running... thus a DRL. - To see/find this wire, referece the Designtech DRL install in the 3G garage...
Not sure I'll keep it this way, JnC says these rings only last a year or so... I might put them on a direct switch so i can run them at will, as opposed to on "all the time", hoping this'll preserve them... caus eif one fails, it fails. I'm not carking these open again. Ugh.

ACCURATEin

Man, i must say everyone is getting crafty with these headlight customizations. This one is a little more involved and fine tuned aesthetically. CF and halos are nice finishing touches.

Now lets get the show on the road and mount those polished pieces under the hood, show everyone whats really good!

stavebomb

oh man, yeah that would suck if they died and you had to take them apart again just to remove or replace them. they look really good though. also how are your led corner lights that you bought. did you end up going through with the LEDs from eBay?

shubysingh

u probably already answered this, but where did u get the angel eyes from?

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

ebay... from Umnitza.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

Ehhh??? Please tell me that's not true!! Who told you? Hopefully if I have any problems it would be the inverter not the ring! I don't want to ever crack my headlights open either.

FiveLiterCheater

Looks good except for that chrome gated lower grille....what were ya thinkin lol

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

See post 187... but that's not the feedback from the BMW community in the research I've done. Many of those run as Daytime Running Lights for years, and the most complaints I've seen is from folks with failed ballasts... which the universal answer is to replace it with the one from vibelights for $10.

What to do, what to do.

Can't please everyone.

As for 24 hours usage now... Headlights are near causing accidents. People pull up, look, pull up a bit more, look some more.... almost break there neck lookin, then get honked at when the light turns green becasue they're not pating attention. That's the Angel Eyese I'm sure.

ZKW is unreal at night. The cutoff os so sharp, it's like a freaking laser beam... a laser beam mounted to the head of a shark for that matter.

Soon as I figure out how to take good night picture with the d40, I'll snap some.