My HID projector build up

[myamoto1]

Grey hammertone might not be bad. Can you paint the chrome on the projector to match the driving light? I'd try it w/o first, but question how the chrome would look next to the hammertone.

[gsmith660]

So silver on the bucket the driving light is attached to and grey hammer finish on the mounting plate and I am not going to get paint anywhere near those projectors the shrouds can stay silver so when I silicon it it will blend well and provide some contrast. How does that sound? If it sucks then I will just sand it off and try again.

[vulcan300]

Hey Jerry, your lights are looking awesome! Can't wait to see the final product.

J

[gsmith660]

Thanks hope they perform as well as they look

[myamoto1]

Originally Posted by gsmith660

So silver on the bucket the driving light is attached to and grey hammer finish on the mounting plate and I am not going to get paint anywhere near those projectors the shrouds can stay silver so when I silicon it it will blend well and provide some contrast. How does that sound? If it sucks then I will just sand it off and try again.

Sounds like a plan. I don't blame you for not wanting to paint the housings on the projectors. Looking forward to see how it looks.

Have you thought of any sort of "frosting" on the lenses to help hide the internals. I know various options have been discussed on the other HID threads, just wondering if you had any plans.

[Mia911]

Looking great I will love to see the final product..

[gsmith660]

I would consider frosting if I had anywhere around here to do it professionally that is not something I want to screw up.

[gsmith660]

I have clearance problems in the headlight bucket the projector is too deep so I will have to drill a hole in the bucket and mount the ballast outside under the fender. Let me know what you think! I need to move the driving light just a smidge to the right.

[Canada Kev]

Yeah, just a smidge to the right. It looks like it's not level.

On another note, after seeing the light on the car, I have a different thought on painting. I would do the sides silver, (though they kinda do look grey, which is also good) and your aluminum plate at the back, black. It would tie in the black trim of the driving light quite nicely. And your trim rings body colour, of course.

I think one of your biggest challenges will be aiming them. Looks like it might be a lot of pissing around...

It's coming along pretty well - looks awesome already, even without the finishing paint.

[gsmith660]

To the right is taken care of the sides are grey and will be silver and the trim rings will be body color.

[tharbert]

My 2 ¢... Avoid black inside the headlight unit. Seeing the pictures in the earlier thread, the black seem to stand out too much. Any gray or silver metalic hue would look great. My thinking is that it already looks different, black just seemed to bring more emphasis inside the lens which, IMHO, it doesn't need.

Also, I love the European parking lamp look. That could be added on the outboard side of the projector on your back plate wired to the running light circut. My Z has it:



And European H4s do too. I think they are called "city lights":


pic by sygyzy

[myamoto1]

I agree on not painting the mounting plate black, if you're not going to paint the projector housing. It'll create too much contrast IMHO. I think the all silver or silver w/ grey hammertone is the way to go. Looks awesome so far. Are those the VW lenses? Have you looked into using the H1 lenses - I think they fit but not 100% sure.

[rothaus]

Originally Posted by gsmith660

I would consider frosting if I had anywhere around here to do it professionally that is not something I want to screw up.

I frosted my lenses using glass etching from Ben Franklin, taped off with electrical tape. It washed off with water.

[lateapex911]

Frosting lenses is easy and you can always start over. Plenty of products to do it with. Agree on the no black in there, it will just emphasize the projectors too much.

Are H1 lenses fluted?? I didn't think they were clear. If they aren't clear, you can't use them as they will screw up the pattern. Any frosting done must be kept clear of the path of the light in the pattern area.

On mine there was a socket in the bucket for a city light bulb, but, that area was taken up by the lights I used in that area. Mine were a fog pattern, instead of a driving light pattern, as I used bi xenon lights and had hi and low beam HID. I have mused about tying the fog lights to the parking light circuit, but adding a resistor to dim and dull them a bit to a 'city light glow' level, then, also attaching them to a un-resisted circuit, either as a separate fog, or in conjunction with the low beams.

[gsmith660]

I am using the VW lens and they are clear I am going to tie the driving lights into the high beam circuit they are halogen lights so they will help some.

[myamoto1]

Originally Posted by lateapex911

Are H1 lenses fluted?? I didn't think they were clear. If they aren't clear, you can't use them as they will screw up the pattern. Any frosting done must be kept clear of the path of the light in the pattern area.

I know the H4 and H5 are fluted, but think the H1's are clear (with fluting at the very top). I through I read that the H1's relied on the internal reflectors for beam pattern.

[gsmith660]

Originally Posted by myamoto1

I know the H4 and H5 are fluted, but think the H1's are clear (with fluting at the very top). I through I read that the H1's relied on the internal reflectors for beam pattern.

H-1'1 are fluted the headlight on the left in my pic is an H-1 to compare with the new look of the HID's

[myamoto1]

Ahhh - I see that now. I'll see if I can skate by on a technicality... they're less fluted that H4's & 5's

[Mia911]

Wow sweet work Gsmith

[gsmith660]

Originally Posted by myamoto1

Ahhh - I see that now. I'll see if I can skate by on a technicality... they're less fluted that H4's & 5's

Actually they are just as fluted just a different pattern the original lens 25 years ago had a high quartz content and broke really easy I have several spares in the shop since I bought those I haven't broke any more.