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Topic: Which projectors? (Read 5331 times) previous topic - next topic

Which projectors?

I'm going to switch over to a bi-xenon hid setup sometime coming up and have been trying to decide which projectors would fit and work the best inside the stock housings/reflectors. The Acura TL one "appears" to be too tall, but is the highest recommended one. The BMW E46 works, but needs a custom shroud made. The Audi projectors all have nicely enclosed projectors. I have no idea how the BMW and Audi ones compare to one another or to the TL...and I'm not having much luck researching that fact.

Anyone here done this research themselves?

I'm planning on sanding down the inside of our lenses, leaving it with a polished clear finish and doing something to the inside to smooth the transition between the reflector and projector - probably just just some fiberglass and paint on a pair of old/useless reflectors.

Of course, this has all come from me finally going through and getting rid of quick disconnects - soldering and heatshrinking everything properly...also on my 4th type of fuse panel/block. Headlights are probably one of the last electrical upgrades I'd like to do. Ballasts and bulbs are easy, just which projector...?
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #1 –
The projectors from an audi are much too large in my opinion... they are too long i think and would need you to modify the header panel.

Which projectors?

Reply #2 –
Finally found some good sources for information. Does anyone have dimensions of the headlight housings with and without the adjustment bracket?
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #3 –
hmmm...no matter what projectors are used, it seems the easiest route for making the headlights themselves would require header panel modification...no need to worry about having the projector perfectly centered in the small header panel hold. Only problem is I have no idea how you would go about modifying fiberglass without making it likely to crack down the road. Thinking of just getting some quotes from outside shops but if it isn't as fragile as I'm thinking, then I'd just do it myself. As far as I know, the edges have to be rounded/smoothed nicely to prevent cracking but thats all I know. Of course, I don't know if I even want to mess with the dust that would be in the air from that stuff. Tips anyone?

Would love to not have a problem with using TL projectors
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #4 –
Quote
Would love to not have a problem with using TL projectors

Well if the world was perfect you wouldn't have any problems. But the reality is you want to use fairly new technology in a 20 year old car.. it's not going to be plug and play. Yes some modifications / fabrications will be necessary. Besides, I doubt many people on this board have even thought about the idea of using projector headlights (as it's evident by nobody else replying in here.) So my tip for you.. is you're on your own with this ;)

Which projectors?

Reply #5 –
I thought about using projectors made for an 87 stang until I found out they wouldnt work in our cars.
87 T-bird two tone diarrhea color. 5.0 converted with AOD.  GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
 
94 Lincoln Towncar, Dark Metallic Green, 4.6L AOD
SOLD!!!!
 
99 Mercury Cougar. V6 MTX75 Trans. CURRENT PROJECT DAILY DRIVER.

Which projectors?

Reply #6 –
well I'm shooting for a tight fit. Have TL's now and E46 projectors on the way. So whichever works best, I'll use. Even the TL's will fit in the stock housings if aimed FORWARD, not straight out in the housings which would be to the side when on the car.

edit:
pictures of fit - fits behind the lens cover in current position.




With some little tpuppies, it should fit fine. Entire retrofit will be jbwelded and fiberglassed. Of course, the driving lights and corners will need to be done in a similar fashion to look right.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #7 –
How about this, whats the best way to get rid of those lens grooves? I've been using a dremel with the wire tips to cut down the plastic but its a slow, uneven, and messy process. Any better ideas?
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #8 –
I would use one of those black and decker sanders that have the small clothes iron shaped sanding head.  its an orbital sander with a tip taht will allow you to get into the corners.

Have you come across anything that would work well for a 4 eye?
One 88

Which projectors?

Reply #9 –
Actually, the projectors that are only a single beam are MUCH smaller, and cheaper, than the dual beam projectors (seen them at $60 buy it now on ebay). I think the Lexus RS330 is the smallest you can get, but not sure. The largest problem isn't the width of these things, or height, but the length...the reason for me needing to hack up my header panel behind the light. If I had such a vehicle, I'd switch the low beams over and keep the highs halogen - unless you have money just sitting around for a second set of everything. Get a set of ballasts/ignitors with bulbs for $100 and you'd have a pretty easy, cheap install in a pre-87. Of course, the ballasts need to be kept away from water or potted else they can short internally.

The TL's above are probably the largest projectors you can get at 4.39" (w) x 3.78" (h) x 6.73" (l) but also known to be the best available in stock form. I don't know the dimensions of sealed beam headlights so I'm not sure how much room is available inside.

Not sure how well that sander would work in corners, although its designed with that tip for it. Sandpaper doesn't cut through this plastic all that quick, even 40 grit. May just be better off buying a bulk pack of those wire brushes from widgetsupply (which surprisingly is a local company)
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #10 –
The headlights on a 4 eye are 4"x6".  H4656 and H4651

What are these pop in HID conversion bulbs on ebay?   
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Xenon-HID-Conversion-Kit-H1-H3-H4-H7-9004-9006-9007_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36476QQihZ010QQitemZ200047376077QQrdZ1       

Drop in HID?  Costs about as much as a couple of cheap parts would.

BillyF17 has don a HID conversion on his 4 eye. 


Have you toyed with the idea of making your own lenses?  If you could make a mold of the current lense, and heat acrylic sheets to cover it.  Shave the outside of the mold down so they are not oversized.
One 88

Which projectors?

Reply #12 –
"Drop in" solutions, in most cases, will cause excessive glare to other drivers since the reflectors are designed for halogen bulbs. Using D2R bulbs (reflector based) instead of D2S (projector based) will cut down on some of the glare, but they're designed for hid reflectors. The arc in a metal halide bulb is completely different than the glowing coils in a halogen so the focal lengths are off, throwing light everywhere.

Of course, thats just "drop in" replacements (replacing just the bulb with a re-based one and adding ballasts/igniters). Your first link isn't working and the second may work alright. Its not OEM equipment, which is tested and proven, but buying a set and taking pictures of them facing a wall would let you compare the cutoffs and amount of glare compared to the different projectors.

HERE is a somewhat outdated page that has pictures of different projectors and their cutoffs. Hard to make sense of the page at first, but it shows how good projector setups can be, with a nice sharp cutoff line. The camera used obviously doesn't like the green (?) light they have above the garage as it darkens everything.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Which projectors?

Reply #13 –
That makes perfect sense.  I've fixed the broken link...
One 88

Which projectors?

Reply #14 –
Getting the inside of those lenses smooth is a HUGE undertaking. You would have a cloudy and distorted final product at best.
However, I think it's cool that you're trying it. There must be some other way, though.
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