[emilio320]

I just ordered my Retrofit Kit today from TRS. I got the FX-R stage 4 kit with the matsushita balast and phillips 85122+ DS2 bulbs. My current headlights are a bit worn, the driver side more so than the other (faded yellow) so i am shopping for a new set to do my retro with. I know everyone recommends OEM and POSSIBLY depo, but what do you guys think about these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-0...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


are they worth it? or should i just buy OEM and figure out how to SMOKE not tint, them myself?

 

[kingmoocow]

The problem with ebay lights is that you don't usually know who makes them. Eagle Eye and Depo lights usually have a good fitment, and are ok to do a retro with (in my opinion). With xyz lights you just don't know what fitment you'll get, so to me it can make or break the look of the retro. If it doesn't sit right, it's not good to put several hundred bucks worth of projectors and bulbs and labor in to.

I guess I don't understand the difference in tint vs smoke. I've seen several people use tint sprays to achieve a smoked look. What would give you a smoke look?

My 2 cents. Get a good known aftermarket brand, or go OEM.

Watching ebay and your local craigslist you can sometimes and get brand new OEM's for less than $100 each - which would be ideal. if not, I'd get some good condition used OEM.

Edit: Sorry, noticed your OEM are yellowed. You can restore those with kits at home. Turtle Wax makes a good kit to remove yellow, but I don't like it for removing haze. 3M has a good kit for haze AND yellow.

 

[LFSoccer2k6]

Yea, go with OEM used or Aftermarket DEPO or Eagle Eye or TYC. Using shitty headlights is only half assing the retro

 

[Nickdees]

Yea, go with OEM used or Aftermarket DEPO or Eagle Eye or TYC. Using shitty headlights is only half assing the retro

+1

Also thank you for not making the mistake of buying aftermarket projectors off ebay, did it right the first time :thmsup:

 

[emilio320]

thanks for the info guys, yea i def. dont want to go through the trouble of restoring my oems to do my retro with.. i stopped by a local junkyard that also sells new aftermarket parts. they offered me a pair of DEPO brand headlights for $80 for the pair? is that a good deal? also my main Q was trying to figure out how to get a smoked lens look that will last.. i dont want to do the TINT because i heard its a pain to get it done right, and also i really don't want the headlights to come out TOOO dark. i just want a gunmetal-ish light smoke on the lens, i fear that if i make them too dark of a tint it will both, not look good on my bright silver car, AND affect the light output.. here is a pic of what i am trying to achieve in terms of the shade:

and here is what i want to avoid, cus in my opinion it looks too dark for my silver car..

any input as to how to achieve the "SMOKED" look of the first pair vs the charcoal burnt look of the second? Keep in mind the housing will be painted jet black so it will look even nicer with the very light smoke

 

[kingmoocow]

80 for depos is good.

need greg to ring in on the smoke, I know he did that very thing for one of our customers with a certain tint spray, can't remember what it was though.

 

[ricerocket]

Yea $80 for depos is a really good price. My friend who is an auto parts dealer sells depos for $100ish a pair brand new. And for the above, idk how I feel about tint spray. Maybe I just haven't seen it done right, but most of the tint sprays I've seen cause the headlight/taillight to haze over time.

 

[AznAccord08]

i have those headlights but with a lighter smoke and i say stick with the clear ones. i had trouble lighting up the road with 35w hid's and the 55w isn't as bright as a 35w in a clear housing. it cuts down the glare, but since you're doing retros, these wouldn't be the best headlights to go with.

 

[kingmoocow]

Oh, I didn't realize the lens was smoked, I thought it was just the chrome inside. Definitely keep the lens clear and just use a couple of light coats of tint spray on the inside and it will look good.

 

[emilio320]

Oh, I didn't realize the lens was smoked, I thought it was just the chrome inside. Definitely keep the lens clear and just use a couple of light coats of tint spray on the inside and it will look good.

ok, you say to keep the lens clear, so what then are you reffering to when you say to give a light tint on the inside? the rest of the headlight innards? Cus i plan on painting that all black as it is anyways so i guess you guys are right i should just not mess with the lens because i really dont want to mess up any light output. what i would REALLY like to do is custom fabricate a fiberglass mold like the one that NEXSON did over at HID planet. do you guys know who im talking about?

 

[kingmoocow]

We're very familiar with Nexson, he's a legend - his fiberglass work is the best -- if you're savvy with fiberglass it didn't look that hard to do, but I know his take a long time and a lot of prep. I haven't ventured to try anything like that yet.

When I was talking about what we did before was all the chrome- the reflector bowl was tinted with tint spray that was specially marketed to tint chrome wheels to give a smoked look. Then the chrome bezel, and the shrouds were left shiny chrome, if I remember right.

It sounds like you were suggesting to black out the reflector bowl, and tint the lens, I wasn't following you earlier. The blackout will make it all very dark inside,and looks really good on dark cars, in my opinion. I don't like it so much on Silver - personal preference. The /lenses/ tinted obstruct too much light.

 

[emilio320]

We're very familiar with Nexson, he's a legend - his fiberglass work is the best -- if you're savvy with fiberglass it didn't look that hard to do, but I know his take a long time and a lot of prep. I haven't ventured to try anything like that yet.

When I was talking about what we did before was all the chrome- the reflector bowl was tinted with tint spray that was specially marketed to tint chrome wheels to give a smoked look. Then the chrome bezel, and the shrouds were left shiny chrome, if I remember right.

It sounds like you were suggesting to black out the reflector bowl, and tint the lens, I wasn't following you earlier. The blackout will make it all very dark inside,and looks really good on dark cars, in my opinion. I don't like it so much on Silver - personal preference. The /lenses/ tinted obstruct too much light.

i am by no means savy with fiberglass but i AM a DIEHARD do-it-yourselfer, much so that ive managed to do to engine swaps while having zero experience with that kind of stuff (amazing what you find on youtube) so i think i am going to take my time and follow NEXSON'S thread from HIDP and see if i can get the same result, the one thing i couldn't figure out is where you guys buy those "L" Brackets and screws/springs for making the lenses adjustable? that would be one of the only parts i have to locate to get this started.

EDIT: Oh and i forgot to add, that i agree maybe i shouldnt go completely black on the inside pieces, i am now considering a light tint, and if i manage to fabricate that fiberglass mold i might just color match it with my paint and then add a tint to that as well.. what do you guys think?

 

[kingmoocow]

Home Depot, in the cabinetry parts section.

 

[kingmoocow]

I've thought several times about doing an acrylic vaccuform as a shroud, and then clolrmatching it, a la the C6 'Vette. I think it'd look good.

I don't have the gear I'd need to do vaccuforming, or the permission from the wife to use the oven for plastics

Fiberglass is just messy and somewhat expensive to get all the different stuff you need to do it.

 

[emilio320]

I've thought several times about doing an acrylic vaccuform as a shroud, and then clolrmatching it, a la the C6 'Vette. I think it'd look good.

I don't have the gear I'd need to do vaccuforming, or the permission from the wife to use the oven for plastics

Fiberglass is just messy and somewhat expensive to get all the different stuff you need to do it.

hmmm... vaccuforming you say? Theres no wifey at my house to stop me from baking headlights, plastics, or w.e. else i need to get this done so i am definitely gonna google vaccuforming now lol.. and what were you saying about the home depot cabinetry section? is that where i would find the tint spray or something? kinda lost about that :dunno:

 

[kingmoocow]

Sorry, that's where I find the little springs and L Brackets.

 

[emilio320]

Sorry, that's where I find the little springs and L Brackets.

gotcha! then thats where ill go to find mine.. and as far as vaccuforming goes, i just saw a few youtube videos and i am SOOO gonna do this, i have most of the equipment ill need at my parents house in Naples, (too bad its 2 hours away) but its better than trying to do it all in my Apt. in miami lol.. i will start a new thread when i get this project up and running and let you guys know how it goes.

 

[kingmoocow]

Do you have a vaccuforming table, or are you going to build one? Curious what your plans are.

I tried for a little while to find a toaster oven that would be big enough (for cheap at a yard sale or something), but never did, and eventually just abandoned the project.

 

[emilio320]

my dad's house is like a dream junkyard, he's the head maintnance guy for an apartment complex and has access to sooo much junk that he collects, tables, old stoves, old refrigerators, etc. so i plan on building the table myself using an old shop vac he has an old table, and utilizing an old stove that im gonna have access too in the garage, and basicly due exactly what this kid did in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg_C_jtonZw&NR=1&feature=fvwp

he really makes it look easy, and i think it is given the right tools, but what i will really need is that little dremel he's using, what do you think about this one i found on CL? comparible?

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/tls/2198663363.html

 

[kingmoocow]

Sure, any old dremel will do - then go to walmart or Home Depot and get the bits you need, they're not that expensive.

Sounds like a cool plan.