84imsa

Is there a way to limit the up-travel of Firebird headlight doors while still retaining the standard motors?

I'm considering replacing the stock single headlights with PIAA or similar fog/driving light combinations. PIAA 90 Pro XT's or 980's are less than 4 inches in height and narrow enough to fit where the single headlights are.

I've been looking around for less expensive alternatives and 98-01 Acura Integra projector headlights look like a possibility. I haven't been able to get the overall dimensions of those assemblies yet.

Firebird headlight doors normally open to around 45 degrees. In order to show the PIAA's they would only have to open about 10 degrees or less past horizontal. That would effectively eliminate 'frog eyes' or 'ugly mode.'

It would be simple enough to rig aftermarket solenoids to open the doors but it would be nice to be able to somehow use the original motors.

Any ideas? in advance for your inputs!

Cheers!

strc09

iTrader: (5)

I would be interested in the turn out of this project.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Just latching on... I want to see how this works out..

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Simply move the upward stop down until it matches the angle you want

Remove the trim and you can see the arm from the motor and its factory stops

1piece@atime

iTrader: (1)

Or maybe shorten the arm to get less travel.

84imsa

I have gone a step further. I have removed the entire right headlight assembly and located the mechanical stops. There are two hex head screws with what look like yellowish plastic heads on the outboard side.

With the door open just enough to let the PIAA's show, the up stop is about 45 degrees away from the tab on the door. The stop would have to be relocated in order to contact the tab. It looks like this will not be much of a problem.

How exactly are the motors de-energized when the doors hit the stops? Is there a circuit breaker that opens when the load suddenly increases? Is the circuit breaker reset when the opposite circuit is energized? Inquiring minds need to know!



I removed the trim panel before removing the headlight assembly and set the headlight door approximately level with the ground. Without the trim panel, the opening between the bottom of the headlight door and the top of the bumper is approximately 4 inches. This is plenty of room for the PIAA fog/driving lights to peek out. The only downside I see in this is the lights would be partially visible with the doors closed.

With the trim panel in place and modified to accommodate the new lights, the doors would have to open about another 10 degrees. This way you would still have the blanking piece between the parking/signal lights and the outboard end of the bumper.

If somebody out there has the opportunity to measure the overall dimensions of 98-01 Acura Integra headlight assemblies, your troubles will be greatly appreciated. A set of these cost about half as much as the PIAA's.

The cast metal headlight housing will almost certainly interfere with the installation of the dual headlight system. It will have to be modified to mount the replacement lights. Much of it would be retained for the pivot points and various mounting tabs.

I'd sure like to read about other members' ideas about how this sort of setup could be optimized.

Frog eyes are evil and must be destroyed!

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

I forget the exact term for it but yes the motor hits the stops and shuts down no matter where the stop is located

It does not have a specific path of travel it must complete

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Search 'lazy eye' here on TGO....That's the mod you are wanting to do.

As for the stop "switches"...Load limit circuits. When the load/resistance gets too high, because of hitting the stop. The circuit shuts off & reverses.

84imsa

Stephen,

Thanks for the "lazy eye" lead. I've done a lot of reading on that thread and I am now more enthusiastic about this project.

It is now apparent to me that the major bone of contention is which lights to use. The Hella 90 mm units are my pick for now. They are not cheap at $105.85 apiece retail. Amazon lists them at $66.45 from Susquehanna Motorsports and it's possible that someone else might sell them for less.

http://www.amazon.com/Hella-90mm-Hea.../dp/B000CSOH22

90 mm is just over 3.5" so they would be just right for my purposes.

Total cost for 4 Hellas would be about double the cost of Acura Integra projectors. But Hella is Hella and all the Integra lights I've seen are no-name replacement units.

nathan44

I was thinkin of a similar conversion for my 85' with somthing of a plexiglass plate to cover and protect them in more of a fixed position. there is an example of a similar onversion i had seen on cardomain. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/582708/7

okfoz

Love it or hate it, RedRaif did something similar, I am not sure how it worked but I want to think the headlights did not open at all, she used something like Grand Prix headlights or something similar.

John

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

RedRaif's site-headlight page

DemonKnight

fairly old post but i found this

http://www.prostreetlighting.com/cat...tiac.firebird/

i'm thinking I may get a set of these as soon as the rest of my car is put together. they have an option to get 8k HID bulbs.. 190 bucks but **** that would be awesome...

**EDIT**
never mind, they are just replacments from stock so the whole lite will still come up. (fine for me i dont care that much either way, but the rest of this thread was about not having the lamps come up all the way.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

The housings look like a set I tried once.

Light output was **** & I put my Silverstars back in, the next weekend.

DemonKnight

what bulbs did you use though? I was going to get the 8k HID bulbs. adds 190$ to the price so they better be fukin sunlight shining from my head lights LOL