alright..as many of you know...the whole HID thing is kinda still in its shady stages and many of us are having problems...well i got it figured out (i think) and i got my DDM Tuning 55watt 10k Slim Ballast kit in last night.. (Members that attended the SC3G Meet may have seen them)
okay... so:
things needed for all this:
1.ebay projector kit
2. DDM HID Kit *you choose which you want* i did this with the harness also

3. HID wiring Harness *recommended*

4. Dremel Tool *or some other tool to cut metal*
5. regular hand tools *screw drivers and such*

Step 1: Get the Ebay "Projector Kit" with the weird H4's in em.


Step 2: (For Trans Am's)
you gotta take off the headlight assembly (yes all of it)
theres 4 screws around the bezel that you have to take off (torx 8 i think)
then the headlight aiming screws must come all the way out (very long, should be 2 of them)
take off the metal retaining ring and take out the stock headlight

Step 3: Trim off the tabs on the headlight assembly (needed so that the new housings will fit


Step 4: Take off the big peice in between the headlights *10 Bolts i beleive *10mm*
should look like this after ur done

 

Step 5: Wire Everything up!
if you are using the harness as i did, here are the directions via DDM Tuning:

A goes to the Cables from the HID Bulbs on both sides
B goes to the ballasts *should be 2*
C goes to the power and the ground - the wire with the fuse block goes to the + (red one) and the other one goes to the - (black one)

(40amp fuse from the wiring harness)


(- battery connection)


(+ battery connection)




Step 6: Run all the wires in under the big peice that you just took off.
*zip ties were my best freind*
*fuse block for + battery connection


Step 7: Mount the ballasts with 3M Double sided adhesive! not zip ties
i mounted mine here but you can do it where u please..*has to be a clean/dry/open spot*
(passenger side ballast mount)

(drivers side ballast mount)

 

Step 8: Run the bulbs on both side thru the back of the assembly, like so:
*note: when doing this, the wires from the back of the HID Bulbs *blue and black for me* will go straight into the OEM block as pictured! blue on top one and the black one to the right one.
*note: if u buy the Hi/Lo H4's u will use the left plug on the OEM block as well
(Drivers Side)


(Passenger Side)


Step 9: take off the plastic covers that are on the HID's *NOTE: PLEASE LEAVE THEM ON UNTIL YOUR READY TO INSTALL THEM!! cannot stress that enough!!

Step 10: Install the HID Bulbs into the housings. *make sure the metal retainer on the back of the housing is secure! and make sure the rubber boot is sealed otherwise you will get moisture inside the housing..i sealed mine with electric tape [IMG]file:///C:/Users/Mikey/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]



*note: the DDM Tuning HID kits come with metal sheilds on the bulbs
(why is that metal sheild there?)
it reduces glare..plain and simple

Step 11: Put the big peice in between the headlights back on and put the headlights asembly back together.
*note: when putting all the bolts on, keep your hand under so if the bolt falls, you catch it instead of it falling all the way into the body

Step 12: make sure all connections the battery are all secure and you should be done!

Step 13: sit back and admire your new HID's

should look somethin like this:

 

Here they are on at like 8:10pm, mind u, in cali its still light out
from the drivers seat:


behind:


Head on:

no glare to head on b/c of metal sheild

from side:


Video of the HID's at night driving
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIqUeElIPeg
Questions/Comments/Concerns are always appreciated
Mikey

 

So....These are just H4 bulbs? Not the true HID Projector-style headlights?

Hows the light output & vision at night? Pics/video of night time vision from the seat?

 

Info as well

 

FWIW, I've seen similar setups done, with true HID being stuck behind cheap aftermarket "projector" headlights. The thing is, these projector lenses do not have a reflector assembly mounted behind them, and therefore nothing to focus the beam. The reflector lense is nothing more than a convex lense. If you look at a BMW Xenon lamp carefully, or any other luxury make with projector headlights, you will NEVER see the bulb. That is because those lenses are precision made and focused to cast a particular type of beam. Putting true HID in one of the ebay headlamps will yield a bright light, but most likely terrible nightime vision, in most cases worse than stock, simply because the parts are not matched to one another. Not to mention the legal implications, which have been discussed at length. OEM xenon is 4300K, no manufacturer puts anything higher or lower in their cars. The blueish effect is just than, an effect of the light being refracted which is viewed by oncomers at different points as the car passes.

It's a great effort, and I am not knocking you in anyway, just explaining that sticking bright bulbs in housings not meant for them won't give you the true effect. There is a reason a xenon headlamp costs upwards of 1000.00 dollars, there is a lot going on in there

 

Actually, you can get TRUE HID retro fit kits, complete with the flip up cut off shield for Hi/Lo function, for the $350-$550 price range.

 

I'm not talking about the kit, but rather the actual headlamp assembly. Yes you can source the parts seperately, but you still lack the complex electronics inside the headlight, not arguing the price, I'm arguing the engineering that went into the unit which makes it legal, and able to function properly. Price out a BMW xenon headlamp, I'm not even talking about the adaptive ones, and see how much it costs

 

I'm not talking about sourcing parts here & there, or buying anything used.

I'm talking about COMPLETE kits, minus the housing (which is obviously different for lots of cars.

And yes.....$350-$550 include the BMW "E55".

If you are referring to OEM/Dealership prices? Then yeah....I don't dispute your # at all. But we aren't talking about modern Beemers here, or just buying stuff to replace HID stuff that was in a car originally built with HIDs. We are talking about adapting true HIDs into 3rd gen.

If you want to go partially used...You can put together a "BMW" E55 for under $200, if not under $100.

 

Whats a BMW E55? I've worked for BMW for 8 years and never heard of one, maybe you mean E65 7 series stuff? The point of my arguement isn't price, so much as it is illegal. Sure everyone does it. And you may have spent the money to make a proper conversion in a 3rd gen, which is commendable. But most guys on here spend 150-200 bucks and call it a day. Just saying, when they turn out to be upset that it doesn't cast the right beam, it's not cutting off right, or they getting a ticket for blinding an officer with their 10K purple headlights, they should have known better.

 

Not exclusive to BMW but...More of a Hella designation really.

"The Hella "E55" bi-xenon projectors are the "work-horse" of bi-xenon projectors in the automotive industry, used over several generations in vehicles throughout the world from BMW, Mercedes, Saab, Cadillac, Range Rover, and Nissan.

Originally appearing in the Mercedes W211 E-class, these projectors were instantly a hit with the HID headlight retrofitters and have been known as the Hella E55 bi-xenons in our community ever since."

I would love to find a projector that is easily obtainable, yet a little shorter than the E55 is 5.8 inches.

 

*hijacked xP lol
anyway..they are true HID's its just the housing thats cheap..(ebay) and the output is pretty good, ill get pics tonght.
Mikey

oh and they are 55 watt 10,000k

 

Step 4: Take off the big peice in between the headlights *10 Bolts i beleive *10mm*
should look like this after ur done
[/QUOTE]

what is the car in front of this...looks exotic?????? im sorry im was just curious.

 

Nothing exotic about a 4th gen WS6.

 

xD haha..yeah its a 98 T/A...not a ws6 its just got the ceta style painted rear..its got a sts rear mount turbo but thats about as exotic as it gets sir
Mikey

 

wow that awsome, i havent seen much of the rear mounted turbos(twin??)

 

single i can get pics if wanted..
just dont wanna get off subect..
HID's at hand :P lol
Mikey

 

pics of em on up....

 

Alot of my friends have these cheap 60.00 kits even and they work the *****. They're wicked bright and you can see alot more than with stinky halogens. Nasty car btw

 

thanks and yeah the cheap stuff gets it done for these.

 

Any pics from inside the car at night, to see how well it actually allows you to see the road?

What about High Beams? How are you going to pass inspection with only Low Beams?

 

There's no inspection in cali, at least not like in texas.They dont check your lights,brakes & all that other stuff.Just the visual/sniffer test.
Almost done with my upgrade, waiting on my hi-beam halos!

 

I'll take my equipment inspection over your emissions test & we're golden!

 

Your not the only one!

 

84 1LE - Where did you get those lamps from? The middle lens looks different then I have seen.

 

Gotta make them.What middle?you mean hi-beam?Started with the lo-beams(see link).Just recently upgraded w/shrouds/halos.The hi beam uses the same round & square lenses from the cheapo ebay lamps, but the housing is from the xenarc kit.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...-inside-w.html

 

i dont have Hi beams, that would have costed extra and i really dont need em..and as 841LE said, we dont have the other inspections. but yeah ill get some actual pics of the road tonight.
Mikey

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2010-...#ht_500wt_1182

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-5...#ht_536wt_1165

@841LE
do you think these would do the trick??

 

love the way they look.

 

thanks appreciate it.

 

I had a good friend who worked at the Hella Lighting factory in Rock Hill, SC. He was a Supervisor there. I was trying to see if I could get him to do I little bit of in house modification to get the E55 to work with thirdgen Camaros.

Sadly Hella Lighting moved to Mexico around when he stated...he now works for Adidas. to bad my car doesn't need shoes....

Sweet job on the headlights. Ive been looking into doing something with mine as well....this may have inspired me.

 

haha..awsome let me know if u have any questions.
Mikey

 

awesome set up dude but what kelvins are those HIDS running at?

you should of gone with Hellas vission pluses or E-codes


do you have an drivng at night videos or photos

 

Too expensive. You can buy brand new projectors from a retailer that are cheaper, and are very good projectors. I didn't bother looking at the dimensions once I saw their price

Too big to fit the Firebird flip-up, but useful for Camaros.

 

http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=744

 

Those fluted lenses wouldn't be a good choice for HID projectors.

 

I never had a problem with Hella E-Codes housings. I just always got bad HID bulbs that were DOA, the postman does not understand what the word FRAGILE means.

this is the HID bulb that I use:



the HIDs that I have a shielding that prevents "glare" the DDM ones posted above dont have the shieding

 

yes they do...lol.
its just smaller and more efficient.

 

the photo that I posted of HID bulb has HI and LOW beams and that style never gave me any glare. just one bulb was Dead On Arivial

 

I've been working with a HID manufacturer on getting a Hi/Low kit that will easily fit the Firebirds flip-up lights. Since it is the weekend, I'm just waiting for 1 more question to be answered from the supplier, regarding the cost.

84 1LE has been a big help too, since he has a complete headlight assembly off a car to check for me, the things that are not easy to check, with an assembly still in a car (my car). Having already done HID retrofits in Camaros, he has also been a good source to bounce my ideas off of & confirm ideas I had (or shoot them down).

If all goes well, it will be plug-n-play, except for cutting the housing to fit the projector in to.

 

sweet cant wait to see the thread for your results
Mikey

 

..............

 

oh alright...yeah i gotta save up anyways for a new maf :P

 

Here are the ones I just bought. Seem to be ok, only had them in for 1 day. I did notice though that after I hooked them up and while driving at night I switched on my brights, about 10 minutes later ONLY the headlights flashed on and off at random intervals. I took out the wiring harnesses that came with the lights and now they seem to be ok but they aren't as bright as they were.

As you can see the housing itself is diamond not the lens.



Angle view..



Dims, as you can see the brights still light up (I'd like some help with a reason as to why, they never did before)



Brights, again the dims are on OPPOSITE of when brights were off.

 

post a thread and u might get some hits...

 

on at night video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIqUeElIPeg

 

I'm assuming they are better in person than in that video? Didn't look like very much light, very far out.

 

i need to re aim em but yea right now they dont go very far out...

 

You have to realize the chrome on those ebay things is cheap.You can scratch it off with your finger nail.Plus it will fade just with exposure to the sun.So over time it will reflect less light.

Not bad output, but too blue for me.