Strict budget, slow restoration. *Now with moar budget*

[dude8383]

Here's what I got:

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=141&osCsid=r6nrcomf2h4oov3upa92pnttqnne8qfq

FX-R projectors
Philips 85122+ bulbs
50W ballasts

Did you order the shrouds? These look really nice man. I'd love to toss my ddm crap and get this instead.

[Wh33lhop]

Naw. No reason for shrouds--the smiley housings will serve that purpose. I am not sure how I'm going to seal the projectors to the housings though--last time I used a bunch of aluminum tape--kind of ghetto but it worked. Hopefully this time I can think of something a little better.

The smileys are taking their damn sweet time to get here but I will keep it updated. I am mainly concerned with how the beam pattern will look going through those lenses as they are rather thick and still a little pitted.

I thought of getting replacement (new) polycarbonate lenses (http://www.bmwlight.com/bmw_e30.htm) but those unfortunately do not come without the fluting.

[dude8383]

You certainly have my attention. My next question was going to be how you'd seal them LOL.

I want great headlights too because I drive upstate frequently and at night its PITCH BLACK. A couple of weeks ago I barely noticed a deer on the side of the road, the fucker actually CHARGED at my car...thank goodness I was going slow enough to spot him/her and at the same time able to take off quickly.

[airkhin]

shit, i just read threw the whole thread now.... good work bro... thats some serious amounts of work.... sub'd to this thread... cant wait to see more on the headlights... ;)

[ck_taft325is]

I <3 op.

[Wh33lhop]

Heartz!!!!!1

Anyway a lowered miata with a roll bar tried to lose me on an onramp and failed. Big grin.

Also I've been pulled over two nights in a row so far... I guess the wheels make it look a bit more ostentatious.

[Wh33lhop]

My computer died (presumably too much tranny porn) so I will be updating this with my iPhone.

Look what came in the mail yesterday!



Super cheap yet awesome Obcon 10" sub and finally the Bosch smileys. They are in great condition but the adjusters were damaged during shipping. So, before I can hack into them I need to fix that.

At the recommendation of Andrew (nitrorustlerdriver) I picked up some of this stuff









Let it cure for 24 hours and hope it holds.

As it turns out the FX-RS are shorter than ellipsoid projectors, so there should be no problems fitting them, no need to delete the ABS or anything as I was worried about before.

[PReta]

gawd im so pumped to see these lights in action

[MR 325]

Wait, don't you already have smileys?

[Wh33lhop]

Wait, don't you already have smileys?

Just wait, you'll see. ;)

[Spiff325iS]

YES YES YES YES.

Oh and wtf, tire rack says that if I order TRM wheels right now, I won't get them until May, so F'd.

[bernzpeed]

updates?

[zshopa]

SWEET RETROFIT!!!! Take pics, i have a set of A8 projectors i want to see how it looks i might do it too.

[Wh33lhop]

YES YES YES YES.

Oh and wtf, tire rack says that if I order TRM wheels right now, I won't get them until May, so F'd.

Do it. Don't be impatient, what's an extra month for wheels you are set on...

Got started on the retrofit tonight.





Here comes the crude part...













The curvature of the FX-R lens is a lot more extreme than the e30 lens. So if you try and get it to sit flush with the inner ring of the smiley housing the projector lens will hit the housing lens--not great. So I am going to have to space it back a little.

Luckily the cutoff has not been affected by the smiley lens.

[Wh33lhop]

Preliminary testing of right hand side ;)







Not sealed yet.