Did someone say JDM Projector retrofit?!

[warrior]

Well, I'm greatly displeased with the JDM projectors. Maybe my expectations were just too damn high.. don't get me wrong, they are a HUGE improvement, but nothing monumental in my books.

So what's the next best option? That's right. Retrofit!

I just purchased a set of Hella E39 Projectors (From a BMW 5 Series) off ebay and as soon as they come in the mail, I'll once again write a nice DIY for anyone else who wants to give this a go ;)

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/04/10a8_1JPG-1.jpg

I can't wait! WOO!

[jjs316]

I thought i read somewhere on here about someone trying to do this. i dunno if it ever got finished or not, even if its on this board. Good luck. cant wait for the DIY

[warrior]

I thought i read somewhere on here about someone trying to do this. i dunno if it ever got finished or not, even if its on this board. Good luck. cant wait for the DIY

Yes, you are right. It was here:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... +projector (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=924777&highlight=jdm+projector)

The only thing stopping him was making a plate that allows the new projectors to mount to the JDM housing so you can still adjust the beam.

I have a friend that owns a CNC machine at his shop so I'm sure I can fab something to make it work :cool:

[badbasser98]

are you going to mod the mounts to even out the left side bias?

[warrior]

are you going to mod the mounts to even out the left side bias?

I haven't taken them apart yet, they're still on my car. Once I get the E39 projectors, have my lights apart and physically start seeing how things will fit together.. only then will I know what needs to be modded.

I don't think this can be a too difficult of a task, there's so much information on the internet regarding retro fits. I have a lot of reading a head of me but I'll keep everyone posted. This is my priority project :lol:

[Wiscon_Mark]

are you going to mod the mounts to even out the left side bias?

Just using the adjustment screw I got rid of it. It's more the beam pattern that you can't fix.

[badbasser98]

interesting, from the pics I saw the bias looked much larger than what you could correct with the adjustment

[Kraziken]

From what I recall, the bias is that the beam covers rides up a little higher up on one side than the other. The rear of the reflector also points a little, but not much.

I think swapping these projectors would completely fix the problem. Perhaps offer some more light output as well.

[warrior]

Update:

My E39 projectors arrived in the mail and I also picked up some Hella Gen 3 (OEM) ballasts out of a BMW yesterday as well. I now have everything to finish my retrofit.

What you need:
2 x JDM Projectors
2 x Hella Gen 3 OEM Ballasts
2 x Philips 85122 4300k D2S OEM Bulbs
1 x High quality relay (out of a Ford Mustang.. Made in Canada.. WOO!)
2 x E39 Projectors w/bulb holders (from BMW X5)
100' x 12AWG Stranded Wire
Various heat shrink
Female Spade connectors
Soldering Iron/Solder/Flux
Automotive Wrap
Electrical Tape

Tonight I will start the light separation part (baking in the oven, etc) and take many many pictures to make this DIY a breeze for anyone else that wants to follow.

I will keep updating in this thread until I finish the DIY as this project might take me a couple of weeks :cool:

[badbasser98]

great, good luck. I imagine some other folks would like to do this in the future (possibly myself).

[Huffer]

Shoot I'll send you a set of lights and you can do them for me! :D

[warrior]

Shoot I'll send you a set of lights and you can do them for me! :D

Honestly, if mine are a success and I'm happy with my craftsmanship than I won't mind doing someone else's. I'm usually hesitate to work on someone else's stuff in case I screw it up but lets see how this goes and we'll see :razz:

[Huffer]

When you're done, this thread will need to be moved into the DIY section. Props dude!

[warrior]

Progress Update:

I've finally completed one head light. This will work!! It still utilizes the same adjustment screws and everything. I'll try my best to write a DIY up later, but there was a lot of modifying of both the E39 projectors and the old JDM projector housing.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit01-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit02-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit03-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit04-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit05-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit06-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit07-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit08-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit09-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit10-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit11-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit12-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit13-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit14-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit15-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit16-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit17-1.jpg

For those that don't quite understand how a projector housing works with D2S bulbs:

http://jay-d.com/marv/images/hid/img_xenon_range_d2s.jpg

[warrior]

More updates:

Finally got around to installing and aiming one headlight before I put it all together. Can someone say lighting difference?

This will probably be the best mod to date for my legacy. Oh, the picture has only one headlight installed with HID; the passenger side.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/05/hidretrofit18-1.jpg

[badbasser98]

looks like there are a ton of dark spots in your beam... Other than that it looks great!

[warrior]

looks like there are a ton of dark spots in your beam... Other than that it looks great!

I don't know what you're referring too.. but ok.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Holy eff! That's one headlight! That puts out more than the four lights at the front of my car.

[Kraziken]

Awesome.

Is it the passenger side light that you have installed?

I'm curious if you have the drivers side, if anyone has flashed you?

[warrior]

Holy eff! That's one headlight! That puts out more than the four lights at the front of my car.

hahah.. yea.. that's only one :twisted:


Awesome.

Is it the passenger side light that you have installed?

I'm curious if you have the drivers side, if anyone has flashed you?

Yes sir, that's the passenger side. I haven't completed the driver side yet.. I will do a DIY for that one. I wanted to see if it all worked before I started snapping pictures.

No one will flash me as these are OEM projectors made for LHD.. you can see the cut off in the picture at the car in the driveway.. no light shines above the doors.

No one flashes BMWs and such.. so I should be ok!

[Wiscon_Mark]

Kraziken- if your question was aimed at the traditional RHD JDM projectors, I can honestly say that no one has flashed me for my dims...my brights, well...hehe :twisted: (I have 100w bulbs)

[RadeOn]

A+ for effort.
Not sure I like the result though. Too much light immidiately in front of the car, which is NOT a good thing.

Wiscon_Mark
It confuses the hell out of me why you JDM pattern looks so much different than mine...although I think mine looks like I would expect JDM to look like :)

[warrior]

A+ for effort.
Not sure I like the result though. Too much light immidiately in front of the car, which is NOT a good thing.

Wiscon_Mark
It confuses the hell out of me why you JDM pattern looks so much different than mine...although I think mine looks like I would expect JDM to look like :)

You also need to realize that a camera taken picture is not 100% reality. The shutter was open for 1 second to capture that picture which results in a lot of over exposure which to you looks like too much light. It looks just like an OEM HID setup :cool:

[badbasser98]

If you look at the light that is projected on the ground, there are areas that are lighter (or darker) than others. If the bulb and such is aligned properly the intensity of the light should be consistant throughout the beam pattern. I was just saying that there are a lot of dark areas in your beam.

[warrior]

If you look at the light that is projected on the ground, there are areas that are lighter (or darker) than others. If the bulb and such is aligned properly the intensity of the light should be consistant throughout the beam pattern. I was just saying that there are a lot of dark areas in your beam.

I see that now.. the lens was a little dirty and theres debris from when I dremel'd the housing inside the reflector part. Just needs to be cleaned and hopefully it fixes it. If not, oh well, still a monumental improvement over halogen :smile:

[d1giPhux]

You should get a shot of a headlight close up, as well as a shot of the headlights at night from the front. Looks good man!