Any HID retrofitters?

SON240sx Automotive
1

Posted with Bing’s permission

Hello son240 members,

But I was wondering how many of you would benefit/need OEM retrofitting components (as well as better performing replicas) at very competitive prices?

I’m currently working for a company in the states, and have already worked with TM3, and received a shipment of Mazda 3 specific clear lenses that offer quite an improvement over stock for their OEM projectors.

I know you guys don’t come stock with projectors, but would there be many that would retrofit their headlights if there was a more convenient means of sourcing high quality components?

I have sources for TSX/FX-R/TL and even upcoming S2k-R projectors, as well as the supporting shrouds.

Please keep this topic on-topic, as it will be under review. Please post up if you’d be interested, because if there’s enough expressed interest, I’ll join up with the other vendors, in providing the local community with more options, and safety on the roads!

Here’s a few pictures of an FX-R projector; a lot better than the TSX, just as compact (taller, but less wide), significantly cheaper, and bi-xenon to boot!

Have fun!

Here’s a comparison of a Replica FX and an Oem S2000. Keeping the same environment with my other posts. Car is parked about 45ft from wall. Projectors used 35w D2S 85122+ (no Hg) bulb and matsushita ballast. Nikon D60 camera manual setting with ISO800, Aperture 1/4’, and F6.3

In this comparison, both projectors are shown on the same wall at the same time. This gives a better comparison output than having each projector on at one time. Also, each projector will be tilted sideway so that it will not give advantage over the other, eg. as in the case of top vs bottom. Enjoy.

Here’s the top-and-bottom comparison. The bottom projector always appear better and brighter. I swapped position on each projector so there’s no advantage of one over the other.

Replica FX (top) vs. Oem S2K (bottom)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1961h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1952h.jpg

Replica FX (top) vs. Oem S2K (bottom)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1965h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1955h.jpg

Replica FX (top) vs. Oem S2K (bottom)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1967h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1957h.jpg

Here are the Side-By-Side comparison. This method is a better comparsion.

Replica FX (left) vs. Oem S2K (right)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1935h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1943h.jpg

Replica FX (left) vs. Oem S2K (right)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1939h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1946h.jpg

Replica FX (left) vs. Oem S2K (right)
http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1940h.jpg

Replica FX (bottom) vs. Oem S2K (top)

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSC_1947h.jpg

The oem S2K is a lot wider than the replica FX. It also has more intensity along the sides. However, the replica has an even intensity along the side from top to bottom whereas the S2K is intense just below the cutoff line. Personally, I like that thin intense streak of light on the S2K. Both projectors are equally sharp. The S2K has a better intense spread in the center. The replica FX has more blue in the center. The s2k softened on the upper left side, a common signature.

Please, do not rely on these pics to come to any conclusion. When you deal with mods, lens swapping, and custom shields, the results will be different for different retrofitters. S2Ks are different from year to year. I have my own preferences and not promoting any projector over the other. Lastly, do you own testing to come to your final answer. More to come (modded s2k vs …)

2

thats pretty sick but where does this fit in with 240s? I can understand s14s and s15s and maybe s13 coupes but what about popup guys?

I am building some non popups for my popop s13 front… utilizing supermade housings that ill modify and cover with lexan/plexiglass/something similar… like the discontinued veilside flushlight kit or abflug kit (google it) and i got an h7 ballast setup… and hella ff75 housings (lame i know not a real projector/cut off) but i’ve been thinking about trying to source some projectors and what have you…

Are you offering projectors? What exactly is all this… sorry for the dumb question…

3

Don’t think I can post a link to the website quite just yet,

but basically just about everything that would be required for a retrofit. Projectors such as TSX/TL/FX/E55/FX-R/S2k-R, OEM and replica OEM ballasts, shrouds, bezels, harnesses, you name it.

If you want to learn more, log onto HID-planet. All the information you need there, as well as google my friend!

4

i think you’re safe to post a couple pictures of what this setup would look like in a pop-up headlamp assembly

5

This seems cool, glad to see people finally doing HID the right way :slight_smile:

6

yeah i am really unhappy with just plugging in the $100 HID’s into my Kouki headlights… so terrible.

7

My apologies, but I’m not really that familiar with 240’s ever since the golden era of TNC. (its been a while). Perhaps there have been retrofits in the past?-- if you guys are familiar with a setup, please link it to me, and I’ll give it a looksee to see if I can simplify the process with you guys in terms of which projectors would fit! (Shouldn’t be hard to find a projector that fits, and throw on a wiring harness, and that’s pretty much it) What’s the stock lowbeam connector for a 240?

What dimensions are we looking at in terms of clearance?-- I’m almost 100% positive that you’ll need to cut the reflector housing (well, there’s the new $100 projectors from China nowadays, but the cuttoff isn’t much to brag about, and you’d still need to crack open the headlight housing–a bit more elbow grease and you can have uber-headlights with a proper retro).

Oh, with regards to the $100 HIDs, to be honest, if you aren’t too fusy about cuttoffs and colors, there’s a few OEM solutions that are only a smidgen above $100, and a regular 35w-HID kit should be half of that.

8

I’m dead tired, but after a few quick searches:

For the flip light, first off, you need to source clear-lens (if you’d like sharp cutoffs and nice colorful cutoff), and a projector that’s less “deep” than a TSX projector–as the TSX is too deep, and touches the back of the housing and something, and thus, (though i’m nto sure how much trimming he did–I presume as much as possible to make it fit), to avoid the cracks and squeals, he keeps his flip lights up.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18619&highlight=240

9

sh**. I had this typed up and pressed the wrong button.

Anyways, the first component needed is a clear lens for sharp and colorful cutoffs. (Something about FX connection?)

Then you need a projector that’s less ‘deep’ than a TSX projector.

I’ll get more info for you guys tomorrow. I’m dead tired.

Threads I’m referring to:

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18619&highlight=240

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31017&highlight=240

10

sh**. I had this typed up and pressed the wrong button.

Anyways, the first component needed is a clear lens for sharp and colorful cutoffs. (Something about FX connection?)

Then you need a projector that’s less ‘deep’ than a TSX projector.

I’ll get more info for you guys tomorrow. I’m dead tired.

Threads I’m referring to:

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18619&highlight=240

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31017&highlight=240

11

S Chassis cars have 7 different headlights.

For s13’s with popups (all north american 240sx’s and JDM 180sx’s) it’ll take a bit of thought to get it done properly.

S13 Silvia reflector-type headlamps also won’t be too easy to convert. But they DO sell clear (ie not fluted, etched or diffused) aftermarket lenses for S13 Silvias in Japan. Could probably retrofit a projector behind those pretty decently.

S13 silvia projector headlamps, S14 kouki (late-model) headlamps, and S15 headlamps are already equipped with projectors (albeit complete garbage ones in the case of the s13) so the conversion should be much easier.

For S14 Zenki (early models), again, some thought is required since they use reflector headlamps. Maybe someone sells clear (ie. not etched, fluted or diffused) glass headlights for the zenki, too? I don’t know.

Sounds a bit like you need to do a bit more research for this specific application (S Chassis cars) before carrying forward.

12

You can buy clear plastic Zenki lenses for the S14. Which have no flutes or anything.

I’m more interested in something for the JDM S14 kouki headlights. IE something the same size as JDM’s are bigger than the gay USDM headlights.