To preface, Im copying most of this from another forum so it may read a little strange. Basically its this last weeks worth of work (starting 29 Jan) condensed into one long post. Here it goes…
Last night I finally got the garage cleaned up enough to be able to do some work. I didnt have much time left afer the dust settled, but I think I have a plan on what I need to do to fit these lights. Im going to completely remove the stock outer headlight brackets and the hood bumper support brackets. That should leave plenty of room for the BMW E36 projector headlights. Of course this means fabricating all new brackets, but that shouldnt be an issue.
The lights are reproduction E36 BMW from Apexcone, which I bought from ddmtuning.com. They have full glass lenses (inside and out) and have a projector low beam. The low beams are getting 35w 4500k HIDs in. The highbeams will be 55W 3000k HID (perfect for nigh time tuning pulls).
The lights and the super tiny DDM Tuning Ballast
Little more progress on the install tonight. Didnt get much time, maybee an hour or so. I got the outer stock headlight bracket drilled/cut out and trimmed the hood support bracket enough for the light to fit. Long way to go, but its a good start. One thing I dont like so far is the lights are a bit “shorter” than stock. I think Im going to make a filler piece for the bottom, that connects to the center grill section.
Got a little bit more done. Think Im pretty decided that the lights should be mounted up a bit higher, rather than centered in the opening. Anyway, I took a few pics of the one light more or less sitting where Ill be mounting it. I think I know how 3 of the 4 mounts will be done, I just havent started them yet. Its pretty much being held in with a couple taped on tabs and a red rag for now.
Oh, I also cut out the supports on the drivers side and verified that the lights will NOT hit my upper charge pipe that comes from the intercooler. Phew.
More progress tonite. I managed to get 3/4 of the mounts on the pass side done. I do need to come up with a better spacer than the 3/8" tubing on the inner bottom bracket, but its actually quite sturdy (will move the fender a little if you push on it hard enough).
Anyway, few shots of the brackets and how I mounted them. I’ll need to take it all apart to clean up the rust left by the stock brackets and paint all the parts where I drilled etc. So I will take some more pics then.
Now thats CLOSE!
If I get more garage time tomorrow I should have both sides mounted. Then I need to come up with some mounts for all these damn HID ballasts.
Both headlights are mounted. I figured out how/where to mount the 4 HID ballasts. That should be happening tomorrow, maybee along with some wiring.
Its nearly impossible to get a good front pic of the lights sicne I cant get back far enough in the garage. Maybee in a month when the snow in front of hte garage clears out.
EDIT: Im also switching back to a functional corner marker instead of the painted ones. I said F it and just bought a set of clears that Ill tint so they are a decent match to the headlights “darkness”. 10 years is long enough with painted corners.
I got the mounts for the HID ballasts done tonight and one test fit in the car. I cant leave it in permanently as I need to clean up some of the rust and clean up the paint where I removed brackets and drilled holes etc. They are setup for right and left sides. The highbeam ballasts are in front and low beams in rear of the brackets.
Lots more dont tonight. I made up the real ss divider pieces (I skipped a post but I had previously tired the theory out with some cardboard taped in place). This time I left little tabs on them, drilled holes through the reflector and bent them over on the backside for a good mechanical connection. Then to seal out light from the top section, and to hold it even better, I put a small bead of JB weld along the seam from the bottom side.
I then decided, after seeing the way MPD47s lights turned out, to tint the highbeams yellow (I just love the look).
I bought some 5W amber euro bulbs for the park/turn signals (utilizing the city light sockets). I may switch to a silver bulb, but for now they will work. Actualy you dont notice them much with the yellow tinted reflector anyway. The real test will be outside on a sunny day.
On with the pics.
Hard to see, but if you look close you can see the tabs
I think Im down to the nity gritty. Need to finish up some wiring, painting hwere I cut and drilled etc, and mount everything one “final” time.
So that brings us up to about 11:30 last night.
Dan
