850 HID Projector Retrofit

[Dangerous Dave]

Have been wanting to do this for a while now, finally I've got round to getting all the bits together and started the project.

Having done lots of research into the different HID projector units available I eventually went for the FXR units with the bi-xenon capability. They seemed to be the ones with the best output versus space requirements and, of course, cost. The single beam units in comparison cost a lot more for some reason.

Have got the projector units from the Retrofit Source in the USA.


I've removed the glass off the headlights and put them aside for defluting, though I may purchase some replacement glass as they are a bit stonechipped (as any headlight 15 years old would be).

Now I've got the reflectors out of the headlight unit and, after a bit of trial and error, have cut the back off so the projector unit can fit in.




I started cutting around a line which is already on the back of the reflector unit (will get a pic of it later), then tried the projector in, then enlarged the hole by another 15mm, now the unit sits nicely against the reflector






I have mocked up the unit all together with the glass on and it fits ok, some fabrication at the rear of the headlight unit may be needed, just have to wait until I get the bulbs (which are on their way) to see what space there is (or isn't).

More to come........

[T5frankie]

Hi mate you may know the answer to this question,i have a hid kit fitted on my v70r will it work if i replaced the headlights with projector lamps? cheers

[Tomcat]

Nice project, will be keeping an eye on this...

[Yosser]

Hi mate you may know the answer to this question,i have a hid kit fitted on my v70r will it work if i replaced the headlights with projector lamps? cheers

Yes.

I have HID's on my projectors with no problems.

[Dangerous Dave]

Hi mate you may know the answer to this question,i have a hid kit fitted on my v70r will it work if i replaced the headlights with projector lamps? cheers

As long as the projector headlights you use have the same bulb fitting, then yes your HID kit should fit. If you're doing a retrofit like me, then the projector units use a different type bulb. I have had to purchase new D2S type bulbs, and have had to get two adapter cables to allow my existing HID kit to connect to the new bulbs

[martybelfastt5]

nice will be having a crack at this,,,good job keep the pics coming

[PHIL V70R]

top job mate will be watching with intrest...

[Dangerous Dave]

OK so now to the defluting of the glass lenses......

I had already done some of the defluting before I received the projectors and I have miscalculated the area of defluting needed, the size is ok, it just needs to be slightly higher, but I may be able to get away with it.

I experimented with different sandpapers, and some were better than others, but once you get the flutes down to almost flat, it takes a long time to make any progress. The lens on the projector unit is 2.5" in diameter, so I figured about a 3" defluted area would suffice with some spare for a contigency.

Next was to find a consistent way of sanding the complete 3" diameter area in one go (as sanding by hand would take years LOL). In my bits box in the shed I found a 125mm velcro backing pad that had a 6mm shaft to attach to a drill. So I marked off a 1.5" radius on the top of it, stuck it in the bench drill, turned it on and using a stanley knife cut the backing pad down to a 3" diameter (will get some pics up later too)

So now with a trimmed down 125mm to 3" sanding disc I set about the glass. But like I said once you get down to almost flat, it takes forever to get any further. So I popped on ebay and found some diamond glass polishing pads with velcro attachment. I bought a 100grit and a 1500grit.

Ebay link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2306513672...84.m1439.l2649

So now armed with some diamond cutting power I attacked the glass. To keep it cool I had a jug of water to keep a pool of water around the cutting teeth (about 4mm depth of water, makes a mess but keeps it cool). The glass still gets hot, so I took a break every 20 seconds or so to check the temperature.

Heres the modified velcro pad in action


I have had some problems with the backing pad flexing as it has a yellow foam layer on it and I stupidly cut the plastic pad back too far, but I have another drill attachment that I'm going to cannibalise. The flexing has caused the outer edges of the defluted area to become bevelled, but hopefully the more rigid pad will rectify this.

And the result after ~30 mins or so of cutting/checking/cooling (bit hard to see sorry, phone camera was used). This is not far off the the final cut and polish


Final polishing will be done with some cerium oxide and a felt pad attached to the drill.

More to follow....

[claymore]

Excellent project, and very well written, keep it coming

[tattoo101]

any more on this yet buddy

[Dangerous Dave]

Haven't done anything to it since last week, free time is scarce at the moment LOL. Will hopefully be doing some more tonight, looking at bolting the projector unit into the old reflector somehow.

[Dangerous Dave]

Small update....

Some detail on cutting the reflector, there is a small moulding line on the back of the reflector, I measured 15mm out from this line and cut the back off.


I bought some 8mm aluminium tube, a pack of M5x40mm machine screws and some M5 nylock nuts. Then I cut the tube to match the angle of the reflector bowl.


Lined up the projector unit with the lines in the reflector, drilled the reflector and fitted the bolts (not too tight as I didn't want to stress the plastic, and it is 15 years old too).



Today I received the D2S bulbs (wheeeee) here they are with the AMP to D2S adapters (from the retrofit source) so I can use my current ballasts with the new bulbs.


Then I fitted the unit back into the headlight casing and clipped in the bulb and connector to test the space requirement at the back of the unit. The casing needs to be extended by about 1 inch to allow for the connector to fit in. I'll be sorting this out next.



I have checked the space available in the engine bay and there should be enough room to add the extra inch to the back of the casing (although the bonnet locks are very close, it should just clear them). I have to be careful extending the casing too as the headlight adjuster motors are a bit in the way too


Not far to go now

[Dangerous Dave]

More from Bomb HQ....

The two outer bolts were catching on the casing a little, so I cut the bolts down to 30mm to be on the safe side.

And the work on extending the rear of the casings is complete.

I cut the back off the casing with a dremel circular cutter and cut some sheet metal into strips, then riveted the strips into the casing to support the extended back. The back has been extended by 35mm.





Then I used some card to get the shape of the gap that needed filling, and I cut up a plastic bucket (quite a flexible plastic) and using a soldering iron I melted the two plastic edges together. Looks a mess, but I suppose I could sand it down to make it look flatter but I'm not that fussed as it will be hidden away.



And tested the adjuster motor still fitted fine


Now I'm doing the wiring, and then I shall move onto the final stages of the glass polishing

Hope you're all enjoying this

Bomb

[LiamT4]

Doing a good job there.

One question though, i thought there was a law coming in to do with fitting hids to older cars?

[PHIL V70R]

top job mate keep it comeing...

[dalhousie2008]

Hi I have a friend who is an mot tester he said something regards retro fitted hid and beam pattern, and that they may not pass the mot. He also said they are starting to test tow bar electrics!

[Tomcat]

That'll be down to the glass, cars designed for normal bulbs have the 'flutes' on the inside of the glass to help 'project' the beam. HID bulbs fitted to older cars can scatter the beam too much and blind oncoming motorists, as this conversion is having projector's fitted and the flutes polished off it shouldn't have any problems.

[Dangerous Dave]

Doing a good job there.

One question though, i thought there was a law coming in to do with fitting hids to older cars?

It had crossed my mind about the updates to MOT tests and although mine passed last year with HIDs fitted in the factory headlights with loads of glare, etc (though not that much as the reflectors have degraded anyway) it might not pass this year, even with the projectors in as I've heard something about self levelling headlights have to be used with HIDs? (one to clarify). So I will have the old units with good old halogen bulbs ready to swap over should the need arise LOL.

Thanks for the great comments guys, hope to see some of you taking on the job!

[Tomcat]

It had crossed my mind about the updates to MOT tests and although mine passed last year with HIDs fitted in the factory headlights with loads of glare, etc (though not that much as the reflectors have degraded anyway) it might not pass this year, even with the projectors in as I've heard something about self levelling headlights have to be used with HIDs? (one to clarify). So I will have the old units with good old halogen bulbs ready to swap over should the need arise LOL.

Thanks for the great comments guys, hope to see some of you taking on the job!

Mmm maybe once you've ironed out all the bugs it'll be a little project for over the winter. Can you possibly put the costings up as well please?.

[Dangerous Dave]

Mmm maybe once you've ironed out all the bugs it'll be a little project for over the winter. Can you possibly put the costings up as well please?.

Of course, unfortunately this DIY retrofit isn't cheap (well, depends on what you compare it to) but I am hoping the quality of light output is better than the available aftermarket projector headlights, as the projector units I am fitting are designed for HID bulbs instead of halogen bulbs.

Anyway heres a rundown of the costs:

FX-R HID Projectors from www.theretrofitsource.com - £90
AMP to D2S adapters from TRS - £10
Shipping from US - £25
Pair of 850 headlights - £40
Pack of bolts and nylock nuts- £2.50
8mm aluminium tube (B&Q) - £8
Plastic bucket - £1
2 x Diamond cutting pads 100grit and 1500grit - £20
D2S bulbs (eBay from China) - £13 delivered

Then there is just tools, nothing special was needed, I used a pair of pliers to 'eat' away the back of the reflector unit, the dremel cutting disc to cut the back of the casing, soldering iron for wiring and plastic welding LOL and a bench drill for the grinding of the glass.

I think thats everything, I'll update if theres anything I missed.