HID headlights

bunnytrucker · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject: HID headlights

Hello again everyone. I am converting the headlights on my panel to HID. I am wondering if any of you have done this. I am at a loss as to where to mount the ballasts. They need to be behind the interior panel in the nose somewhere but they get pretty hot so they cant be real close to anything that can burn. They also have to be within about a foot of the headlight housing. Now that I'm getting into this project I'm realizing how little room there is in the nose.... Anyway if any of you have done this or have any bright ideas please share. Confused

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

60freak · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:07 pm Post subject:

I've slowly been installing the HID's in my bus and ran into the same issue, but found a solution that will work only if you have a Deluxe--I have deluxe trim on my Sundial, so I put in long machine screws to go thru the nose trim and into the inside, and then mounted "custom made" brackets to those via some nylock nuts and a couple shims/spacers to mount the ballast and keep it away from anything that could melt (wires, etc). When I get a chance I will post some pics of it in my gallery to help out with some ideas, but give me a day or two. Good Luck! Cool

bunnytrucker · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:56 pm Post subject:

That's a really good idea. I don't have deluxe trim though. I just got finished putting them in about 15 minutes ago. I ended up welding the ballast brackets to the inside of the nose and after I put the fire out they seemed to work out good. (The outside of the bus is in primer.) I'm hoping the place where I mounted them will be ok. Hard to change it now I guess. I will be posting some pics as soon as I get my digi cam back from repair. Post some pics when you get yours going. Smile

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

gator · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:27 am Post subject:

what kind of HID assemblies are you guys using? custom retrofit i assume? i would love to see the end results.
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"And then before the sentence was over, you threw a `fuckin' in there to emphasize your irritatedness." ~ Shanna

"And most of all, fuck you!" ~ Capt. Spaulding

bunnytrucker · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:45 am Post subject:

Basically you have to convert to an H-4 bulb type housing. And then you have to get an HID conversion kit for H-4. I got mine off of Ebay. If you decide to do it yourself be sure to get the hi lo kit and not the HID/halogen hybrid. I will try to post pics of the install and final result.
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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

bunnytrucker · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:

So after much research and investigating I have changed the way I am doing my conversion. Basically the conversion I had planned on doing was just one of those kits that replaces the halogen bulbs with HID bulbs. Well that is a very flawed system. Halogen and HID bulbs discharge light very differently. So accordingly they need to be reflected and dispersed differently. In my ignorance I did not realize this originally. The most important part of the HID sytem (optics, ballasts, HID bulbs) is the optics. The optics magnify the light X3 and project it. They also put a very sharp cut off line on the light at about hood level so you don't blind on coming traffic. So that is the basics of HID. There is alot of info out there on retofitting HID into your ride on the net. The reason I am explaining this is for people thinking about buying a kit. Don't. You are wasting your money. Buy a OEM system from a car that came with it and make it that way.

So I will show step buy step how I am converting my 65 panel the right way. Before all you anti custom fellas out there hunt me down and make me a set of cement sneakers. I am all about keeping busses OE. This bus is a bus that came out of a junk yard and would not have never been saved. Rust around the entire lower 8" and roof. And the top half of the long side has to be replaced. So if I am going to go to all the trouble to fix this thing. It is going to be a custom.

This is the HID I am using. The e46 bmw bixenon. Bosch unit. And then hella ballasts with phillips 4300K bulbs.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

And here are the stock headlights that I am using. I know that you all know what they look like. But just in case some of you dont know how they work.

Now I am starting the mock up process. The cardboard will be replaced with silver carbon fiber. I would like to do an angel eye type light around the 7" ring that held the original sealed beam. The inside of the headlight housing will be painted a flaky gun metal gray. The projector will also be surrounded by a bezel of some sort to finish it off.

I will post more pics when progress is made.
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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

flatfourfan · Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:23 am Post subject:

interesting idea, I'd love to see how this works out............
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bunnytrucker · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:11 pm Post subject:

I'm currently waiting for my carbon fiber to cure so I can cut it out with a water jet machine. So stay tuned!

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

derv · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

I am too lazy to read the post when the text scrolls all the way to the right.
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Jack

DTA · Samba Member Joined: November 01, 2006 Posts: 116

im very interested in this as well.

superpilot · Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:21 am Post subject:

just a kit I know but here is someone who has used them succsefully
http://www.customlights.co.uk/new_page_10.htm
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bunnytrucker · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:54 pm Post subject:

Made some progress today. I Painted the headlight housings and adjustment ring. The color is a semi gloss black with lots of flake in it.

I also found some Mercedes S class projector bezels that happen to fit. They will finish off the project nicely I think. I painted the outside section of them to match the housing.

And then I made an angel eye ring or halo. Looks better than I thought it would now that I have it together. I will post a tutorial on how to make them if anyone is interested.

That's all for now. I have not got around to cutting out my carbon fiber yet. But I hope to get it done this week. Stay tuned!
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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

flatfourfan · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject:

this is looking pretty neat........keep it up....
_________________
1957 KCC Porsche Speedster

www.vwsport.co.za
www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/forum

bunnytrucker · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the delays as far as updates on this project. I am having problems with suppliers of some of the parts I need. I will have progress as soon as this problem is worked out. Thanks! Very Happy

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

quintmann · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject:

thats awesome looking!! what kinda ballasts are those? and do the controls for the bi-xenon come from the ballasts or what?

bunnytrucker · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:26 pm Post subject:

The ballasts are Hella 3rd generation. As for the other question. The lights will be ran on a custom wiring harness that will relay from the original harness. I 'll post a diagram. Very Happy

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

bunnytrucker · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject:

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61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

crofty · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject:

I have no idea what any of this means. Shocked

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Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.

bunnytrucker · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:02 pm Post subject:

Made a little progress on the headlights. So many projects so little time.
This is pretty much the finished product. I still need to work out the details And post the rest of the project but this is what they will look like.

Cut out the carbon.

And installed....

_________________
61 BEETLE.
65 PANEL.
92 CORRADO VR6

flatfourfan · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

hmmm, I dunno anymore. I don't think that the carbon surround is up to par....just my 0.02c.....
_________________
1957 KCC Porsche Speedster

www.vwsport.co.za
www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/forum


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