eBay projectors.. True projector housings?

[NemesisCBR]

Ok so you have an understanding but your use of terms were improper which would make it look like you didn't. If someone is selling a lamp that isn't a projector but calls it one then obviously you just disregard as these are simply incorrect products.

I woulnt tell u to spend a grand and it doesnt even cost half of that for a retro. Aren't u familiar with cost if you already retrod before?

 

[BellyUpFish]

Aren't u familiar with cost if you already retrod before?

I've never installed a retrofit into an Integra. Surely you're not trying to tell me the costs are equal across the board, as they're not even close.

A retro kit for my 1966 Bronco runs around $500..
Retro kit for my Trans Am ran me about $150..
A retro kit for my Hummer stands to run me over $1,000.
I put HID's in my aircraft for about $150..

I'm not sure why you seem to be approaching this as a pissing contest, you clearly care more about HID technology than I, so if at all possible, I'll defer to your expertise.

There are plenty of "lamps" represented on eBay, I was trying to ascertain whether or not these kits were worth owning, I wasn't looking to get roughed up over terminology.

How about we start over and I'll pretend I just found out what HID stands for 20 minutes ago..

I'm looking to retrofit the headlights in my commuter vehicle, a 1997 Integra. Could someone point me to some HID friendly projectors that will retrofit relatively easily into my Integra?

I'd like to use a DDM Tuning 6000k setup, in both the highs and lows.

 

[NemesisCBR]

Ill try to clarify a bit as it seems some things are lost in translation over the internet. When i question your terminology or contradict it im trying to either correct you or get you to explain/elaborate on what you are talking about, or both. People start using different terms over time and this gets confusing when trying to talk to other people about things as in your example, I have no idea what a 'true projector' is for a gen 3 integra because ALL headlamps for the gen 3 is a projector. Ive personally not seen a set that isnt a projector either. So basically im trying to get us on the same page otherwise i could talk about one thing and it means something completely different to you, vice versa. If you mean something different than what im understanding, you would then be informing me by clarifying.

As i mentioned earlier any headlamp for sale anywhere for a gen3 integra marked as a projector and isnt one should be disregarded as a headlamp at all for our cars. As for the costs of a retrofit, the biggest variance seems to be the hummer and i wonder what theyre marketing to you for such high costs. Id have to know what all was sold to you in the kits to comment further on pricing. This is curiousity not an expert opinion cus im not familiar with different applications for retro. What i do know is that a retrofit consists of 3 basic things you need for it to work, bulbs, ballasts, projectors. The average cost for these in oem parts is 250-400 used and 400-500 for aftermarket new kits ive seen. You could cut cost buying aftermarket bulb/ballasts since most of those kits are $35+.

For the integra all you need is the basics and wiring harness. I think compared to most cars it requires more work however. Our projector is molded into the bracket and needs to be chopped off to make room to mount the new projector. If you dont mind the aftermarket 'halo' lamps sold for gen 3, the projectors are just bolted onto a plastic bracket and easily removed. I never bothered to retro a projector into the hi beam side of our cars but in either headlamp its not molded into the bracket so this would be a simple retro affair as well.

Im far far far from an expert.. just trying to share through experience. Id honestly say you have more experience having done 4 retros to my one. :rolf:

 

[BellyUpFish]

Well, I've only done 3. I haven't brought myself to pop for the Hummer, yet.

You make a good point about not replacing the high beam projector. No need for a cut off shield there.

I'll have to start looking for suitable projectors for the low beams.

 

[NemesisCBR]

or go bixenon and you dont even need to touch the hi beams

For the hummer id have to guess theres some wildly overpriced shroud setup someone is selling with that kit. I mean cmon, having done 2 of your own at 150 you know it doesnt even cost over 500 for a complete set of just parts.

You must have come across them by now but theretrofitsource.com and hidplanet.com are great resources.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Yeh, the Hummer kit is just flat out over priced and not overly well done. I'll leave it or design my own eventually.

Could you point me to a projector that is a relatively simple retro?

 

[NemesisCBR]

If you mean which projector lamp assembly to work with, theres only 2 options. Oem which you will need to chop the bracket off of or the aftermarket halo sets which use a plastic bracket but come apart easier as the projector is bolted in. Overall its less work to use the halo bracket but the halo housings are a bit inferior in design. Look at pictures thoroughly to see whether its something you like or dont like or what you might be able to work with. Get ideas for how you want to do yours by looking at the steps others took to complete their retro.

Heres a link to most of the ones i looked at. http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?23521-Vehicle-retro-database You can even get ideas from other headlamps but thats gonna be random digging through of threads to see what people did. If you meant which HID projector to buy for a retro, well most people buy rx330 or tsx for price and simplicity. You will see in that link that others work too.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Thanks. I'll check that link out.

Most of the stuff I have done was simple. I drew a bracket in CAD for the TA to fit the Hella projectors. Did the same on the airplane. Bronco was a ready to roll kit.

 

[Sp3aK]

For the price of new "OEM" assemblies could it possibly be better to buy an aftermarket headlight housing and put in RX330 projector lenses (or the ZKW's I see mentioned in various places)?

 

[XslickwhitetegX]

Best part about owning a integra, there's tons of dyi for retrofitting. From tsx to s200. All of which don't cost as near to the hummer price tag!

 

[NemesisCBR]

LoL your sig... you didnt have to make the font that big. :scurred:

For the price of new "OEM" assemblies could it possibly be better to buy an aftermarket headlight housing and put in RX330 projector lenses (or the ZKW's I see mentioned in various places)?

Rx330 projector lenses?? I hope you dont mean using just the lens off the projector as this does almost nothing in terms of hid or retrofit. You normally wouldnt buy a new oem headlamp but you certainly could. If youre asking what i think you are then yes you could buy a cheap aftermarket headlamp to save on cost if you wanted a fresh set but all aftermarket headlamps are halo's. ALL the oem replacement sets (non halo) are $300 ish and up. In a retrofit you are installing the entire projector assembly.


The most basic description on how to install a retrofit is figure out how you will mount up your projector and bolt it in, wire up the ballasts and done. Anything else is small detail like shrouds if used at all, steps to prep the install (ie removing old projector or cutting a hole in the halogen reflectors for non projector assemblies) and shouldnt cost much additional money.

 

[XslickwhitetegX]

^^ its only one size bigger.. haha

you can find oem headlights fs around for $150 to $175, brand new headlights yes cost around $300ish, but you can find good deals online.

 

[Sp3aK]

I guess I should have been more specific Nemesis. I had seen these mentioned: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=136

Obviously a lens swap only will not gain you as much as a true retrofit, it is only a portion of the cost though. The idea behind a lens swap only being that you would gain some more clarity/sharpness.

Certainly won't argue that to do it right you need to either stick with halogen bulbs as the housings were intended, or do a swap. I'm just wondering if ebay projectors with the lenses I liked to would be better. I'm doing it "all wrong" with HID's in stock housings/projectors

 

[NemesisCBR]

So you were talking about just the lenses. Its been done. It helps with a slight better cutoff and some light. Theres a thread linked somewhere or you can search for it on team-integra. It was done on oem lights (would be better than aftermarket) but could probably be applied to the halos too however im not sure the results. The halo lamps (at least the ones i have) seem to have a different shape lens and may produce different results. I was curious about the clarity on the halo lens and attempted to test it out on a Hella hid projector and it threw off the focal point. With a certain large degree of spacing (hand held in air) i was able to find its focal point. If you did this i would just do it to the oem set, its been done and proven. Why buy an aftermarket set? Although you could possibly be the first to play with and test the halos with a clear lens from a hid projector.

 

[Sp3aK]

I'm not the experimental type

I'm just going to keep what I got for as long as I can. Previous owner had the front bumper get scraped in a parking lot and it cracked one of the mounting points for one of the lights, it's in there and aligned good so I want to leave well enough alone.

If I have the car long enough to justify new headlights I'm going OEM + clear lenses.

Thanks for the input.