HID parking lights

[Whaleboy]

I already briefly posted about my debates concerning this mod. I went ahead and purchased the HID projectors used on the Audi TT, with the intent on installing them where the parking lights are now.

Just out of curiousity- does anyone that's installed fog lights in this location happen to know what depth I have available from the inside of the cladding back to wherever?

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/114hidprojector.jpg

[Hotsauce]

Brian: I'm fitting a set of Hella DE HID right now, I'll post pics as soon as its done.

John C.

[Joe_Black]

You can just look from underneath and get a good idea of what kind of space you'll have available.

Keep us posted on how this goes, they'll be plenty interested!;Do;

[Whaleboy]

Just in case anyone does a search looking for this kind of information. The depth available from the begining of the hole where the parking lights are, to the metal panel directly behind is just a tad less then 5"

If you cut open the plate, you'll get maybe 6 1/2 to 7 inches to the wheel wells.

I mismeasured my diameter of the parking light openings, the slight plastic lip that the parking lights hook on to will have to be trimmed away, need that quarter of an inch. crap.

Joe, thanks for the tip ;)

Hotsauce, most excellent. Are you mounting them against the cladding, or are you using a metal brace onto the chassis?

[WyrreJ]

For anyone else looking to do something like this - word is that european Volkswagon GTI's and Infiniti FX35/FX45 have projectors with a smaller diameter, and probably a shorter depth, than the TT's.

[Whaleboy]

Hotsauce, after you mentioned it I decided to find out more about your Hella DE's. It lists them as auxillary driving lights, will you be using them as your main driving lights?

I was going to use my projectors as the main headlights, with the halogens only remaining for high beams. I figured it would be cooler to have the lights mounted lower vs. in the stock location.

But after seeing those Hella DE's, I'm tempted to retrofit the projectors inside the stock halogen housings and leave the parking light openings for aux lights. hmmm... decisions decisions.

Wyrrej, hey dude!... upon you mentioning that, I do recall reading the GTI's projectors are extremely small. The A3's projectors are also smaller then the ones I have (these bosch projectors are also used in the 3 series BMW). But as I read, the A3's light output was less then the ones I have - and so I just assumed the same as the GTI's e-code projectors. Smaller lens, smaller reflector = less output I'm assuming.

I'll have to debate about the installing in parking lights vs. headlight housing now. I guess either way would be pricey to convert back to stock. Both installations will be permenant.

[WyrreJ]

I actually mispoke (mistyped?) about the infinitis - the FX lights are small bi-xenons, and the nissan 350z has really small low-beam only HIDs.

[Hotsauce]

Whaleboy:

No, I'm still using them as parking lights, I already have HID hi/lo H4's, and 2 other sets of HID mounted.

John C.

[Whaleboy]

hotsauce, ahhh.. very cool! I thought about doing the same (just upgrading the H4 assembly with a HID bulb) but was really concerned about glaring other drivers.. Didn't you post something on this on vmag a while back, saying you had to fabricate a custom hood for the bulb? or was that somebody else.. to lazy to search...

however, after you mentioning that, i did a brief search here for HID and came up with this thread already started..

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2299&highlight=hid

Don't know how i missed it... ok, i suck.

Think I'll go ahead and run with the crowd, inserting the projectors into the headlights.. thanks for the help guys. I'll keep anyone posted on whatever progress I make. Think I'll go ahead and order an extra set of headlight assemblies.

[paultvx]

The Hella DE's are probably the best way to go. Less hacking involved. All you have to do is fabricate mounting brackets... which Moncha has already done a write up on based on his install of a set of standard DE halogen fogs. Same housing as the DEs in HID flavor.

Also... NHTSA made a ruling recently which makes retro fit kits or homegrown kits illegal for use. This basically gives your local DOT an excuse to fine you. If you use the DEs however, each state has their own rules on auxiliary lighting... so you can probably get away with it.

[Whaleboy]

yeah... its just my luck I learned about the hella's from hotsauce after i already purchased my set of projectors... :(

But that's ok, because it looks like I may go ahead and install them where the stock headlight assemblies are now instead of taking the parking light route I was originally planning on.

However, to my (limited) knowledge the projectors I purchased are DOT approved as they are OEM.

Now as far as placing them on my particular vehicle makes that null and void, I'm still fuzzy on this. I'll have to research it a little further. I would hope if the projectors themselves are DOT approved, they might retain that approval being mounted on another vehicle. And it's up to me to aim and adjust the lights to meet state regulations.

But in reality, I'm guessing that the DOT approval is based on the final results of the fixtures on the vehicle they are to be installed upon.

I've also been following what the NHTSA has been up too.

posted from another forum discussing the topic, "NONE of the rebased bulb/ballast "kits" are in compliance with FMVSS No. 108. As soon as someone modifies a bulb or HID capsule to make it fit into a headlight fixture other than what the headlight fixture was pronounced DOT-compliant for, the modified bulb/capsule is non-compliant, and the resultant combination of light source & fixture are also non-compliant."

So far I've seen only mentions of HID retrofit kits being named as illegal for sale and use (OEM being legal for SALE as they are of course, OEM). The aftermarket HID kits are specifically in question as it involves placing a non-filament bulb (HID) inside a halogen based reflector. Such as I'm assuming what Hotsauce has already done with his headlights.

Apparently Halogen housings in order for DOT approval require a bulb with a filament - and thus is where the kits fail.

According to NHTSA's website - they've only intiated an investigation and inquires into certain sellers of HID rebased kits. The laws here have already in been place, and has been illegal all along. Of course, I was already technically working under this assumption but was hoping for the best using an OEM based assembly.

Apparently from what I've read multiple times halogen based headlamps with reflectors lack the optics to handle a HID based bulb and it not produce intense glare - even with a shield. As I've never done one nor seen one personally, I'm not an expert on the topic.

I've also read mentions of Hella's 90mm halogen rebased aux HID as being illegal - but again these aren't confirmations and could be just purely speculation.

ok, I'm shutting up now.

[old_s13]

Whaleboy, the HID projectors you have are still useful, I would imagine they would perform real well inside the VX headlamp assembly.. as long as you can create a cover of some sort to make it look aesthetically pleasing. Its a big custom job, get ready for tons of work. If your skills are good and you take your time, your effort will not be in vain.. you'll have a very cool OEM HID headlamp conversion. However, I wouldnt bother installing them in the lower bumper.. its just not feasible. The lower your headlamps are, the less light you will be emitting.

One thing you MAY want to consider though, is the AMOUNT of light you'll be emitting will be rather hard to control. This is why cars like the Porsche Cayanne have headlight levelers, to help reduce the amount of glare. Tall cars like the VX will really blind people like me, who happens to drive a lowered sportscar!!! :) Some cars like the Infiniti QX4 have manual headlight levelers, where you can adjust the headlight from within the car.. that is a cool option as well. Getting your headlamp to perform well without blinding traffic on uneven roads will be a tough challenge, be sure to keep this in mind.

Also, the Micro DE foglamps are rather good.. and they are available in both halogen and HID, I would imagine they would work really well in that bumper area.

Regarding retrofits, the NHTSA has been stepping up the amount of enforcement on ILLEGAL halogen -> HID conversion kits, NOT products like the Hella 90mm lamps. These retrofit kits which consist of rebased XENON bulbs made to fit halogen headlamps, these are the kits that have BEEN and still ARE illegal. The only thing that has changed is the amount of enforcement from the NHTSA, and this only effects companies producting AND/OR selling these products. As for the consumer, this is left to the local law enforcement.. and usually results in a fix-it ticket. So, if you're car doesnt stick out like a sore-thumb, chances are your custom work will go by unnoticed by the law -- that is the sign of a successful retrofit! :)

- Mike / ClearCorners.Com

[valenki]

I wonder id PIAA 1100X would fit, they look sweet. ??