Feeler: Blacked Headlights F/S w/ Morimoto HID retrofit

Individuals may post anything, but it would be best to keep it related to automobiles.
User avatar
CG1
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:04 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

I just completed a DIY headlight project with and HID retrofit. Did the whole 'shake and bake' process to get the lights apart and shoot the bezels in black. (I left the reflector bowls chrome for function). They came out well (used high temp paint with 2K glosscoat) and I think they look phenomenal on a black car.

Wondering who'd be interested in the set, including the Morimoto XB35 (5000K) retrofit. Given the price of OE lights for this car, I'd have to get some solid dough. I don't know of a way to get blacked out lights unless you're willing to do this yourself, so it seems justifiable. There's about 20K miles on this set of lights, but they look fairly new.

I'll snap pics of the lights if any interest is generated. I don't even know where to begin the price, but I'm thinking something along the lines of a new set ($450). I've yet to even find used ones for less than $250 a side, but I'm sure I'm not looking in the right places. Between the custom work and the $170 in Morimoto gear, it seems a fair starting point. If I had the option to buy them for the cost of new lights .. I'd have jumped on it.

And lastly,

Reason for feeler: I want to do up another set and add some type of LED/DRL. (I'm not into taking the car off the road to revise this set). If I can't get a decent chunk of change to fund a 2nd shot, I'll just roll these until the weather turns and I take the whole rig off the road again for more updates.
Attachments
photo-1024.jpg
photo-1024.jpg (182.72 KiB) Viewed 8382 times
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Looks great. However, I'll have to say the, "technically..." comment.
Technically, this is not an HID "retrofit", but an HID kit installation. A true "retrofit" is where you get proper HID-specific projectors and install them into the Kizashi's halogen-intended headlights. The projectors in there right now work with an HID kit, but are actually designed for halogen bulbs, not HID. A true retrofit will take the projector lens from a HID headlight and install it into a halogen headlight. The result is the optimal light throw for an HID bulb which is far crisper and sharper than a HID bulb in a halogen projector. The Retrofit Source (the retailer of Morimoto HID kits) sells components for a retrofit project.

Also, can you specify what you mean with the "LED/DRL"? I'm thinking you mean like a LED strip or cluster within the headlight. The reason I want to clarify is because the Kizashi's factory DRL set-up is to use the halogen high beam bulbs at low wattage. I've once experimented with a LED conversion kit to change the high beam bulbs from halogen to LED. While they were bright and all for both high beam and DRL use, they didn't reflect the light properly in the headlight to throw the beam adequately to serve as a useful high beam.

All that being said, I think a black-out headlight with a HID installation for $450 is a very decent price. The baking process and even the HID installation takes considerable time and effort yet you're offering a plug-and-play set-up for a purchaser.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
CG1
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:04 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

(Appreciate the support on the price tag)

Yeah, retrofit is a loose/incorrect term. As you noted, I simply threw the 35W morimoto kit into the low-beams when I had them apart as that action circumvented the hassle associated with manipulating those damn retainer clips helping to justify the expense. I'm glad I did. I couldn't be happier with the output, and I had no issues with the hookup. Only been rolling 'em for two weeks, so I can't comment on durability.

LED/DRL: I would like to get some LEDS in there for use as DRL's. Not in any of the existing bays .. but as part of a new shroud. Nothing to light my way, only to help others see me. But mostly for aesthetics. I've read your thread on that, and have done similar experiments on previous vehicles. (All that led me to choose HID over LED for the low beams).

Thought about a simple LED wedge bulb used for the position bulb, and rewired for DRL use, but for some reason it just didn't seem very exciting. Was thinking amber, but maybe a little too 'Dodge Dart'.

Man, I'm so enamored by what those guys at one-eighty are turning out ..
Attachments
12469294885_51c29ca2c6.jpg
12469294885_51c29ca2c6.jpg (80.4 KiB) Viewed 8350 times
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Well, I've got the Morimoto XB35 5000Ks in my Kizashi for about 1.5 years and they've been solid. I didn't bother with a projector lens retrofit and simply put the kit into the headlight as is. It's still a good set-up and the output is impressive. The only issues I've had are very minor; You can see a small return wire shadow if you look really carefully and my HIDs flickered slightly with my old dying battery. With a new Interstate battery in, my HIDs are totally solid again at idle.

The position bulb DRL is what I actually want to do. If you put in a high output SMD LED in there, it can function well as a DRL. After all, the high beam's reflectors will reflect the light so it's quite visible. However, it won't be like the row of LED DRLs that you see on Audis and Lexus vehicles.
If you do end up pursuing a position bulb LED DRL configuration, I'd love to see a write-up.

Also, your wheels look dope. Your car is like a murdered-out version of mine.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
Fritz2
Posts: 153
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:53 am

Ooooh....the evil look! I love the whole car!
SamirD
Posts: 3074
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:07 pm
Location: HSV and SFO
Contact:

Seriously! Love the whole car. I always wondered what a sport would look like without the chrome--just mean!

I know this is a bit off topic and I wanted to post in KuroNekko's thread where he dealt with the LEDs, but I ran across this h7 LED kit that seems quite nice:
http://www.genssiled.com/shop/led-conve ... -filament/

Been too stupid busy to get on here, but will catch up with everyone soon!
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

SamirD wrote: I know this is a bit off topic and I wanted to post in KuroNekko's thread where he dealt with the LEDs, but I ran across this h7 LED kit that seems quite nice:
http://www.genssiled.com/shop/led-conve ... -filament/
Funny you brought it up. I was posting earlier today in response to someone asking about LED conversion kits in the Kizashi's low beam. I'm just not convinced these are designed to work properly in projector lenses. However, maybe the newer generation of these kits are but as of now, I know they have issues with proper refraction in the headlight therefore don't even make for good focused high beams even in multi-reflector housings.
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... =12&t=3605
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
CG1
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:04 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

For those who've inquired about closer images. Tough to capture with the lens in place, and I didn't take a single shot of the bezels throughout the process. Anyway, PM with any questions. The more I recall about the process, the less I care to do it again. I even took the whole whole focusing assembly apart (drilled out the rivets holding it together) to paint the cutoff baffle black as well as the stamped steel lens holder so that the 'eye' would look black rather than silver/prismatic when viewed with the lights off. None the less, another image.
Attachments
P1090336-1600.jpg
P1090336-1600.jpg (357.2 KiB) Viewed 8156 times
User avatar
CG1
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:04 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Or two.
Attachments
P1090337-1600.jpg
P1090337-1600.jpg (540.84 KiB) Viewed 8155 times
User avatar
DesRado
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:12 pm

What are you using as turn signals up front? I like the non egg yolk look. I'm also assuming they still light up yellow right.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
2012 Platinum Silver Kizashi GTS, 6SP

Image
Post Reply