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Clear light and Angel Eye Conversion - The Project and Story
- Thread starter cj10jeeper
- Start date
plowy said:
Thanks - the flat wipers are far better a clean than conventional and I now run them on the X and Z. Look at the very last photo and you can see the downside - a 1" strip missed in the lower corner (behind the tax disk really) where the extreme curvature is not handled as well as the old mechano one's. Thos fitted are Trico Innovision
I have still to resolve the issue that my wipers move up a few degrees from their lowest point to park
cj10jeeper are you there?
I bagged a couple of headlights from ebay cheap hoping to open them up and have a play.
Just wondering if you can elaborate on how you sepearated the front from the back. Where did you use the dremel?
The front clear section has a ridge by the looks of your pics that sits inside a trough in the back section. So what did you cut, round the edge on the top of the back section, or clean through the ridge of the clear front??
To help explain... my crude drawing will point out points A and B in a side profile of the two pieces
The bit on the left is the back, and the bit on the right is the clear front
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/ballymagic/lights.jpg
I wanted to open and seal the same pair so I can keep my original lights set aside, is this project only do-able with two sets of lights as you did.
What im wondering is, do you have to butcher the front section of one set of lights and then butcher the others back section and marry the two good halves together because this can only work with two sets of lights?
Am i making sense??
I bagged a couple of headlights from ebay cheap hoping to open them up and have a play.
Just wondering if you can elaborate on how you sepearated the front from the back. Where did you use the dremel?
The front clear section has a ridge by the looks of your pics that sits inside a trough in the back section. So what did you cut, round the edge on the top of the back section, or clean through the ridge of the clear front??
To help explain... my crude drawing will point out points A and B in a side profile of the two pieces
The bit on the left is the back, and the bit on the right is the clear front
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/ballymagic/lights.jpg
I wanted to open and seal the same pair so I can keep my original lights set aside, is this project only do-able with two sets of lights as you did.
What im wondering is, do you have to butcher the front section of one set of lights and then butcher the others back section and marry the two good halves together because this can only work with two sets of lights?
Am i making sense??
I always thought you needed two sets to do it.
Brave of you to take it on though, good luck
Brave of you to take it on though, good luck
Hi,
Been away so a delayed response.
The method I used and have now built 2 complete sets of the lights, is to cannibalise one set of lights and as Mike says you therefore need 2 sets.
I have never found a way of melting the adhesive on this type of unit but recently someone in the US appears to have done it so there does appear to be an alternative.
If you decide to go ahead use the new lights and cut off all of the black back leaving just the just lens. Using your existing lights cut the clear lens off close to the black back. Remove the remaining flange with a sharp craft knife and clean out the channel.
You now have 1 set of lens and back to work with ( and a large pile of spare internal components to use.)
Build all your AE ior whatever want to do internally then when your happy reseal and fit.
Good luck and have fun, but don't do this unless you feel competent in it
Been away so a delayed response.
The method I used and have now built 2 complete sets of the lights, is to cannibalise one set of lights and as Mike says you therefore need 2 sets.
I have never found a way of melting the adhesive on this type of unit but recently someone in the US appears to have done it so there does appear to be an alternative.
If you decide to go ahead use the new lights and cut off all of the black back leaving just the just lens. Using your existing lights cut the clear lens off close to the black back. Remove the remaining flange with a sharp craft knife and clean out the channel.
You now have 1 set of lens and back to work with ( and a large pile of spare internal components to use.)
Build all your AE ior whatever want to do internally then when your happy reseal and fit.
Good luck and have fun, but don't do this unless you feel competent in it
Cheers for the response.
I cant bring myself to hack open my lights, as you said in your first post they look worryingly expensive!
Im going to take my time over this and see if its possible to seperate the two halves without making to big a mess so's they can be bonded back together.
The lights were only 30 quid so even if the whole project ends up as nothing more than a pile of junk and grazed knuckles, nothing really lost.
I'll post any good/bad results when i get chance to have a crack
I cant bring myself to hack open my lights, as you said in your first post they look worryingly expensive!
Im going to take my time over this and see if its possible to seperate the two halves without making to big a mess so's they can be bonded back together.
The lights were only 30 quid so even if the whole project ends up as nothing more than a pile of junk and grazed knuckles, nothing really lost.
I'll post any good/bad results when i get chance to have a crack
Actually it's going to be a challenge with the depth of the channel and that way the sealer grips the inner and outer faces of the lens, preventing you being able to get at it, coupled with the black back casing being rather brittle.
When you start don't forget to remove the 5 locating pins around the flange. I assume the manufacturer used these to hold the parts in place while the adhesive cured.
BTW what sort of spare lights did you get? Halogen or Xenon? Was it the pair that went cheap on Ebay a week ago?
When you start don't forget to remove the 5 locating pins around the flange. I assume the manufacturer used these to hold the parts in place while the adhesive cured.
BTW what sort of spare lights did you get? Halogen or Xenon? Was it the pair that went cheap on Ebay a week ago?
Thanks for the post. I have read over the descriptions 3 times now still have no confidence in attempting the conversaion myself...
I know Iam repeating the compliments here but it is truely breath taking. I have been trying to look for similar type of AE conversions since the first day I got the car... If you decided you would like to carry out similar project one day, LET ME KNOW! I will be more than happy to drive up to see how you do it! Perhaps ask you to help me out on my set too if you dont mind - mate you can so easily make a business out of this - I am not aware of any guys out there that does AE conversions for Zeds? Now this is something truely money cant buy!
I know Iam repeating the compliments here but it is truely breath taking. I have been trying to look for similar type of AE conversions since the first day I got the car... If you decided you would like to carry out similar project one day, LET ME KNOW! I will be more than happy to drive up to see how you do it! Perhaps ask you to help me out on my set too if you dont mind - mate you can so easily make a business out of this - I am not aware of any guys out there that does AE conversions for Zeds? Now this is something truely money cant buy!
My coupe already has angel eyes, but they're awfully toward the yellow spectrum. I've seen some LED upgrades to the bulbs and have given them serious though. They're relatively expensive for what it is, though. PIAA wants well over $100 for the LED bulbs. Seeing your brighter AEs makes me think it might just be worth it.
funkdude
Thanks for the compliments but it's not money and I don't really have time to do more sets, but rather I do it and other projects because I think it seems interesting and a challenge. I've done a second set for someone who 'lurks' on the board but does not post. I think my second set were even better as I managed to use US clear lenses that had an extra bulb in the corner, so now the repeaters with silver stealth bulbs illuminate the side too
Personally I'd say get a scrap light and just set about it with a dremel one Saturday, end up with a pile of bits and then see how you feel. I'd of course help, even if like now it's from an Edinburgh hotel or Wednesday from a London hotel...
Smokin. - I don't understand OEM AE. I've taken on to bits and it's nothing more than a back illuminated plastic ring. Odd way to have done it. LED's would be an easy change.
Next I actually fancy making a set of Audi style lights with a strip of LEDS in.
If someone tells me how to photograph an AE properly to show the ring and not a 'white out' I'll do it and post
Thanks for the compliments but it's not money and I don't really have time to do more sets, but rather I do it and other projects because I think it seems interesting and a challenge. I've done a second set for someone who 'lurks' on the board but does not post. I think my second set were even better as I managed to use US clear lenses that had an extra bulb in the corner, so now the repeaters with silver stealth bulbs illuminate the side too
Personally I'd say get a scrap light and just set about it with a dremel one Saturday, end up with a pile of bits and then see how you feel. I'd of course help, even if like now it's from an Edinburgh hotel or Wednesday from a London hotel...
Smokin. - I don't understand OEM AE. I've taken on to bits and it's nothing more than a back illuminated plastic ring. Odd way to have done it. LED's would be an easy change.
Next I actually fancy making a set of Audi style lights with a strip of LEDS in.
If someone tells me how to photograph an AE properly to show the ring and not a 'white out' I'll do it and post
CJ, Thanks for the advice. I will try to find sometime to play around with some scrap lights as you say. Will probably ended up crying for help!
re: photographing AE - what sort of camera do you have? it will help if you have some a DSLR... or any digital camera where you can manually adjust the exposure of the camera... When you take a photo in the dark, focusing on the AE, the shutter of your camera will open for a longer period of time in attempt to capture the image (ie letting more lights in) - hence over exposing the light source ie. the AE. To photograph the AE all you need to do is to adapt a quicker exposure.. For a stanard digital camera you can try adjusting the "EV"... there should be a dial somewhere allowing yout adjust the "EV" of the camera... it should normally be on 0, try to change it to -1 or -1.5 and see if it helps??
Only if your anywhere near London I dont mind helping you to take a few shots!
re: photographing AE - what sort of camera do you have? it will help if you have some a DSLR... or any digital camera where you can manually adjust the exposure of the camera... When you take a photo in the dark, focusing on the AE, the shutter of your camera will open for a longer period of time in attempt to capture the image (ie letting more lights in) - hence over exposing the light source ie. the AE. To photograph the AE all you need to do is to adapt a quicker exposure.. For a stanard digital camera you can try adjusting the "EV"... there should be a dial somewhere allowing yout adjust the "EV" of the camera... it should normally be on 0, try to change it to -1 or -1.5 and see if it helps??
Only if your anywhere near London I dont mind helping you to take a few shots!
Thanks for the camera advice funkdude.
Actually today I'm driving all the way around the M25 from M1 to South of the river, Kent side, in the Z4. Any where near?
Mobile 078120 81888 if you want to catch me today
Actually today I'm driving all the way around the M25 from M1 to South of the river, Kent side, in the Z4. Any where near?
Mobile 078120 81888 if you want to catch me today
Your guideline has been very, very helpful. Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without this topic 
With two sets of headlights available, I wanted to create the following:
- white indicators
- silver inlay
- new transparent outer front shell
- used, original rear shell (for connector purposes)
Some pics
Pearls from oyster...
Mmm several options here... decided to go for original candels with white lights and orange shell, slightly modified to avoid a lot of orange when off.
Ready for surgery...
1-2-3
Post-operation
Slowly getting there...
And time to seal them off
Before:
After
I couldn't have done it without this topic With two sets of headlights available, I wanted to create the following:
- white indicators
- silver inlay
- new transparent outer front shell
- used, original rear shell (for connector purposes)
Some pics
Pearls from oyster...
Mmm several options here... decided to go for original candels with white lights and orange shell, slightly modified to avoid a lot of orange when off.
Ready for surgery...
1-2-3
Post-operation
Slowly getting there...
And time to seal them off
Before:
After
