Donor cars for HID retrofit.

[rolltidero]

I am planning on doing an HID retrofit. I plan on buying a set of crap ebay headlights and then just swapping in good projectors. I've seen where some people use TSX and S2000 headlights. I was wondering if there were any other donor cars lights that could be used. Halo lights are preferable but not required. If this has already been answered I apologize.

 

[DJ Raydiate]

There is a list of cars that have factory HIDs over on HIDPLANET. I would take a look into it over there because more than likely you would find more info over there.

You can also take a look at The Retrofit Source because they have all sorts of projectors ready for retrofiting so you don't have to spend hours in a yard trying to find descent headlights just to tear them open.

I hope this helps. When I get time later and when I am on my pc instead of my phone, I will copy and paste the list from HIDPLANET to over here. That way it could be in our community as well.

 

[blizz99]

No love for 1g guys?

 

[DJ Raydiate]

1gs can use this was well. Here is a start of a list of projectors that one may find:

Hella 2nd Gen Bi-Xenon (aka E55)
Stanley Bi-Xenon (aka TL)
Bosch Bi-Xenon (aka E46)
Valeo Bi-Xenon D1S (Audi I think)
Infinity FX35/45 Bi-Xenon (aka FX)
Land Rover LR3 Bi-Xenon (aka LR3)
Hella Low Beam (from pre-2002 Audi A6)
Audi A4 Valeo DOT D2S Low Beam
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8 Low Beam
Mazda 3 Low Beam (Stanley)
Lexus RX330 Low Beam (Non-AFS, w/Subaru Legacy Shield)
Acura TSX Low Beam (Stanley)
Honda S2000 Low Beam (Koito)
Lexus SC430 Low Beam (Koito)
Lexus LS430 Super Wide Low Beam (Stanley)

This is just the beginning of the cars that are out there with HIDs from the factory. I am sure others will chime in that have more experience than I do. I have yet to do a retrofit as of today but I will be starting one later this year using E46s.

If anyone else knows of a list, feel free to help out. Maybe once we get enough on the list, someone can start a sticky post that one could look at to find their desired projector.

source:
http://http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?2704-Projector-Dimensions

Edit: On a side note, There are retrofit kits out there that one can get instead of having to get headlights out of a junkyard. Look into the Mini H1 projectors from TRS.

 

[rolltidero]

1gs can use this was well. Here is a start of a list of projectors that one may find:

Hella 2nd Gen Bi-Xenon (aka E55)
Stanley Bi-Xenon (aka TL)
Bosch Bi-Xenon (aka E46)
Valeo Bi-Xenon D1S (Audi I think)
Infinity FX35/45 Bi-Xenon (aka FX)
Land Rover LR3 Bi-Xenon (aka LR3)
Hella Low Beam (from pre-2002 Audi A6)
Audi A4 Valeo DOT D2S Low Beam
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8 Low Beam
Mazda 3 Low Beam (Stanley)
Lexus RX330 Low Beam (Non-AFS, w/Subaru Legacy Shield)
Acura TSX Low Beam (Stanley)
Honda S2000 Low Beam (Koito)
Lexus SC430 Low Beam (Koito)
Lexus LS430 Super Wide Low Beam (Stanley)

This is just the beginning of the cars that are out there with HIDs from the factory. I am sure others will chime in that have more experience that I do. I have yet to do a retrofit as of today but I will be starting one later this year using E46s.

If anyone else knows of a list, feel free to help out. Maybe once we get enough on the list, someone can start a sticky post that one could look at to find their desired projector.

source:
http://http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?2704-Projector-Dimensions

Edit: On a side note, There are retrofit kits out there that one can get instead of having to get headlights out of a junkyard. Look into the Mini H1 projectors from TRS.

Thank you so much there is an LKQ pick your part near where I live and looking at their inventory it seems like they have alot of cars with HID headlights. This helped so much.

 

[DJ Raydiate]

Thank you so much there is an LKQ pick your part near where I live and looking at their inventory it seems like they have alot of cars with HID headlights. This helped so much.

Rep points?

Good luck getting them. As far as getting ebay headlights, I would try to get a set of OEM lights and retrofit them. Reason being is some of the aftermarket lights out there are made from inferior materials to work with. You are going to have to bake the lights to get them open and OEM will hold up better than aftermarket.

You can always paint the reflectors to give it a different look because once the projectors are in, you wont need the reflective housing.

 

[rolltidero]

Rep points?

Good luck getting them. As far as getting ebay headlights, I would try to get a set of OEM lights and retrofit them. Reason being is some of the aftermarket lights out there are made from inferior materials to work with. You are going to have to bake the lights to get them open and OEM will hold up better than aftermarket.

You can always paint the reflectors to give it a different look because once the projectors are in, you wont need the reflective housing.

Already suggested them
and while there are many detailed walkthroughs and write ups on how to retrofit, I'm not comfortable with cutting and modding the reflectors. When I do get my housings I will do all I can to make them last ie reseal clear them screw everything tight and worst case I bolt my original ones back on

 

[DJ Raydiate]

I understand. I'm going backwards with mine. I have aftermarket headlights now and I am going to get a set of OEMs to retrofit. If I mess up on the OEMs, I can always put the aftermarkets back in.

With the Minis from TRS, they basically screw into place of the existing bulb. One may have to widen the hole just a little but it looks straight forward. Still have to bake the lights apart though.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Personally I wouldn't bother with aftermarket housings. They are not as well built as OEM, when the material used for the reflectors is worse, I've seen them break way to easy.

TRS is a good source for parts. Most junkyards will already have the HID components pulled and sold or someone has beat you to the punch when they are in the yard.

Mini projectors are ok but the performance is just too lacking for me. IIRC you need to modify the bulb base for them to be screwed in anyhow.
My opinion go for OEM projectors and ballasts. E55s are nice and easy to swap, high beam is awesome and the low isn't too bad either. FX35 (or FX-R) are great bang for your buck too.

Whatever you do, avoid TLs, they are a PITA to fit. They perform awesome though.

 

[DJ Raydiate]

Personally I wouldn't bother with aftermarket housings. They are not as well built as OEM, when the material used for the reflectors is worse, I've seen them break way to easy.

TRS is a good source for parts. Most junkyards will already have the HID components pulled and sold or someone has beat you to the punch when they are in the yard.

Mini projectors are ok but the performance is just too lacking for me. IIRC you need to modify the bulb base for them to be screwed in anyhow.
My opinion go for OEM projectors and ballasts. E55s are nice and easy to swap, high beam is awesome and the low isn't too bad either. FX35 (or FX-R) are great bang for your buck too.

Whatever you do, avoid TLs, they are a PITA to fit. They perform awesome though.

Just the person I wanted to have chime in. I just don't know all of the cars that have OEM HID headlights. I thought there was another list on HIDP but I couldn't find it. I know that I am missing some.

Edit: One can take a look at the closeout section of TRS and get great deals on OEM projectors. You can also look on ebay for OEM retrofit parts using the list created here to find deals on projectors and the like.

 

[rolltidero]

Just the person I wanted to have chime in. I just don't know all of the cars that have OEM headlights. I thought there was another list on HIDP but I couldn't find it. I know that I am missing some.

Edit: One can take a look at the closeout section of TRS and get great deals on OEM projectors. You can also look on ebay for OEM retrofit parts using the list created here to find deals on projectors and the like.

Thanks for everyone for all the input. Theres a guy close to me who has a ton of dsm parts where he builds them. I'll probably pick up a cheap set of OEM headlights and try to retrofit to them.

 

[DJ Raydiate]

Yeah I just text someone not to long ago about a set of headlights and the 3 piece tail lights for my retrofit projects. I haven't heard anything back from them yet. Good luck and have fun retrofitting

 

[Blurred Talon]

Thanks for everyone for all the input. Theres a guy close to me who has a ton of dsm parts where he builds them. I'll probably pick up a cheap set of OEM headlights and try to retrofit to them.

I did a write up in the Exterior section on this site for doing a retrofit.

 

[rolltidero]

I did a write up in the Exterior section on this site for doing a retrofit.

It's actually the writeup that made me want to do a retrofit. I've read it 2 or 3 times and it is definitely the one I will use