Would this work?(HID Projector Question)

[justnobody]

http://www.stangmods.com/Mustang-Projector-HIDs-p/00643.htm

i already emailed them they said it would work for the eclipse if its H1 or H3 bulb, but i remember reading someone saying our projectors suck(or ebay brand ones) so the only way to get HIDs is to retrofit? Idk those mustang projectors seem like regular projectors in that pic and they work so i assume it would work on mine?

 

[n2orbit]

not sure if the ebay projector headlights still use the h3 bulb but if so. We have a vendor selling hid kits.. just buy a h3 kit and put it in.. thats all there selling just a 100 bucks more... i have a set in my stock headlights and all i will say is i will never buy a new car without them.. just buy the kit with the bulb type the ebay healights have and your set

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Ebay projectors use H1 bulbs, pretty much same thing as a H3... except the base is longer...

And no, you can order H1 and H3 HID Kits! To do it right, yes you retrofit. You can get HID's in any bulb form you want!

 

[justnobody]

oh, what would happen if HIDs went on them tho, the lightput would be dim, or worse glare than stock headlights? ..

If anyone has silverstars or Piaa or any other lights like that at night could you please post a pic, i wanna see what they look like, ive been trying to find pics everywhere with ultra silverstars cant find any.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

No, there is not a problem with glare... The Projector units inside Ebay headlights, are like fog lights! The insides are built just like a fog light. So the beam patern is good... you can make your H1 Projectors bright with HID's... But the distance on the beam of light will be short and only focused in a small area.

So you CAN use H1 HID bulbs inside projectors just to have a cool look, My friend did it in his Accord and it looked killer... the light on the ground within the first like... 20-30ft of his car was very bright... But if he were to park next to my Eclipse with 9006 Projectors (Still non HID Projectors, but work just as good with a 9006 HID Bulb) or one of the other guys on here with actual BMW or Audi D2S Projectors, You would definatly notice that his headlights suck compared to ours. My lighting goes for ever!

 

[justnobody]

ohh okay, I understand it now, thanks for the responses...

 

[Acceler8RR]

So if I'm reading all of these posts and threads correctly, it is possible. I've been told plenty of times from vendors that their projector kits (many of which are sold on ebay) are not compatible with HID kits.

I just want to double check with you guys since you all actually gone through the install. Are they wrong? If I pick up a projector headlight, specifically these (but may change my mind):

97-99 Mitsubishi Eclipse Projector Halo Headlights Chrome/Clear by:

will they fit an H1 or H3 HID Kit? And which is better to use, the H1 or H3 (clearance, install, etc. wise)? I'm looking to install an HID kit for the 97+ foglights too, if possible? (for when I do the 97+ front bumper conversion. Will that work?

Any help would be great. Thanks guys

 

[azdave]

So if I'm reading all of these posts and threads correctly, it is possible. I've been told plenty of times from vendors that their projector kits (many of which are sold on ebay) are not compatible with HID kits.

I just want to double check with you guys since you all actually gone through the install. Are they wrong? If I pick up a projector headlight, specifically these (but may change my mind):

97-99 Mitsubishi Eclipse Projector Halo Headlights Chrome/Clear by:

will they fit an H1 or H3 HID Kit? And which is better to use, the H1 or H3 (clearance, install, etc. wise)? I'm looking to install an HID kit for the 97+ foglights too, if possible? (for when I do the 97+ front bumper conversion. Will that work?

Any help would be great. Thanks guys

No aftermarket headlight seller will ever recommend HID bulbs in their housing due to the fact that it is illegal to do so. They don't want to be caught recommending it or DOT will shut down their sales in the US. A re-based HID capsule will physically fit if you buy the correct one for the lights you purchased. The results of switching OEM lamps or aftermarket lamps to re-based HID capsules are all over the place. Generally, you will see better in both cases but unfortunately, oncoming traffic will suffer the glare problems you create.

Although technically still illegal, the best solution is a complete retrofit to an OEM HID projector inside your gutted ebay housings. If you do the install correctly and aim them carefully, you will certaily see better than ever and oncoming traffic will not have to avert their eyes as you approach them on the roadways. This is not a drop-in retrofit either so most people take the easy route, install the cheap HID PNP kits and hope the glare isn't bad enough to get you pulled over.

 

[Acceler8RR]

Thanks azdave,

This next question is for azdave or anyone else interested in answering. Is it hard to do a retrofit. And if I do go with that route, what are the recommendations of projectors to gut out of cars (which cars, models, styles etc.) for the high beam and low beam? Or can I go buy those projectors individually?

Is there a thorough write up on this?

Thanks again guys.

 

[azdave]

Thanks azdave,

This next question is for azdave or anyone else interested in answering. Is it hard to do a retrofit. And if I do go with that route, what are the recommendations of projectors to gut out of cars (which cars, models, styles etc.) for the high beam and low beam? Or can I go buy those projectors individually?

Is there a thorough write up on this?

Thanks again guys.

It is not an easy swap or everyone would be doing it. It also ain't cheap to do it right. For a decent set of projectors with ballasts and bulbs you can expect to pay around $300-$350 depending on the auction plus the ebay headlamps too. There is not much room to work in there plus you have to be careful to allow for correct alignment after the install. It is not a simple job but if you take your time you can do it right and be proud of the results. You need to be comfortable baking your headlight open and also have some fabrication skills or access to someone who can make little brackets or source hardware for you. There are a few write-up out there on several forums. Some ebay lights are harder than others to retrofit due to the internal design.

In this photo the lights are arranged with the hardest to retrofit at the top and the easiest on the bottom.

The projector in the photo is out of a TSX and is a good medium sized unit. I used Hella E55 bi-xenons and they are pretty big since they are 3" lenses and have the bi-xenon function. I was able to fit them inside some ebay housing s but it was a whole lot of work. Next time I do a set it will be with a smaller projector like the TSX. HIDPlanet.com is a huge resource for all this type of stuff.

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[Acceler8RR]

Thanks azdave.

WOW! Are those all of your sets of housings? If so, which projection headlamp did you think had the best fitment, looks, build quality and light spread (w/o retrofit)? If you do have a difinitive answer, Can you tell me which # headlamp (going down), brand name (or company that makes it) and where I can buy it (if you remember).

Thanks again.

 

[bpestilence]

I did a HID retrofit on my Rio, and I can tell you that it is a lot of work. I used 3" BMW bi-xenons. I had to use bi-xenons since the Rio headlight is a single reflector design. They were a PITA because they were so large that they were difficult to physically get into the housing.

Since the DSM headlight is a dual reflector, I would simply use a mono-xenon low beam and keep the reflector high beam. Mono-xenons are much smaller and should be much easier to install. However, still expensive. $150 for the ebay projector housing lights, and the best deal I have ever seen on complete monos were about $250.

 

[azdave]

Thanks azdave.

WOW! Are those all of your sets of housings? If so, which projection headlamp did you think had the best fitment, looks, build quality and light spread (w/o retrofit)? If you do have a difinitive answer, Can you tell me which # headlamp (going down), brand name (or company that makes it) and where I can buy it (if you remember).

Thanks again.

Sorry I didn't see this earlier.
I have about 20 sets of old and new housings that I use for reference or testing.

There is no "best" projector. To me, the aftermarket housing that looks the best is the hardest to retrofit and has the worst beam as it comes out of the box. I buy them on ebay. They are just as good as the ones from all the speed shops that charge double the ebay price.

If you want to install true projectors (like TSX in the photo) into an aftermarket housing then it's like I said in the post. Hardest on the top, easiest on the bottom. None are that easy unless you are skilled at such work. Anyone can shove a projector into a housing but to have it mounted solid with the proper rotation allowance and right/left and up/down adjustments still in operation takes some patience. That is why most people just get a cheap Chinese HID kit and call it a day.

 

[Detail]

AZDave,
I've been researching your build as well as others for almost 2 years now. It's really TIME for me to do this. My current headlights are 97 style aftermarket OEM "style" with crap gen 1 HID's shoved in them. I'm way too ashamed to show a picture of the beam. The only reason I have the HID's in there is because I couldn't hardly see in front of me with the regular 9006's.

Have you seen the lights you have 2 up from the bottom lately? I can't seem to find them anywhere and thats the style I want to use. All the other lights have crappy looking side markers. You also said the bottom lights were the easiest to do. Is that based upon space inside or how it mounts or what? Again, I think those are the ugliest of the 4 but if they will simplify alignment...then I might start searching for them.

I already have my bulbs and ballasts from a Prius. I'll pick up some TSX projectors as soon as I find the lights I want.

 

[azdave]

Have you seen the lights you have 2 up from the bottom lately? I can't seem to find them anywhere and thats the style I want to use. All the other lights have crappy looking side markers. You also said the bottom lights were the easiest to do. Is that based upon space inside or how it mounts or what? Again, I think those are the ugliest of the 4 but if they will simplify alignment...then I might start searching for them.

The second ones up have the forward style bezel with no halos and a square high beam opening. Those are not that popular anymore but I do see them from time to time. They are a good candidate for TSX projectors as they have some room to work with. Any of the newer aftermarket projectors (recessed bevel like in the pic) are much harder to work with due to the deeper bezel and the rear housing has to be cut quite a bit to fit the new bowls.]

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