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Pages: 1

Gen 1 Headlight Project w/ HID install

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Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Below is an outline of my headlight refurb, from the initial rechroming, to aftermarket HID fitment and associated modifications: (multi function switch mod for lows and highs and check exterior lamp message removal)

Attachment 32830



Posted by: lscmkviii

Damn that is nice! Almost makes me wish I had a Gen1, almost.



Posted by: 21stcenturygadgetguy

Wow!! Thanks for the clear, instructive pictures! I think even if i clean my lenses that will help, and wow, this is layed out very simple! Thanks Blue!



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks guys, figured it was time i did something useful... Lol. O yeah, as my wife just pointed out, i used DUCT tape, not duck tape! LMAO.



Posted by: Markviiiedrea

Is that high temp adhesive on those reflector templates? Where did you get them? Nice job on those lenses, they came out real clean!

Can you put up a before and after of the lenses?

Since you cut them open and resealed them have you had any problems with moisture?


Again awesome job looks real good.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Hi markviiiedrea! I didn't take any before pics of the lenses, cos they were in a pretty reasonable condition from jamie97lsc, as i had ruined the original housings with the oven lens removal method! Lol. However, when i did clean up the originals a few months back, they went from yellow to gleaming! Templates? I made the templates myself out of old xmas cards and used them to cut the Trimbrite chrome tape to size, which has its own, very strong adhesive backing. I thoroughly resealed the housings with the Goop automotive sealant and haven't experienced any moisture issues yet. However, im living in Florida so maybe not such an issue here? I have, however, power washed the car twice and driven in a storm, without issue.



Posted by: Roadboss

93 Blue - nice write up with pics, they're worth a thousand words.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks roadboss - i figured you would want to see a write up, as you had been asking about these aftermarket kits. As you can see from the layout pic, very clean and easy installation.



Posted by: Markviiiedrea

Thanks Blue for the info I will have to keep that in mind for when I run out of HID houseings and have to go back to base ones.

Also good job on the write up!

You should save the templates and sell them to people like me who dont want spend time cutting new one's out.



Posted by: Roadboss

Definitely got to put in on the things to do this summer. What's your assesment of the durability of the Trimbrite Chrome tape with these new lights. Do you feel it will out last a stock chrome unit?



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Markviiiedrea: Yeah, i have saved most of the templates, but lost a couple! Lol. Not too hard to do if you have some thin card and a little patience. I could always make up some nice ones, for those in need...

Roadboss: The Trimbrite appears to be durable - its actually metal so it can't burn up. My only concern is the adhesive backing - but that seems strong too. I got the Trimbrite idea from jamie97lsc and he used it for a long while without issue. However, if there are any problems down the road, i will write them up here. You can buy rolls of the trimbrite tape from Advance Auto for around 7 bux a roll. (you will need 2-3 rolls)



Posted by: mark0101

Really great write up!!!
good job



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks Mark0101! Now that i have a decent digital camera, i will do some more stuff in the future!



Posted by: kustomizingkid

That was an awesome write up Blue!



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks Kustom! Now i just gotta get some headlight clips from Jamie and finish the alignment. It will be nice to see again at night! Lol.



Posted by: slowmkviii

awesome write up even if I dont have a gen 1



Posted by: jamie97lsc

damn martin killer write up. i would have done something like this a long time ago, but you know me personally, and i work too quickly to keep taking pictures, if things werent so hectic around me, i would have hundreds of write ups for everything i have done. you did exactly what i have done with many headlights, only i didnt take such detailed pictures. this will make a lot of people happy who want to attempt it, it really is not hard you just need a few good quiet hours to pull it off. i want to do the same thing to my new 93, the headlights arent bad at all and i still cant see at night. what did you pay for that hid kit, cuz im gonna go the same route, im not searching for another set of hid housings like my green 93, not when everyone wants 58 million a pair for them!!

now you need to get the hell over to my shop so we can slap some clips on and i can check them out in person, maybe i'll lock you in the shop and not let you out until you redo my headlights, i cant stand doing them lol.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks for the compliment slowmarkviii!

Thanks Jamie! This is why i took so long! Lol. Yeah, im coming down this week, now the car is good again, and the storms are over! You are right though, its not too hard, a few hours work and a few bux and the lights can be alot better! (rechroming is darn tedious though - i DON'T fancy doing that again! Lol)



Posted by: turborich

You did an AWESOME job on the write up! What a great re-chroming job, I can tell that you take your time & do things the right way by seeing how much trouble you went to with the chrome tape. Those lights look new.

I watched this on the History channel a while back, Origionaly Duct tape was called 'Duck' tape. The military used it for sealing leaks in inflatable rafts. It was later changed or became known as duct tape. So you were kinda right the first time (lol)



Posted by: marked8

This needs to be put in the tech article section. Great write up.



Posted by: Roadboss

I agree we need a moderator to make this a sticky or put it up in the tech section.



Posted by: Calabrio

In case you wanted an alternative "Duck Tape" photo:




Posted by: 94m5

Im about to buy a "new" 95 VIII, and need to see some pictures of the light pattern out on the road, & your opinion of on comming glare. I don't want to be blinding everyone else.

I'm tempted to do this instead of dumping another 800 on OEM HIDs



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks guys! Yeah, if a mod wants to make it a sticky or a tech, thats cool, maybe Calabrio can do some mod trickery and substitute the duck for duct for me? Lol. (Turborich might be onto something there - im sure i have heard it being called duck tape, sometime, somewhere lol) One other thing: remember these kits are not DOT approved! (for what its worth - those DOT rules seem sucky to me, but still something to bear in mind)

94m5: Did you see the vids and pics Turborich put up of his and his friend's kit? Should give you an idea of the glare and pattern - our kits are very similar, only exceptions being i went a slightly lower color temp (4300K vs 6000K) and i kept the anti glare shields in place. I will take a look into the glare issue though.



Posted by: sulup

Thanks blue,what a great description on this procedure.AWESOME!Will this system work on gen II mark lenses? Lou



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Hi Lou! Not sure about the gen 2s - i will ask jamie97lsc when i see him this week, as he is something of an expert when it comes to Mark VIIIs. I will let you know what i find out...



Posted by: GMAN

Super write up, that would be a great for the Tech Article section.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks GMAN! My only concern is that these aftermarket kits are not DOT approved, therefore not legal, so if it became an article, then it should really include a disclaimer to be clear that its just what one member did and is not 'set in stone'



Posted by: ford nut

Great write up Martin

Taking Jamies hard work and doing a great write up I think STICKY !



Posted by: NYC LS8

Nice job, man!

Note that I will NOT be mentioning this to my father (who has my old 95) because I'll get stuck doing this.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks Fordnut and NYC LS8!

Thats what i like about these car forums, meet some great people, steal a few ideas and save some $$$. (apart from searching the forums, i used advice from jamie, unity, turborich and JMiles_T)



Posted by: sulup

Thanks blue for your reply.I have a stupid question,Is that chrome tape safe enough to bare the heat of the orig ansi 9500 hid bulbs?And where can I buy it?I thinking of trying this project out on my 98 lenses.Waiting to here from you after you find out more info on the gen II marks.By the way I live in Pembroke Pines Fl. on the east coast. Take care. Lou



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Hi Lou! Yeah, im pretty sure the tape will be ok with the heat, as it is metal. Its called Trimbrite, and is available at most of the Advance Auto stores for around 7 bux a roll - look in the stickers section. Jamie97lsc has used this stuff before without a problem. (he recommended it to me) I see no reason why you couldn't open up your gen 2 housings in the same way. I will speak to Jamie this week, and let you know what i find out. I assume you have good HIDs already and you just want to rechrome the housings and polish the lenses right? Should be easy enough...



Posted by: sulup

Well I got a good almost new pair from a miami guy selling them on craigslist at a steal$100.00 for both,so I want to try and redo the ones on the car,and if they turn out ok maybe sell them.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Quote:
Originally Posted by sulup View Post
Well I got a good almost new pair from a miami guy selling them on craigslist at a steal$100.00 for both,so I want to try and redo the ones on the car,and if they turn out ok maybe sell them.
Cool. gotta be worth a shot! I just googled the tape. Its called Trimbrite Chrome brite and is available from quite a few stores. Its a foil tape designed for use in a high temp evironment. (i just did a flame test on a piece. (burns if you hold a flame directly to it, but not from a distance - much like house hold foil - that burns too, with a direct flame. Anyway, this is what you are looking for:

http://www.amazon.com/Trimbrite-T181.../dp/B00029XBJ6



Posted by: sulup

Great,Thanks again blue.



Posted by: jamie97lsc

just for a piece of info, this stuff is now available in a 7 inch wide roll. previously it only came in 3 inch wide rolls, but now with 7 inch, you could get away with not having to have seams inside the housings, no matter what, with the 3 inch wide, there will be parts of the housings you just cannot get the entire part without putting 2 pieces side by side, but now you could make them seamless. and to answer the question, yes you could do this same method on a 2nd gen housing as well, it will just require alot more trimbrite because the housings are more then twice the size. martin i cant wait to see these in person. i have pics of my 1st gen hid housings that i did this too but i dont want to hyjack your thread!



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Hi Jamie! ah, so theres a bigger roll now? even better... Lol. typical! Yeah, i wasn't sure if you had ever done a gen 2 housing, so i figured id speak to you first and maybe take a look at one - figured it would be bigger. Im coming down tomorrow, definite! BTW, as the article is done, feel free to post whatever relevant pics/info you have here - be good to have everything in one thread, and some proof of it being done from people other than myself.



Posted by: sulup

Thanks jamie for that bit of info on the tape and on the gen II lenses.I will attempt this task soon.Hope to thread the good news. Lou



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

With that fatter tape, Sulup, you should have no problems. I don't know if the chain stores stock the fatter size, so you may have to order some rolls. Have fun with it! post some pics when you are done!



Posted by: jamie97lsc

for anyone who cannot obtain this stuff, because it is not stocked in all stores, i'd be happy to purchase it and ship it to anyone who may need it , all i ask is to be reimbursed plus priority shipping, i have a few of the 3 inch rolls now because last time i went to get some i couldnt find it, so when i did, i bought it all!!



Posted by: The Rev

If anyone has a drivers side (I'll take 2 if they're in great condition) housing thats been rechromed up for sale PM me. Oh and I installed that same hid kit, took 5 minutes, 3 of which included mounting the ballasts.



Posted by: SJSharkVIII

Excellent job Blue you knocked it out the park! Be doing that to my 95 fo sho!
Not to be a hijacker but props to Jamie97lsc for parts HE DA MAN!



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Quote:
Originally Posted by SJSharkVIII View Post
Excellent job Blue you knocked it out the park! Be doing that to my 95 fo sho!
Not to be a hijacker but props to Jamie97lsc for parts HE DA MAN!
Thanks, man!

Yeah, jamie is good for parts and info - hooked me up with a whole bunch of stuff, just the other day...



Posted by: jamie97lsc

hey martin, looks like im adding another project to the " sooner then planned " i just bought the same kit you got but i went with 6000k, also picking up a 3 inch cowel tomorrow. so i'll be doing the lights when the kit comes in, can i borrow your dremmel lol???



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Oh ya? Cool. For the price of the kits, you really can't go wrong.

Sure, you can borrow my rotary tool and bits if ya want... just say when. I still think you should make the cowl functional though... And... add some gauges in there too!



Posted by: Dark_Majesty_06

Hey.. just a question.. does it make the lights much brighter.. converting it over to brights.. have both low and high on? On a scale of 1-10.. 10 being hardest.. what would you rate this job? I've done plenty of stereo's and fog lights.. gauges... so this should be easy right? I'm pretty confident in my work.. so yea.. just curious!



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Having the lows and highs on makes the lights abit brighter, but the main reason for doing the mod is to protect the HIDs, as hot re strikes shortens their life. Splicing the wires for 13 + 15 is easy, probably a 3/10 job. You will have no problem. In fact, doing the whole process and fitting HIDs is pretty easy, just time consuming. For the splicing, you will require an 18-14 AWG (blue) splice block.



Posted by: Dark_Majesty_06

Oh okay.. so i'm assuming we can't replace these bulbs.. when they go out.. we repay the 88 dollars and just use the lights out of there and resell the other stuff.. or can you replace the bulbs.. I really.. honestly need a set.. my dims are horrible.. and I don't think i'm brave enough to cut open my stock headlights on my DD... so do you think atleast my dims will atleast be equal to the stock dims? If this does require me to do the restoration.. my chrome looks fine.. but my lens are just so yellow.. I'm gunna try an easy 20 dollar kit this weekend.. that removes all the film and go from there.. either way.. this looks like the best anyways... I want blue HIDs... and i'm getting them.. lol. I wanna look fancy too!



Posted by: The Rev

Quote:
Originally Posted by 93' Blue on blue View Post
Having the lows and highs on makes the lights abit brighter, but the main reason for doing the mod is to protect the HIDs, as hot re strikes shortens their life. Splicing the wires for 13 + 15 is easy, probably a 3/10 job. You will have no problem. In fact, doing the whole process and fitting HIDs is pretty easy, just time consuming. For the splicing, you will require an 18-14 AWG (blue) splice block.
I haven't spliced any of the wires yet for my hids, and because of that I haven't flashed my lights, but I'm going to have 2 pretty much brand new housings in about a week (waiting for one more from ebay) both with minor chrome peeling, and because of this my hids are in the high beam part of the housing. My idea is to get another hid kit and put that one in the low beam part. How would I go about making the highs and lows stay on all the time? I've heard about the brite box but want to know if I could just splice a few wires together instead? Oh and I could care less about other drivers, almost everyone around here has some sort of aftermarket or stock hid kit anyway, and the cops don't care at all about lights.



Posted by: jamie97lsc

to make all 4 light up you need to take the clam shell off from around your steering column, take the multifunction switch off and splice pinds 13 and 15 together, this allows the high beams to come on when you hit the sswitch, but also keeps the low beams on too, see martins pictures in the begining of the post it shows all this being done.

my hid kit is installed, re-aimed and i love it, they are very bright and i can see just fine now.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Majesty_06 View Post
Oh okay.. so i'm assuming we can't replace these bulbs.. when they go out.. we repay the 88 dollars and just use the lights out of there and resell the other stuff.. or can you replace the bulbs.. I really.. honestly need a set.. my dims are horrible.. and I don't think i'm brave enough to cut open my stock headlights on my DD... so do you think atleast my dims will atleast be equal to the stock dims? If this does require me to do the restoration.. my chrome looks fine.. but my lens are just so yellow.. I'm gunna try an easy 20 dollar kit this weekend.. that removes all the film and go from there.. either way.. this looks like the best anyways... I want blue HIDs... and i'm getting them.. lol. I wanna look fancy too!
The HID bulbs are available separately from various outlets, not sure how expensive they are though. (might work out cheaper to just buy another kit, however, they should last a while and some vendors offer warranties)

Your dims will be better with the HID kit versus halogen, but nowhere near as good as they could be unless you address the chrome and lens issues.

When i got my car, the lenses were very yellow - wet sanding with various grits and then final polishing made them look like new - when you have cleaned them, keep them waxed so they look good for longer.

If you want a blue tint to the lights, then go 6000K or maybe 8000K, higher than that tend to look purplish. Remember that the more blue the light, the less output (lumens) on the road and also the more strain on the eyes.

The Rev: Yeah, you can do the switch mod i detailed on the first page easily enough to keep the lows and highs on. (just means you will have to push the stalk forward when the lights are on) There is probably another way to splice them, so that they operate all the time without using the stalk, but i don't have a circuit diagram, so don't know which wires to splice for that. I hope the police are ok where you live, cos if you dazzle them with the lows and highs you may get in trouble!



Posted by: The Rev

Quote:
Originally Posted by 93' Blue on blue View Post
The Rev: Yeah, you can do the switch mod i detailed on the first page easily enough to keep the lows and highs on. (just means you will have to push the stalk forward when the lights are on) There is probably another way to splice them, so that they operate all the time without using the stalk, but i don't have a circuit diagram, so don't know which wires to splice for that. I hope the police are ok where you live, cos if you dazzle them with the lows and highs you may get in trouble!
I read that but I guess I was misunderstanding it. After I do that, having my MFS pushed foward (as it is now) would allow me to have both lows and highs on at all times? Because if so that'd be so sick, having lows and highs in hids at the same time. Would there be any harm by doing that? If not I'm so doing it. Cops don't make a big deal about hids, they're more concerned with tinted windows loud exhausts and systems, and so far I've only got the exhaust so I'll be fine.



Posted by: Dark_Majesty_06

[quote=93' Blue on blue;368369]The HID bulbs are available separately from various outlets, not sure how expensive they are though. (might work out cheaper to just buy another kit, however, they should last a while and some vendors offer warranties)

Your dims will be better with the HID kit versus halogen, but nowhere near as good as they could be unless you address the chrome and lens issues.

When i got my car, the lenses were very yellow - wet sanding with various grits and then final polishing made them look like new - when you have cleaned them, keep them waxed so they look good for longer.

If you want a blue tint to the lights, then go 6000K or maybe 8000K, higher than that tend to look purplish. Remember that the more blue the light, the less output (lumens) on the road and also the more strain on the eyes.

QUOTE]

Oh okay.. so maybe just going with 8000k looks bright enough.. but i don't want to sacrifice vision.. so maybe i'll stick with 6k... Okay.. I sure will... because from the look of the inside.. thier chrome is fine.. but then agian.. its so yellow... i can't tell.. mine are also getting moister in them... so i guess the seal is already broken... I guess my best bet would be to tear them open... so if nothing else... just to reseal them really well.. how is the goop holding up? Is there anything stronger with a stronger hold I can get... someone told me High temp RTV silicone.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

That Goop is pretty strong - its a strong silicon type sealant. Never used that RTV so couldn't really comment on it. If you are getting condensation inside your lights then it could be a bad bulb O ring seal, or possibly the lens glue, or a crack etc. (if it is the lens glue, no need to take 'em apart - just cover the lens seam with a bead of Goop and let it set, dry out the lights and all should be well) Been a couple of weeks now since i did mine and they are still fine - no condensation at all.



Posted by: The Rev

I used rtv silicone on mine, overall I was satisfied, but I'd rather go with goop next time I hack em open, only reason is that its thinner when wet, easier to apply, I found it a little hard to apply, but both should be fine.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Rev View Post
I read that but I guess I was misunderstanding it. After I do that, having my MFS pushed foward (as it is now) would allow me to have both lows and highs on at all times? Because if so that'd be so sick, having lows and highs in hids at the same time. Would there be any harm by doing that?
Yup, when you do the mod, your lows and highs will operate together for flashing (not recommended with HIDs) and constant with the MFS pushed forward. Assuming you have good chrome inside your housings, a full set of HIDs would be very bright - even more so if you were remove the metal anti - glare shields in the low beam housings. If you are dead set on doing this, then aim 'em down and right a fair amount, cos bad glare can cause accidents.

Im not sure if the stock wiring would be up to the task of running a full set of HIDs all the time - keep an eye on that issue - you may need thicker harness wiring and possibly relays.

I think what you suggest may be abit 'over the top' A set of nicely chromed housings with clear lenses and a set of cheap HIDs in just the lows would be a BIG improvement over the stock halogens. If aimed right, this set up will be good, without dazzling people and possibly attracting cops.



Posted by: The Rev

If the wiring can't handle it I dont assume I'd do it then. I may have to hack these housings open and rechrome these as well. Did you rechrome the deflector? Reason why I ask is that on my old housings they had no chrome so I don't even know if they had chrome when they were new. I'd want to chrome the inside of the deflector, if I decided to keep em. If I were to take em out, there would be no reason to switch the hids from my high socket to low socket, would there be? Does it light up any differently in the low socket w/ the deflectors removed? Maybe a little wider light on the ground?



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

The anti - glare shields stop the eyes from seeing very bright parts of the bulb and alters the beam pattern - removing them would give you abit more light, but it would be unfocused, wide and could possibly dazzle.

The shields are black and not chromed. I chromed the outsides of mine to make them look nicer, but left the insides alone, as rechroming the insides would defeat their purpose.

Why don't you rechrome your housings, fit the HIDs in the lows, do the MFS mod, put the lenses on loosely and try them with and without the shields? That way, you will see if the beam is any better and if there is any glare to be worried about. Make your choice, then reseal the lenses.



Posted by: jamie97lsc

do no tremove the refractors from inside the lenses your light will be totally unfocused and you will not get a beam in front of the car where you need it, it will only light up the road close to the nose of the car anf light up everything on each side of the road but you will not get light out in front of the car where you need it. i just finished mine today, i took the refractors out and painted them silver inside and out with a rattle can, rechromed the hosuings, put them back in and installed. tonight i re-aimed them and i am not joking when i say these things are 10 times better them my stock 98 lsc housings. they dont even compare, and they make my hid lenses and factory hid's in my other 93 look like flash lights. i went with a 6000k kit, and the bulbs are avail through the same guy who sold the kit, the bulbs are sold in packs of two, for 22.95 buy it now. thats nothing. martin, the next time you come to the shop you'll have to make it after sunset so i can take you for a ride in the dark you are gonna crap yourself, these things are insane i am so blown away. for about 95 bucks total for the kit and trim brite and about 6 hours labor i am so happy how they turned out, after all the resto's i have done this one tops it all, i have never seen light output of this kind in any gen 1 mark VIII. just look at how they light up my garage.







Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Look good Jamie! Will come down in a few days and check 'em out. I could take a pic of yours and mine parked side by side in the dark and post it here for a direct 4300K and 6000K comparison.

Nice to know spare bulbs are available cheaply too!



Posted by: The Rev

Yeah that looks really good, almost as good as when I redo mine next week haha. Nah but Jamie do you have the headlight tabs for a housing in all of those boxes on your ebay store? I need the 2 longer of the retaining tabs as the housing I got for cheap didn't have any. I also need 4 clips as well. Can you list them on the store for me to buy or maybe PM me with a total and I could get that paypal'd out to you.
-Billy



Posted by: jamie97lsc

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Rev View Post
Yeah that looks really good, almost as good as when I redo mine next week haha. Nah but Jamie do you have the headlight tabs for a housing in all of those boxes on your ebay store? I need the 2 longer of the retaining tabs as the housing I got for cheap didn't have any. I also need 4 clips as well. Can you list them on the store for me to buy or maybe PM me with a total and I could get that paypal'd out to you.
-Billy
billy i got your pm i will write back tomorrow its late and im beat lol! i should have what you need. i will sell it outright screw ebay!



Posted by: The Rev

Easy enough.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Figured id throw the damaged chrome pics in this thread too, show you folks how the original chrome looks after a few years use, and why rechroming is necessary to restore decent light - not just a lense buff! Notice the brown? Thats the actual housing plastic starting to burn!

Attachment 33608 Attachment 33609



Posted by: The Rev

Yes it is, the housing I have I just bought from hellvez (which is in GREAT condition) still has this so guys it is imperative to do the rechrome. As far as the brown spot, its bubbling on one of mine so I dremeled it smooth.



Posted by: jeffn

Here's a quandry-how would you remove the ignition barrell WITHOUT the ignition key? That's the only reason I have to change the barrell.

Professional looking post btw. Am about to do full set of HIDs as well once this gets started again.



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thanks, and welcome!

I have no idea on how to safely remove the barrel without the key - may have to be drilled out. I would consult with a mobile lock smith. (a dealer could do it, but would probably be more expensive, plus you would have to get the car there)



Posted by: jeffn

Thanks and yep, time to pay the piper...I have 2 porto blue 94s btw,



Posted by: mackmt1

93' Blue on blue
I saw the outline of your headlight refurb project, and it is fantastic. I am following your lead and attempting to refurb my '94 mark VIII headlights, but not as far as the HIDs.
I saw in the post that you used Trimbrite chrome tape. I purchased some trimbrite chrome tape, but I am concerned that there may be too much heat for the tape and burn it up. Do you know how much heat the tape would have to endure?

Mack



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Hi Mack! That tape is pretty durable - should be ok with the extra heat of halogens although i can't speak from experience as i switched to HIDs in the low beam as soon as i did the refurb.

I say do them and when funds permit, get that cheap 89 dollar HID kit - takes 10 mins to fit and makes a HUGE difference to the light output.

Jamie97lsc is the expert when it comes to chrome tape head light refurbs - he can probably tell you more about the tape's durability with halogen bulbs.



Edit: Wow. Jamie answered with Jedi speed! Looks like you are 'good to go' Mack!



Posted by: jamie97lsc

mack i have done a dozen sets of these headlights both with the use of halogen standard bulbs and hid's and i have yet to see the tape affected by heat. unless the bulb actually touched the tape it will not burn, it is real metal so if cant stand up to some decent heat.



Posted by: mackmt1

OK. good enough. I will try it. I was just cleaning the rust and dirt out of the lens and casing. there are some stuborn rust stains to remove. next I will start the template and chroming.

When i bought this car people were laughing at its condition. Now as they see the car coming to life on a shoestring budget I 'm hearing silence.

I appreciate the help from you guys. I look to help others on this forum and those out on Long Island, NY.

Mack



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

Thats cool Mack! It will take you a while but it will be worth it!

You know, my car looked like a turd when i got it - now its starting to look decent - passers by make comments so i must be doing something right! Lol.

Good luck! Any Qs just ask away.



Posted by: Goddard-MarkVIII

Good stuff now we just need the same thing done for Gen2 hahah...



Posted by: 93' Blue on blue

No reason why you couldn't open up a gen 2 housing and do the same thing. Actually be easy as they are bigger.



Posted by: jamie97lsc

yeah but for the price of clean used housings on ebay i wouldnt waste my time on a second gen housing, the going price for them has come way down.



Posted by: Goddard-MarkVIII

still about 150 not exactly cheap you must be related to Gates hahah



Posted by: jamie97lsc

i dont know who is paying 150 for them i can barely get that for a pair when i sell them, maybe its time to raise the price!!!!



Posted by: Goddard-MarkVIII

well crap those are for perfect looking ones...if you want to sell me a pair for 150 I'll buy it friday.





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