What's goin' on everybody! I've been contemplating a "potential" project for quite some time. In reading posts and seeing new headlights coming out (aftermarket), from projector (bi-xenon look) to projector black housing, etc, etc, etc...I've been wanting to do this project more and more. I really wanted this to be one of my few "unique" mods that nobody else has, however, my only problem is that I didn't have the time that would need to be dedicated to trying this out. The other problem is that this might cost big money if I try to do it myself (i.e., if I messed up).

Here's my idea. For those that have BI-X, there is a chrome shroud piece that surrounds the projector headlights, parking lights and brights:

The BI-X can obviously be taken apart and this piece can be taken out, as Steve (MBenzNL) has done before (above pic being from the MBenzNL picture website).

Now, for those who haven't seen it, the C6 Corvette has VERY nice headlamp assemblies (IMO). The nicest thing that really stands out in my mind is the fact that the interior portion of the headlights that surrounds the projectors are color matched Check out these pics:





Okay, so I think you all can get the picture. My idea was/is to take apart the bi-x housing (very carefully), take out those chrome shards, have the chrome shards color matched, put back together the bi-x assembly and in essence, have a unique set of bi-x headlight assemblies.

Now, like I mentioned above, my two big problems are time/dedication and money (if something were to go wrong). From reading so many threads about headlights, the general consensus when it comes to taking apart the headlights seems to be that they are not that difficult to take apart, it's putting them back together and making sure they still function properly that is the problem. Frankly, the thought of braking open a pair of bi-x Mercedes Benz headlights frightens me. I've done it in my past JDM cars, but just don't have the guts to do it on these (especially cuz buying a new set of BI-X assemblies, in the event that I would mess up, would be way out of budget).

I've chatted/talked to a few people about this potential project and have wanted to keep it quiet (for the "uniqueness" factor), but the more I thought about it, the more I think this would be a mod that many people could have interest in. Generally speaking, a lot of people that I have talked to about this seem to think that if there is a numerous amount of people that would have interest in actually having this mod done (e.g. would pay the money to get it done and done properly - i.e. talk the talk and walk the walk), there just might be a company willing to take on the "potential project".

Needless to say, with the amount of involvement people on the boards have with modding and affiliations people have to body shops, custom work, etc...I figured I would open it up for discussion and see what everybody thinks about this "possible" mod. Post your thoughts, suggestions or if anybody thinks this could be accomplished at all without ruining the lights or running into any major hitches. And on the flip side, post if anybody thinks this would severely damage the headlights in any way in terms of functionality, safety, etc.

Have a good day everybody. Look forward to any responses.

drex

I can hear crickets...Anybody have comments?

I think it is a great idea, I love that look that the Vette's have. But I'm not brave enough to try it myself.

One question I have is if all the silver/chrome material in the headlight piece is used for reflection? So if you paint it then the reflection factor would be gone.

I wish I had asked the bodyshop to keep my headlight once they replaced it. oh well...
Good Luck!

Drex, I am thinking that the chrome enhances the reflection of the lights. Do you think that you would lose out if you painted them? With a dark car like yours the dark surrounds might not look that great. I am going to photoshop your car and see what it looks like.

John. Thanks. I miss having photoshop on my computer. Both my computers at work and at home don't have it.

You may be right about how it'll look. It's just something that when I saw it on a co-worker's C6 that I really started to consider. Also, I think that the chrome piece most likely has an affect on the reflection of the lights, but I don't think it'll affect the HID. If anything, it'll affect the parking lights, which isn't that big a deal to me (cuz if worse comes to worse, I am brave enough to change to LED's).

What do you think Drex?

Looks interesting, but I think because of the lighting it's not picking up enough of the blue color tone. It looks more greyish/black. Definitely makes me more intrigued.

I think the colors that would really stick out would be white, mars red, granite grey, meridian blue (don't know if that's the right term for the bright blue - same as David's car used to be).

I think it looks ok, hard to tell, I don't think painting the chrome would have that much of an effect on light output.

I've seen it done on a Brilliant Silver car before and it looked very good. It didn't look that much different from stock though, since it was still in the grey tone like Bi-x, just not reflective.

Really Blake? Do you know who did it and if they're on here? I've been thinking about this ever since I saw the C6, but couldn't ever find anybody that actually did it. If that's true, then obviously it is possible.

Yes, it's definitely possible. This is the only one I've seen in person, but I've heard there are quite a few people in the Bay Area who have done it before. I can try and find out what shop(s) did the work if you want.

It sounds very do-able. Won't be drop dead easy, but far from difficult.

Why easy?
- you have all the parts and the real challenge is not breaking anything
while dismantling

- if they use heat pliable adhesive to glue clear front lens to the housing,
then it may be an easy few minutes in the oven to soften and pry apart

- you're not trying to retrofit a foreign projector into a housing or mounts
which were designed for another brand projector. you're just going to
pull out the projector, redesign the reflector/shroud, and reuse and rein-
stall the existing bixenon HID projector, wiring, and ballast into the same
fittings.


Why might it be challenging?
- you're going to build up the reflector with those swoopy sides leading to
the projector. how best to do this is the challenge

- what material to use to fabricate the swoopy sides (bondo, JB Weld,
sheet metal, hitemp resistant plastic/PVC etc?)

- you don't know how the factory glued the puppy together. if they used
kick *** cement, then you'll have heck of a time separating them w/o
destroying flanges, lips, mated pieces

- no one has done exact same thing before and giving you pointers, so
you'll be learning as you go and creatively solving any unexpected problems
which come up. you know how it is: you do something for the first time
and it'll take 2-3 days. you do it for a friend later and it only takes 2-3 hrs.

But I like your project. Post pics!

i have a pair of busted ones which could be tested on maybe.

by busted i mean the cracked lense on teh passenger light and broken mount on driver side. everything else is in tact.

raymond, all your points both easy and challenging are things that have run through my head with possibly "attempting" this project. You are so right. This could be so easy, but at the same time could end up becoming so difficult. Since this car is my daily driver and I don't have a spare set of bi-x laying around, my hesitancy has been based on the risk being too hight that I'll mess up.

Hopefully enough people will show interest in possibly doing this to their car that this would warrant a custom shop to test and do this for a price. Either way, I don't know if I'm gonna take the plunge and do the project, but I'm hoping that someone else will have the time, effort and knowhow to do it.

Like I said, I've done it on other car headlights before, but this being a benz and the bi-x being so expensive to replace, at this point, the risk is not worth my doing it by myself.

Doug, isn't Justin considering buying those from you? If not, how much do you want for them? pm me, if you are trying to sell them. I'm assuming they're no longer functioning properly, but this might be a possibility and I'd be willing to experiment with them. Let me know what your plans are for those busted bi-x.

Only thing is, your car is a coupe right? And in that case, aren't the coupe bi-x different from the sedan?

yeah C-Coupé headlights and C-Sedan headlights have a slight difference in angle and size. I think what would be productive, would be the innards to test the different variables you might want to accomplish. (meaning, light, reflection, color, etc...)
They would be an experimental set, but for fitment, the housings themselves would not work.

Maybe Doug, can bring the Bi-X with him on Saturday, and you guys can have a mini-conference with them sitting in front of you. Also, hoping that Justin will be able to make it to the meet on Saturday.


Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
Click here to see the:
Irvine, CA - Oct 15th Oktoberfest MB Meet attendee list

That sounds pretty good, Carlos.

ok ill get the headlights out of my trunk this afternoon, or atleast try. if they let me have them now ill bring them. they said i could have them so i dont see a problem. ill let you guys know if i get them today.

here are the pics of the BiX. you can see the broken mounts on both driver and passenger lights. also notice the cracked lense on passenger light.

ill bring them saturday.

Cool, Doug. I'll take a look on saturday for sure. Only thing is, aside from the cracked lens and the brocken mounts, I wouldn't be surprised if these are still in relatively good shape (i.e. still functioning).

the lights do work. right after the accident i did test them to see if they work before i knew the extent of the damage and both driver and passenger side lights did light up with no malfunction. only malfunction for light was the driver and passenger markers, the lights behind my euro strips.

to assure you i can go to my car tomorrow, hook up the lights and take pics of them turned on. does that sound cool?

While u at it, get another set of BIX and put the projector on the other set of BIX, that way u get double projector (high and low beam) for each BIX, ala SLR . Me just dreaming.

Ive thought about this many times before and wondered why noone ever did it....maybe because everyone on the vw boards does it and I was used to seeing everyone do the 'joey-mod' to their lights. But it takes ball$ to crack open xenon and/or bi-xenon light housings and risk them not sealing properly again. Old idea just now being talked about

you know drex, this kinda thing has been done before. I think there was a picture a while back ago on the "other" forum that had silver-silver bix lighting surrounds. Might want to ask how they did it as well.

flip