Projector Headlights??? Is it possible?

[McCoyAZ]

My wife has a 2014 GMC Acadia with some of the coolest and brightest projector headlights I have ever experienced.

Being a guy that likes to mess with stuff that should be left alone I was wondering how hard it would be to retro fit a set of projector beam lights into some old sealed beam bulbs........

Anybody have opinions one way or another?

It would not be that hard to cut open an old head light, the rest of it though might be more than is possible....

Just wondering out loud

[LVPhotos]

Amazon


7 Inch Projector Headlights Round with H4 Bulb... Genssi 7" Round H6017 Clear Round Projector...

[theastronaut]

Dapper Lighting has exactly what you need. 7" round headlights with High/Low HID projectors. They're not the ebay HID-in-a-H4-housing junk. They

http://www.dapperlighting.com/collec...ssic-projector

[siggyfreud]

There is a vendor over on the pro touring forums that makes some as well.

[66LSx]

7" is 7" is 7" round...

I'll EVENTUALLY be running my headlight switch... to an HID ballast/relay box.

[BR3W CITY]

Where are the ballasts in the dapper kit? I don't see them on the page.


You can also find the GLASS conversion housings, that have the standard round bulb, but the center uses the regular removeable 9004 bulbs. They aren't HID, but fit easily, and only require a re-wire and relay (instead of direct to switch). They do a nice job inscreasing the light over stock...and the housing itself would also be where I would look to start.

Do NOT use a plastic conversion housing, as the HID or even the high-output halogens can great enough heat to melt many of them.

[McCoyAZ]

I have the 61 grill with the 4 headlights so the 7" is too large for my application.

I like the look of the Projector light encased in the old style sealed beam bulb. That's what I am looking for.

The wiring harness was upgraded to heavy duty with relays already so it should handle these newer lights without issue...

[theastronaut]

Dapper sells 5 3/4" also for quad light grills.

[McCoyAZ]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Dapper sells 5 3/4" also for quad light grills.

You guys ROCK!

Thank you.

[theastronaut]

Here are the 5 3/4" HID's on Dapper's site. Didnt' realize that the 5 3/4" units are low beam only.

http://www.dapperlighting.com/collec...ctor-headlight






Since those are low beam only, I'd get a pair of spot-pattern 100W Par46 (5 3/4") bulbs for the high beams, they're used to land airplanes so they'll be plenty bright enough I have a pair in a set of fog light housings that are wired in to the highbeams on my VW, and the long distance visibility is incredible.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wagner-Par-4...item3cd6344fa3




Another option is Par46 housings that accept an H3 bulb.

http://duckworksav.com/Upgrades.html

[64shortbox]

Definitely possible. I added them to my 64 C10. I got the glass lenses. I sure didn't want the plastic junk. the 3 stainless screws you see is where I bolted the ballast (0ne on each side) The kit I bought uses a 20 amp fuse but I'm going to run a 20 amp circuit breaker - the one pictured in the middle that isn't hooked up yet.

[dapperlighting]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

Definitely possible. I added them to my 64 C10. I got the glass lenses. I sure didn't want the plastic junk. the 3 stainless screws you see is where I bolted the ballast (0ne on each side) The kit I bought uses a 20 amp fuse but I'm going to run a 20 amp circuit breaker - the one pictured in the middle that isn't hooked up yet.

Those aren't true projectors. Those are just a plastic/glass lens imitating a "projector lens". Perfectly fine for halogen bulbs but if you run HIDs in them, it will blind people on the road and put out a terrible light spread.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by dapperlighting

Those aren't true projectors. Those are just a plastic/glass lens imitating a "projector lens". Perfectly fine for halogen bulbs but if you run HIDs in them, it will blind people on the road and put out a terrible light spread.

That's what I was thinking..

[McCoyAZ]

I need to check Dapper's site to see if they sell those with out that dorky looking halo .

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by McCoyAZ

I need to check Dapper's site to see if they sell those with out that dorky looking halo .

If the don't, you can add projectors from The Retrofit Source to a set of clear lens H4's.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

[rideblue00]

subscribed

[siggyfreud]

So for those of us with quad lights is the best solution to do two HID low beams on the outside, and then two really bright Halogens on the inside for high beams?

[dapperlighting]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

So for those of us with quad lights is the best solution to do two HID low beams on the outside, and then two really bright Halogens on the inside for high beams?

Exactly. You don't want to have high beam HIDs because of the warm up/cool down time. We do have some H4 high power LED bulbs that would be great for high beams.

[66LSx]

5 years from now HID, halogen, incand will be obsolete anyhow... (both in heat, current draw, EVENTUALLY COST... and performance)

LED is already on the market as DOT approved in a 7" but prepare for your wallet to cry.

[theastronaut]

Of all the DOT LED lights I've seen, the light pattern is terrible. The technology for LED's is improving though, and cost are starting to come down. Still not as good as HID or quality H4's yet IMO.

[66LSx]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Of all the DOT LED lights I've seen, the light pattern is terrible. The technology for LED's is improving though, and cost are starting to come down. Still not as good as HID or quality H4's yet IMO.

^^^ Bingo.... think of it right when LCD/Plasma first came out.... vs. High-Def projector(bulb) TV's....

OEM's in Europe are already releasing them as original equipment.... DOT has been bullish so far only allowing front accents and rear tail lights.... but headlights are on the way from the OEM's.



Anyone know of a 'blank' 7" housing you can buy were I could retrofit a used HID Benz/BMW projector into the 7" housing?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by 66LSx

^^^ Bingo.... think of it right when LCD/Plasma first came out.... vs. High-Def projector(bulb) TV's....

OEM's in Europe are already releasing them as original equipment.... DOT has been bullish so far only allowing front accents and rear tail lights.... but headlights are on the way from the OEM's.



Anyone know of a 'blank' 7" housing you can buy were I could retrofit a used HID Benz/BMW projector into the 7" housing?

I don't think blanks are available, everyone just cuts a hole in the back of a clear lens H4. The Retrofit Source has a nice selection of projector bezels that make the conversion look more finished.

[66LSx]

there not that hard to manipulate... on my old truck... I took el-cheapo Audi R8 LED f150 units... baked the housings and ripped them apart and put in a set of BMW 3 series in...

It was kinda fun... FYI HID runs cooler than halogen