Head lamp modification

F

flybobbie

Elite
 Stourbridge
On the day i bought my car 10 years ago, i wondered why at the time the inner lights on headlamps didn't light up, felt conned.
Seemed mean on BMW's part to design not to light up.
Also the angel eyes were, well not designed well, as we have all replaced with led with not much improvement.
So decided to change that.
So bought some after market lens covers. They arrived. Seemed ok quality so cracked on, so to speak.
Removed the the lamps.

Dremel tooled the lens and pulled out the remnants with use of heat gun and pliers, after removing some staples used to hold in place. Did this before i worked out how to remove innards. 2nd was easier with innards removed first. I wanted the butyl rubber intact as possible.
Removed the torx screws, including the one hiding inside the angel eye bulb cover (took a bit of finding why it wouldn't come apart).
There was a clip at top that seemed glued, that had to be forced off, broke. Think the butyl rubber got in there.
All comes apart easy then. Few more torx holding the trim lens in place.
lamp project 1.jpg
 
Purchased these;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403123512324?var=673254780120 Some mixed reviews, but these came with alloy body and round cob LED. Some reviewed on YT said plastic.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402514735857?var=672737795370
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373734893406?var=642775126066
110mmm two part epoxy to outer.
The fog lamp was made to fit perfect at 3.5 inches, enough friction to hold in place whilst epoxy set on that lamp.
Refit, quick wire up to test.
20211031_002842.jpg
The old parts to throw out below.
lamp 2.jpg
The angel bulb reflector aims beam at a mirror to reflect light down the light guide.
Not matter how bright the bulb fitted, and my light had blinding white LED, the design still not good.
Seems such a waste not to use the light emitted as a second lamp.
 
The angel eyes are very bright, hoping ok for day use, but hope they dim when headlight comes on, as the will run direct from 12volt angel eye supply.
Awaiting light strip to finish the project.
Looking at fitting as an eyebrow behind the grey translucent strip, with a sequential indicator as an option.
Thought about masking and painting a letter box for LED strip to shine through on front of strip.
 
So have you made the inner lamps (false ones) into fog lamps?
If so, how do you operate them? Are you going to put a switch in the blank below the rear switch?
 
They won't work as fog lamps, they are bit of a gimmick.
I will fit relay driven by the main beam shutter, so they come on main beams.
Too much dazzle for running light, i think. Not sure long term reliability.
 
That's a complex headlight assembly. I remember the days when a headlight was a big space surrounded by tin foil with a halogen bulb and a tiny filament bulb poking through. All with a glass front screwed on.
 
Nice work. Following this with interest. I've wanted to do this for ages but its very complicated and an expensive job if you fk it up as replacement headlight units are anywhere between £700-£1000.
 
Or maybe these

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32857728902.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.c4a33317ZHTP5c&algo_pvid=c030a61d-c553-4287-8583-3c87e44ed5cf&algo_exp_id=c030a61d-c553-4287-8583-3c87e44ed5cf-30&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2265288119620%22%7D
 
Popped them in temporary, all working fine.
Just awaiting the "eyebrow" LED's. Might not fit them if any hint of being naff .
The eyes actually now light up the edge of the eye lid.
 
Amazing stuff :thumbsup:

i've done a few headlights on my previous cars but decided to go with the LCI swap on my Z few years ago this time only because if and when a bulb is out or the LED/SMD goes out which will be ages away to be honest.. Its just a bulb change..

Having said all that though.. i was juts thinking the other day to use the inners as ducts for cold air as I have heat issues at the track :headbang:
 
flybobbie said:
Well finished, for now.
lights.jpg
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
Very nice 👌

At a later stage I guess if you even wanted you could have them wired and programmed as turn assists like some of the later cars. Some E89s have the option as well as I see it when coding in carley. :driving:
 
I guess the beauty is that you managed to get in to the unit and done it once.. well twice if you think of both units lol.. so you could in theory make it as you want.

I created templates on my old light to block light going through to creat streaks and sections like how we have on our rear tail lights, could try something like that or more rigid rather than rounded halos.

even the indicator on the edge could have a template around it to turn it in to rows/ sections but still using the single bulb.

I guess this stuff is always a trial and error process :|
 
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