Lets See Some Light: The Definitive Lighting Thread

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by silviaks2nr

That just shows that people who do these kind of mods take short cuts. If you're going to go through all that effort at least ensure the performance is better than stock flip up lights!

we're probably the only 2 on this forum that speak the same language. a good majority of people here dont know the differences, let alone care to be educated.

Originally Posted by Bullitt_180sx

First, ixfxi, I am disappointed with you. Usually you aren't so quick to post something without some substantial backup information. All I see are opinions and hypothetical situations. Also, if you had actually read the post that you pulled this picture from, it specifically says that mine still pop up and down. It's not hard to do. All it entails is modifying a 6" section of core support right behind the headlights to accommodate for the deeper assembly, then use z31 swing arms and adjustment rods on the motors and viola!, NSX lights that go up and down. They aren't adjustable as of now but I'm still in the middle of the project.

sounds cool

[ixfxi]

post up an engine bay shot

and some beam pattern shots shined against the wall from 20' back

let us tell YOU how sick it is

[Bullitt_180sx]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

post up an engine bay shot

and some beam pattern shots shined against the wall from 20' back

let us tell YOU how sick it is

I'm not sure if that was aimed at me or not, but I've never once said anything about it being SICK or any other synonym of said word. Hell, I didn't even post it in here, you guys are the ones making it a big deal.

[Malik]

these headlights are sweet as fuck

[zombiewolf513]

Originally Posted by Malik

these headlights are sweet as fuck

I agree with this

[Malik]

Originally Posted by zombiewolf513

I agree with this

thanks so do I

[Rustys14]

I figure I minds well stir the pot since this thread hasn't seen any action lately. Last month while browsing Alibaba I stumbled across some 7x6 LED headlights. They were $45 and promised to be plug and play for the s13 in addition to haveing far superior lighting. Now I knew what I was getting into but I was curious and for $45 I figured I didn't have much to lose. Anyway they came in yesterday and I figured that I would share my findings.

Here is what they look like out of the box (kind of an ugly but most LED lights are IMHO)



I'll admit that I was fairly impressed with the construction of the lights, the lense is thick plastic and the rear is made from cast aluminum. I've seen the quality of some of the castings that come out of China and these are much better then I was expecting.



The plug is the standard for most sealed beam lights. On my set one of the plugs was pinned wrong (high and low beam wires were switched) so I had to re-pin it. Its 3 prongs and the plug was even color coded to the wires so idk how you could fuck it up but they did. Anyway I was fully prepared for something like that so it wasn't a big deal, but it should give a good Idea of the actual quality lol.



Once I got the wiring sorted out I installed them and to my surprise they worked, no dead leds or any nonsense that I was expecting.

Here are what they look like compared to the old lights (you can already see here that these are going to blind any oncoming traffic):



Lowbeam against wall (slightly too close but couldn't I back up any further):



Highbeam against wall:



Lowbeam on road (photo came out pretty shitty):



Highbeam on road:



And installed on the car with the lights off:



Sorry for the long post but I'm seeing these things start to pop up on eBay for $120 and wanted to get some info out there before anyone went out and spent that kind of money on these. People are free to draw their own conclusions from above and I will admit that the light output is better then stock but that said, I won't be running them on my car...

[Matej]

Originally Posted by Rustys14

Lowbeam against wall (slightly too close but couldn't I back up any further):

Beautiful cutoff.

[Black R]

Originally Posted by Rustys14

I figure I minds well stir the pot since this thread hasn't seen any action lately. Last month while browsing Alibaba I stumbled across some 7x6 LED headlights. They were $45 and promised to be plug and play for the s13 in addition to haveing far superior lighting. Now I knew what I was getting into but I was curious and for $45 I figured I didn't have much to lose. Anyway they came in yesterday and I figured that I would share my findings.

Here is what they look like out of the box (kind of an ugly but most LED lights are IMHO)



I'll admit that I was fairly impressed with the construction of the lights, the lense is thick plastic and the rear is made from cast aluminum. I've seen the quality of some of the castings that come out of China and these are much better then I was expecting.



The plug is the standard for most sealed beam lights. On my set one of the plugs was pinned wrong (high and low beam wires were switched) so I had to re-pin it. Its 3 prongs and the plug was even color coded to the wires so idk how you could fuck it up but they did. Anyway I was fully prepared for something like that so it wasn't a big deal, but it should give a good Idea of the actual quality lol.



Once I got the wiring sorted out I installed them and to my surprise they worked, no dead leds or any nonsense that I was expecting.

Here are what they look like compared to the old lights (you can already see here that these are going to blind any oncoming traffic):



Lowbeam against wall (slightly too close but couldn't I back up any further):



Highbeam against wall:



Lowbeam on road (photo came out pretty shitty):



Highbeam on road:



And installed on the car with the lights off:



Sorry for the long post but I'm seeing these things start to pop up on eBay for $120 and wanted to get some info out there before anyone went out and spent that kind of money on these. People are free to draw their own conclusions from above and I will admit that the light output is better then stock but that said, I won't be running them on my car...

For $45 that's not bad.

Cheaper than autozone replacements.

What's the link for those things?

I'd be willing to aim my headlight buckets at the ground - I just don't like the sealed beam bulbs at all.

[DJTTon]

I cant recall the name, but can you guys remind me the name of the style of the zenki headlight covers? Im talking the stock style with the plastic ridges on the lenses.

Also, I read somewhere on here of one way of transforming them. Something like sanding the inside of the lense and getting rid of the ridges to make the lense a bit clearer. Any input on that?

[silviaks2nr]

Those look so bad. "Hey let's paint a square reflector black and put a glowing red orb off center in it, it won't look out of place". Guys the only way to make a zenki retrofit look good is to leave it all chrome and use OEM style chrome projector shrouds. Those Japanese dudes use super cheap h1 style retrofit kits from alibaba and just screw them in the H4 bulb hole (which is way off center) so the projector is kind of just resting on the bottom of the reflector. To do a zenki retrofit the right way you have to use the right projectors (rx350, infiniti fx, rx330, s2000, tsx, etc.) and center the projector and re-construct the back of the housing so that the bulb opening matches the new position of the projector. It's a lot of work but the only way to do it "right" (best way is to go with a kouki front conversion).

I'm voting we get this thread back on track and only post mods that make the lighting better. No light bars, no hid kits, and certainly no 10 lumen LED strips stuck inside stock tail lights for use as the brake lights.

[Malik]

post an example

[Yellow4g63]

Originally Posted by Malik

post an example

He made those.

[silviaks2nr]

Sure,

Here are some z32 usdm headlights with acura mdx projectors, philips d2s 85122 bulbs, and matsushita gen4 ballasts. Found on the praxis fab single turbo car.

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by silviaks2nr

Here are some z32 usdm headlights with acura mdx projectors, philips d2s 85122 bulbs, and matsushita gen4 ballasts. Found on the praxis fab single turbo car.

i'll see your Z32 retrofit and raise you, here is a pair of Z32 kouki headlights, LHD beam pattern correction with LED parking lights.

these damn lights are getting harder and harder to get...

Originally Posted by silviaks2nr

Those look so bad. "Hey let's paint a square reflector black and put a glowing red orb off center in it, it won't look out of place".

you are right, but some people are just clueless and have bad taste. imo, all those generic aftermarket retrofit parts are junk. its either OEM or bust.

[Future240]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

you are right, but some people are just clueless and have bad taste. imo, all those generic aftermarket retrofit parts are junk. its either OEM or bust.

It's not just lights. As I follow this thread (mostly for posts from you and silviaks2nr) it is a representation of how the "scene" is these days. A bunch of crappy half assed attempts and making something work where form >X2 over function. (Though in some of these retrofits the form is just as terrible as function imo.) Where you have a few people holding out and taking pride in their builds, instead of just slapping some parts together and "making it work".


The funniest (saddest?) thins is when people try to defend it. Apparently looking "cool" is more important than having a properly built car.

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by Future240

It's not just lights. As I follow this thread (mostly for posts from you and silviaks2nr) it is a representation of how the "scene" is these days. A bunch of crappy half assed attempts and making something work where form >X2 over function. (Though in some of these retrofits the form is just as terrible as function imo.) Where you have a few people holding out and taking pride in their builds, instead of just slapping some parts together and "making it work".


The funniest (saddest?) thins is when people try to defend it. Apparently looking "cool" is more important than having a properly built car.

Well, to be honest a lot of people just dont know better - me included. It took many years and lots of trial and error for me to learn. Not everyone learns, some people are just destined to be stupid.

One of my friends owns a 240Z and told me that he wants to buy a CX Racing turbo kit for his RB.... (sigh). My response was "good luck with that, bud."

[turboshoebox]

Originally Posted by silviaks2nr

Sure,

Here are some z32 usdm headlights with acura mdx projectors, philips d2s 85122 bulbs, and matsushita gen4 ballasts. Found on the praxis fab single turbo car.

looks great!!!! just wish the lens was clear without the lines

[mikeyee]

Naahhh.

Im for morewhatever content the better. The more ideas and concepts I see, the more my creative juices get going with trying different things. Even if some of the stuff I see is garbage. And Im sure others probably feel the same way too.

This is the definitive light thread, not the "hey lets shit talk this guy for posting his project or pic he posted even though he's contributing and doing his own thing" thread.

[KAT-PWR]

Tri-fade zenki lights....
Three different kinds of AIDS all grown together

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by Bullitt_180sx

I'm not sure if that was aimed at me or not, but I've never once said anything about it being SICK or any other synonym of said word. Hell, I didn't even post it in here, you guys are the ones making it a big deal.

not aimed at you, aimed at the fish-mouthed white car that appears to be all show and no go.

keep chipping away at your project, i hope that your headlight setup works out for you - i really do. all i was trying to say is that based on my experience, the nsx lights are more trouble than they are worth. but you know, if there's a will there's a way.

[silviaks2nr]

Those are sexy with the led work. I'd pony up for some new kouki lights if I had a z32 for sure but thank God I haven't as that would be a terrible life decision.

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by silviaks2nr

Those are sexy with the led work. I'd pony up for some new kouki lights if I had a z32 for sure but thank God I haven't as that would be a terrible life decision.

Well, it all depends on how you see it. The way I see it, its a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a car the way you want it. No sense in building a Z32 with high HP and then driving with some antiquated lights. Last thing anyone would want is to run into something at highway speeds. Lets not even talk about medical costs, the cost of headlights is a drop in the bucket.



^ Here is a photo for the fancy S13 owners. They do exist.

[KAT-PWR]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

Well, it all depends on how you see it. The way I see it, its a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a car the way you want it. No sense in building a Z32 with high HP and then driving with some antiquated lights. Last thing anyone would want is to run into something at highway speeds. Lets not even talk about medical costs, the cost of headlights is a drop in the bucket.

[img]ShamelessPlug.Jpg[/img]

^ Here is a photo for the fancy S13 owners. They do exist.

Not that what you're saying is untrue, but for fucks sake dude medical costs?

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by KAT-PWR

Not that what you're saying is untrue, but for fucks sake dude medical costs?

you never been in a car accident before? lucky.

[silviaks2nr]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

Well, it all depends on how you see it. The way I see it, its a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a car the way you want it. No sense in building a Z32 with high HP and then driving with some antiquated lights. Last thing anyone would want is to run into something at highway speeds. Lets not even talk about medical costs, the cost of headlights is a drop in the bucket.

You are preaching to the choir. What I was getting at is I would never own a z32 and let's face it, what z32 is actually being driven and isn't just in a constant state of repair 1 out of 100?

[Habibi240]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

Well, it all depends on how you see it. The way I see it, its a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a car the way you want it. No sense in building a Z32 with high HP and then driving with some antiquated lights. Last thing anyone would want is to run into something at highway speeds. Lets not even talk about medical costs, the cost of headlights is a drop in the bucket.



^ Here is a photo for the fancy S13 owners. They do exist.

Honestly the only thing I don't like on my s13 hatch is the lighting and soon I will try to get fancy with it . Currently running stock kouki tails and stock pop up I have a strange love for the pop up style lights but I don't like the lighting it provides .

[KAT-PWR]

He's pulling out leg. That's actually a flash light pointed at the garage.

[Rustys14]

Originally Posted by Matej

Beautiful cutoff.

Its hard to see what doesn't exist.

Originally Posted by KAT-PWR

He's pulling out leg. That's actually a flash light pointed at the garage.

Hahaha, I wish it was a joke...

[usdm180sx]

Look like fly eyes lol but nice light