HID retro?
03-18-12, 07:09 PM
#1
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
HID retro?
- HID Projectors: Lexus SC430; color modded; white painted cutoff shields
- HID Projector Lenses: Honda S2000 (S2K / AP1) clear lenses
- HID Ballasts: Potted (waterproof) Lexus slim Denso ballasts
- HID Bulbs: Philips 85122 D2S
- Fog Lights: Lexus yellow glass capsules
- Power Supply: 30amp relay harness custom made by me
They look completely stock until you look at the back of the headlights and see a D2S bulb holder.
Color mod flicker
- White, Aqua, Purple, Blue
Even bunnies like the color
Last edited by RCsGX; 11-09-13 at 07:17 AM. Reason: Pics added....
03-18-12, 11:06 PM
#2
No ones done it as it is not worth the trouble o mess with stock lights 4the incremental gains for running Honda lenses. Having put on 60k on an s2000, the xenon depot with 4300k Philips Bulbs in the gx does it justice.
Don't junk up your nice gx by chopping it up.
Don't junk up your nice gx by chopping it up.
03-18-12, 11:45 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Maybe for you its not worth the trouble but for me its no trouble at all, I like tinkering with my cars making it my own. Ive seen output shots of kits in the GX and while it works, its nothing like having a true HID projector.
Heres a shot of my E39 w/ SC430s projectors and S2K lenses, I wouldnt call that incremental gains.
And how exactly would I be junking up my GX...you wouldnt be able to tell any difference if looking at it, the headlight will look completely stock.
I think most people dont do it because its easier to stick a $50 kit in their GX and call it a day. Different strokes.....
Heres a shot of my E39 w/ SC430s projectors and S2K lenses, I wouldnt call that incremental gains.
And how exactly would I be junking up my GX...you wouldnt be able to tell any difference if looking at it, the headlight will look completely stock.
I think most people dont do it because its easier to stick a $50 kit in their GX and call it a day. Different strokes.....
03-19-12, 10:22 AM
#4
Looks like you can roast hot dogs in the heat and light for that modification. Keep us posted and take some pictures, you are breaking new ground. They don't make a lot of GX's. That's good for me, don't want what everybody else has. However, the factory is not going to spend a lot of time on re engineering, only selling a few trucks.
Lighting is key to safety at night. Lexus says that the location height of the lights, may cause problems for other drivers if they were HID. Bunk, if adjusted properly, no worse than any other on coming headlights. The next generation GX's should have had HID's, and lights that turned slightly with the steering wheel.
I believe the Cord, had headlights that turned in 1936. They just don't sell enough GX's to listen to any complaints or suggestions. If so, the GX's would have the Tundra calipers and breaks, or something similar.
Lighting is key to safety at night. Lexus says that the location height of the lights, may cause problems for other drivers if they were HID. Bunk, if adjusted properly, no worse than any other on coming headlights. The next generation GX's should have had HID's, and lights that turned slightly with the steering wheel.
I believe the Cord, had headlights that turned in 1936. They just don't sell enough GX's to listen to any complaints or suggestions. If so, the GX's would have the Tundra calipers and breaks, or something similar.
03-19-12, 11:13 AM
#5
Looks like you can roast hot dogs in the heat and light for that modification. Keep us posted and take some pictures, you are breaking new ground. They don't make a lot of GX's. That's good for me, don't want what everybody else has. However, the factory is not going to spend a lot of time on re engineering, only selling a few trucks.
Lighting is key to safety at night. Lexus says that the location height of the lights, may cause problems for other drivers if they were HID. Bunk, if adjusted properly, no worse than any other on coming headlights. The next generation GX's should have had HID's, and lights that turned slightly with the steering wheel.
I believe the Cord, had headlights that turned in 1936. They just don't sell enough GX's to listen to any complaints or suggestions. If so, the GX's would have the Tundra calipers and breaks, or something similar.
Lighting is key to safety at night. Lexus says that the location height of the lights, may cause problems for other drivers if they were HID. Bunk, if adjusted properly, no worse than any other on coming headlights. The next generation GX's should have had HID's, and lights that turned slightly with the steering wheel.
I believe the Cord, had headlights that turned in 1936. They just don't sell enough GX's to listen to any complaints or suggestions. If so, the GX's would have the Tundra calipers and breaks, or something similar.
yes, the height reason what was lexus said, but i kind of think it's bs because you see x5, q7, gl, etc... with hid and they are just fine.
not to mention if you look at the lx570, before 2013 models, US spec cars never had hid, but in other regions, hid are widely available from factory. and guess what, 2013 lx570, hid is now available (and it's the same car)
03-19-12, 12:21 PM
#7
Maybe for you its not worth the trouble but for me its no trouble at all, I like tinkering with my cars making it my own. Ive seen output shots of kits in the GX and while it works, its nothing like having a true HID projector.
Heres a shot of my E39 w/ SC430s projectors and S2K lenses, I wouldnt call that incremental gains.
And how exactly would I be junking up my GX...you wouldnt be able to tell any difference if looking at it, the headlight will look completely stock. I think most people dont do it because its easier to stick a $50 kit in their GX and call it a day. Different strokes.....
Heres a shot of my E39 w/ SC430s projectors and S2K lenses, I wouldnt call that incremental gains.
And how exactly would I be junking up my GX...you wouldnt be able to tell any difference if looking at it, the headlight will look completely stock.
I think most people dont do it because its easier to stick a $50 kit in their GX and call it a day. Different strokes.....And the XenonDepot kit that several of us have is far from $50 Ebay quality. It comes with plug and play wiring along with the 4300K Philips bulbs. Bingo.
I'm curious to see how you bust out the headlights to retrofit the non-diffused lenses. That's a lot of work for little gain?
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03-21-12, 09:30 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Feel free to take a picture of your kit and post it up.Like you, Ive had cars equipped form the factory with HIDs and Ive had cars that have had halogen projectors, and Ive used a kit before so I know the difference and theres a huge difference between the two.
If that was the case every car manufacture would use halogen projectors and just stick a kit in it. Im not hear to make you do a retro, you can do whatever you want. You like kits, cool, I dont. If I do something, Im going to do it right, not take the easiest and cheapest route.
03-21-12, 10:08 AM
#10
Do it RCsGX ! ignore the nay-sayer, Ive been wanting & thinking to retro my GX too, i live around trees/jungle area, output @ night is really important to me. The output of HID kit is a joke IMO, yeah its bright from outside, yes its bright if u just drive down the street, try drive around trees/wavy road/jungle look area/
post some pics and steps how u mount them to the headlight.
post some pics and steps how u mount them to the headlight.
03-21-12, 10:24 AM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Do it RCsGX ! ignore the nay-sayer, Ive been wanting & thinking to retro my GX too, i live around trees/jungle area, output @ night is really important to me. The output of HID kit is a joke IMO, yeah its bright from outside, yes its bright if u just drive down the street, try drive around trees/wavy road/jungle look area/
post some pics and steps how u mount them to the headlight.
post some pics and steps how u mount them to the headlight.
Your truck, your way! Just like BK! LOL!
03-21-12, 10:35 AM
#12
same here RCsGX, go for it. i know a bit or two about lighting and hid projectors. hid kits are cheap alternative, but it gets nothing against real hid projector retro setup. performance is far better with no potential glare and other side effect that hid kits have
03-21-12, 11:19 AM
#13
YEA GO FOR IT DUDE cuz who knows how the heck the tens of thousands of stock GXers are dealing with driving at night - either they have superman vision or you guys are blind. lol
03-21-12, 11:35 AM
#14
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
I can say the same for you. I see plenty of GXs in my area with halogen bulbs, Im sure they can see just fine too at night. So tell us ROK, why did YOU get HIDs if its not to see better? I assume you got it to see better, but maybe you got it because it has pretty white lights.
My point is if you can see better with a HID kit in your halogen projector as opposed to halogen bulbs why not go one step further and see even better with HID projectors that are actually meant to take D2S bulbs.
My point is if you can see better with a HID kit in your halogen projector as opposed to halogen bulbs why not go one step further and see even better with HID projectors that are actually meant to take D2S bulbs.
03-21-12, 12:36 PM
#15
ROK r u saying im blind here? Try drive around high trees area where coyotes / deer sometimes just cross the street at night. Having a proper retro/projector headlight will obviously help me in that situation.
Search 2gs section, tons of people did ls430 retro in their headlight, the light output is night and day compare to HID headlight.
Search 2gs section, tons of people did ls430 retro in their headlight, the light output is night and day compare to HID headlight.