ihod2007

Hello, i have an odd question.

I assume that the 93-94 LS400 Headlight lenses are made of glass but i need to know if the reflector bowl itself (rear of headlight where bulb goes in) is made from glass or if it is plastic. I am planning on doing an HID retrofit to a car and, well, i cant cut glass


Thanks!

_Dan

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

the reflector bowl is plastic but the problem is that the lens itself is diffused glass so any retrofit will look like *****.

please search

ihod2007

Thank you very much, i understand about the diffused lens but it shouldnt be that much of a problem. I once performed a retro on a 94 Ford Explorer with diffused lenses and it actually came out very well, no glare and the cutoff line was somewhat intact.

Thanks!

_Dan

akxx

iTrader: (1)

Diffused...meaning that the glass on the 1LS lenses provide the "pattern"--therefore if you don't replace that front glass with optically correct glass or plastic, any nice pattern you get from those sweet projectors will be obfuscated by the time it leaves the stock glass.

akxx

iTrader: (1)

Man--good luck with the projector project--if you get it working, there will be a line a mile long from folks on this forums to ask you to post step-by-step pics!!

19psi

hmmm... yeah i have the parts to do a projector retro in mine, but the glass lens is the problem. i've thought of polishing the fluting off the lens to fix that, but i don't know what to use to grind the glass down and leave it clear...

ihod2007

You cant make them clear unless you have a decent amount of equipment. Id suggest a custom lens with some poli/plexi if you can manage to heat it then mold it slowly over an existing LS lens you can sort of get the correct shape. When i complete the retro (end of the year) i will def post pics.....

_Dan

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

thats because its damn near impossible to grind the glass down with consumer or even prosumer equipment.

HillTop (japanese company) does/did use to grind the lenses down but there were LOADS of complaints about swirls and scratches in the glass

youd need a lensmaking company to even think about grinding the lenses clear.

go ahead and try to retro the lights in though, it will NOT work properly, it will glare like hell unless you aim really really low (and even then the light will scatter) and getting the projector in is the EASY part, getting the glass cleared is what will take a miracle.

good luck

PS-just buy a plug/play kit and call it a day

FLIPMOE

Is it similar to this.





So what projectors did you manage to use.

19psi

^^^^^ that looks pretty damn good! actual results vs. theory in action again...

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

THIS is what a proper HID retro should look like....



some of you guys need to R&R what properly installed HID can do
http://www.intellexual.net/hid.html

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

Looks like mine...people swear it's the Second Coming when I'm driving down the street...

Lexkost

ihod2007, You need to find a headlight from another car that has a clear plastic lense and then add projectors and HIDs... The stock ones will not work....Pic below is my reworked Jetta headlight on a 2nd gen LS.