I'm debating replacing my 95-96 style headlights with either the 97+ style or maybe something along the lines of the following...





I have the 97+ styled talon and i love the bumper so if i go with the 97+ lights I'll have that slight gap which will probably be ok as I did it with my 95 eclipse and bumper and it looked good.

just trying to get some opinions...

Thanks.

-Jason

97 Talon ESi-T (forever in progress...)


95 GS (Gone)
16.74@83.18mph
119.8 whp - 113.3 lbs/ft


2GNT #677
My Wiki Page: www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Iamnotwhoiam
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/iamnotwhoiam/Talon/

If you go with the projector headlights, get an HID kit as well. The projector lights don't light up as well as the OEM reflector headlights. That, and the OEM headlight height adjustments are easier. I had the black versions of the the lights you pictured, and they were hardwired due to the lack of OEM plugs. I'd say polish up the OEM lights and get the protective film on them, maybe even get the smoked film.

-Jason

97 Talon ESi-T (forever in progress...)


95 GS (Gone)
16.74@83.18mph
119.8 whp - 113.3 lbs/ft


2GNT #677
My Wiki Page: www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Iamnotwhoiam
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/iamnotwhoiam/Talon/

I`d keep the OEM lights and get an HID kit. But be sure cops around where you live don`t mess with aftermarket HID kits first. Reflector headlights don`t focus the beam like projector lights. Instead they scatter the light and may make it look like your running high beams, depending what kit you run. But it really depends on the cops. If they`re cool, they`ll leave you alone. But if they`re not, they`ll just try to bust you for anything.

Bake them and paint the housings black. Aftermarket projectors suck ass.

Erik P.
Official 2GNT thread Hijacker
Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be...
All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!

Go this route and you'll never have a problem with the cops.

Take your stockers

Bake them:


Source a pair of OEM HID projectors (Like tsx's)
Mount and install:


Bake them back together and mount on car:


Then you end up with a great headlight:




If you haven't picked up on what I'm suggesting, Retro the thing. Youll thank yourself.
And for more help hidplanet.com/forums

ok.. that is sweet!

I think I may have to go down that route..

-Jason

97 Talon ESi-T (forever in progress...)


95 GS (Gone)
16.74@83.18mph
119.8 whp - 113.3 lbs/ft


2GNT #677
My Wiki Page: www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Iamnotwhoiam
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/iamnotwhoiam/Talon/

This is definitely my next project for the winter!

Based on your pictures of the 2gb headlights matched with the 2ga front, id say keep the headlights the bumper is designed for, that gap is too much for my liking.

95 GS Boosted

Seeing as how this will be my first post as a member, I figured this would be the best place to start because my headlights were the first modification I did to my car. I would stick with something that fits perfectly with out a gap. My headlights don't have a gap but the person I bought the car from didn't take care of the car very well. So as I was removing my bumper, EVERY single bolt attaching it down was rusted to the point where I still have to drill out the old ones. (Except for the major 4 bolts holding the bumper to the body) When I put my front bumper back on it left a gap of about 6-8mm, (because all the bolts broke) and while most people won't it, I notice it and it bothers me everytime I see it. (I don't know how to upload images very well so hopefully this works)

This is what it looked like stock. Notice there is no gap between the bumper and body to the left of the rim.




After my headlight install this is what it looked like. You can see the gap difference in the same spot.




Yeah, it's not going to be THAT big of a deal, but it'll probably bother you deep down somewhat.

In other news, for my headlight install I went with Spec D Tuning with the Halo lights and a 6k HID kit. Best modification Ive done so far, my stock headlights were crap.

This is my lights stock.


New headlight


Halo light


All lights on except brights(I don't even need to use brights because it's so bright)


Done with install. You can still see the gap between the bumper and body.

Good God the other drivers on the road must hate you with a passion.

Erik P.
Official 2GNT thread Hijacker
Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be...
All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!

Oh I know they hate me. I get alot of people who flash their brights at me to tell me to turn off my brights. I do enjoy flashing back at them showing that my brights aren't on though. I never realized how bright they really were till my friend was driving my car behind me. Even with the rearview mirror on the darker reflection it hurt my eyes.

I had to wait to post after looking at those headlights due to temp blindness lol. How hard is it to mount an actual HID projector headlight in our housing?? I really want to do this because I drive on the highway at night a lot and don't want to blind others, plus the cops in my town are ass's.

Depending on the setup you want, the difficult varies. If you do a quick retro using say the Morimoto minis, then its very easy. But if you get a projector that requires cutting your headlight housing and making custom mounts then it gets a littler harder.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?27366-98-Eclipse-w-TSX

Actually, it's pretty easy even with projectors larger than the morimotos
We've got pretty nice housings

Once I had all the parts I would need:
-projectors
-ballast
-bulbs
-shroud
-wiring harness

it took me less that 8 hours.
I know this because my car is my DD and I began Saturday after breakfast, and was able to go driving that night.
Ive been working on cars for years though, so it probably took me less time than it would someone absolutely new at this.
However I would say that a weekend would be the longest it would take. You would have to try and make it take longer than 2 days.

And of course, I take the headlights off monthly to play with them (not because there are problems, I just like to tinker)

What was the hardest part? everyone has told me actually leveling/focusing the projectors is the most difficult part. And how did you go about actually mounting the projector to the housing? just drill holes and screw? Let me know if i'm asking to many questions haha.

def not as bright, they look good, but again go with the hid's for the performance