Started the Retrofit

[itsbmw]

Please excuse crappy picture quality.












Here's how they will look, I didn't seal them yet, as the seal that came on these sucked, I have some 3M Butyl Rubber Strip on the way.





I like how they turned out. I will post pictures once they are sealed and installed on the car. I am using Morimoto 3Five ballasts with 5000k Bulbs, foglights will have 3000k bulbs on 35w DDM Ballasts. Also, I'm going to tap into the high beam and use the bi-xenon function of the projectors. Halogen high beams suck, and since I painted the reflector bowl of the high beam section of the assembly the output will SUCK anyway.

[SkarMaliBOOM]

Originally Posted by itsbmw

Please excuse crappy picture quality.

Here's how they will look, I didn't seal them yet, as the seal that came on these sucked, I have some 3M Butyl Rubber Strip on the way.

I like how they turned out. I will post pictures once they are sealed and installed on the car. I am using Morimoto 3Five ballasts with 5000k Bulbs, foglights will have 3000k bulbs on 35w DDM Ballasts. Also, I'm going to tap into the high beam and use the bi-xenon function of the projectors. Halogen high beams suck, and since I painted the reflector bowl of the high beam section of the assembly the output will SUCK anyway.

Looks amazing bro.....how much would you say this ran you?

[itsbmw]

Originally Posted by MalibuOn22s

Looks amazing bro.....how much would you say this ran you?

Thanks!

The assemblies were 185 on ebay. I cannot say how they compare to OEM assemblies as I have never removed mine, OEM might be easy to pull apart too, I'm not sure about that. However these were not too bad.

As far as pricing goes:

Assemblies: 185 shipped - ebay
Projectors: 120
HID Kit: 150
They sell the HID kit and projectors as a package also for 270. I used the projectors on my last vehicle and pulled them out for this one.

Resealing butyl rubber on amazon was $10
Paint: ~$6 or 7

Not too bad considering what you get.

I had aftermarket projector assemblies on my last car before I retrofit projectors into factory assemblies. The difference was night and day.

These were my assemblies I put together on my last vehicle:


I was using a DDM HID kit, but the morimoto 3Five is said to be WAYYY better so I bought one of those for the malibu

[SkarMaliBOOM]

nice man looks great. Might have someone do some for me or take a crack at it on my own!

[Seadog69]

Relative to doing something like this - A few general questions about your average car insurance.

When you put some money into modifying your vehicle, does one tell the insurance company about the modifications? Or is it automatically covered? Or are you just out of luck if something happens?

I've never really done that to a car before (except for the stereo). So I am curious as to how insurance handles it should (God forbid) something happen.

[itsbmw]

Originally Posted by Seadog69

Relative to doing something like this - A few general questions about your average car insurance.

When you put some money into modifying your vehicle, does one tell the insurance company about the modifications? Or is it automatically covered? Or are you just out of luck if something happens?

I've never really done that to a car before (except for the stereo). So I am curious as to how insurance handles it should (God forbid) something happen.

I have full everything including comprehensive, I have thankfully never had anything happen and like you say GOD forbid anything happen. But as long as you can show it is damaged and provide receipts they supposedly pay for it. I've known people who have claimed rims and stereos.

Originally Posted by MalibuOn22s

nice man looks great. Might have someone do some for me or take a crack at it on my own!

It's definitely a fun weekend project besides the many burns and scrapes I have from the dang heat gun and screwdriver. It definitely was a pain, however seeing the end result it is worth the hassle. Definitely learn to do it yourself and take your time, that way if you get another car without projectors you can do this again!

[MNEntertainment]

I was going to do the same with might lights but I'm waiting until I buy a house so I can do it all in my garage. I did find blacked out lights on ebay after months of not seeing any.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290781714987...84.m1423.l2649

[itsbmw]

Originally Posted by MNEntertainment

I was going to do the same with might lights but I'm waiting until I buy a house so I can do it all in my garage. I did find blacked out lights on ebay after months of not seeing any.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290781714987...84.m1423.l2649

I feel ya there. Having a garage definitely helps

I saw those too, the only reason I didn't get them is that regardless I was going to paint the reflector bowl black, so I decided to go with the cheaper OEM chrome looking ones.

[Casper_]

Good job this is good work! I want to try soo bad. I think I will. But instead of black I will paint mines white. Or leave some chrome and add white to certain places.

[itsbmw]

Originally Posted by Casper_

Good job this is good work! I want to try soo bad. I think I will. But instead of black I will paint mines white. Or leave some chrome and add white to certain places.

Thank you!

I'd leave the chrome reflector for the turn signal and maybe leave the shroud on the projector chrome and maybe the piece that runs between the orange reflector on the side, but then do the rest white, that would look sick.