M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Electrical => Topic started by: FL318is on August 24, 2006, 03:37:27 PM

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: FL318is on August 24, 2006, 03:37:27 PM

I have a good used set of elip headlights that I am going to put in my car.  Being in used condition the glass surface is somewhat pitted and dull.

Is there a way to clean the glass up or is it possible to replace the glass lens itself?

Thanks

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: Febi Guibo on August 24, 2006, 03:56:55 PM

while they're out of the car, try a light compounding with a buffer... it will help a little.

Be very careful washing the inside of the lamps, if at all... the reflective silver coating flakes off very easily.

It's almost impossible to find replacement glass lenses --they exist, but are very hard to come by. There are plastic replacements, but not worth it in my opinion.

Do you have US ellips (9006 bulbs) or euro ellips (H1 bulbs)?

Title: Good question!
Post by: FL318is on August 24, 2006, 05:23:30 PM

How do I tell one from th other?

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: Febi Guibo on August 24, 2006, 05:52:27 PM

us ellips have a 9006 bulb that looks like this:

(http://www.4wheelcustoms.com/Images/piaa_bulb-9006-19616_b.jpg)

euro ellips have a H1 bulb that looks like this:

(http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50315287/H1_Halogen_Bulb.jpg)

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: mgold on August 29, 2006, 03:15:33 PM

For pitting on my foglights I used clear Duplicolor High Performance Wheel paint.  It nicely filled in the small pits in the glass and cleared up the glass nicely.  I then protected them and my US spec ellipsoids with Lamin-X.

Fogs after a trip to pick-n-pull
(http://homepage.mac.com/mgold/.Pictures/fog3.jpg)
After cleaning them up
(http://homepage.mac.com/mgold/.Pictures/fog4.jpg)
Finished product
(http://homepage.mac.com/mgold/.Pictures/fog1.jpg)
(http://homepage.mac.com/mgold/.Pictures/fog2.jpg)

Here's how I wired my US ellipsoids so all 4 lights come on when I click on the high beams
(http://homepage.mac.com/mgold/.Pictures/wiring_diagram.jpg)

Title: Excellent!
Post by: FL318is on August 29, 2006, 03:19:58 PM

I love this place.  I was just getting ready for Hurricane Ernesto.  Looks like the Duplicolor High Performance Wheel (clear) and Lamin-X.

This looks like the trick.  Can I get this at a local parts shop?

The wiring diagram is a plus. I have all the adapters but right now very little time.  I hope to get this project done next week.

Title: Must be the 9006
Post by: FL318is on August 29, 2006, 03:24:40 PM

Quote from: Febi Guibo

while they're out of the car, try a light compounding with a buffer... it will help a little.

Be very careful washing the inside of the lamps, if at all... the reflective silver coating flakes off very easily.

It's almost impossible to find replacement glass lenses --they exist, but are very hard to come by. There are plastic replacements, but not worth it in my opinion.

Do you have US ellips (9006 bulbs) or euro ellips (H1 bulbs)?

Looks like the 06 and I noticed a problem.  On the headlight (bulb casing) there is evidence of a previous burn thru.

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: mgold on August 29, 2006, 03:25:52 PM

I got the paint at AutoZone, although I originally purchased it to repaint my basketweaves.  Its high temp paint so it should hold up well and I haven't noticed any yellowing.

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: Vladi on August 29, 2006, 04:21:44 PM

I don't understand what you did to your foglights. What exactly did you paint? Did you laquer the the glass or something? I don't get it.

Title: Vladi!
Post by: FL318is on August 29, 2006, 04:28:50 PM

From the looks, they ain't chewing gum!  LOL!  They look really nice!

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: mgold on August 29, 2006, 04:30:06 PM

Quote from: Vladi

I don't understand what you did to your foglights. What exactly did you paint? Did you laquer the the glass or something? I don't get it.

exactly.  The clear paint (lacquer) filled in all the little holes in the glass and helped a bit with some of the big chips in the glass too.  I know it sounds crazy, but it worked really well.  I had tried to polish the glass first but that made little difference.

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: mgold on August 29, 2006, 04:32:02 PM

Quote from: FL318is

From the looks, they ain't chewing gum!  LOL!  They look really nice!

They came out pretty nice.  I have a slight crack in one now, nothing too bad, but without Lamin-X, the glass would have been shattered.

Title: Going to the...
Post by: FL318is on August 29, 2006, 04:37:18 PM

...Zone and getting me some paint!  Thanks man, great DIY!

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: silverblades181 on August 29, 2006, 10:41:34 PM

where can you get lamin-x? what is it exactly, and is it expensive?

Title: Headlight Question.
Post by: mgold on August 29, 2006, 11:01:14 PM

Quote from: silverblades181

where can you get lamin-x? what is it exactly, and is it expensive?

Lamin-X for E30 (http://lamin-x.com/ecommerce/os/catalog/index.php?cPath=32_282&osCsid=8f405f3157b4f153e9ab5f71bf467013)
I estimated how much I needed, bought a generic sheet and cut it to fit my headlights and fogs.  A hand-held hole punch (the school supply kind) works great to cut out the notches for the US spec nubbies on the glass.