Ok so I have been driving a S2000 for about 5 months, I am about to purchase a 2003 350z track model. I have about 10 grand set aside just to put into it, the first thing I am looking at is upgrading the lights. I am far to use to the S2000 lights and I need the 350z to be on par, I know allot of people say it’s a waste of money but I am just a light man and I cannot rest until they have that full projection look. What I have been looking at so far is this site www.Illusion-lighting.com, for about a grand (using the stock ballasts) I can get the stock lights retrofitted to full projection w/ some Phillips 6000k bulbs (I believe that is close to what the s2000 has.) That also includes covering most of the silver with black (I feel the silver in the light look cheap.) Now I am wondering if any one has used that site be4, or if they know anything about it. If I am going to fork over a grand I want to be damn sure I am going to get what I want. I have this fear I am going to get them back in the mail and there just not going to be on the level I want, then I will be pissed off and out a grand. Is there any one else out there that has done such a thing to there lights? The closest I have seen is a FX projection system in a Z headlamp. Well any ways thanks for any help in advance, and feel free to suggest what brands of the following I should go with (I plan to get rims/drop, body kit, spoiler, lambo doors*maybe*, shaved door handles*maybe*, exhaust, intake, and may a few other bolt ons as more money comes in)

 

Changing the lights to projectors IS worth it. But I guarantee you that the S2000 is not using 6000K bulbs stock (which are actually dimmer than the standard OEM 4100K bulbs).

My advice would be to get a good set of projectors retrofitted in, and go with 4100K bulbs. With good projectors you'll get the blue color at the cutoff, and with 4100K, you'll get the full 3200 lumens of brightness. Whether or not it's worth a grand, that's up to you.

Here's my lights with X5's.

 

Thanks E K! I like the pic, do you have any more of the housing itself? Did you do the retrofit yourself? The S2000 i have been driving is my roomates but he had some problems and i have been makin the payment so it has been mine. =) Any ways he thought it was in the 6000k's I am going to try to look it up when i get some time. I was thinkin about using S2000 projectors, any reason you went with the X5 over the rest? do you get the aggressive fliker? Sorry to hound you with so many questions, thanks for your help!

 

It's a small pic, but here's one of the car/lights:






Yes, I did the retrofit myself, back in Sept 2003. Unless your roommate has changed the bulbs on his S2000, it's still 4100K. The S2000 has very aggressive flicker, it's definitely one of the best out there.

I went with the X5's because I wanted a bigger projector to fill the space. I bent the shield a bit, to give me more color. I tried the washer mod, but it made the cutoff way too blurry. I got alot of my info from hidforums.com.

For the G35 coupe, I think the 3 series projectors fit the best. I'm currently working on one retrofit for someone. There's another member on G35driver who also does retrofits for people.

For the 350z, I think there's more room in the housing, so I would just go with the brightest projector. People seem to like S2000, TSX, Q45, LS430, clear lens valeos.

 

Is it possible to do a projector retrofit in the Z? I've seen big al's, with the gatling beam, but I haven't seen like say an S2k projector. To you experienced guys, would it be possible?

ravi

 

WOW those are beautiful!!! That is exactly what I want! The internal color of the headlamp looks great, I was thinking black but seeing that makes me change my mind. I hate how the stock chrome looks so cheap, what exactly did you use for that color on the inside of the lamp? Those do seem to have alot of color for 4100k seeing the Z's stock color put me off, I didn’t know the projector could make such a difference. What do you mean by bending the shield? If this is what helps you get more color, I will have to tell who ever I get to do the mod to do it! =) I do like the idea of getting all 3200 lumens. (sp) I have seen people doing the retrofits but the thing that makes me want to go with Illusion-lightings is they have a 1 year warranty. Thanks for the pics and the information man!

 

Nice work E K those are beautiful! How much do you charge to do that?

 

Actually, the inside of the headlamp is stock color. I only painted a small portion of it black, to reduce the glare from the beam hitting the bezel. The G35 headlight's reflector is recessed far back in the headlight, so this tends to happen.

As far as bending the shield, if you bend the shield slightly towards the bulb (only 1-2mm), you can get a bit more color on most projectors. But you really have to have the headlight apart in order to do this, so it's not a quick task. The tradeoff is slightly less sharp cutoff, but if done right, you can get a good compromise of color vs. sharpness.

I don't really advertise my services, since this is really just a hobby for me, but I've quoted people essentially $300 for the labor, assuming you can provide the projectors. Otherwise, what I'm doing for someone right now, is to buy some ECE E46 projectors with shrouds, and then I add that onto the total cost.

 

Where do you get the projectors?

 

I get the projectors either off ebay or hidplanet.com

E46 projectors usually go for about $150.

 

Before you did your retrofit did you have any previous knowledge on retrofitting? Or did you take every thing you know from the net? I didn’t know the G35 internals on the light looked so much better than the Z's. =) I was planning to get the insides painted black to make sure there was no glare, but if I can get a titanium looking color like yours that would be great! Since you know about retrofitting, don’t you think it would be real hard to do in the Z? I mean the G35 lights seem to have a pretty good set up for it, but with the Z projector/reflector system wouldn’t a whole new internal system have to be fabricated? Alot more of the Z internals seems recessed in the light, not out to the cover like yours (which I like and would want mine changed to.) I just don’t think the site is actually considering this, they just say "oh ya its no problem, put a down payment and we will get started." I don’t want to ship my lights and hear back it’s either gonna cost 3-4 hundred more or that they can’t do it. A grand is pushing my limits for the lights of my dreams, I don’t want to go to far over. =) Anyways thanks for your ongoing help E K!

EDIT: does any one know if my stock ballasts will work w/ S2000/X5 projectors? thanks!

 

okthat's just f-in bad @ss. i would love to do something like that to the 350. how much did the x5 housings cost you?

 

i've always thought the 350z has projector's, just not the base model?

 

My previous project was Audi A4 projectors in my Acura Legend JDM 1-piece headlights. But that was my first retrofit. You have to start somewhere. If you have time, and you're not trying to rush the project, it's not hard at all.


You can use your stock ballasts. The only difference is that you'll want to use D2s bulbs, but our ballasts work fine with those. The projector itself is just a structural housing, so it doesn't affect the electronics.

I got my X5 projectors for $180 on ebay. I've seen them go for $150 now.

All 350z's have a combination of projector/reflector setup. But it's not a true projector lighting. You don't get the nice sharp cutoff, the color flickering, and the step pattern as one does with true projectors.

 

you are making a set for the 350z not g35 right?

 

How do you get the light cover off? Dont you have to use a heatgun or somthing? If that is the case i would be scared when putting it back together and sealing it, i wouldnt want water to get in! Also the way the interior of the Z light is set up, there would probably have to be far more fabrication than i would be able to do! Do you have any links to good howto's for retrofitting, i am just finding scattered information (but still learning alot.)

 

The next set that I'm donig is for someone's G35 coupe.

Go to hidforum.com. I used the oven method. You'll find everything that you can possibly need on that site.

I think the hardest part about retrofits are:
1. Getting the headlight open without damaging the plastic.

2. Being creative enough to mount the projector and still have it look good.

3. Aiming the lights

4. Resealing the lights and ensuring that there are no leaks. The OEM Nissan butyrl rubber works very well. I've used silicone sealant before, and it tends to crack after about 2 years. The Nissan OEM stuff is great.

 

wow, nissan sure did fool me. i've always thought it was a projector.

but that's nice, thanks for sharing and very nice btw.