Does anybody offer JDM headlight replicas?
If this diy is valid for the hid's, im going to do mine but I cannot see this being done in a few hours..lol chrome has to be sanded, areas masked off, primered, painted with multiple coats that have to dry before re assembly .. I see the whole weekend removing lights on Friday night...lol
Evolving Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
From: Washington
Just did my headlights over the weekend. They turned out Great!!!!
Here are the steps I used.
Tools You will need:
10mm socket w/small ratchet
1 ratchet extension (only needed for one bolt on passenger side headlight due to fan housing)
1 philips head screw driver #2 should work just fine
1 oven
2 tupaware containers
2 ziplock baggies
First remove the front bumper, if you don't know how there are 4 bolts in the front behind the catch release and there are also 2 plastic clips and 1 screw in each fender. Takes me about 2 mins to remove my bumper now that I've done it so many times.
Once bumper is removed there are 4 screws total per headlight assembly, 2 on top, one inside the middle area behind where the bumper was and one on the side fender of the light underneath the fender for both headlights.
The passenger side may be tricky to find the center inside bolt but its just inside the fan housing exactly like its driver side counterpart, just covered up.
Remove both headlights, (Don't touch the bulbs for those of you who don't know, only touch the housing or oils from your skin will blow your bulb.) In order to pull out the assembly you need to remove fog light bulb and high beam, then reach down further and disconnect the harness that is inbetween the fog and high beam area. Easily slides off, just getting your hand in may be a pain in the who-haw. I certainly filled the swear jar lol.
you will need to lift the outside top screw housing off the plastic mold that holds it on. then pull the inside of the light out towards you first and the rest of the assembly will follow suit.
You don't have to do this next part but if you wanna play it safe you can. I put it in the oven both ways with bulbs/ballast/wiring and without both ways work just fine and won't hurt it.
Once you have them out, remove the HID bulb by taking off the little screw then twist the cap off. Take out the marker bulbs as well and remove the wiring. If you cant figure it out by looking at it you need to remove the adjuster cable for the HID which takes 2 screws and then take off the bracket to remove the wiring. Honestly leave everything on it works just as well and is a lot quicker.
Preheat oven to 205 degrees (it will not melt any part whatsoever on your assembly except loosen up the silicone so you can pull it apart) put into oven and bake for 10 mins per light with it face down, don't let it touch any of the units or that will melt something and possibly burn your house down!!! best way is to use the lowest rack and take all others out so you have clearance.
Once light is apart you can sand, paint, prime whatever you want on the middle piece. I used plasti dip left over from painting my wheels and it worked great. No sanding, no primer nothing, just put masking tape over the orange side marker and painted away. I have some pictures that I will post up the few that I have.
Once all is painted and dried the way you want it, reassemble. Use the Silicone that was already there don't add more (i added on one and the thing wouldn't close correctly so i had to take it apart and do it again). Put assembly back together with everything in place
place back in oven at same said temp 205 degrees, bake for another 10 mins, once its out of the oven press it together and work your way around it and make sure all seams are lined up and together, then simply reinstall everything and PRESTO!!! You have a beautiful, much more aggressive looking car and you only paid about $10 total for parts and plasti dip instead of $1,600 (who wants to do that).
Well there you go, simple, quick will take about 3-6 hours depending on paint dry times and how much trouble you have. Good luck and I am not responsible if you F*&# up your lights. Do at your own risk.
Difficulty level on scale from 1-10: 3
Here are the steps I used.
Tools You will need:
10mm socket w/small ratchet
1 ratchet extension (only needed for one bolt on passenger side headlight due to fan housing)
1 philips head screw driver #2 should work just fine
1 oven
2 tupaware containers
2 ziplock baggies
First remove the front bumper, if you don't know how there are 4 bolts in the front behind the catch release and there are also 2 plastic clips and 1 screw in each fender. Takes me about 2 mins to remove my bumper now that I've done it so many times.
Once bumper is removed there are 4 screws total per headlight assembly, 2 on top, one inside the middle area behind where the bumper was and one on the side fender of the light underneath the fender for both headlights.
The passenger side may be tricky to find the center inside bolt but its just inside the fan housing exactly like its driver side counterpart, just covered up.
Remove both headlights, (Don't touch the bulbs for those of you who don't know, only touch the housing or oils from your skin will blow your bulb.) In order to pull out the assembly you need to remove fog light bulb and high beam, then reach down further and disconnect the harness that is inbetween the fog and high beam area. Easily slides off, just getting your hand in may be a pain in the who-haw. I certainly filled the swear jar lol.
you will need to lift the outside top screw housing off the plastic mold that holds it on. then pull the inside of the light out towards you first and the rest of the assembly will follow suit.
You don't have to do this next part but if you wanna play it safe you can. I put it in the oven both ways with bulbs/ballast/wiring and without both ways work just fine and won't hurt it.
Once you have them out, remove the HID bulb by taking off the little screw then twist the cap off. Take out the marker bulbs as well and remove the wiring. If you cant figure it out by looking at it you need to remove the adjuster cable for the HID which takes 2 screws and then take off the bracket to remove the wiring. Honestly leave everything on it works just as well and is a lot quicker.
Preheat oven to 205 degrees (it will not melt any part whatsoever on your assembly except loosen up the silicone so you can pull it apart) put into oven and bake for 10 mins per light with it face down, don't let it touch any of the units or that will melt something and possibly burn your house down!!! best way is to use the lowest rack and take all others out so you have clearance.
Once light is apart you can sand, paint, prime whatever you want on the middle piece. I used plasti dip left over from painting my wheels and it worked great. No sanding, no primer nothing, just put masking tape over the orange side marker and painted away. I have some pictures that I will post up the few that I have.
Once all is painted and dried the way you want it, reassemble. Use the Silicone that was already there don't add more (i added on one and the thing wouldn't close correctly so i had to take it apart and do it again). Put assembly back together with everything in place
place back in oven at same said temp 205 degrees, bake for another 10 mins, once its out of the oven press it together and work your way around it and make sure all seams are lined up and together, then simply reinstall everything and PRESTO!!! You have a beautiful, much more aggressive looking car and you only paid about $10 total for parts and plasti dip instead of $1,600 (who wants to do that).
Well there you go, simple, quick will take about 3-6 hours depending on paint dry times and how much trouble you have. Good luck and I am not responsible if you F*&# up your lights. Do at your own risk.
Difficulty level on scale from 1-10: 3
