Modified AU Headlight. - Page 8

The Dok · 14-09-2006, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dok

Its true, I have said I won't do any more, (too time consuming + not enough $$ in them).

Post #169.

AUTickford · 19-09-2006, 06:24 PM

The te 50 lights are the same im sure and they look a heap better than xr lights, not so much better, maybe neater

HLC · 19-09-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUTickford

The te 50 lights are the same im sure and they look a heap better than xr lights, not so much better, maybe neater

the TE 50 lights dont have projectors, so no, they arnt the same.

T3man · 19-09-2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLC

the TE 50 lights dont have projectors, so no, they arnt the same.

Heheheh .... mine DO (now). LOL

**Mechan1k** · 08-02-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3man

Heheheh .... mine DO (now). LOL

PICSORBAN
:hihi:

Have you tested them at night yet ... what do you think of them???

chief · 08-02-2007, 07:13 PM

I should get my projectors in the car and some photos up, shouldn't I???

**Mechan1k** · 08-02-2007, 07:21 PM

You better bloody believe it.

The Dok · 08-02-2007, 08:59 PM

These aren't from me, (T3man's) I know where all the one's I sold went...........I think? Yup I'm sure of it. :yeees:

chief · 08-02-2007, 09:01 PM

Dok I think it went this way.

LG
Duffman
Mechan1k.

Then LG sold his to me. Woohoo.

T3man · 08-02-2007, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

PICSORBAN
:hihi:

Have you tested them at night yet ... what do you think of them???

Pics have been posted previously including before and after night shots. The difference is quite astounding. Because the server won't host a lot of pics at once I have had to delete them from the forum - I have put a few pics up from the Tickford get-together last weekend and needed the space to do so.

Anyone who wants some pics you can PM me your email address and I'll send some through to you.

**Mechan1k** · 09-02-2007, 07:56 AM

Ahhh ... they are kinda like the Hillier 300+ Coupe headlight ... well similar.
Does look good though.

Hopst them up on photobucket if you can ... then you can image link as many as you want.

HLC · 09-02-2007, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3man

Pics have been posted previously including before and after night shots. The difference is quite astounding. Because the server won't host a lot of pics at once I have had to delete them from the forum - I have put a few pics up from the Tickford get-together last weekend and needed the space to do so.

Anyone who wants some pics you can PM me your email address and I'll send some through to you.

I WANT

:

where'd ya get em :hihi:

oh and host the photos on photobucket.com or imageshack.us

Orbit · 09-02-2007, 08:35 AM

they were made by a forum member from some hella ods and ends...can't remember the member though.

T3man · 09-02-2007, 09:20 PM

Try here ...

http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w70/jayemmdee/

Hope they work OK.

AU2PWR · 09-02-2007, 09:23 PM

i Like T3man , they look Awesom

StealthAu · 10-02-2007, 11:25 AM

T3man how much and where from?

T3man · 10-02-2007, 11:49 AM

They are a one-off ... my own creation. I've lost count of the cost ... probably a good thing too

I can tell you this project began in 2002 - then was on hold for about 4 years as I had driving lights and a nudge bar on the car. However, having bought a car bra the driving lights had to go, and so the project came out of cobwebs and finally got completed.

They went through several prototypes before I settled on what you see now. I wanted the look to be as "factory" as possible with respect to quality of finish etc. Also the lights had to be legal. Oh and the main thing, they had to outperform the original lights in every way.

I'd estimate a couple of hundred hours has gone into them and roughly about a thousand dollars ... some of the lights I already had, but I also bought several other sets for trialling ... but which failed my tests ... anyone wanna buy some lights??

To duplicate them now (with all new parts) would probably cost in the vicinity of $1,000 plus about 30 hours labour. Now I have the "patterns" it would be relatively quick to do another set. However, before anyone asks, SORRY, but I will not make any more!

ntguy · 10-02-2007, 10:24 PM

T3man,

Could you give us some clues to what lights and mounting you used?? I was thinking of making a hyrbid of XR lights with the AU headlight case, if that makes sense

T3man · 10-02-2007, 11:12 PM

ntguy> Exactly the thoughts I had and what I set out to do. However the AU XR lights couldn't be fitted into the housing and I didn't want to put a full XR front on the T3.

The mountings have all been custom made to suit the individual lights and have a greater range of adjustability than the originals.

The low beams (middle light) are Hella projectors as used on E-Series XR models. However I modified the projector of the RH beam so it produces a perfectly flat pattern with no flare to the left. The LH beam is standard with the flare. They are fitted with 55w plus 50 H1 globes and are wired so they also stay on when high beam is selected.

The high beams (in bumper) are Zeil 150mm 100w spread beam driving lights. They have an effective range of about 250m and are very wide, effectively almost as wide as a fog light beam.

The high beam also includes Hella 146mm long range (spot) driving lights (inner lights). These are fitted with 55w plus 50 H1 globes and have an effective range of about 400m. They easily pick out road reflectors at 2000m.

The outer lights are Narva Compac 100 fog lights. They are fitted with 55w plus 30 H3 globes and are used as a constant running light - ie. they are on whenever the engine is running, daytime and night-time. They stay on in conjunction with the low beams giving a very wide spread of light at all times. However they are wired to go off whenever high beam is selected because it is illegal to have any more than six lights operating when on high beam.

The park lights (10w quartz halogen) have been placed in the indicator pod (which is the only unchanged part of the original headlight).

Each of the individual lights used have full ADR compliance - the only questiuonable one is the RH low beam which I have modified from original so strictly speaking it would no longer comply - but IMO it is a "safer" light because it cause less glare to any oncoming traffic or to the driver of a car travelling (the same direction) in front.

ntguy · 10-02-2007, 11:18 PM

OK thanks for the heads up, maybe a earlier model fairlane twin lights in the housing. I like the idea of twin lights, but not a fan of they way XR`s look.(Sorry) Especially on a Ghia. I think something like yours is more inline with the model(ghia).

T3man · 11-02-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntguy

OK thanks for the heads up, maybe a earlier model fairlane twin lights in the housing. I like the idea of twin lights, but not a fan of they way XR`s look.(Sorry) Especially on a Ghia. I think something like yours is more inline with the model(ghia).

Twin lights will fit - they have to be standard 146mm and no larger. However there isn't space enough to put the proper backing plate in the AU housing so you would have to either:-

ditch it and somehow try to re-use just the AU lens but without the housing you then have a problem with fixing the lens in place, or

make some type of custom mount behind the AU body, cutting the body extensively where required, but retaining the outer shape so the lens could be re-fitted.

Orbit · 11-02-2007, 09:57 AM

did you have any beam shots?

Eu-GenixX · 11-02-2007, 10:50 AM

i got excited about seeing this thread.. and was gunna ask for a price on the AU headlights... but have since realised it's an incredibly old thread.. :(

The Dok · 11-02-2007, 12:55 PM

Duffman · 11-02-2007, 01:13 PM

They are awsome. When did you make them Dok? Need a bigger pic I think

The Dok · 11-02-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duffman

They are awsome. When did you make them Dok? Need a bigger pic I think

Haven't actually made them.........yet. The idea came about @12 months ago, (@ the time of the AU projectors actually) essentially it's just a BA reflector inside the AU housing without a bezel. Purely a prototype!

mavs19 · 11-02-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dok

Haven't actually made them.........yet. The idea came about @12 months ago, (@ the time of the AU projectors actually) essentially it's just a BA reflector inside the AU housing without a bezel. Purely a prototype!

Wow, a blast from the past....someone revived this thread.

Good idea Dok,
We dabbed with a similar project around 2003.

You probably also realised that there is toooo much involved in making this stitch up project to work properly?

The mechanism needed for using the 3 adjustment point between AU hosing and BA reflector is a time killer.
Also the location of the reflectors are not exactly were you need them to be in order to allow for a proper beam pattern adjustment.
Unless you shorten the distance between the 2 reflectors, move or make extension for the swivel points at the back of the reflector or move the adjusters on the housing......This will be forever remain as a non-functioning prototype.

BUT it surely is nice to look at.

Just had to post this for those who got their hopes up and think a line of AU headlights with BA reflector is going to be shortly in the market ….Naaaaah.

I only wish Hella could use a bit stronger and better quality material in the production of their reflectors for the Australian market, like what they use for the vehicles in Germany....

The Dok · 11-02-2007, 04:19 PM

These are actually more "do-able" than the AU projectors. Moving adjustment points on the reflector is easy, I have the required parts in abundance, the only thing lacking is an AU "test mule". These (or a similar version) may yet come to life, time will tell.

mattp · 11-02-2007, 04:24 PM

Damn Dok, if I was in Melbourne you could use mine as a test mule! Still, can't complain since I'm cruising around up here with my lovely body-coloured bezels ;)

mavs19 · 11-02-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dok

These are actually more "do-able" than the AU projectors. Moving adjustment points on the reflector is easy, I have the required parts in abundance, the only thing lacking is an AU "test mule". These (or a similar version) may yet come to life, time will tell.

It all depends on how much your time is worth and how much you plan to charge for the work.
Anything can be done but to what cost?

In our business we have proven time and time again that fact, with all the impossible projects we have undertaken and successfully finished.
But then again, not only do we have all the proper and special equipment required to conduct proper tests, we also have been in the game for many many years dealing with the OEM industry.

Looking at the stitch up project, it is Financially not viable.
There is far more to a finished product that is roadworthy than what I can see on the pic you posted.
Like the projector retro that was done in the beginning of this thread, it is a bit from being complete and legally acceptable.

But, then again there may be people who don't care how it looks or how much it is going to cost.
Being one of the few that has something different, be it workable, legal or not is enough for some people.

I am referring to a financially viable, legally acceptable, roadworthy and complete product for the market, not just a one off or a handful of something that leaves a lot to be desired.
Just looking good is not enough. It has to work properly, and pass any test and requirement by the authorities.

But then again some people love to be stopped by the friendly authorities , just to have someone to talk to , once in a while.

Have fun,
mavs19
The RetrofitSource

View Poll Results: Do you like the look of the AU (std) headlights?
Not fussed really.	43	23.76%
Yes, love them.	48	26.52%
Would change them if I could afford to.	50	27.62%
Worst part of the car.	40	22.10%
Voters: 181. You may not vote on this poll