Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

my headlights i currently have on my car are these

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=320296822946

the ones i was asking if they would reflect more light are these

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-03...ayphotohosting

dma001

Well, I for one hope they do put out a lot of light; I just ordered this all-clear set from the same seller.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

those all clear ones should because the light can actually reflect off of the chrome back housing

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah gumdrop the first link would be much dimmer since i think the whole thing is smoked vs just the trim piece in the second one.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

since both of my headlights are the same style, (OEM) would the chrome insert piece off of my old headlights fit in my new headlights, or visa versa, i need some more light lol, but i like the look of my headlights

unTuned

ok, out of those two sets you posted....the first one (the ones you have installed now) look like they are chrome inside, but the plastic lens over the headlight looks smoked. am i correct?

the 2nd ones would put out the exact same light as your regular oem headlights. just because theyre blacked out inside doesnt mean anything. the light only reflects off of that inner chrome section....the rest being black doesnt do anything.

if the set you have installed now are NOT chrome inside (that will remove a huge amount of light) and have a smoked lens (that will remove even more light), you are not going to be getting that much light out of them.

if its just a smoked headlight with clear inside that you want, i would take apart my oem headlights, remove the amber plastic piece inside, then take the smoked lens from your new headlights, and install that on your oem headlights.

that will make completely clear and chrome inside with a smoked lens. all depending of course on whether that brand of lens will fit perfect into the spot of the oem lens.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

okay thanks for the suggestion, ill compare the connectors of the OEM headlights to the new smoked ones

edit: Compared the connection of lens-housing on OEM and new smoked ones, they are not the same...I decided to put up the smoked headlights for sale, once they are sold im buying myself a pair of these nice headlights

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-03...ayphotohosting

unTuned

well its up to you but i still think that if you want the blacked out look, you should use your stock headlights and black them out. take them apart, remove the ugly amber piece, and follow the DIY for blacking out headlights. you wont have to spend anything to buy the new ones when you can use your own, and youll also be proud of it when youre done.

not to mention the most important part of it...theyre your stock ones so you know they will always fit and they will always be good quality. you wont have to mess with adjusting them as much, and if you do, you know the adjusting will be easy.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

I have seen that DIY and seen that it turns out good, but would they be as black as this?



cause the DIY's I saw make them not that dark, there is more chrome in the parking light socket and the turn signal socket

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

you can paint whatever you want, with whichever color you like either shiny, flat, etc. most people paint around the signal and park light because when its blacked out like that, youre gonna have very dim signal and park light.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

so the picture in my above post, those headlights would have a dim turn signal/park light? i have black housing on the ones i have now and they are decent bright (btw the ones i have on now are still the smoked ones)

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well yeah chrome reflects light alot better than black.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

yes very true, obviously lol
but the ones i have in my smoked lens right now are black and still are decently bright
i'd rather paint it black cause i'm trying to accent more of the black in my car, i just want the insert piece where my headlight bulb goes to be chrome...park light and turn signal don't have to be chrome, black is good

unTuned

in your case i think if you go with a dull black paint, it would look the best on a white car. if it was me, i would leave the signal and parking light area chrome and would not paint them...but again thats up to you. i think it looks much nicer with all of them chrome, but then again my car is silver so it looks a bit different. the parking light doesnt do too much but look pretty, so going black in there could look good as well. the only thing i think would be a bit of a problem is the signal because it actually uses the chrome behind it to reflect your light....but if youre going to get some bright *** bulbs, do what you were saying and paint your signals/parking lights black too. just leave the headlight area chrome.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

yeah i think im gonna stick with painting that area black and the headlight area chrome of course, i bought new 7440 bulbs and new park light bulbs so they should be pretty bright, they are what i have in my smoked headlights right now and are bright enough

dma001

I look forward to seeing how your setup turns out, Gumdrop. My clear headlight set (from that same vendor) is on the way. I've also got eBay OEM-style fogs and TYC tails coming. Geez, I just realized...I'm gonna have to install all this stuff!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah have fun removing both bumpers lol

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

hahaha =) front bumper gets annoying, this will be the 4th time removing it...once for grill, once for a bolt that came lose or that i had to replace that was not there, and 3rd for replacing my headlights, then im gonna have to do it again for replacing these..after 3 times it sux, the 4th will be even easier but more boring lol...ill let you guys know what i do

regardless of if the headlights sale or not ill still be painting my OEM ones...not this weekend (out of town) but next weekend and ill post pics


so i should use a flat black paint right? not a gloss black? i figured i should use flat blk but i wasn't 100% sure

any suggestions on the paint...duplicolor most common i think correct?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah usually people use the flat black. depends what else you have on your car. might look too light if you have alot of dark and shiny black on your car like rims and tint.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

would flat black or a gloss black look darker in the headlights

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well idk, flat black looks light, gloss black looks dark but shiny. so its hard to say. you could get a semi gloss maybe. or try something different and use the metalcast smoke paint which is designed to paint over chrome. it will give it a shiny smoke look. kinda like tint spray for chrome.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

will this metalcast smoke paint be darker in your opinion? i kinda want the darkest black i can have so its very noticeable that im accenting the black in my car

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

okay well what does you car look like, nvm found pics. flat black is gonna look too light imo, so will the smoke paint. for dark, youre gonna have to go with a regular paint that will be glossy, or first maybe try some semi gloss. you might have to try a few test ones of something. i think if you can match the black of the grill, it would look good.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

yeah thats what im going for, a dark glossy black like my grill...any suggestions on brands? duplicolor is common, what about the duplicolor auto spray or any others let me know

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i always use duplicolor and it never lets me down.

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

duplicolors the way to go then, thanks for all your help

+rep 4 u lol

i cant do the project this weekend but next weekend im free and will be sure to be up and early saturday morning to start the paintin, me n a pal will do it and ill keep you posted with some pics i take

EDIT: took the time to take apart my one headlight today and paint it, came out great...i decided to take out the amber piece and paint the inside chrome (except for the little corner reflector) i still have some touching up to do on the paint and ill finish that tomorrow morning..here is a pic of the chrome piece i painted...puttin it back together now



EDIT again:

Finished with headlight numero uno, here it is all back together

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

very nice i like it but dont edit your post! then it doesnt get bumped and show up as new thread post. lol

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

thanks, ya i knew that but i didnt wanna double post lol...oh well, i shoulda, but yep im puttin those ones on today after school, finished both headlights yesterday...cant wait

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

they look much better than those crazy all black ones

Gumdrop

iTrader: (1)

definitely, when i get out of school (im in 6th period keyboarding right now haha, i have 7 periods lol) i will take off the smoked lights n put those ones on...some1 just made a bid on my smoked ones on ebay and they end in a couple hours so i am forced to do it today haha ill send some pics after im finished, and then tonight ill send some of my cutoff