HID\Projector Retrofit advice and tips

**laferri2** · 05-28-2011

Hello! I am the driver of a burgundy Grand Prix GXP. I love my car, and am glad there are so many GP owners on the internet gathered on forums.

I am planning on doing an HID\projector retrofit into my existing stock headlights using the Morimoto mini H1 kit from TheRetrofitSource.com. This is my planned method for my retrofit:

1. Remove current headlights
2. Heat to 150 degrees, 8 minutes
3. Pry assembly apart
4. Remove old bulb assembly
5. Cut 2.75 inch hole, CENTERED, with hole saw.
6. Mask off assembly.
7. Spray paint chrome reflector black
8. Spray paint shrouds cobalt blue
9. Dry
10. Install projectors into hole
11. Install shroud
12. Install HID kit
13. Install angel eye
14. Aim, adjust.
15. Seal with epoxy\silicone on back
16. Wet sand and buff front and back of lenses
17. Reattach front with glue.
18. Reinstall tightly to car
19.. Aim with in-built adjustors.

Now, I am pretty incompetent with anything electrical and\or automotive, so I'm assuming there are problems in my plan, or things I am unaware of. I would appreciate any advice anyone could give me on the proper method of doing retrofits, and anything I may be doing wrong. I will also be sure to check this forum for other retrofit threads for ideas. Thanks.

**jmoore4294** · 05-28-2011

Originally Posted by laferri2

16. Wet sand and buff front and back of lenses

Don't touch the inside of the lens. Even with a paper towel or microfiber. You will scratch the sh!t out of it. You'll only need to wetsand/buff the outside of the lens. Also, make sure you test fit them on the car BEFORE you seal up the headlights. You need to make sure the rotational adjustment is correct before you seal them up as the headlights on our cars sit at an angle.

Also, I don't know if this is a problem with the aftermarket 'OEM' headlights for our cars or if it's for original OEM headlights too, but when you adjust them down with the projector in, you might notice that the projector will rotate counter-clockwise. And when you adjust them up, they will rotate clockwise. So you may need to compensate for that.

**laferri2** · 05-29-2011

How do you aim projectors other than with the built in level?

**jmoore4294** · 05-29-2011

Rotationally. You have to make sure they form a straight cutoff. And you have to do it while you are putting them together. So put the headlights on the car, make sure the car is on a level surface, and turn the projector clockwise or counterclockwise to make sure it is straight. Then mark the spot and bolt down/epoxy the projector in place.

**laferri2** · 05-30-2011

For painting the shrouds and reflector chrome, is it necessary to use a high-heat paint?

**Koniig** · 05-31-2011

Couldn't hurt. And yeah that seems about what I was gonna do. Hmm, so 2.75 inch hole saw? I got 2 inch. Can't really decide what seems right.

**laferri2** · 05-31-2011

Originally Posted by Koniig

Couldn't hurt. And yeah that seems about what I was gonna do. Hmm, so 2.75 inch hole saw? I got 2 inch. Can't really decide what seems right.

Someone who posted a summary of their retrofit mentioned cutting a 2.75 inch hole, so I thought that was the appropriate size.

**RedDawnGXP** · 06-03-2011

Originally Posted by laferri2

For painting the shrouds and reflector chrome, is it necessary to use a high-heat paint?

That's what I used.

**cleangtp** · 06-03-2011

150* at 8 minutes isn't going to do a damn thing except warm them up

**jmoore4294** · 06-03-2011

Also I highly, highly, highly, highly recommend you purchase an extra set of headlights so if something goes wrong or takes longer than expected, you won't be stuck without a car. And I also suggest that you work with the "extra" set of headlights that you purchase. OEM headlights are sealed with permaseal that will be a b1tch to get open. Aftermarket "OEM" headlights are sealed with butyl tape and can be opened with a hairdryer. Much easier to work with.

**cleangtp** · 06-03-2011

Originally Posted by jmoore4294

Also I highly, highly, highly, highly recommend you purchase an extra set of headlights so if something goes wrong or takes longer than expected, you won't be stuck without a car. And I also suggest that you work with the "extra" set of headlights that you purchase. OEM headlights are sealed with permaseal that will be a b1tch to get open. Aftermarket "OEM" headlights are sealed with butyl tape and can be opened with a hairdryer. Much easier to work with.

The aftermarket black housed headlights I have worked with took 245* and 11 minutes to seperate the lense/capsule. Please let me know where to find capsules that you can use said hairdryer to seperate cause in my experience which is a bunch of retro's none have ever came apart using a hairdryer..... not even close. I'd like you to show me a video of a hairdryer seperating the capsules. Maybe a heatgun but highly doubting a hairdryer.

**jmoore4294** · 06-03-2011

I'm talking 04+ housings. Are you?

**cleangtp** · 06-03-2011

Originally Posted by jmoore4294

I'm talking 04+ housings. Are you?

No but you can still show me a time lapsed video of a hairdryer taking apart the housing still interested in seeing this. You either have a hairdryer with "TURBO"

or have a lot of patience. The oven, 10 minutes on appropriate heat, done.

The oem lights are a pita to get apart and the aftermarket housings I've dealt with have been sealed in black and light grey sealant and neither was coming apart with a hairdryer. Only housings I've ever seen this technique successfully used on was Ford trucks.

**jmoore4294** · 06-03-2011

Well, since I've already completed my retro, you're just gonna have to take my word for it.

**laferri2** · 06-04-2011

I have a heat gun that I will be using for seperating the lenses. Already did the research and learned the temps were way off.

Got my morimoto h1 set yesterday.

**laferri2** · 06-07-2011

I ordered a set of TYC aftermarkets to do the retro as I didn't think I could complete it in a three day weekend.

Will be selling a set of 2 month old stock headlights soon.

**cleangtp** · 06-07-2011

Originally Posted by laferri2

I ordered a set of TYC aftermarkets to do the retro as I didn't think I could complete it in a three day weekend.

Will be selling a set of 2 month old stock headlights soon.

How much shipped to 44907

**laferri2** · 06-07-2011

Originally Posted by cleangtp

How much shipped to 44907

Will post a thread when I finish. Looking to at least break even on the after markets.

**cleangtp** · 06-07-2011

Originally Posted by laferri2

Will post a thread when I finish. Looking to at least break even on the after markets.

No 1 is payin you to break even when they can just order brand new ones for that....

**laferri2** · 06-08-2011

I got my aftermarkets pretty cheap.

Amazon is selling TYC OEM-quality at ~50 per side.

I tried calling some junkyards in the area and the prices they quote are asinine...75 for a cracked drivers side assembly with no bulb. No one will buy it for that.

Most of the assemblies here are in the 40-50 range for a good one, so I'll probably be asking somewhere in there.