DIY Blacked Out Headlights

4everkidd · 05-11-2018, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phantome46

Great work I also did my own lights and they look excellent now

Awesome, do you have some close up pics of yours?

chetrickerman · 05-11-2018, 11:06 AM

Awesome job OP. What temp did you bake them at and how long?

4everkidd · 05-11-2018, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

Awesome job OP. What temp did you bake them at and how long?

One at a time at 245 degrees F, 15 minute cycles, and took 3 cycles each.

Ordered cold glue working tools, and separating (reverse) pliers which really seemed to help

4everkidd · 05-12-2018, 07:55 PM

Finished pics up in post #2

She's still in winter mode; will be summer ready this week... I'm behind the ball

chetrickerman · 05-12-2018, 09:00 PM

Looks amazing.

4everkidd · 05-13-2018, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

Looks amazing.

thank you!

hard to tell in pics but the pearl really pops in the sun

qmp · 05-13-2018, 01:55 PM

Excellent alternative to LCI retrofit. Even more rewarding when DIY. Congrats

GlazierGlaze · 05-15-2018, 03:47 PM

Sooooo... price?

maniz · 05-15-2018, 06:55 PM

Well done! I did that, plus some additional mods, on my 350Z's xenon headlights, so I can appreciate the care and attention to detail it takes to do it right. Enjoy!

MasterP · 05-16-2018, 03:01 PM

I'd DIY or trade my car in. No way I'd pay $4-$5K to retrofit parts just for black headlights.

JayZap16 · 05-25-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4everkidd

One at a time at 245 degrees F, 15 minute cycles, and took 3 cycles each.

Ordered cold glue working tools, and separating (reverse) pliers which really seemed to help

What do you mean by "3 cycles each"?

Also what is the Morimoto retro butyl 10 mins for?

4everkidd · 05-25-2018, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayZap16

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4everkidd

One at a time at 245 degrees F, 15 minute cycles, and took 3 cycles each.

Ordered cold glue working tools, and separating (reverse) pliers which really seemed to help

What do you mean by "3 cycles each"?

Also what is the Morimoto retro butyl 10 mins for?

3 x 15minute heat cycles

The morimoto butyl glue is to reseal the lens to the housing.

IM2C · 06-03-2018, 06:25 PM

DIY Blacked Out Headlights = DIY Open Hart Surgery

TypeOne · 06-05-2018, 09:58 AM

Man... I've been thinking about doing this as well. The LCI lights look amazing but yea, not really worth $5k just to have some black headlights.

I've painted dozens of lights before but this seems like a super tedious project.

f32king · 06-12-2018, 12:24 PM

I take my hat off to you! Respect. Apart from that, you have done a good job.

At the time, I also had to disassemble my headlights. But I gave it up because I'm just scared that I'll ruin my expensive 3300-USD headlights..

4everkidd · 06-23-2018, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f32king

I take my hat off to you! Respect. Apart from that, you have done a good job.

At the time, I also had to disassemble my headlights. But I gave it up because I'm just scared that I'll ruin my expensive 3300-USD headlights..

Thank you!

Definitely wasn't a fun job but I'm very happy with the results.

A couple new pics are added to the first post of the finished product.

Speedwell-Industries · 07-23-2018, 02:09 PM

This looks awesome!

Great job OP!

John_Anderson · 07-24-2018, 03:45 AM

Found few inspirations here. Cool tips! I would take note on some materials and grab some on my own. Hope that's okay with you peeps

4everkidd · 07-24-2018, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_Anderson

Found few inspirations here. Cool tips! I would take note on some materials and grab some on my own. Hope that's okay with you peeps

That's why I made the post man! Mod-away

Update: No peeling, no condensation and no hazing on my lights !

ImagineAllTheMs · 08-01-2018, 04:05 PM

Good job, looks great. Not something I'd ever trust myself to do but props for taking the time to show us

db. · 09-10-2018, 08:15 PM

Bonus on doing DIY is that you keep the cornering light on pre-LCI headlights.

LCI2's dont have the cornering light in the housing and people who upgrade to them have said they miss the feature.

So here's the trade off:

You save $$'s and keep features for the risk of breaking your OEM headlights for the cost of some supplies and a weekend without your car.

OR

Fork out the $$'s for a new set of lights and coding, and lose a feature of the pre-LCI lights.

I definitely want to black out the lights on my AY-F80, just wondering whether I want to deal with the Credit Card or the cleaning the oven....

4everkidd · 09-11-2018, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by db.

Bonus on doing DIY is that you keep the cornering light on pre-LCI headlights.

LCI2's dont have the cornering light in the housing and people who upgrade to them have said they miss the feature.

So here's the trade off:

You save $$'s and keep features for the risk of breaking your OEM headlights for the cost of some supplies and a weekend without your car.

OR

Fork out the $$'s for a new set of lights and coding, and lose a feature of the pre-LCI lights.

I definitely want to black out the lights on my AY-F80, just wondering whether I want to deal with the Credit Card or the cleaning the oven....

I say go for it.

Rip them open and modify to your liking.

Worst case scenario you are forced to get off your wallet and buy a set of LCI-2 headlights.

05-12-2018, 07:55 PM	#26
4everkidd Major 646 Rep 1,336 Posts Drives: F80 AY M3 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Calgary iTrader: (1)	Finished pics up in post #2 She's still in winter mode; will be summer ready this week... I'm behind the ball
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05-13-2018, 01:55 PM	#29
qmp Private First Class 124 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 15F80 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Washington DC iTrader: (0)	Excellent alternative to LCI retrofit. Even more rewarding when DIY. Congrats
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05-15-2018, 03:47 PM	#30
GlazierGlaze Banned 633 Rep 644 Posts Drives: 2022 Audi RS6 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (1)	Sooooo... price?
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05-15-2018, 06:55 PM	#31
maniz Assistant TO the Regional Manager 617 Rep 728 Posts Drives: 2018 M4 Coupe Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Denver iTrader: (0)	Well done! I did that, plus some additional mods, on my 350Z's xenon headlights, so I can appreciate the care and attention to detail it takes to do it right. Enjoy! __________________ 2018 M4 Coupe. 6MT. Der stärkste buchstabe der welt
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05-16-2018, 03:01 PM	#32
MasterP Colonel 721 Rep 2,342 Posts Drives: All the M's Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Where do you want me? iTrader: (8)	I'd DIY or trade my car in. No way I'd pay $4-$5K to retrofit parts just for black headlights.
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06-03-2018, 06:25 PM	#35
IM2C Major General 2067 Rep 5,373 Posts Drives: ∞ Improbability Drive Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: FL iTrader: (9)	DIY Blacked Out Headlights = DIY Open Hart Surgery __________________ ///\| g87 \| f87 Comp \| g29 M40i \| f97 Comp \| f80 Comp \| f80 \| f30 \| e92 \| tt \| S5 \| e92 \| 350z \| e90 \|
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06-05-2018, 09:58 AM	#36
TypeOne Enthuisiast 93 Rep 423 Posts Drives: G05 X5 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Baton Rouge iTrader: (0)	Man... I've been thinking about doing this as well. The LCI lights look amazing but yea, not really worth $5k just to have some black headlights. I've painted dozens of lights before but this seems like a super tedious project. __________________ AW F80 M3 / RAYS / TOYO TIRES / BMS IG: @hybrid_david
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06-12-2018, 12:24 PM	#37
f32king New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW F32 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Germany iTrader: (0)	I take my hat off to you! Respect. Apart from that, you have done a good job. At the time, I also had to disassemble my headlights. But I gave it up because I'm just scared that I'll ruin my expensive 3300-USD headlights..
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07-23-2018, 02:09 PM	#39
Speedwell-Industries 434 Rep 884 Posts Drives: 2017 YMB M3 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Southern California iTrader: (0)	This looks awesome! Great job OP!
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07-24-2018, 03:45 AM	#40
John_Anderson Registered 2 Rep 4 Posts Drives: Mitsubishi Lancer Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Victoria Park, WA iTrader: (0)	Found few inspirations here. Cool tips! I would take note on some materials and grab some on my own. Hope that's okay with you peeps
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08-01-2018, 04:05 PM	#42
ImagineAllTheMs New Member 7 Rep 23 Posts Drives: Merc Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Good job, looks great. Not something I'd ever trust myself to do but props for taking the time to show us
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09-10-2018, 08:15 PM	#43
db. New Member 0 Rep 8 Posts Drives: 2014 AY F80 M3 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Canberra, Australia iTrader: (0)	Bonus on doing DIY is that you keep the cornering light on pre-LCI headlights. LCI2's dont have the cornering light in the housing and people who upgrade to them have said they miss the feature. So here's the trade off: You save $$'s and keep features for the risk of breaking your OEM headlights for the cost of some supplies and a weekend without your car. OR Fork out the $$'s for a new set of lights and coding, and lose a feature of the pre-LCI lights. I definitely want to black out the lights on my AY-F80, just wondering whether I want to deal with the Credit Card or the cleaning the oven....
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