Finally finished my Pre-LCI LED Gloss Black Headlight DIY

[Spun Crankhub]

Put this one on the backburner when BimmerJakes was out of stock on the Left side oem lenses, and even after I finally received it I was not in the retrofitting mood until last week.
The end result is amazing, as my car has a Sakhir/Gloss Black/Carbon Fiber theme, so the OEM silver/chrome just seemed out place.
And for anyone who says that when you DIY the F8X lights black that "they are too black now" should tell that to the owners of the GT3 and Boxster GTS that park at my office and both have blacked out headlights from Porsche that just look beautiful.
Anyways, for me this mod is a game changer as far as really finishing out my car's exterior look.

[Kilabyte]

Wow that looks good. Did you open your own headlights or a second set? Anything replaced?

As you can see in my sig that's also a missing link in my car.

I hate it when people try to mimic the effect by tinting their headlights

[CachacoF80]

Can we see pic from further away of the front of the car? Thanks.

[Tommy L Garage]

Nicely done. It's no easy task but you've executed it very well!

[karlskry]

did you follow a tutorial?

[SD ///M4]

So car manufacturer's are continually trying to improve headlight technology and increase the light output but you go and put a black tint over the headlight effectively reducing the light output just for looks?

[dheanswer]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

So car manufacturer's are continually trying to improve headlight technology and increase the light output but you go and put a black tint over the headlight effectively reducing the light output just for looks?

Pretty sure he blacked the insides and not a tint over it. This doesn't affect light output at all. It's a popular mod that many have done including myself.

[notnow]

Been wanting to do a headlight blackout mod for over 10 years on multiple cars but was never confident enough to

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

So car manufacturer's are continually trying to improve headlight technology and increase the light output but you go and put a black tint over the headlight effectively reducing the light output just for looks?

All the lenses/reflectors or anything that has to do with projecting the light have remained stock. The rest of us know this because we have functioning eyeballs.

To OP: Lights look good TacoChris. It's been a long journey for you. Glad it worked out.

[Spun Crankhub]

Originally Posted by Kilabyte

Wow that looks good. Did you open your own headlights or a second set? Anything replaced?

As you can see in my sig that's also a missing link in my car.

I hate it when people try to mimic the effect by tinting their headlights

I got ahold of an extra set of headlights so 1. I wouldnt have any downtime, and 2. If I decide to go back to stock at some point to sell the car, I will be able to swap back without scrambling to either trade or buy a set at that point.
Unlike the diy's on E9X lights where you are adding aftermarket rings, this is literally plug and play as far as everything removed for paint then goes back on in reverse order, and new lens goes on with ease.

Your car would look even more amazing with blacked out headlights!!

[Spun Crankhub]

Originally Posted by CachacoF80

Can we see pic from further away of the front of the car? Thanks.

More pics coming today when I have the car out of the garage!

[Spun Crankhub]

Originally Posted by Tommy L Garage

Nicely done. It's no easy task but you've executed it very well!

Thanks!!!!!!
Hardest part I'm sure you know is dealing with Permaseal. Manufacturers love it, diy'ers hate it. I definitely got better/faster from the 1st to 2nd light. I think if I do another set on the F8X platform I would build a curved pick tool of a certain thickness to help get the lens and housing apart more efficiently than just regular pick tools and flat head screwdrivers.

[Spun Crankhub]

Originally Posted by karlskry

did you follow a tutorial?

The only thing I searched before attempting it was a video by retrofitsource about dealing with Permaseal. They were opening a different manufacturers headlight, but I got the gist of it.
It's all about multiple cycles inside the oven so the permaseal gets to a certain softness, and when you start to notice it begin to harden, pop back in. I believe I was about 3 oven cycles before I had a gap between lens/housing that I was able to go about scraping without any additional heat.

[Spun Crankhub]

And before anyone else mentions it; zero decrease in light output. Reflector housings left chrome to not impact effectiveness of these amazing LED's.

[m4dbimmer]

It really looks amazing! Well done, sir.

[m4dbimmer]

Curious, what paint did you use?

[Spun Crankhub]

Originally Posted by m4dbimmer

Curious, what paint did you use?

I used VHT Satin black for the shrouds and trim, other areas where I wanted a gloss finish I went with a 2k Clear. Ive gotta warn you about that clear, it is known to really coat everything in overspray in whatever room you are in, so I use a tarp setup in my side yard that keeps dust out, but I avoid coating everything in my garage with a light layer of clear.
Also if you’re as ocd as me try having a large empty storage style tub to immediately put cleared pieces in for drying to avoid little dust specks and hairs from landing on cleared surface.

[DanMpower]

Looks a bit too dark IMHO, maybe my opinion would change with a full frontal shot in daylight.

Maybe if you left the top part chrome like the LCI2 Icons it would break up the darkness and make it look a little more OEM.

[ellipsis212]

That does look good on the SO!

Moar pics!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Loos good

[Spun Crankhub]

Nice dreary day

[deemack79]

Originally Posted by TacoChris

Nice dreary day

Looks absolutely proper brother. Very sinister indeed.