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-   -   Porsche Headlight Retrofit [from CAD, prototyping to finish) (http://986forum.com/forums/diy-project-guides/48169-porsche-headlight-retrofit-%5B-cad-prototyping-finish.html)

ohhh my 12-10-2013 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchSF (Post 375995)
I applied the Lamin-X film today and installed the lights. Everything works perfectly. The spots on the lenses are water under the film, it needs a few days to set.

I'm still thinking about wiring the LED parking lights to an ignition source so they would work as angel eyes/driving lights.


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1386728144.jpg

Can you post up a picture of the entire car. I have the same color car and am debating on painting the headlights black or leaving it chrome.

MitchSF 12-11-2013 07:07 AM

I left the reflector chrome, and painted the trip using VHT Satin Black. Color is Arctic Silver.

I can't get a good picture of the lights. Sorry.

particlewave 12-11-2013 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchSF (Post 376040)
I can't get a good picture of the lights. Sorry.

????????Why? Did you mess one up?????????
:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused: :confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

MitchSF 12-11-2013 11:54 AM

No, they both look the same. OK, I'll try to take a better picture.

Nine8Six 12-11-2013 05:55 PM

Projector/Headlight pictures (Guards Red)
 
I bet you are just like me and don't want to take pics unless the car is washed.... here goes my 1 (one) CGT style projector when I washed it last ;)

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/021386816454.jpg



http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/011386816467.jpg



http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/031386816611.jpg


My next Pcar will certainly be SILVER!

MitchSF 12-13-2013 04:44 AM

Nice picture, Fred. Car looks very smog free!

Here's one with both lights. I just ordered smoked LED tails to match.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1386942229.jpg

Nine8Six 12-19-2013 06:07 PM

Back to work after a LONG 5 days holiday
 
Nice one Mitch, looks really good and "modern". If one day you get to shoot pics of the whole car, please post.... that'd be fab (silver is my favorite pcar color btw). I sincerely hope you are happy with the set-up and the new look mate. Nice work!

Re smog... lol, we are getting the breeze from the China Sea therefore No Smog for us in Shanghai ;)

MitchSF 12-20-2013 06:28 AM

Thanks, Fred. The look is exactly what I wanted, and the lights are a big improvement over the old halogens.

Mitch

particlewave 12-20-2013 11:09 AM

1 Attachment(s)
Christmas time ;)

I switched them over to red and snapped this pic in between :p

...and a pic of the little rocker switch board. The tiny 12V relay shuts the devil eyes off when the headlights are on (devil eyes are only on in the parking light switch position).

http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/a...758D0C1237.jpg

epapp 12-20-2013 11:54 AM

I looked around a bit on ebay; particlewave, do they have the projectors you used without the HID kit?

Nine8Six 12-20-2013 07:31 PM

High Performance Bi-xenon Projector details
 
epapp, on behalf of Particlewave, the projector that he is using is the 2014 model and yet to be available in the states. See pics below.

We get them directly from the manufacturer (a few km away from my backyard here). Brutally outperforms the factory xenon of BMW, Mercedes and the Porsche litronics. I believe some of you guys knows them better under the name of "Morimoto MH1".

You should start to see that new 2014 model when stocks of the previous 2013 MH1 runs out in the states and elsewhere. In a meantime I would be extra careful buying those off eBay as they seem to be a lot of knockoffs (copies) of those Morimoto's MH1 for less than $50. Those knockoff are $8/pair here locally (for your info). I've seen them... and they poorly sux ;)

If you need a set of those Ultimate just let me know, I can spare you a set anytime.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1387599710.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1387599733.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1387599870.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1387599252.jpg
^ The left-side is the one I provide with the kit (2014 Ultimate model) and the right-side is the 2013 model of the MH1.

* the eBay knockoffs outputs even less than what you see on the right. But again for fifty bucks (half goes to eBay lol), not much can go wrong really :D

ohhh my 12-20-2013 08:21 PM

You got some cool toys... Is that a lumen meter?

Nine8Six 12-20-2013 08:34 PM

That last picture was provided by the manufacturer of the projector. Not my toy mate

RE toys...... you should see our spanking new 2013 Horizontal CNC Milling Center that just came in the port a week ago. Imported from Japan. I was there yesterday and just sitting in the container staring at it for about an hour lol. Can't wait until the clearance is done on that thing so I can get it to roll. Real Big Boy toys!

epapp 12-21-2013 01:18 AM

Do you have a website where all of this stuff is for sale? I skipped a few pages of the thread in the middle.

Particlewave linked to a kit of projectors and hid ballasts and bulbs earlier in the thread. Is that the kit you guys base measurements off of?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nine8Six 12-21-2013 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epapp (Post 377657)
Do you have a website where all of this stuff is for sale? I skipped a few pages of the thread in the middle.

Particlewave linked to a kit of projectors and hid ballasts and bulbs earlier in the thread. Is that the kit you guys base measurements off of?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nah mate, no specific website for the moment. I've been teaming up with PayPal for the last 16 years however. They have excellent fraud & buyer protection schemes and decent encryption infrastructure for online payments. And they already have a website up so I just use theirs for cheap :p

Had a quick look and couldn't find the link for you, perhaps Particlewave can pass it on again when he has a minute. But I found a few pics he posted a few years ago. The same kit (with ballasts!) runs at $25 here (Left & right, everything). That's right my man. I think they run at $120 or something on eBay. Let me know if you are interested! I can make a special for you ($30 + shipping)

http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/a...31B224F2DE.jpg

particlewave 12-21-2013 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nine8Six (Post 377673)

The above set is ok, but nowhere near the quality of the projectors in this thread. ;)

epapp 12-22-2013 03:35 PM

Well what are my options between particlewaves projectors and 986s? What do you guys charge for a set of your fancy lights? And how much is shipping from farawayland (where you're located 986) to California?

;)

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

particlewave 12-22-2013 04:50 PM

2 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by epapp (Post 377830)
Well what are my options between particlewaves projectors and 986s? What do you guys charge for a set of your fancy lights? And how much is shipping from farawayland (where you're located 986) to California?

;)

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There seems to be some confusion...the projectors that I have now are the same as those in this thread (those made by Nine8Six). These projectors are the only way to go. Had they been available a year ago, I would have bought them then ;)
Send a PM to Nine8Six to inquire about these.

...The set pictured above are eBay specials which I used to have but not anymore.

These are what I have now ;)

Nine8Six 12-23-2013 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epapp (Post 377830)
Well what are my options between particlewaves projectors and 986s? What do you guys charge for a set of your fancy lights? And how much is shipping from farawayland (where you're located 986) to California?

;)

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not only those "Ultimate" projector are properly anodized (i.e. solid), they will look and work for the next decade minimum. Other options that you have, other than a choice of amazing anodized colors, laser'ed script/wordings, etc, is choosing between a built-in (mini) nuclear reactor (+57rwhp) -OR- the xray feature which..... allows you to see through clothes when you are waiting at red lights downtown.

PM if you want me to be a bit more serious ;)

Edit:

As for the complete kit, the damage is $355 shipped using Express Post (ETA 3-5days to you in the USA) w/ tracking number.

Options are

2x Anodized [color] Bezels (w/ custom laser script/wording)
2x Anodized [color] projector skirts
2x MH1 High Performance Projectors & lens (Ultimate ver.)
2x 35w CANBUS ballasts
2x H1 HID bulbs (you chose your temp)
2x Hardware kit: spacer kit, dremel wheels and two Porsche emblems
2x built-in LED-cob Angel Eyes in [color] (Optional)

* Return and refund accepted shall you decide to not install the kit.

RE Payment; I normally send a PayPal "Request for Money" to your email using the "For Goods" option and list all the above in the invoice. That way the buyer feels comfortable and covered by the PayPal Buyer Protection Scheme.

Any questions just ask anytime. When ever you are ready you know where to find me

epapp 12-23-2013 10:15 PM

Excellent.

Do you sell parts of the kit individually I.e. Just the projectors?


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alanqning 12-24-2013 01:20 PM

Nine8Six, how many do you have for sale? :)

Nine8Six 12-24-2013 05:00 PM

If anyone is interested to know about pricing, availability or customization, please PM me anytime!

All the best wishes from this side of the world and Merry Xmas to all :)

http://www.swordfish-media.com/image...tkaart_big.jpg

rfuerst911sc 12-25-2013 04:38 AM

I've read all 10 pages and must say I am impressed by your excellent execution of this conversion. However I did pick up that when painting the light housings black you can't/shouldn't park in the sun ? I'm in the deep South and we get sun in the summer that will melt your face :D . So if your car is a daily driver and it sits in the exposed parking lot at your employer all day what's going to happen ? Will the housings get damaged from heat ? Will the lense be damaged ? I am interested in your kit but the exposure to sun may be a deal breaker for me :( Anyone have any " sun " experience with these ? And if the black is a no go what about staying with the OEM silver/chrome finish ? I assume that is OK just like the original bulbs ?

Nine8Six 12-25-2013 04:28 PM

Thanks for reading and for the compliment!

If you are likely to park your Boxster facing South-West on a daily basis then the trick is to use "Satin Black" instead of a pure flat black paint. The satin black will reflect 50% of the light. Use a quality high temp paint and your headlights will be just fine. VHT does a very nice satin black, looks very modern e.g. 90% black, 10% grayish.

This is a subject that was discussed here on the Chinese retrofitting forum here and everyone told me I was full of BS for saying that flat black wouldn't work under the hot sun (they are maybe right, what do I know!). Hundreds have done it on their other cars and never got a hot spot/burn years after their retrofit. Like you guys we also do get these (hell-like) burning sun days here in Shanghai.

Their reasoning is; if you use the VHT(-like) quality high temp paint e.g. the same they paint headers with, then all should be well protected under there.

Hope this helps a bit mate

alanqning 12-30-2013 06:30 AM

Nine8Six,

I have sent you a PM.

Thanks,
Alan

Nine8Six 12-30-2013 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanqning (Post 378732)
Nine8Six,

I have sent you a PM.

Thanks,
Alan

PM replied Alan. Apologies for the late one mate

All the best wishes to you and EVERYONE on 986forum for year 2014!!!!!

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Leebherron 01-01-2014 06:28 PM

Nine8Six Bi Xenon Install
 
Finished, looks quite hot (red) !
Thanks Fredhttp://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1388633178.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1388633231.jpg

Nine8Six 01-01-2014 07:49 PM

Very aggressive looking, bad boy stuff :) Fantastic work on the install Lee and tons of thanks for sharing pics!!!

I kinda like your idea of blackening the edge on the top of the lens. Have you use plasti-dip or simply painted them? Does look quite nice, especially on the guards red

Ps. Particleware will be very jealous of your built-in DRL set-up ;)
Pps. I need to see your front bumper (link?). Never seen before, looks nice man

Brad Roberts 01-01-2014 07:57 PM

Great job!!

I have seen a lot SH_T for these cars over the last 14 years I have dealt with them, this is one of the best engineered *kits* to come out for the 986/996 that I have ever seen.

"Paypal" I've had a business Paypal account since 99!! I lived in Mountain View when the company had 20-30 employees LOL

"Mike" from Solidworks, don't be surprised at who you run across :) I received a phone call in the past from *the* Porsche family doctor asking me if I was interested in owning a very rare Porsche that had been gifted to him by the Porsche family back in the early 70's. Story checked out.. easily actually :)

Again Great job. Very rare to see this quality in aftermarket parts.

PM sent.

alanqning 01-01-2014 08:04 PM

I like those lower lights. Gotta find me a kit for that too.

Nine8Six 01-01-2014 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts (Post 379145)
Great job!!

I have seen a lot SH_T for these cars over the last 14 years I have dealt with them, this is one of the best engineered *kits* to come out for the 986/996 that I have ever seen.

"Paypal" I've had a business Paypal account since 99!! I lived in Mountain View when the company had 20-30 employees LOL

"Mike" from Solidworks, don't be surprised at who you run across :) I received a phone call in the past from *the* Porsche family doctor asking me if I was interested in owning a very rare Porsche that had been gifted to him by the Porsche family back in the early 70's. Story checked out.. easily actually :)

Again Great job. Very rare to see this quality in aftermarket parts.

PM sent.

Brad, too kind, thanks a lot mate. I'm so glad someone like yourself can appreciate what went into this kit

Nine8Six 01-01-2014 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanqning (Post 379148)
I like those lower lights. Gotta find me a kit for that too.

You and I both. I also love those lower led style but a lot of it is also coming from the front bumper Lee has I think. Never seen this bumper/grill before now in all honesty. Not bad at all

Nine8Six 01-03-2014 07:54 AM

Before & after pictures (factory color headlights)
 
Just sharing here what I found on another forum. Simple retrofit from a poor halogen to a sharp HID night set-up. No black paint!

Esthetically I think the results are equally great. The owner of this P car left the inside of the headlight factory-color, install projectors and tinted the amber flashers with 3M's 35% window paper. Simple but very nice.


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1388767460.jpg


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1388767479.jpg


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1388767497.jpg
^ Sharp beam, clean, stylish, what else... forgot

ohhh my 01-03-2014 04:45 PM

Can someone post up a picture of the HID's on at night against a wall? I feel as though the way the curvature of our headlights is shaped, takes away some of the sharpness of these projectors versus a headlight housing on a bmw where it's lens which is nearly parallel to the front of the projector. Our lens have a sharp angle and the light has to shine through an angled lens. which is close to 45 degrees.

Nine8Six 01-03-2014 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohhh my (Post 379474)
Can someone post up a picture of the HID's on at night against a wall? I feel as though the way the curvature of our headlights is shaped, takes away some of the sharpness of these projectors versus a headlight housing on a bmw where it's lens which is nearly parallel to the front of the projector. Our lens have a sharp angle and the light has to shine through an angled lens. which is close to 45 degrees.

Mate, you do realize that our Porsche car headlight's lenses are made of some of the best polycarbonate you can find/make today right? They wouldn't last more than a decade on public roads if they were made of substandard poly resin. The elliptical phases aren't affected by the material Porsche uses I reassure you. You can quickly do a test at home if you want; e.g. just aim a hand-held laser beam through the lens. The laser beam will remain straight and the diameter of that laser beam will remain the same (in & out).

Regardless, you are lucky it is our monthly Porsche out day tomorrow for us here in Shanghai. I'll see if I can find you a wall somewhere.

[EDIT: irrelevant details removed]

ohhh my 01-03-2014 07:10 PM

I don't disagree/question you at all with regards to the material of the lens. Just a personal curiosity about the effects of the angled lens. Yes pointing a laser through the lens perfectly perpendicular should provide nearly a perfect beam on the other side. But what if you shined the laser at a 45 or less degree angle, is the beam the still the same? Just a question of optics.

The reason why I asked for pictures is because I'm a light enthusiast and I like good optics, I follow HIDplanet and that's one of the picture that's always included, a picture against the wall. Yes, your craftman is great and I can appreciate how it looks, but I also want to see how badass and great these perform too.

Nine8Six 01-03-2014 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohhh my (Post 379491)
I don't disagree/question you at all with regards to the material of the lens. Just a personal curiosity about the effects of the angled lens. Yes pointing a laser through the lens perfectly perpendicular should provide nearly a perfect beam on the other side. But what if you shined the laser at a 45 or less degree angle, is the beam the still the same? Just a question of optics.

The reason why I asked for pictures is because I'm a light enthusiast and I like good optics, I follow HIDplanet and that's one of the picture that's always included, a picture against the wall. Yes, your craftman is great and I can appreciate how it looks, but I also want to see how badass and great these perform too.

RE light enthusiast, I see. HIDplanet have been a tremendous resource for my research, there are 2-3 guys (regulars) on that forum that knows their stuff quite impressively well. I am actually very grateful to one of them for having shared so much and helped me out in my quest of the unknown (in my case, as a new light enthusiast!).

My secret, Ohhh my:

Although those MH1 projectors are fine, they are not a "precision manufactured" item. The cheap injection molded plastic part used to support the lens often is OFF by millimeters (mind you, most is caused by sloppy assembly as well). Tabs holding the lens securely also tend to be left with flash around them shifting the angle on the lens in some case. It still makes it a "so-so" and affordable product and still working fine you'll say. However the cutoff line you will be getting is all based on luck... you may have a left side sharper than a right side, a shift of optics on the other, stuff like that. Read correct: you move the lens in-or-out by as small as 0.5mm and you screw up the focal point completely. And that is just NOT what real Porsche enthusiasts wants!

The CNC precision equipment I use here allows me to machine the parts to very high tolerance. So I can take this package, break it out, I can very accurately 'position' the lens relative to the elliptical bowl to 0.02mm tolerance. In fact the elliptical is absolutely great on this new 2014 projector model (brutal and sharp beam). In other words, I have the freedom and ability to "dial-in" a very precise optical and "find that exact focal sharpness" for each and single projector that I make.

The other secret is, I am able to reproduce nearly identical parts (again +/- 0.02mm tolerance). Making not only one of the best cutoff sharpness out there, but both Left & Right are identical. That is what I call Quality and the reason behind why I am not particularly shy to call this kit a "High Performance Bi-Xenon Projector retrofit kit for Porsche car".

Ohhh my, it's laser scanner effect-like when you (bumpy) drive this thing in the dark, actually very addictive... feels clean and precise! Nothing to compare with litronic or those frosted bimmer hids [no additional comments here].

Not bad for a noob light enthusiast huh?

ohhh my 01-03-2014 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nine8Six (Post 379498)
RE light enthusiast, I see. HIDplanet have been a tremendous resource for my research, there are 2-3 guys (regulars) on that forum that knows their stuff quite impressively well. I am actually very grateful to one of them for having shared so much and helped me out in my quest of the unknown (in my case, as a new light enthusiast!).

My secret, Ohhh my:

Although those MH1 projectors are fine, they are not a "precision manufactured" item. The cheap injection molded plastic part used to support the lens often is OFF by millimeters (mind you, most is caused by sloppy assembly as well). Tabs holding the lens securely also tend to be left with flash around them shifting the angle on the lens in some case. It still makes it a "so-so" and affordable product and still working fine you'll say. However the cutoff line you will be getting is all based on luck... you may have a left side sharper than a right side, a shift of optics on the other, stuff like that. Read correct: you move the lens in-or-out by as small as 0.5mm and you screw up the focal point completely. And that is just NOT what real Porsche enthusiasts wants!

The CNC precision equipment I use here allows me to machine the parts to very high tolerance. So I can take this package, break it out, I can very accurately 'position' the lens relative to the elliptical bowl to 0.02mm tolerance. In fact the elliptical is absolutely great on this new 2014 projector model (brutal and sharp beam). In other words, I have the freedom and ability to "dial-in" a very precise optical and "find that exact focal sharpness" for each and single projector that I make.

The other secret is, I am able to reproduce nearly identical parts (again +/- 0.02mm tolerance). Making not only one of the best cutoff sharpness out there, but both Left & Right are identical. That is what I call Quality and the reason behind why I am not particularly shy to call this kit a "High Performance Bi-Xenon Projector retrofit kit for Porsche car".

Ohhh my, it's laser scanner effect-like when you (bumpy) drive this thing in the dark, actually very addictive... feels clean and precise! Nothing to compare with litronic or those frosted bimmer hids [no additional comments here].

Not bad for a noob light enthusiast huh?

I believe you misunderstood my previous comment... But in reply to your post anyways.. As you may know, i'm soon going to be ordering a kit from you. I've been following this thread since the beginning and one of the main reasons why i'm selling my factory installed litronics is because of your detail to precision.

My comment above is referring to the angle of the HID light and shining through the polycarbonate headlight lens at an angle. In your example of shining laser through the polycarbonate lens, i'm assuming you used a laser that was shined perpendicular to the lens creating a clean beam on the other side. I asked if holding the laser beam at an angle less than 45 degree would still produce as sharp of a laser point on the other side.

Nine8Six 01-03-2014 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohhh my (Post 379499)
I believe you misunderstood my previous comment... But in reply to your post anyways.. As you may know, i'm soon going to be ordering a kit from you. I've been following this thread since the beginning and one of the main reasons why i'm selling my factory installed litronics is because of your detail to precision.

My comment above is referring to the angle of the HID light and shining through the polycarbonate headlight lens at an angle. In your example of shining laser through the polycarbonate lens, i'm assuming you used a laser that was shined perpendicular to the lens creating a clean beam on the other side. I asked if holding the laser beam at an angle less than 45 degree would still produce as sharp of a laser point on the other side.

Nah, even if you shine it at 89 degree angle to the lens it will go straight in. The poly is amazingly well vacuum i.e. no (read ZERO) microscopic air bubbles.... unlike in cheap Made in Asia polycarbonates.

Seems to be the real deal. I bet the team at Porsche have already considered this optical angle when selecting/manufacturing their headlight material (all porsche cars have inclined lenses). actually, all other sport & super car manufacturers as well.

No sweat there! It shines nicely

Nine8Six 01-03-2014 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohhh my (Post 379499)
I believe you misunderstood my previous comment...

No I didn't. You want to know how bad ass they perform, well you'd possibly be more convinced by knowing exactly How and Why they are made as such instead of me throwing out some boring (night quality) cutoff pictures mate.

I'm very good at Photoshop btw ;)


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