tiguy99

If you got pics...post em! I did a similar post almost a year ago...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...=hid+and+es300

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...=hid+and+es300

Now, I want to see pics Since then, I've grown more fond of the car and now I feel ready to make a decision to change from what I got now. Anyway, I am curious to see what the look of an early model (92-96) model ES300 looks like with real HID (not crappy blue bulbs) from inside view (looking out ahead) and outside view. You see, I want to do a correct conversion (using a similar system like Audis use) with correct level cutoff like in the pic below. Nevertheless, any and all pics are greatly appreciated!
Mike

lex400sc

The early ES300s have the same projectors as the SC300, SC400, 1st gen GS300, and MKIV Supra. Here's my retrofit to BMW E39 (540i, X5) HIDs. The lens itself is about 1mm smaller than our OEM lens so the fitment isn't half bad...

lex400sc

Same can be applied to your cars...

tiguy99

Thanks! How long did it take to do the job right? Was it a real painful install? And what supplies did you have to use in order to accomplish the desired result? Any and all help is appreciated!
Mike

P.S
More pics are appreciated (ES300 member with this can apply as well )

tiguy99

DO you have any pics with the appropriate cutoff levels shown?

amrit50

here's my car w/ hid:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...&highlight=hid

tiguy99

Thanks. Just curious, how long did the project take you and are you using the factory projectors that came with your vehicle or did you spring for the kinds used on late model BMW E39 or Audi?

lex400sc

Took me and two others about 8 hours to finish since this was the first retrofitted Lexus projector. The most painful part of the process was opening up the headlight housing because Lexus uses very potent adhesive. Supplies and tools used were a dremel for cutting and shaping the BMW projector and forming a flange out of the Lexus projector, epoxy resin to bond the Lexus flange with the BMW projector, and a band saw used for faster cutting (not really neccessary). Originally we tried transplanting the BMW lens into the Lexus projector since the size is compareable, however the output was highly unsatisfactory due to the geometry of the Lexus projector. So we cut up the Lexus projector and used a cross section of it to line up the aiming screws with the headlight housing.

tiguy99

What was the most frustrating thing about it? I am preparing myself to do this process alone. And, well I will need to get the tools. I am pretty crafty when it comes down to doing things but this definatly seems like a project you DO NOT wanna screw up you know. So if it took 8 hours with two people..well its gonna take me a week with school and all. Or maybe a good weekend (Sat morning to Sunday evening) to get it right. It want the best results w/ no glare to oncoming traffic, even light distribution, the works. Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate them! Keep em coming!

lex400sc

Well two of the six hours was spent sitting around waiting for the resin to harden before we put everything back together. A lot of the other time was spent doing research and discovery. One of the guys that worked on it has the process fine tuned to just a couple of hours now. He's done retrofit on other member cars in the LA/OC area already (Jmai22, do-lucksc, howiedoit).

tiguy99

Amrit50, do you have any pics showing the process and how projectors used? Its kind of unclear to tell from the pics you have in the link. Also, which projectors did you use for the HIDs? I'm considering Hella. They seem to be the right kind but I feel like
I need more info. My last resort may have to be the junk yeard to cop some projectors from an audi or like lex400sc's BMW E39s! What do you guys recommend?

And is this guy's experience similar to what you guys went through?

http://www.members.aol.com/badhop9/J...D_retrofit.pdf






Sorry I have all these ?s I want to be 110% ready to do this. Maybe I should buy some spare ES300 Headlights first...

amrit50

mine are just 9006 HID bulbs in the standard projectors. I've got some Audi TT projectors on the way, so I am selling my 9006 kit. I will post pics when it's done.

tiguy99

Cool! Let us know! You definatley have the look (car color) I'm working with. You also have good taste. HID from Audi TT is cool. I was gonna use either Hella projectors or Audi projectors. Just curious, do you know what size in MM our ES300 projectors are? Hella uses 90mm. Here's some links

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/car-oem-hid.htm

and

http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hell.../Headlamps.jsp

So far I haven't been able to find an ES300 retrofit online complete with the proper projector setup. I've seen, Honda Accords, even a Ford Contour (yes I know...A CONTOUR) and a Jeep Cherokee like the one above....but no ES. You will have the project done before me but I know I'm up for posting pics when I finish. GOOD LUCK with everything and if you need any research done on my behalf....I'll be honored to help
Mike

lex400sc

Audi TT/BMW 3-series projectors are too small. I was contemplating retrofitting mine with a pair of those just because they are readily available and cheap, but they don't fill the opening at all. There will be like a 5mm gap around the entire trim that you will have to fill with a metal bowl. The 5-series lens is PERFECT for our projectors. It is only like 1mm smaller in diameter and gives your way more color than the TT-3-series projector will. The only issue you have to worry about with the 5-series projector is depth. I was able to make mine fit, but I'm not familiar with the ES300 headlight housing.

squarehat

The ES projectors are pretty deep, so I think a 5 series/X5 projector has a high probability of fitting. Didn't the 92-01 SC, 93-97GS, and 92-96 ES use the same projectors for the low beams? I'd love to do the Illusion conversion, but I'd need to find a set of ES lights off a salvage vehicle to send out to CA. Otherwise, I'd have to make do for a couple of weeks without my car. So, I'd have to add that to the $700 for the conversion. (I don't have nearly enough skill to Dremel apart two sets of delicate headlamps, and epoxy them back together precisely). But that seems like the only "right way" to do it. I don't want to just slap re-based D2S bulbs into my stock projectors, as I've seen the "halos" caused by using HID in older halogen projectors. I want the razor-sharp cutoff of OEM HID projectors. Color flicker would be a cool side benefit, but I'm not doing it just because I want oncoming traffic to think my lights are violet-blue.
I park near a lot of Audi's, and the projectors indeed look tiny compared to mine. I don't see many 3 series with projectors/HID (the halogen models use reflectors for the low beams), but I'll take your word for it.
If the 5 series/ES conversion works well, and someone can help me find a set of 92-96 ES lights as a "core," I'd be interested. I know there are subtle differences between 94 and 95 lights, but I'm pretty much indifferent between the two.