First attempt: Retro'd fogs and headlights.

[BradKnob]

A while back i bought some OEM headlight on here in attempt to try my 1st JJ impersonation Def have a newfound respect for what he does bc this is pretty much a PITA.

Heres my first attempt...

http://www.ramforum.com/f41/my_attempt_painting_headlight_housings-47140/


Those came out good but i decided i wanted a little more chrome in the housing and some projectors. I had my original lamps laying around collecting dust so why not take on another project. While i was at it, I will match the fog lights as well. I havent come across any foglight retro how to's so the main point of this write up is to give it a go and hopefully get some knowledge out there. So basically im being the guinea pig. I wanted to do this as cheap as possible since I would need two sets of projectors and 2 sets of new bulbs. So ill bring you along for the journey.


Baked them for about 15 min at 250. They came apart a lot easier than the first ones. Those I butchered the edges with a screw driver trying to pry the lens from the housing. These I was able to pull them apart by hand.

Taped the area i wanted to stay chrome



Can see my current ones in the back ground



Primed em up.




Last go round i stepped on and cracked one of the reflectors and didnt use any, This time I made sure to keep them in one peice and paint. Just looks a little cleaner with them in



Spray bombed the housings



Pic sucks but after a few coats of clear and tape removed...





In the housing...





Would have loved to snag some Morimotos but 2 sets were a little out my price range so i snagged 2 sets from retro-source on sale for $85/set.

H1 Mini BiXenon projectors - Retro-Solutions Store


After i opened up the hole a little bit for them to fit, i threw them in there to see if i would leave the shrouds chrome or paint... %100 getting sprayed





Sprayed up the shrouds...



Aw yeaaa






This is as far as I got. Im waiting for the new bulbs to come in so tonight ill start ripping into the fogs and see how that goes. All I know so far, according to JJ, is that theres A LOT of cutting for projectors to fit. Bring it on!











Side Question: The wires on the projectors only need to be connected if youre using a single bulb for high and low beam? Im only using them for low beam so there is no need to connect these to anything? before i chop em off.

 

[emjohn4]

A while back i bought some OEM headlight on here in attempt to try my 1st JJ impersonation Def have a newfound respect for what he does bc this is pretty much a PITA.

Heres my first attempt...

http://www.ramforum.com/f41/my_attempt_painting_headlight_housings-47140/


Those came out good but i decided i wanted a little more chrome in the housing and some projectors. I had my original lamps laying around collecting dust so why not take on another project. While i was at it, I will match the fog lights as well. I havent come across any foglight retro how to's so the main point of this write up is to give it a go and hopefully get some knowledge out there. So basically im being the guinea pig. I wanted to do this as cheap as possible since I would need two sets of projectors and 2 sets of new bulbs. So ill bring you along for the journey.


Baked them for about 15 min at 250. They came apart a lot easier than the first ones. Those I butchered the edges with a screw driver trying to pry the lens from the housing. These I was able to pull them apart by hand.

Taped the area i wanted to stay chrome



Can see my current ones in the back ground



Primed em up.




Last go round i stepped on and cracked one of the reflectors and didnt use any, This time I made sure to keep them in one peice and paint. Just looks a little cleaner with them in



Spray bombed the housings



Pic sucks but after a few coats of clear and tape removed...





In the housing...





Would have loved to snag some Morimotos but 2 sets were a little out my price range so i snagged 2 sets from retro-source on sale for $85/set.

H1 Mini BiXenon projectors - Retro-Solutions Store


After i opened up the hole a little bit for them to fit, i threw them in there to see if i would leave the shrouds chrome or paint... %100 getting sprayed





Sprayed up the shrouds...



Aw yeaaa






This is as far as I got. Im waiting for the new bulbs to come in so tonight ill start ripping into the fogs and see how that goes. All I know so far, according to JJ, is that theres A LOT of cutting for projectors to fit. Bring it on!











Side Question: The wires on the projectors only need to be connected if youre using a single bulb for high and low beam? Im only using them for low beam so there is no need to connect these to anything? before i chop em off.

Do the fogs. They look sweet.

Mine:

 

[Crescent1101]

I wish this was a write up on a Gen3. I may just have to give JJ a call.

 

[BlkXpress]

Are you going to paint the reflector? Since you have the projector there is no need for the reflector where the low beam is.


Looking good though.

 

[BradKnob]

Do the fogs. They look sweet

That does look good. You do them or buy them like that?

Are you going to paint the reflector? Since you have the projector there is no need for the reflector where the low beam is.


Looking good though.

Yea I know the reflector isn't necessary but I kinda like the contrast of the black and chrome. But it's up in the air. I have til the bulbs come in to decide tho.

 

[emjohn4]

That does look good. You do them or buy them like that?

Did them myself. They were a bit of a pain...but the end result was worth it.

I used b-stock H1's and aftermarket housings.

 

[BradKnob]

Sweet, def worth the effort. What did you use to seal them back up? I'm about to try and bust mw open in a few min

 

[iam_canadian22]

Those wires dont need to but should be triggered by your high beams to open up the shield in the projector to have full light along with your highs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bigbadram1500]

nice work

 

[RyanJM]

Looks good.

 

[BlownGP]

Looks good man.. I need to come check them out..

 

[Pigeonman]

Looking good man! Can't wait to see how the fogs turn out. I'm hoping/planning to give mine a similar treatment after I get my muffler installed.

 

[emjohn4]

Sweet, def worth the effort. What did you use to seal them back up? I'm about to try and bust mw open in a few min

I used a black abs pipe cap and clean out. I'll try to get some pics for you tonight.

 

[BradKnob]

Looks good man.. I need to come check them out..

These and my sub box lol.

I used a black abs pipe cap and clean out. I'll try to get some pics for you tonight.

That would be awesome.

I got one open and half ass fitted the projector in there and it seems the shroud prevents the projector from sitting level. Was that the case with yours? I need to make the hole on the back of the housing much bigger so the projector will sit a little deeper and ill see how it fits then.

 

[Etroze86]

Man those are ******* next time I go down to AL for classes we will have to meet up somewhere to check out each others Ram's.

 

[BradKnob]

^^^ I've got a camp in Mississippi. We'll party for a weekend!!! Have a MS ramforum throw down haha

 

[Livewire]

Alright Im doing it. Everyone else can do it so can I. Or I think I can.

 

[Etroze86]

You got this and brad hell ya.

 

[BradKnob]

Alright Im doing it. Everyone else can do it so can I. Or I think I can.

Go get it man, everyone has to start somewhere. Just do what I do... Grab a nice big glass of jack and sprite, and dive in head first to the point of no return. That way u put your self in the situation where now u have to finish. LOL Thats prob not the best advice ive ever given but like i did here...




Now i have to finish them, or throw away a $70 set of fogs. Lessgoo

First lets take step back. Heres how the projectors fit before the cutting...






Thats not gonna work. I had to make the hole bigger in order for the projector and chroud to recess more into the back of the housing.

Taped up the chrome to prevent any chipping, then went to town with the jigsaw...



Compared to stock housing. (theres that point of no return i was talking about)





Now were working with something.





Now of course that brings me to my next dilemma.



...and that is fastening and sealing the projector to the housing. I thought about using the existing holes on the projector that are used to screw the shrouds in place. I could get longer screws and they would hold the projector to the housing and the shroud to the projector all at the same time.
Or just using a bent peice of metal behind it and using the supplied lock not to hold it in place. Kind of like how some tweeters are mounted. Open to ideas if you all have any.

Then i need to decide on paint. I like the chrome and black contrast so im thinking of leaving the fog housing all chrome and shroud black. that way my black bumper will almost make the fog look real similar to the headlights. Opinions?

 

[Pigeonman]

Getting those aimed is gonna be interesting. Maybe install them back in the truck with the projectors still unattached get someone to help with the ain't and tack them into place with steel stick? Then use the existing holes and longer screws like you mentioned and seal everything back up.