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BMW Headlight Swap


Cruzn620

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I believe they are from a late 80's early 90's 3 and 5 series. They are called "elipsoid" headlights. I had a set from a 3 series. They are the same 5 3/4" diameter as stock but you have to grind off the mounting tabs to make them fit. Not a big deal since the housing is plastic. The biggest difference is in the mounting depth and wiring. They sit about 6" deep and use a 9005 style bulb so the connector is different. They will be a bit brighter than stock but to really get them brighter you will have to upgrade the wiring. 30+ year old technology isnt exactly up to modern demands.

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thanks for the help. i was looking around and honestly getting lights for a 510 gives you more options to do an upgrade than a bmw! i was hoping we had the same lights as a 280z, but i think they use huge 7" lights if i am correct (please correct me if i'm wrong) i think i am just going to get the halogen upgrades on ebay, then buy silverstar bulbs for them. i have silverstars in my s10 and its nice and bright! so i need to upgrade my wiring if i do this? if so...what do i need to replace? thanks!!!

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Your right on the zx lights. They are the 7" lenses. The h-4 upgrade is the easiest and allows you to run any number of bulb brightnesses. I have a wiring diagram that outlines the upgrade but it is on my computer at work and the old datsun pickup lovers site is down again so I cant get it. Maybe someone else has a copy? I'll keep looking around.

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The 510 has "upgrades" but they are all reflector based lights. They may throw the word HID in there in regards to the bulbs but they are not.

 

BMW has projector housings inside. That is the major upgrade you want right there. You can always do a real HID swap later into those projectors.

 

1989-92 BMW 3-series. 325 specifically I know has them. I had a 1989 and it had those projectors.

You can (or at least you could) get aftermarket headlights for the BMW from Summit Racing. Still has the projectors but they also have the BMW halo look around each headlight. approx $300 and you don't have to go junk yard hunting.

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http://www.rallylights.com/hella/5.75_lo.asp

I use this in my 510 55/60watt Osram bulbs

 

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

I have Cibie H4 convex glass with 80/100 watt bulbs

 

this is the harness I use on both vehicles

 

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Headlights.shtml#OnLineOrdering

 

 

Be honest just order the 80/100 Watt Hella bulbs from Ralleylights and get the H4 lamps

 

I left my high beams along. I got theseso to have better low beam lighting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/t6/0033.asp used for a TR^ but might work call

 

 

Best to have at least a 50amp alternator.

I know the 35 amp on 510/521 are OK with the heater and access but 50amp is better.

I dont know what a 620 truck use. Ones I seen were 35amps

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wow guys, thanks for all the info!! i am just used to driving my s10 with those silverstars and saying that the lighting on my 620 is underwhelming is an understatement! i think for now i'm going to just do the h-4 upgrade and run some silverstar bulbs in them like i do in my s10...but it would be badass to do that projector swap for sure! thanks again

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i was gonna run some newish bmw light housings in mine, keep the dual headlight look, with the modern technology. if you go to ebay, they sell all sorts of bmw light housings for cheap, like 90 a set, with the projectors in them (or what looks to be) im kinda headed that direction, but ill have to see.

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and those are the BMW set up? i see what fineline is talking about now, trimming the mounting tabs off. that is a sweet set up though. i tell you, its easy to find all kinds of cool stuff for the 7" headlights, "projectors" (there is no way they work as well as OEM projectors) and a lot of cheap "angel eye" systems and stuff like that. i only found 1 5.75" angle eye set up. that was through stylin concepts and it was expensive! i guess you have to pay to play though!

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from my experience with the yellow "driving" lights are...they look bright as hell to oncoming traffic, but don't do shit for illuminating the road. they are a good "city" light though where the street lights provide all the light you need and they will make you stand out in traffic!

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The yellow doesnt reflect light back as much in the fog/rain

I put some Yellow lamineX plastic coating on there more to look COOL than for real light ability since I run the Hella 500 Bumper driving lights already on my beater 510 and my 521.

There are some Yellow spay also.

 

I got the H4 lamps mostly for the better low beam spead of light.

 

If running a 35 amp alterntor the 55/60 bulb is ok if not running too amny accersories

If you run a 50amper I would get the 80/100watt bulbs for the H4 lamps

 

all of coarse with a harness.

 

Now I now all want the HID BMW head lights but I dont see really to many out there.

What I metioned will cost about 120-150 dollars for the pair of H4 Lamps some spare bulbs and get the H4 harness. But once you have it you wont go BACK. Intially most people dont get these cause they are cheap(I myself but glad I ave them now.

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i read a lil thing about how to make those angel eyes one time, it's very simple. the DIY thing i was reading used a the twisty thing off a set of mini blinds, a clear one, warmed it up and made it round, cut a slit in it to insert a led in each end, then cut lil marks along the outside to reflect the light through the curve... cost almost nothing and if you take your time they look almost exactly like the ones you buy.

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yeah, stock is 35 amps and from the look of my alternator...its painfully stock. i am eventually going to put a GM 105amp on it to power my compressors and stereo...but i was HOPING to find an upgrade at one of the chain auto parts stores, like a 50amp, but no luck this far. you think i'll need more amps just to run normal halogens?

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HOPING to find an upgrade at one of the chain auto parts stores, like a 50amp, but no luck this far. you think i'll need more amps just to run normal halogens?

 

Do we have a thread on alt upgrades on this forum? 50 or 60amp could be a bolt-on upgrade depending on what year truck you have.

 

Yes, you'll need 50amp to run halogens. Even 55w low beams. The 35amp alt barely keeps up with stock equipment.

 

I had a 60amp and ran a pair of 55w H4's and a CD player. (no other amps) it was 'just' enough at idle with the heater fan on and brake lights. (1978 620)

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55 watt H4 will work on a 35 amper but everything should be OFF(like the heater fan) otherwise at idle like Bleach said it will barely cut it.

 

I found a 50amper upgrade for a 510 thru Beck Arnely. But all it really is is just a stock 50 amper but the put a bolt reducer(shim) cause the 510 uses the 6mm thick bolt.

 

But remeber the trucks are tighter fit and a 50/60 amper has a bigger housing and might hit the idler arm.

 

 

On my 521 the alternator lower mount was a stamped/welded looking thing and I went with a 510 lower mount and bolted it to my L16. Then I had idler arm getting in the way cause my belt would slip. I got a grinder and shaved some of the nut off to get my belt tight (cause 50amper is bigger)

 

I drilled out my stock 510 lower mount and had a machine shop drill drill out it to 3/8 as most 50ampers use the bigger bolt.

l16alternatorboltconversion_thumb.JPG

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i didnt find an altenator thread by using the search forum. man i am really glad now that i didnt buy a new replacement altenator while i was replacing old parts!!! i'm going to browse around and see what i can't find for the 510, and hainz, ill take your advice on the mounting stuff...thanks for the tip! i'm really lucky that my best friend is a machinist, its going to make my build up a lot easier! right now i'm going to have to hold up on the lights, but when i get around to them, i'll post up what i have come up with. thanks guys!

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