Install BMW Ellipsoids in a 510

[SRSANDS]

Now I am not the best fabricator, first person to do this or experienced like some of you guys on the forum that have done this, seen it done or know their stuff. And I had to call some people and post some questions on the forum for help. But before I asked I spent a good deal of time searching the Realm, Dime Quarterly, and Ratsun as well as the Google for detailed info on some ideas and tips on how to procede with this project and found very little info. The info out there had little or no pics and as a pic guy it was little help. I decided to post how I did it to just for ideas to help other people if needed:

 

First I picked up 1990 5 Series BMW ellipsoids from a local junkyard

 

 

Then using a harbor frieght grinder with a 30 grit sand wheel I ground down the 3 gray mounting tabs and one smaller grey one, making four tabs total almost to the housing. I didnt do any finish work with this abrasive disk to avoid the risk of grinding into the housing, but just cut them down till the three molded support ridges running down each tab are exposed. I then took a small air sander with a course roloc disk and smoothed out everything to the housing, nice and flush. Oh and wear saftey glass, that little hot melted plastic shit goes everywhere, and burns like @#%(Didnt take a pic of this procedure-self explanitory when you get going)

 

When that was finished I set them aside and disassembled the 510 assy

 

I removed the 510 outer light bucket and trimmed just over a half inch off evenly as possible all the way around

 

 

The reason I say just over a half inch is that if you end up cutting just the perfect amount off the bucket and it slides on nice and tight around the ellipsoid, you can use the BMW thick chrome ring the ellipsoid came with. It will clip right over the light on to the bucket after the ellipsoid is installed and have a nice tight fit. I recomend cutting a little less and trying it then use a course sand wheel to deburr the cut and possible even out and trim it down to a perfect snug fit

 

My first one worked out this way but the second I trimmed close to 3/4 inch and the bucket was a little loose so I had to use to stock 510 light trim circles....no biggie

 

Then I took the 510 headlight mounting plate and cut the lip off all the way around to where the mounting plate goes in a straight vertical line, If you follow from one edge of the lip cut straight vertical down to the other lip edge cut you will remove enough of the vertical section also for the ellipsoid to pass through. Use the course sand disk once again to debur the trimmed metal. After all cuts are done and the light fits perfectly repaint the bucket and mounting plate to avoid bare metal from rusting.

 

Now reassemble the ellipsoid and bucket to the mounting plate

 

I also applied another Ratsun "How to" and used the gold yellow krylon xmetals spray and tinted the inner lights yellow until I upgrade those also...or till a cop gets me :)

Test fit the assembly to the car. When I did this the round part just after the H4 bulb mounting point just touched the inner fender well. But still could be installed. The problem here was in order to adjust my light beam inward in the future the rear end of the ellipsoid would have to move outward. Being that my engine bay was already painted I really didnt want to do this but it had to be done for adjustment of the beam.

 

I layed out a layered area of duct tape where the fender well needed to be knocked in. And began body working it with a mallet as I was told it would do little if any damage to the paint. The information was wrong :) It cracked the paint anyways and chipped some filler I have previously applied under it so I decided to go to town with a body hammer.

 

Its hard to tell buy the pic, but I knocked it in 3/4 of a inch to an inch for light assembly clearance. Them I test fitted the lights again. Once that was finished I used body filler to smooth out the indents and sculpt them.

 

 

When I paint the car I will touch up the fender rework..... Now that I have to reshoot some of my engine bay.....Im going to fill in my strut tower spot welds and small things I missed when I first painted it so it worked out good. Just make sure to try to beat the fenders in before you perfect your paint job or youll regret it

Edited February 2, 2009 by SRSANDS

[Icehouse]

Sweet!! Glad you got them in Shawn. It's funny, I have fancy H4's in my 620 and they don't even compare to how good the projectors work!! You will be very happy with them :D

[SRSANDS]

Thanks......

 

I work on my car every single night .....and listen to tunes. Determined to drive the SOB, and not have it as a garge ornament!

I still cant tell if these are the euros or what? An how does I city light install in them if I can? It just doesnt look like It uses a normal bulb.......see thast thing in the top pic????

[dat521kid]

mines are like yours, are you gonna install a hid kit?

[Icehouse]

Thanks......

 

I work on my car every single night .....and listen to tunes. Determined to drive the SOB, and not have it as a garge ornament!

I still cant tell if these are the euros or what? An how does I city light install in them if I can? It just doesnt look like It uses a normal bulb.......see thast thing in the top pic????

 

Check out mine, there is a cut out for the city light, yours doesn't have the cut out.

 

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

You know what I might need a set of those!!!!!!!

[djlotus]

I was gonna say that I had a handful of pics from when I did mine in my project thread, but I didn't have any of the shots of the inner fender. I wasn't going to bondo up the hammer spots, but seeing it in your car it looks like it might be a good idea.

[Cuts metal like mad]

the euro ones have a cut out at the bottom like ice said, the are frequently refered to as smileys... Yours are not that type. Also the euro ones use an h4 bulb whereas the US version is an h1... The euros are also much brighter. I wasn't at all impressed with my ellipsoids (US h1 version)... But I have read on bmw forums that the euro or e-code ellipsoid is a great upgrade, meh, I don't see myself spending that much money on lights.

 

Whenever I start driving the dime at nights more I will upgrade to hella h4's with 80/100 bulbs... Did that once before and with a properly aimed light it's no more blinding than a modern car with hids

[SRSANDS]

the euro ones have a cut out at the bottom like ice said, the are frequently refered to as smileys... Yours are not that type. Also the euro ones use an h4 bulb whereas the US version is an h1... The euros are also much brighter. I wasn't at all impressed with my ellipsoids (US h1 version)... But I have read on bmw forums that the euro or e-code ellipsoid is a great upgrade, meh, I don't see myself spending that much money on lights.

 

Whenever I start driving the dime at nights more I will upgrade to hella h4's with 80/100 bulbs... Did that once before and with a properly aimed light it's no more blinding than a modern car with hids

 

Oh man dont tell me mine suck!!! And I wont be happy with the mod! I had a boner when I put them in!!!:eek:

[SRSANDS]

Ooops....I mean h1 bulbs :)

[ppeters914]

I have fancy H4's in my 620 and they don't even compare to how good the projectors work!!

 

Define fancy H4's, please. I was planning on upgrading the seal beams to E-code H4's (Hella or Cibie).

[RatRod25]

Any body have night shots with HID's??

[yellowdatsun]

I have the smiley ones in my 510 and they are sweeet. Got them on ebay, made by Depo. They also have a small "parking" light inside at the top, which gives off a faint amber glow.