Best way to fix Gen1 headlights?

Y

Ye_Lunatic

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I tried baking one in the oven and sanding the lense. Unfortunately I warped the plastic on the lens when I pried it apart, so I had to dremel it and use a lot of epoxy to put it back together.

I also (stupid) tried to polish the reflecor housing with Windex. It wound up taking all of the chrome paint off, so I "re-chromed" the housing with Dura-color chrome paint, which sucks. I comes out as a dull silver.

So now one the headlight puts out less light than it used to. I just aimed them to the floor and now I leave my brights on as a temporary fix.

I heard of guys cutting out the housing and JB Welding a new light in there. But I am apprehensive about starting that big of a job and ruining my headlights. Is there anything else that can be done?
 
My first answer is a hammer applied firmly and evenly it the entire housing will fix quite a bit, but wont get you more light unfortunately :)


From your description, my thinking would be it's time for a new headlamp. you can pick them up used from junkyards and what not for about $50-$60
 
Number one rule: If it's already broke, you can't break it trying to fix it. ;)

You're gonna have to do something, so don't worry about ruining what you've got. You'll come out winning or losing. If you lose, you just get a used lamp assembly, spring for a new assembly or go all out for the HID conversion.
 
Number one rule: If it's already broke, you can't break it trying to fix it.





See my hammer technique I posted above. :)
 
My friend with a Mark VIII is so sick of his dim ass lights that he is going to be buying a 98 LSC soon with the Xenon lights he drove it and said it was amazing that he could see at night now!
 
There's a really easy fix to all of this, put full coverage on the car, wreck it, and invest the money you get back from the insurance into a Gen2! :ban
 
not sure on mounting options on the gen1, but how about some after market driving lights like the Piaa 1100X, very compact in size, commonly used on the C5 corvettes
(around $200)
just thought I'd give a little light on the subject :)
 
Thanks, guys. Mounting driving lights behind the grill is one option, but supposedly, that light doesn't spread out to the sides of the road, due to the grill.

I thought of mounting them in the bumper, but I don't know if that is possible.
 
The easy answer to this question has already been mentioned, driving with your high lights on! I have been doing it for YEARS without a problem and it is very seldom that I get flashed. Lots of cars have a much brighter low beam, and trucks are even worse. It is a very simple fix to one of the most common problems with the first gen Marks.

Kale
 
For those of you with a gen 1 with the NON HID headlights....I am currently working on a possible 'fix' for them. Actually, I am working on a custom set of headlights that will use a different setup for the low beam, and the low beam only (at least for now). It is going to take some time to get the parts, and try this all out (thank god I have an extra set of NON HID housings to work with). I am going to make a new lense as well (clear vise the factory lense) that should also help with the light that is emitted. I will keep you all posted on this work in progress. I am searchin out parts so as to keep the price down. IF it works out, I plan on making them (on a VERY limitied basis....depending on how difficult they are to make) and keeping the price between a new factory housing, and the HID housing (so the price is going to be between $200 - $500.....each housing...hopefully closer to $200...we will have to see).

:L
 
I would realy want to see the custom lights when ever you make them as sound intreasting
 
nothing

Ye_Lunatic said:
I tried baking one in the oven and sanding the lense. Unfortunately I warped the plastic on the lens when I pried it apart, so I had to dremel it and use a lot of epoxy to put it back together.

I also (stupid) tried to polish the reflecor housing with Windex. It wound up taking all of the chrome paint off, so I "re-chromed" the housing with Dura-color chrome paint, which sucks. I comes out as a dull silver.

So now one the headlight puts out less light than it used to. I just aimed them to the floor and now I leave my brights on as a temporary fix.

I heard of guys cutting out the housing and JB Welding a new light in there. But I am apprehensive about starting that big of a job and ruining my headlights. Is there anything else that can be done?
Click to expand...
i tryied everything myself but the only thing you can do is buy a new one
 
pilolli said:
i tryied everything myself but the only thing you can do is buy a new one
Click to expand...

Just so you know, new, non-hid gen 1 headlights aren't much better. I replaced both front headlights with new ones when I got my car painted 2-years ago, and the lights were better, but still not as good as it probably should be. They weren't nearly as good as the Gen 1 HID lights.

Ken
 
Just do what I have been doing for years now.

Bust out the reflector that sits right in front of the bulb.

You will not believe the stadium lighting it produces.

I have stock bulbs, fairly clear plastic on the TerminVIIIor and it will BLIND you.

I have done this for well over 100 customers over the years and it is amazing and free.
 
ONEBADMK8 said:
Just do what I have been doing for years now.

Bust out the reflector that sits right in front of the bulb.

You will not believe the stadium lighting it produces.

I have stock bulbs, fairly clear plastic on the TerminVIIIor and it will BLIND you.

I have done this for well over 100 customers over the years and it is amazing and free.
Click to expand...


I did that VERY same thing, and even with my housings TOTALLY polished....and the highest wattage bulbs (NON PIAA) in there, and still can BARELY tell I have headlights.....forget it when it is wet out.....so I just added the driving lights behind the grille.....the ones off of the AssassinVIIIor.

I will be purchasing some of the parts for my 'custom' headlights in the next few weeks. IF they come out good, and have a decent amount of light...depending on what I use for the light source and the price it should not be that expensive to do. I am hoping that I can price this....IF it works...somewhere between the stock housings and the HID's.....but I have to get off my fat a s s and get going. I have one set of factory NON HID housings to play with, so I will keep ya'll posted on the progress, and when I start.
 
ONEBADMK8 said:
Just do what I have been doing for years now.

Bust out the reflector that sits right in front of the bulb.

You will not believe the stadium lighting it produces.

I have stock bulbs, fairly clear plastic on the TerminVIIIor and it will BLIND you.

I have done this for well over 100 customers over the years and it is amazing and free.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing, and it did help a little bit.
 
Just did that this weekend. I like the idea of clips holding the headlights in. No bolts to break, or phillips head screws to strip out. Instead, you have clips to break.

I removed those black metal "sheilds" by twisting and folding them with a pair of needle nose pliers. Came out nice, and it is much better than before.
 
low beam headlight mod

Jker said:
Just did that this weekend. I like the idea of clips holding the headlights in. No bolts to break, or phillips head screws to strip out. Instead, you have clips to break.

I removed those black metal "sheilds" by twisting and folding them with a pair of needle nose pliers. Came out nice, and it is much better than before.
Click to expand...

With the modified low beams do you get flashed by oncoming drivers who think your high beam lights are on??
 
Don't forget if the lenses are dull , you can take some fine sandpaper to take the grit off. Then poliish them with a buffer and coumpound to finish them off. :give
 
Was like the lights weren't even on. Yellowed lenses. Polished them removed low beam deflector. Light output doubled. Dremmeled out the faceted portion replaced with clear. Output doubled again.Still not satisfied slipped in some 4352 halogens I got from a junkyard for both high beam and low beams just angled the low side down more and it's like having a car with headlights. You get a little wind noise but if you wanted to cover them it would eliminate the noise, but I like the look with them open. camera 019.jpgcamera 020.jpg

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how do people even find these old ass threads? takes quite a bit of searching to unearth them lol
 
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