DIY: Headlight LED's and blackout

cperusa

I am planning on painting them body color not black. I don't know if that will be light enough. hope it looks good... I shall post pics once i am done. I am planning on working on it during first week of December.

cperusa

Here are the pics of my 40th after headlight mod...
Headlights painted with color matched paint.
1.

2.


The LEDs
3.


evil look
4.

RZ14

Where did you acquire the paint for the housing?

djpathfinder

Take some pics during the day too when you get the chance...I'm curious to see what that looks like in the sunlight.

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2012 GT-R Black Edition Jet Black
2010 370Z 40th Anniversary // SOLD

Dembflyr

Thanks guys.

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2012 G37S Sedan 6MT - Project Practicality

2009-6MT-Sport/Touring-Dembflyr's Journal-TT Build Thread-CAR IS SOLD

Rebelman

nice

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370z, Pearl white, tinted windows, sports package, 6spd man.

NISMOFO

As the OP stated in his disclaimer, it doesn't hurt to use more resistors. I believe the rule of thumb is one resistor per LED. He's got 3 LEDs to one resistor in this setup and over time I believe that can cause issues. I only mention this because I own his car and I have these exact lights in them and currently I have 3 of the LEDs flickering. I'm fairly sure its the resistor, but can't be 100% yet.

I have been planning to trade these lights out for a stock set since day one, but I just haven't gotten around to posting it yet.

Caravanshaka

Actually, if you go to any LED resistor calculator site, they all have wiring schematics for multiple LED's per resistor, with 3 LED's per resistor being common. My uncle is an electrical engineer that works with LED's on a daily basis, and he is the one that supplied me with the wiring schematic, which I verified to be correct on a couple different resistor calculator sites.

I think the issue with flickering is due to a loose connection somewhere in that string of 3, probably a post that broke off of an LED or resistor that is still held in place by the heat-shrink tubing allowing it to have a bad connection.

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____________________ PROJECT DiaD - Sold but not forgotten!
The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that in order to work the penis, the brain must remain whole.

NISMOFO

I think you're 100% right. I now stand corrected. I don't think there is anything wrong with the way these were wired. I think I just hit a few too many bumps in the road...

shadoquad

Not a bad idea. Are you planning on keeping the aftermarket ones and going a new route with them, or are you going to sell them? Regardless, picking up stock lights is a good idea, especially if you plan on selling the car at some point down the road.

NISMOFO

I had a potential trade for stock (even swap) fall through with another forum member. I'm still semi-interested in trading for stock....but after seeing a stock pair, the chrome is extremely overwhelming to look at. So I don't know for sure what my plan is.

antivirus6613

can someone wiegh in on how the led's look in the daylight and if they are visible similar to the audi's lights?

also, @cperusa how did you get the evil look going? drilled holes and put LED's?

cperusa

yes. I drilled holes. If you look at the projector shroud it actually has dips along the rim. I put one LED on each dip.

Dembflyr

Starting my headlight mod. Angel eyes, Landing strip and two color Demon eye.

One is in the oven right now.



Gonna use these switches to have total control.



I'll have to finish next week though.

__________________
2012 G37S Sedan 6MT - Project Practicality

2009-6MT-Sport/Touring-Dembflyr's Journal-TT Build Thread-CAR IS SOLD

s4play

I just finished these for my girl's Lexus, the process is the same and we recommend always to use an oven to open the headlights.

There are specific types of LED's that do NOT require resistors too - all depends on what you want the look. My philosophy has always been to use less parts, less chance of issues from vibration later on.

here's the lenses taken apart:


Back together ready for install with LED's and bulb replacements:


we also took the time to sandblast the chrome off and repaint in gloss black inners:


We have a new 370Z here in our garage so plan to do the same LED setup but with high output LED's that are spaced differently than OP. If you are in the norcal bay area, drop by if you want to see them in action