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my 09 vibe retrofit
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:49 pm
by lowincash
***UPDATED Pics below my buddy at hidillusionz finally finished my headlights. i originally wanted to use fx35 bixenon with clear lense and replica e46 shroud but those won't fit since i didn't want it to stick out the back too much. i ended up using tsx projectors again, which was what i first wanted but then he told me i should try the fx...i was all excited to have xenon high beams too lol but oh well. i still like the tsx ones.btw, how hard is it to open up the headlights for the first gen vibes? my buddy does retrofits for a living and he says my headlights was the hardest one to open up out of all the cars that he had worked on. the 09 headlights are made by valeos which are known to be almost impossible to open. well i'm just glad he got it opened tho lol here's a few pics of what it looks like so far.the headlight lense are not on in those pics. hopefully i will get them soon so i can enjoy hids again
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:07 am
by Wolfman213
Sexy!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that it going to be my weekend project of FINALLY getting the projectors in my headlamps. From what I've read, it's a pain period opening the headlamps, but I have yet to read any horror stories about it though. I'm sure Keith can do it in his sleep though.
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:29 am
by BlueCrush
Cool! Can't wait to see them on your Vibe!
Re: (Wolfman213)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:31 am
by keithvibe
Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 » I'm sure Keith can do it in his sleep though.your just about right.I have opened 5 sets of vibe and matrix headlights with out issue. No problems for me.The gatlin shrouds look good with the tsx projectors. I plan on adding a set myself to my projectors to fill the reflector bowl more. Stay tuned for that lol
Re: (keithvibe)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:09 am
by kevera
Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »Gatlins FTW!! True you are. Lights look good,FIRST 09 I've seen like that.Take a few pics when you get them installed.
Re: (keithvibe)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:32 am
by lowincash
does the gatlin gun shroud look the same as the one i have? the one i got is called minigun. this shroud is not bad...i think it'll look great on your headlights too. i still would have liked the e46 shroud since the shape is almost like the 09's low beam shape and would cover up more of the open areas...but the low beam is not centered...it's more towards the side of the reflector.
Re: (lowincash)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:21 am
by keithvibe
the gatlin's look exactly like those.
Re: (keithvibe)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:36 pm
by lowincash
cool those fit the projectors perfectly
Re: (lowincash)
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:33 pm
by keithvibe
not exactly, they needed to be trimmed to fit. but they fill the headlight so much better.
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:54 pm
by Jyik40
Hey lowincash, you are also a member on hidplanet right? I just have a few questions regarding your retrofit. I am in the process of gathering parts for my retro and I am torn between a tsx projector or a RX330 projector. Looking at your pictures, I guess the tsx projector fits perfectly? How much does the projector stick out from the back of the headlight? I know that the driver's side has a wiring harness that passes right over the low beam connector which may cause clearance problems. Another thing, where did you source your headlamps from? I've been looking on ebay and they are still very expensive for used (broken tabs) headlamps.
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (Jyik40)
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:22 pm
by keithvibe
I can answer one of those questions for ya Jyik40he got the headlights from the dealer for about 500bucks.
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (Jyik40)
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:50 pm
by lowincash
yeah i'm on hidplanet too. the tsx projectors fits perfectly in these headlights. it doesn't stick out the back at all and it's just like stock. i noticed that there's not much clearance behind the driver side headlight that's why i had my friend make it not stick out in the back. that's also the reason i couldn't use the fx35 bixenon because that would need more room and will stick out in the back. as for the headlights, yeah like keith says i got them from the dealer for $500 lol i couldn't find any at junkyard or ebay so i ordered from dealer. it was on back order and took like 3 weeks to get here. if you need spare headlights, i can sell you the ones on my car after i get my retrofit installed. hopefully i should be getting my headlights next week.
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:09 am
by Jyik40
Wow...I can't believe how expensive the stock headlamps are! The retrofit looks awesome. Yeah definitely keep me in mind when you get your retro back. Also, does hidillusionz provide a rotational adjustment with the headlamp?
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (Jyik40)
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:05 pm
by lowincash
they don't have the rotational adjustment but their work is good and the cutoff should be pretty straight. all the ones they've done for me were great so hope this comes out good too =D
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:28 pm
by lowincash
well i finally got my headlights today and got it installed during my lunch break. so far everything seems fine...here's a few picsi'll get some better pics of them installed during the day
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:35 pm
by hskater26
booooo i work at cvs......lights look good though
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:35 pm
by SuperSpeedWagon
Now that is freakin awesome
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:02 am
by lowincash
alrite here's a few daytime pics btw since when does cvs open 24hrs lol i just noticed it when i saw my pic haha
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:27 am
by keithvibe
Looking good.... 4300k right?
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (keithvibe)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:35 am
by lowincash
yeah they're 4300k but these are aftermarket ones, not the oem philip ones. i hope to get an oem hid kit later on after i get my tax refund...but for now i'm using the same kit as the ones in your gb i think. it's the tiny thin ballasts with the separate ignitor. they're a lot smaller in person than in pics...they look kinda cute too lol
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (lowincash)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:39 am
by keithvibe
Quote, originally posted by lowincash » they're a lot smaller in person than in pics...they look kinda cute too lollol yea they are about the size of a wallet.Easy to hide;)
Re: my 09 vibe retrofit (keithvibe)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:29 pm
by NascarXprt
dang! those lights look real claen man, awesome job!
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:03 pm
by 3_D
booooo i work at cvs......lights look good though Me too! You're not far from Woonsocket.
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:49 pm
by bull77
nice work do you have a side-by-side comparison with a stock headlight? -- maybe using that last pic...
Re: (bull77)
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:30 pm
by lowincash
this is close enoughbefore:after:man i wish i can go without the front license plate...hate the look with it on lol