Wow, nice project X5SND.

It is something I would like to play with someday.
I'm questionning myself to know if the aftermarket angel eye rings could be heated and reformed to look like the angel eyes of the BMW DTM cars?
With some eyebrows, it could look good.

http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/dam/bm...3646545366.jpg

Didnt cut the housing, used the oven to warm the cousing and make the plastic soften up a bit....then worked my way around with dental tools and straight screwdrivers to cut the sealant.

Now the bad news, there's another thread kickin around that says 20 mins at 400.....at that temp and duration, you won't have anything but a blob. The stuff hella sealed them with doesn't begin to degrade until ~500*F, long after all the plastic melts. As long as your not doing this in sub-zero temperatures, warming the housing (IMO) only serves to lessen the chance of cracking the plastic. It has negligible Effect on the sealant.


I've looked at a few picture of those headlights....you'd probably be further ahead to head to a place that makes lexan/polycarb stuff. Get them to either bend out a flat 1/2 pc and frost the ends or (if they can) extrude it. The clear sides will be see through, and the light will come from the front.

Bending them to look like the DTM cars may look funny though as it no longer fits the contour of the e53 housing... Not to mention that its next to impossible to find good quality 125 & 140mm rings.

Just a bit of an update....

The project has been at a bit of a stand still as its been a stupid busy set of holidays and Im also waiting on some parts.

The LED rings are mounted to the back side of the AE's. It involved cutting the factory ring light receptacle as the XbA rings cannot be cut.

Im hoping that the ups man will show up today so I can jump on this already.


Heres a couple teasers:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t...3FA3172AD1.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t...3F8B7FCCF8.jpg

what kinds of dental tools do you need for cutting the sealant? I'm guessing really ridiculously thin picks and screwdrivers?

Pretty much. I grabbed a stack of misc. pokers, picks and scrapers from princess auto. A healthy supply Is a must though, because the have a tendency of not lasting too long. (Especially after bending the end into a hook and sharpening up the edge on the bench grinder lol)

are these CCFL lights?

They're LED's. I'm using the xBA's (essentially a v2.0) of these:

Morimoto xB LED Angel Eyes - Accessories from The Retrofit Source Inc

Props to you as I know how difficult it was for me to open those damn headlights. Looking forward to see the final results and write-up. :thumbup:

since they claim, it is not a CCFL, and it does not look like an array of bunch of tiny LEDs lined up in circle - why would they require the disassembly of the headlights?...

if these are LED, does it mean that there is a single source of light shining into CELIS tube, right? just like the OE in the facelifeted E53? Or, it is not a CELIS tube?

Can't really tell by the pictures... :(

the reason I am asking is to see if just a more powerful LED light source would be sufficient... I'd like to see your final result, whenever you get to post the final pics...

:)

1) You pretty much have to open/remove the lens to work on them as he is doing (he is mounting an AE kit BEHIND the stock AEs). Yes, those are facelifted (2004+) HLs.

2) I tried the more powerful LEDs as a light source and didn't have much luck. The problem is the design of the stock HL AEs (how the light source is distributed) and for the more powerful LEDs themselves - the heat they generate.

Not saying someone can't improve on the source (like the new LED bulb replacements out now) but its still nowhere near as bright like the new BMWs.

EDIT: You can't see the indiviual LEDs as they are behind the stock AEs. If he shot a pic from behind you would see them. Also, when you take pics of light in the dark they often diffuse/blur the source so it looks like its a neon/CCFL light source.