6G Celicas Forums

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

> Projector Modification Write-Up, 56K is going to feel this one
post Mar 24, 2009 - 11:30 PM
+Quote Post
Fastbird

Enthusiast
*****
Joined Jun 25, '05
From Fort Wayne, IN
Currently Offline

Reputation: 14 (100%)




Since I thought the write up here on the site was lacking some pics, I thought I'd do my own.

First, gotta get the glass out. You need a big pot or something. I didn't have a pot big enough, but this Wok did the trick!


But, do NOT try to force the glass out. I wasn't thinking and pushed too hard....whoops. Fortunately this is hidden and not visible as installed:


It only takes about 5 minutes in boiling water to soften the sealant up enough to pry everything apart. This is what you end up with:


When you're prying the glass off, make sure you don't get any on the chrome inner housing. It screws it up. See pic:


Ok, so you've got the glass out. Time to remove the chrome housing. You can see in this pic that there's two screws holding it on.


Remove those two screws and lift up from the bottom to allow the retaining tab to slip free from the top mount shown below:


Now you're left with the outer housing and the projector assembly mounted inside:


The projector assembly is a bit more tricky to remove. There are two adjusting screws on the back but they won't free the projector assembly from the housing. The projector assembly is held in by an alignment assembly at the lower inside corner. This is screwed in to the assembly from the backside. To reach those screws, you have to back the lower outer adjusting screw out of the assembly pushing it outwards as shown below:


Then you can access the screws on the alignment assembly backside though the back of the housing:


Once those screws are backed out, you can back out both of the alignment screws from the projector assembly, freeing it from the housing. BE ADVISED that one of the screws is reverse threaded, so watch what you're doing. Once it's freed, you are left with the pic below:


In this pic you can see the alignment assembly that's left in the main housing:


Now, to take apart the projector assembly, from the backside you will see two screws.


Remove those, then remove the rear housing from the lens housing:


Don't worry about putting it back on the right way. There are alignment pins that will only let it go together one way:


Now it's time to disassemble the projector lens housing. From the front side, there are two screws located at top and bottom of the lens.


Remove those screws, then separate the lens retaining ring and the lens from the housing.


Time for the REAL work, creating and affixing the cutoff modification. We're all familiar with why it's needed and what the part is so here's what I did.

First, I created a cardboard template with the shape and size needed to do the job:


Then, I got myself some aluminum sheeting:


Cutting out a square big enough for the template, scribe the template pattern on to the piece you just cut out. HINT: Use a straight edge of the sheet for the top edge of the cutoff:


Using some aluminum shears or the like, cut your cutoff piece out:


Once the piece is cut, confirm it's the right size. trim if necessary to the right size:


Now you need to contour the piece to the shape of the housing so everything sits flush as shown below:




Now for the not so normal part. Most people have been using self tapping screws or something to affix the cutoff modification panel to the housing. I decided to go the pop rivet route because I don't want ANY chance of any kind of failure. I used a 1/8" pop rivet. I drilled the panel and housing at the same time on my drill press, so I didn't have a chance to take pics. But, as you can see below, two holes drilled allow two rivets to be put in place to retain the panel:






Pop the rivets, and I added a third to keep vibrations from causing a lighting flutter:






Now you can reassemble the projector housing in the reverse order that you took it apart. Set it aside and get ready for some tedious, time consuming, hand tiring work. Scraping the glass and housing free from all the old sealant. The glass will come free with a razor, but the housing is a different story as the majority of sealant is left in there. Fortunately, I found a trick that made it MUCH easier. A flathead screwdriver, and a small propane torch.



Doing a small section at a time, heat up the sealant, then come through with the screwdriver and scrape what you can out. With a few passes, you'll end up with the pics below, and you're ready to finish reassembling everything.




Put the projector housing back into the main housing and reattach everything starting with the alignment assembly, then move to the adjustment bolts. Once the projector is back in the housing, put the chrome inner housing back in. Now you're ready to tackle the glass.

I used ultra black RTV sealant in a caulk gun tube. This made it EXTREMELY easy to fill the recess for the glass in the housing. Just run a thick bead all the way around, press the glass back into the housing, and let it cure for 24 hours! Then put your rubber seal back on and the clips and you're done!

Questions or comments?

Addition!!!!! Side Marker Bulb housing modification for fitment to side marker harness connector.

There are three alignment tabs for the accessory bulb housing that must be trimmed off, then it will fit in the side marker light connector. Below you can see a modded and unmodded bulb housing. This is pretty simple to do, jsut take a shop knife and trim little by little until it's gone and smoothed down.







This post has been edited by Fastbird: Mar 31, 2009 - 10:11 PM


--------------------
 
Start new topic
Replies
post Dec 31, 2009 - 2:01 PM
+Quote Post
jordisonjr



Enthusiast
*****
Joined Jan 20, '09
From Winnipeg
Currently Offline

Reputation: 5 (100%)




I don't really understand the point of this mod. Cans omeone explain it to me? What exactly does this "cutoff" do? Howcome the headlights have to be converted from RHD to LHD? Any explanation on this is helpful, cause I'm planning on gettin projectors eventually for my car. Thanks.


--------------------
-Protection mode, For when your amp tries to blow its load.

1995 Toyota Celica GTS - Daily Driver
1999 Chevy Cavalier - Winter Beater
1994 Honda Civic CX Hatchback - Dead

My Celica!

Posts in this topic
- Fastbird   Projector Modification Write-Up   Mar 24, 2009 - 11:30 PM
- - madmods   I just finished with a set of some real cool proje...   Mar 25, 2009 - 1:21 AM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (madmods @ Mar 25, 2009 - 1:21...   Mar 25, 2009 - 7:43 AM
- - Batman722   nice write up ! and cat   Mar 25, 2009 - 7:13 AM
- - presure2   great write up man. sticky material for sure!   Mar 25, 2009 - 8:48 AM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (presure2 @ Mar 25, 2009 - 8:4...   Mar 25, 2009 - 9:06 AM
|- - richee3   Finally got around to doing this myself today. I w...   May 1, 2013 - 6:21 PM
- - Bigblock   Step x step with pics !! Easy for someone...   Mar 25, 2009 - 10:17 AM
|- - presure2   QUOTE (Bigblock @ Mar 25, 2009 - 10...   Mar 25, 2009 - 10:20 AM
- - bmj67   Nice write up. With the sheet metal being that t...   Mar 25, 2009 - 10:58 AM
- - azian_advanced   if only i had the guts to do this....   Mar 25, 2009 - 4:48 PM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (azian_advanced @ Mar 25, 2009 - 4...   Mar 25, 2009 - 11:16 PM
|- - azian_advanced   i've been flashed once only. but otherwise i h...   Mar 26, 2009 - 8:51 AM
- - trdproven   To me, this is not necessary for many people, the ...   Mar 26, 2009 - 6:53 AM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (trdproven @ Mar 26, 2009 - 6...   Mar 26, 2009 - 8:34 AM
- - trdproven   Momentary blindness will not affect the driver, ra...   Mar 26, 2009 - 10:02 PM
- - BonzaiCelica   this is a good sticky. much more detailed than the...   Mar 26, 2009 - 10:25 PM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (BonzaiCelica @ Mar 26, 2009 - 10...   Mar 26, 2009 - 10:42 PM
|- - staerkeste   QUOTE (Fastbird @ Mar 26, 2009 - 10...   Dec 22, 2013 - 5:22 PM
- - BonzaiCelica   doesn't sound too bad. any before and after pi...   Mar 27, 2009 - 11:01 AM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (BonzaiCelica @ Mar 27, 2009 - 11...   Mar 27, 2009 - 11:17 AM
- - Fastbird   Made an update to the original post to include the...   Mar 31, 2009 - 10:08 PM
- - marbot   Hi all Great HowTo! I did it myself, it...   Apr 28, 2009 - 3:47 PM
- - jordisonjr   I don't really understand the point of this mo...   Dec 31, 2009 - 2:00 PM
- - jordisonjr   I don't really understand the point of this mo...   Dec 31, 2009 - 2:01 PM
|- - SwissFerdi   QUOTE (jordisonjr @ Dec 31, 2009 - 2...   Dec 31, 2009 - 2:03 PM
|- - jordisonjr   QUOTE (SwissFerdi @ Dec 31, 2009 - 2...   Dec 31, 2009 - 2:12 PM
- - njccmd2002   no, is a different angle   Dec 31, 2009 - 5:05 PM
- - Iceman22   QUOTE (Fastbird @ Mar 25, 2009 - 12...   Nov 15, 2010 - 11:26 AM
- - Fastbird   I don't remember having to trim anything off t...   Dec 13, 2010 - 4:40 PM
- - njccmd2002   Addingmore options. stainless steel fron the ch...   Dec 13, 2010 - 5:03 PM
|- - str8thugginit4ya   QUOTE (njccmd2002 @ Dec 13, 2010 - 6...   Dec 14, 2010 - 9:42 AM
- - SwissFerdi   ^ You are a god of custom, small modifications. Aw...   Dec 13, 2010 - 5:13 PM
- - njccmd2002   unfortunately, they are the only smart ones that s...   Dec 16, 2010 - 4:08 PM
- - blackthunder   QUOTE (njccmd2002 @ Dec 16, 2010 - 2...   Dec 27, 2010 - 10:48 AM
- - njccmd2002   packets go inside, and i tought about opening the ...   Dec 29, 2010 - 2:06 PM
- - malecrod   I have to admit that I didn't understand the p...   Nov 5, 2011 - 6:42 PM
- - richee3   I haven't done this and I'm running 35w 4,...   Nov 5, 2011 - 7:09 PM
- - malecrod   Hi Dan, I added the cut off the same way as this w...   Nov 5, 2011 - 9:33 PM
|- - richee3   QUOTE (malecrod @ Nov 5, 2011 - 8:33...   Nov 10, 2011 - 6:43 PM
- - broderp   Thread revival So I understand the whole conce...   Dec 4, 2012 - 8:43 PM
- - smkr3w   The only way to modify JDM Halogen housings to wor...   Dec 4, 2012 - 11:32 PM
- - UndaGrwnD   here you can see the straight cut-off   Dec 5, 2012 - 3:52 AM
- - cmayes11   I have the money to buy the JDM projectors and I a...   Jan 9, 2013 - 8:19 PM
- - richee3   After they are modified, they are essentially exac...   Jan 9, 2013 - 9:05 PM
|- - BonzaiCelica   QUOTE (richee3 @ Jan 9, 2013 - 9:05 ...   Jan 10, 2013 - 3:23 AM
- - lagos   I just wanted to chime in on something I learned w...   Mar 16, 2013 - 3:19 PM
- - njccmd2002   cool you are able to park the car in the living ro...   Mar 16, 2013 - 4:25 PM
|- - richee3   QUOTE (njccmd2002 @ Mar 16, 2013 - 4...   Mar 16, 2013 - 4:37 PM
- - lagos   QUOTE (njccmd2002 @ Mar 16, 2013 - 5...   Mar 16, 2013 - 6:00 PM
- - Hugo4   This is one of the better write-ups I have seen on...   Oct 9, 2013 - 2:48 PM
|- - Fastbird   QUOTE (Hugo4 @ Oct 9, 2013 - 3:48 PM...   Nov 1, 2013 - 7:05 PM
- - Keiri   QUOTE (Hugo4 @ Oct 9, 2013 - 3:48 PM...   Oct 9, 2013 - 3:09 PM
- - aucht   I just did mine, first light took little longer, s...   Oct 16, 2016 - 2:56 AM
- - mkernz22   noooooooo, everything is gone in this thread....   Oct 6, 2017 - 6:19 PM
- - richee3   Give me a couple of days, I’ll try to get everythi...   Oct 6, 2017 - 7:27 PM
- - Bitter   Don't do a flat cutoff :lol: You want more lig...   Oct 7, 2017 - 7:33 PM
- - richee3   Well, I was able to save one whole picture... Bett...   Oct 7, 2017 - 10:43 PM
- - njccmd2002   funny is that 56k is going to feel it? lol, oh th...   Oct 8, 2017 - 7:38 AM
- - Bitter   Yes, that headlight is a GREAT example of one that...   Oct 8, 2017 - 9:36 AM
- - VenomBanan   So I’m currently looking into converting my 94 st ...   Aug 27, 2018 - 11:53 PM
- - BonzaiCelica   soooo. im doing this because i cant stand the ugly...   Feb 10, 2021 - 1:18 PM
- - slavie   I used Morimoto RetroRubber a few months back when...   Feb 11, 2021 - 10:26 AM
- - Bitter   Yes, and you can dispense it with a hot melt glue ...   Feb 11, 2021 - 10:59 PM
- - BonzaiCelica   ahh got it i see some butly tape on amazon for aro...   Feb 27, 2021 - 11:00 PM
- - BonzaiCelica   this is what lagos and bitter were talking about. ...   Mar 2, 2021 - 3:03 AM


Reply to this topicStart new topic
4 User(s) are reading this topic (4 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



Lo-Fi Version Time is now: November 23rd, 2024 - 11:04 AM