89 Turbo HID conversion: The right way.

[89TurboPC]

I also post this setup on Hidplanet forum

After driving this car for 17 years, now it's time to improve its lightning. Completed
LED all around. Now I'm upgrading the car main lightning system, the headlight from halogen seal beam to HID.
Problem: it's a 80's retractable 7x6 with a very limited room to work without altering the light mounting assembly (cutting radiator support bracket).
Part: Projector and bulb are from TRS
- Projector: Morimoto Mini D2S
- Bulb: Morimoto D2H (D2S) will NOT fit without cutting radiator support.
- Ballast: DDM slim digital 35W. (DDM is 5 min from my place)
- Headlight housing: Pilot WI-HL11 $10 at Big Lot few years back.
- Shroud: Home Depot bathtub shroud ring
- Harness: Dual relay custom made.
- Mounting Disk: 1.5" Chrome lavatory pipe cover from Home Depot.
Total Cost: Around 200.
Goal if the result is better than factory seal beam, I'll be darn happy. I pick DDM simply because it's cheaper. DDM offer good warranty and I live 5 min from their HB office. To me, the quality of the product is ONLY good if the company that make/sell it stand behind its products.

HL Housing, Projector, Ballast, Chrome mounting disk, Apollo Shroud, and Shroud Centric Ring. Apollo Shroud and Shroud Centric ring are not use because it's too big for the HL housing.


HL Housing from behind.


Heat oven to 300F turn OFF, bake for 8-10 minutes and this is what it look like.


This particular housing also have a reflector bow inside. There are 2 holes for "city light"


---------- Post added at 09:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------

I have to grind down the 2 "city light" holes for the projector screw to "sit" on. The HL housing has a 3" opening on the back so I don't have to do any cutting on the housing.

Test fit the projector using 1.5" lavatory chrome pipe cover.


Have to cut the reflector bow.


Test fit with the "Bath Shroud"




---------- Post added at 09:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------

Because the Mini D2S is open, so I need to block the light from hitting the reflector bow.

Using 3" tube from my wife craft ribbon roll (craft store ..)


With light blocking tube.


Cover the tube 5 layers inside (projector) and 3 layer outside (reflector bow) with 3M aluminum tape.


Light blocking tube cover with 3M aluminum tape.


Put it all together




Using original boot cover from the light housing.


---------- Post added at 09:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------

In the car. Again, there is no modification to the HL mounting assembly.

Head light UP (looking down)


Headlight DOWN (looking down)


Headlight DOWN (looking in front)


Wires/cables are all clear from retractable mechanism.

Completed.

Light not ON








Is it getting dark here?







In driver seat wall shot


Out driver door wall shot


This is how I setup my relay harness to switch on the light.

Using 2 relays. One use to switch Negative (-) and one to switch Positive (+) from the battery.
The relay that switch (-) is turn on by marker light. So the HL will NOT turn on if marker light is NOT on.
The relay that switch (+) turn on by the Common + wire. This car is H4 GROUND switch. When the light stack turn to Low Beam OR High Beam, it switched both the common + and LB Ground or HB Ground.
Bi-xeon selenoid is connect to Common + and HB Ground.

Ok I'm happy with the outcome.

 

[prettymuchanoob]

awesome write up! Thanks this will give me somethin to do while i sit around waiting for an engine

 

[PureDrifter]

thanks for the write-up, everything looks good.

but, fuck DDM tuning.

 

[dmp316]

A+ for this write up. thanks for the info

 

[89TurboPC]

thanks for the write-up, everything looks good.

but, fuck DDM tuning.

I saw that image floating around other forum as well. I wouldn't say their stuff is the best, but when it come to HID, I think they are ok.
I wouldn't care less if I want 430K and they give me 500K. If the HID set I buy and it break or not working as expected and they are fix/exchange it according to their lifetime warranty, I'm fine with it.

I would go with known quality product when it come to critical item in the car (brake and suspension components). I definitely would not buy from DDM for those components.

 

[Poodles]

Saw this post over there. Mine are in the works to sell

DDM is getting out of the HID business, so I wouldn't use them. Also, looks like D2S will fit fine without cutting the core support.

 

[89TurboPC]

Saw this post over there. Mine are in the works to sell

DDM is getting out of the HID business, so I wouldn't use them. Also, looks like D2S will fit fine without cutting the core support.

Whether DDM is out of HID business or not, I don't know. I asked them about the stuff related to the image above, they just laugh. Regarding to getting out of HID business, they said most of their business sale is HID. I can see it as I was there for 25 min and they sale about 7-8 HID kits. I don't see the reason why quit selling a product that sell so well unless they have problem getting HID into their shop (legal or whatever....) If they are out of HID business and can't replace/repair the ballast on warranty, I'm only out 90 bucks ( I bought 2 sets, the other set is for my 2011 Sienna).

DDM product is crappy or not, I don't know and up to you guys to make your choice. I bought it there base on what in my wallet and because they are the cheapest, 'lifetime warranty' as they claim, and it is 5 min from my place. Base on what I found from other forums, their HID ballast quality is a hit and miss just like any other China make crap out there. There are many place you can buys HID components.
I should of buy the Morimoto Ballast from TRS along with the projector, but it cost more than what I'm willing to pay. This is my weekend car and I may or may not driving it at night that often to justify the cost of $110 vs $40.
If the ballast fail, I have to pay shipping to sent it to TRS for warranty repair/replace and I won't get it back 5-7 days later. TRS has EXCELLENT customer service. You can't go wrong buying stuff from TRS.
If I get it from DDM, I just stop by their place and get it repair/replace all within 1 hr.

OK D2S bulb with D2S to AMP adapter (for aftermarket ballast), will NOT fit without any modification. I did test fit it before buying D2H bulb. With the HL up, it fit just fine. With the HL down, the bulky adapter to the bulb will HIT the radiator support bracket. To use D2S bulb, I have to cut/bend the radiator support bracket or push the HL/projector about 1/2 inch toward the front to clear when the HL going down.

Originally, I bought D2S bulb + adapter + ballast from DDM. It doesn't fit, so I came back and exchange for a H1 setup instead of DS2 setup, they refund me the different (D2S cost 15 more because of the adapter). I talk to Matt at TRS and he inform me that D2H setup is about 1/2 inch shorter than D2S setup. So I went and order D2H. Otherwise I would of exchange the Mini D2S to Mini H1. Now I have an extra set of H1 bulb collecting dust.

 

[Poodles]

Same issue I'm dealing with right now, think I have a solution though.

 

[Steve_N]

Great job! Props for doing a HID set up the right way

OK D2S bulb with D2S to AMP adapter (for aftermarket ballast), will NOT fit without any modification. I did test fit it before buying D2H bulb. With the HL up, it fit just fine. With the HL down, the bulky adapter to the bulb will HIT the radiator support bracket. To use D2S bulb, I have to cut/bend the radiator support bracket or push the HL/projector about 1/2 inch toward the front to clear when the HL going down.
Originally, I bought D2S bulb + adapter + ballast from DDM. It doesn't fit, so I came back and exchange for a H1 setup instead of DS2 setup, they refund me the different (D2S cost 15 more because of the adapter). I talk to Matt at TRS and he inform me that D2H setup is about 1/2 inch shorter than D2S setup. So I went and order D2H. Otherwise I would of exchange the Mini D2S to Mini H1. Now I have an extra set of H1 bulb collecting dust.

I ran into the same clearance issue on my setup. I used 1/2" spacers to move the HL assembly forward & that fixed the issue w/o cutting the support.

Looking at your pic for reference You can see by using 1/2" spacers at each HL mounting point will not have any clearance issues in front either.