Headlight Conversion

[astigracing]

that's what I'm doing ^^ but i might make them buble out like the C5R headlights (since the lights end up too low IMHO and the lgiht ends up hitting the nose piece instead of the road)

this was my original plan. i actually did the bubble cover just like this one but it didn't came out good enough. i made lot's of phone calls as to where, who and how....this is an injection molding and it's way too expensive.

as for the lights ending up too low...i wouldn't be driving this at night if that's the case. just look at the beam pattern on my garage door. doing this project isn't a joke since this is gonna be permanent. the very first thing i made sure, the bottom of the lamp must sit flush or sit higher than the nose piece. it took several test fit to get it right. secondly, i made sure once the bottom is good to go, i will have enough room at the top upon laying the cover.

the reason i cannot use lamps over 2 3/4" on the outer side simply because i didn't want the lamp sitting too low which in return hitting the nose piece. the 50mm xenon is 110% perfect.

right now, i very satisfied having not only it illuminates much better than my 95' acura legend but i got real lucky with my measurements.

 

[astigracing]

here's another pic that shows the lamps sitting flush or higher from the nose piece. these lamps are pilot lamps - 2 3/4" in height. the outer side, you cannot use any lamp exceeding 2 3/4". the inner side, you have enough room up to 3.5".

 

[KeithH]

I still maintain that the best part of the pop-up headlights is that you don't have to see the headlights during daytime driving - cleaning up the exterior lines.

I will agree that when the headlights are up they likely create some drag and they don't look as cool up as down but they are a necessity to drive at night.

Here is my order for hottest to nottest for MkIII Headlights.
Pop-Up Headlights in lowered position - HOTTEST
Custom Half-Height Pop-Up Headlights in raised position - Hot
Custom Fixed Headlights - Not
Pop-Up Headlights in raised position - NOTTEST

This is my own personal opinion.

When modifying your headlights - or any other piece of safety equipment - make sure you actually improve things and are not just doing something because it looks cool. Lighting is VERY critical and could cause blinding for oncoming drivers. Do NOT take the cheap route and put in driving or fog lights. Also, Halogen reflectors are NOT intended for HID bulbs. If you can't buy a HID bulb and lense combination you probably shouldn't be thinking about HID.

 

[shaeff]

^ those really look like a quality job, but i <3 popups. they're just sexy.

-shaeff

 

[astigracing]

I still maintain that the best part of the pop-up headlights is that you don't have to see the headlights during daytime driving - cleaning up the exterior lines.

I will agree that when the headlights are up they likely create some drag and they don't look as cool up as down but they are a necessity to drive at night.

Here is my order for hottest to nottest for MkIII Headlights.
Pop-Up Headlights in lowered position - HOTTEST
Custom Half-Height Pop-Up Headlights in raised position - Hot
Custom Fixed Headlights - Not
Pop-Up Headlights in raised position - NOTTEST

This is my own personal opinion.

When modifying your headlights - or any other piece of safety equipment - make sure you actually improve things and are not just doing something because it looks cool. Lighting is VERY critical and could cause blinding for oncoming drivers. Do NOT take the cheap route and put in driving or fog lights. Also, Halogen reflectors are NOT intended for HID bulbs. If you can't buy a HID bulb and lense combination you probably shouldn't be thinking about HID.

i pionered the sleepy eyes many years ago. below is a picture of my first supra w/ sleepy eyes. i loved it but i got tired of it.

 

[KeithH]

astigracing - There is a HUGE difference between a sleepy eye (down syndrome) and a true half height headlight.

Many people have done the sleepy eye for many years now - either by turning their headlight adjustment knobs manually, or by fiddling with the switch, or by purchasing a Pivot controller (that has been on the market since the 90s btw).

There was even a true half height headlight kit designed for the MkIII available in Japan back in the 90s.

I can see why you got rid of your "sleepy eyes". I'm guessing your lighting sucked?

What I'm talking about is a truly functional - BETTER THAN STOCK yet still maintaining DOT and SAE conformance - lighting system that only pops the headlights up about half the height of the stock headlights.

Half-Height Headlights do not equal "Sleepy Eye"

 

[astigracing]

astigracing - There is a HUGE difference between a sleepy eye (down syndrome) and a true half height headlight.

Many people have done the sleepy eye for many years now - either by turning their headlight adjustment knobs manually, or by fiddling with the switch, or by purchasing a Pivot controller (that has been on the market since the 90s btw).

There was even a true half height headlight kit designed for the MkIII available in Japan back in the 90s.

I can see why you got rid of your "sleepy eyes". I'm guessing your lighting sucked?

What I'm talking about is a truly functional - BETTER THAN STOCK yet still maintaining DOT and SAE conformance - lighting system that only pops the headlights up about half the height of the stock headlights.

Half-Height Headlights do not equal "Sleepy Eye"

lol....

take it easy!

sleepy eye is just a figure of speech

if you look carefully, the headlamps pops up halfway using a factory switch. the lamps however were after market diamond back non sealed h4, the pivot arms weren't factory anymore and the lamps adjusters weren't factory as well but.....FULLY FUNCTIONAL and DOT and SAE conformance?

i have been in the supra club --socalsupras.com-- for many years now and i have been to supra meets numerous times and in those days, well...i was the only one with the halfway headlights.

i abandoned the pop-up headlamps simply because i wanted the flush mount look, but it wasn't because my lighting "sucked".

this project isn't for everyone.

 

[KeithH]

I am going to guess that blocking half of your headlight would not pass inspection. I don't know though since I am not in California.

Using DOT/SAE legal parts does not = using them in a DOT/SAE legal manner.

Kudos to you for doing what you did. I would just stay away from claiming you pioneered the "sleepy eye" when there were kits out there to do this very thing long before you even purchased your Supra.

Also, there were several people talking about how to modify the rod and arm to make the headlight pop up halfway way back in 1999/2000.

I agree 10000% that this project isn't for everyone. It is WAY too easy to actually hurt your lighting performance causing unnecessary risk to yourself and those around you.

If we want to show off our resume... I've been planning Supra events since 1997 - you may have heard of one of them even. Lots of the SoCalSupra guys come out each year. I even founded a regional group for the Supra community.

I get a little sassy on Friday the 13th.

 

[astigracing]

I am going to guess that blocking half of your headlight would not pass inspection. I don't know though since I am not in California.

i agree halfway, but the headlamp wasn't blocked halfway --look carefully-- but partially. also, it never affected the beam pattern nor how it illuminates the road.

I would just stay away from claiming you pioneered the "sleepy eye" when there were kits out there to do this very thing long before you even purchased your Supra.

now i see what's this issue is all about. lol....

back in the day when i joined socalsupras.com, nobody in the club nor heard of anyone had done this mod, i never asked about it, i just went ahead and did it. maybe i don't have the right claim that i pioneered the sleepy eye look...that's fine. in order to kill this issue, i didn't pioneer it.

It is WAY too easy to actually hurt your lighting performance causing unnecessary risk to yourself and those around you.

it didn't hurt the lighting performance!

If we want to show off our resume...

i wasn't showing it off keith...just proud of it.

I've been planning Supra events since 1997 - you may have heard of one of them even. Lots of the SoCalSupra guys come out each year. I even founded a regional group for the Supra community.

I get a little sassy on Friday the 13th.

one day you and i will bump to each other....don't worry...my supra isn't going anywhere.

 

[cjsupra90]

Thanks! You'll see it proper soon enough. Randy (BIC) and I are neck-deep in a crazy widebody makover

Whos kit is that (make/vendor)?

Kinda funny at the first quick glance of the first pic, I actually for one second thought that it was a Porsche 928.

 

[Poodles]

you could easily make those bubble style like the C5R through vacuum molding

I dunno how long the clear plastic would hold up though, so I'd make quite a few copies just in case...

I was also thinking of something like this...

I love my popups, but I'd really like to have true projector headlights...

 

[astigracing]

i've seen those headlights before. not my cup of tea.

 

[supradan22]

Those projectors don't flow well with the body lines of the rx7 just my

$0.02

 

[shaeff]

the NSX lights are projectors.

te hee hee.

^ that was a giggle!

-shaeff

 

[ValgeKotkas]

i pionered the sleepy eyes many years ago. below is a picture of my first supra w/ sleepy eyes. i loved it but i got tired of it.

I think I love this style :icon_bigg You previously said you bought new arms, but you think they are cuttable? And maybe you can remember, how much the new arms were shorter than stock?

 

[shaeff]

you can cut the stock arms if you want. there are a lot of threads on them. what i would do if i were to cut the stock arms would be thread on a die from a tap and die set, cut the arm, then take the die off, which would clean up the cut/threads as it was threaded off.

but, if you're going to cut the arms, i suggest you get shorter lights rather than using stock lights. they come fully upright for a reason.

-shaeff

 

[tekdeus]

My mod thread has detailed instructions on changing the arm and pivot points to alter the distance the headlight moves up. It is much more complicated than just shortening the arm: http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18540

P.S. Shaeff, can we PLEASE have more photos of what you're doing? I'd like to see these lights

 

[supra-addiction]

man i think im just going to go with the nsx lights

 

[astigracing]

when i did my sleepy eye, i never altered the factory pivot arms. i bought a threaded arms from home depot in replace the factory. it took numerous adjustments to get it right.

when the pivot arms are cut too short, when you switch your headlights on, the headlamps will open but back to close immediately.

 

[astigracing]

i'm seeing more and more third gen rx7's and 2nd gen mr2's with the flush mount headlight.

i just bought a modified magazine --april 2007 issue, on the front cover is a red fd rx7 with flush mount headlights.....beautifully done.