My blackened out xenon headlight

[M4D M4X]

Well after looking at the car i began to hate the headlights as not only was they grey inserts but it was to much reflective silver/chrome in the headlights so after trying to cook them in the oven and when't Pete tong.

I bought a pair of non xenon's that had black insert's and awesome lenses so attacked them with a dremel after keeping the insert's and lenses i binned the rest. So began to dremel the lenses of mine after all weekend stripping sanding priming and spraying this is what the final outcome looks like .
Before.

After.

 

[Tigger]

So that's what you were up to lol

How did you get the old lenses off the "xenon" cluster then?

 

[Kieran..]

Will be interesting to see what looks like on car, done it to all the other cars I've owned but not seen done on a Clio

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Why do everything?

Whats the deal with MOT's etc?

 

[Chapppers11]

Does the chrome that you have blacked out not have any reflective duties?

 

[steve32c]

Seen this on youtube mainly Americans, I like the end results but I would have left the main beam reflective, surely an MOT failure as it measures the amount of light coming off.
easier option until someone manages to bake the lights properly to seperate them may be just to use smoked Lamin-X
In the mean time still waiting for a decent guide.

 

[M4D M4X]

So that's what you were up to lol

How did you get the old lenses off the "xenon" cluster then?

Lol i didn't want to say nothing just incase i changed my mind, I've still got another mad idea in my head that I'll be doing on my other spare xenon and no I'm not giving any clues lol.

Do you mean the glass dome that holds the xenon bulb? If so it bolts and screws on behind the rear chrome surround.

But if your on about the lenses on the front the clear plastic i used a dremel to cut them off saving the rear black housing on my xenon's, and with the non xenon's i dremel'd the black housing saving the lenses and insert's .

Will be interesting to see what looks like on car, done it to all the other cars I've owned but not seen done on a Clio

I'll get a pic up 2morrow for you dude

Why do everything?

Whats the deal with MOT's etc?

Because it's different and looks mean .

Not sure about the MOT's yet car ain't long had a test so will find out in a years time lol

Does the chrome that you have blacked out not have any reflective duties?

No it's been sprayed matt black so no reflective left, although it wont be as bright on the main beam i'll purchase rally high watt bulbs to over come that.

Seen this on youtube mainly Americans, I like the end results but I would have left the main beam reflective, surely an MOT failure as it measures the amount of light coming off.
easier option until someone manages to bake the lights properly to seperate them may be just to use smoked Lamin-X
In the mean time still waiting for a decent guide.

I only put the light in the oven for 4min on gas mark 4 and as you have seen melted the lens, better option that I done with my spare xenon was bucket of boiling hot water leave the corner submerged for 5mins and start to pri apart with a screw driver and Stanley blade to help slice the sealant keep repeating the progress along the under Neath of the light as you will deform the black casing slightly.

With the reflective part on the main beam area i'll just purchase high watt rally bulbs upto 160w compared to the normal 55w.

Problem with using the Lamin-x won't it chip from stones chucked up by other cars?.

 

[Tigger]

I heard rally bulbs will melt the cluster! and they are not road legal either (obviously they are rally bulbs) lol

 

[M4D M4X]

I heard rally bulbs will melt the cluster! and they are not road legal either (obviously they are rally bulbs) lol

I'll give my friend a call 2morrow and confirm if the bulbs will melt the cluster he's a rally driver so he should know, I'll also post a pic of the lights fitted with the lights on so you can see how bright the lights are.
Hense why i was going to fit brighter bulbs to over come the dullish main beam.

 

[valerio]

I'm waiting for a photo ... should be a god job!

 

[Kieran..]

Yea I agree in the past I have only done the surrounding black not the actual reflective part so that the lights still would pass mot and be road legal

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Because it's different and looks mean .

Not sure about the MOT's yet car ain't long had a test so will find out in a years time lol

Only asked because i like to use my lights including fullbeam.

 

[M4D M4X]

As promised here's a pic fitted Bk in the car bare in mind my car is undergoing a full respray so its all been da'd ready, so 1st pic with all lights turned off and then second pic is with main beam on but i disconnected my xenon as it was bright as hell and glared the pics, so i've already ordered my 100watt rally bulbs for my main beam hoping they will brighten the main beam up so still be ok for MOT.

 

[M4D M4X]

Only asked because i like to use my lights including fullbeam.

Sorry mate but I wasn't been sarcastic or anything.

With the full beam i very really use it and if i do it's only for 2mins.

Yea I agree in the past I have only done the surrounding black not the actual reflective part so that the lights still would pass mot and be road legal

What have you used to mask of the reflective parts in the past?.
When i was masking the reflective part i used masking tape so not that sticky and as soon as i pulled the masking tape off as i over shot the line it pulled patches of the reflective off , hence why the hole thing is black.

 

[mossyv6]

What sealant did you use to bond the lense back onto the body?

 

[M4D M4X]

What sealant did you use to bond the lense back onto the body?

I havnt sealed it back in yet as my paint suppliers was closed yesterday (bloody bank holidays) lol.
I'll be using worth bond and seal in black or what other's may know it as is tiger seal.

 

[st3ve]

Difficult to tell if I like it or not with the close ups, I prefer the standard look though.

Definitely need to do something with the main beam.

 

[M4D M4X]

Difficult to tell if I like it or not with the close ups, I prefer the standard look though.

Definitely need to do something with the main beam.

Yes I've already ordered higher watt rally bulbs 100w so I'm hoping they will cure the problem with the brighness.

I've only managed to do the one headlight atmo just to see what it looked like, i still have a pair of xenon's in the garage with the lenses taken off and all the reflective stuff untouched so i could always put it bk to standard look if i wanted.

I'll get round to fitting the standard on one side and the blackened out one so people can see what they like.

 

[Kieran..]

I'm pretty sure no matter what bulbs you buy tey will fail mot.

In past I have masked around the edges and stuffed with newspaper so that the reflective part is still there

 

[Munson]

Did you just paint a reflector black?

 

[_Tom]

Ever heard of lamin-x?

 

[JD]

Did you just paint a reflector black?

Hush Roy, it's not worth it. Althought for the record, I was about to ask the same.

 

[M4D M4X]

I'm pretty sure no matter what bulbs you buy tey will fail mot.

In past I have masked around the edges and stuffed with newspaper so that the reflective part is still there

I'll get in contact with a friend that's a MOT feasted and find out as I'm pretty sure they only test the light pattern on dipped light not main beam but I'll confirm when I get hold of him.

What masking tape did you use? as i used masking tape that painters use to prep cars so not that sticky compared to other masking tapes but it still pulled the reflective off .

 

[M4D M4X]

Did you just paint a reflector black?

Yes i painted the hole reflective silver including the indicator part.

Ever heard of lamin-x?

No never heard of the stuff, isn't it the same as window tint film?
And wont it not chip from stones being chucked up by other cars in front?

 

[joshclio999]

The 100w bulbs will melt the bulb housing, and the rubber seal to stop dirt from getting in. Plus the main beam won't be much brighter anyway because there's nothing to direct the light onto the road.
They would have looked better if you had just bought some black lamin x or some aftermarket black lights

 

[JD]

Did you study physics at school?

 

[Cookson]

Did you study physics at school?

You're missing the point here

:rasp:

 

[M4D M4X]

Just spoke to my friend that's a MOT tester and the only thing they test a pattern on is dipped headlights NOT main beam so i'm pretty sure they will be ok as the xenon casing hasn't been touched but i won't find out until i have the car up and running on the road and visit his place to test the pattern.

 

[RDH]

I much prefer the standard anyway.

 

[JD]

You're missing the point here

:rasp:

That's true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(physics)

Read the above, then realise how you've knackered your headlights.

 

[_Tom]

http://www.lamin-x.com/Default.asp

No it doesnt chip and yes it would have given you your desired look..

 

[M4D M4X]

The 100w bulbs will melt the bulb housing, and the rubber seal to stop dirt from getting in. Plus the main beam won't be much brighter anyway because there's nothing to direct the light onto the road.
They would have looked better if you had just bought some black lamin x or some aftermarket black lights

I've never heard of lamin-x before 2day an yet no one will answer my question won't it not chip from stones being chucked up from cars infront?.

If I have to i'll just leave it as it is with the 55w bulb and don't use main beam as i very very rarely use it anyway.

http://www.lamin-x.com/Default.asp

No it doesnt chip and yes it would have given you your desired look..

Thanks for that dude, next time i'll just use lamin-x

That's true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_(physics)

Read the above, then realise how you've knackered your headlights.

Yes ok i've taken all the reflective off giving no change of light direction (out to the road) but this is a spare xenon headlight that i've got in the garage so why not have a go.
Trail and error and yes admitidly i've lost the brightness on the main beam but that can all be put back right (if i wanted to) with a simple job of replacing the reflective parts Bk to std in the headlight.
Simples in a meerkat style lol

 

[Cup_Phil]

Just spoke to my friend that's a MOT tester and the only thing they test a pattern on is dipped headlights NOT main beam so i'm pretty sure they will be ok as the xenon casing hasn't been touched but i won't find out until i have the car up and running on the road and visit his place to test the pattern.

Not. A. Chance. In. Hell

And the minute you drive at night you're going to die
They are reflective for a reason - it amplifies the light from the bulb and directs it downwards at the road.
Now you've sprayed it all black you'll lose well over half off the light and it will have no direction so what light they do emit will dissapear into the sky and blind everyone else

Crazy crazy idea

 

[jesus]

It looks good, but it's ridiculous.

For the record; Lamin-X doesn't work on Clio headlights due to the two different curvatures. I know, I did it on mine.

It peeled off shortly afterwards.

 

[M4D M4X]

Here you go for all you people saying about the pattern and reflection i just fitted both headlights one standard and the other i sprayed now you tell me if there is no pattern and it's dull compared to the other bare in mind the car is parked about 4/5 feet away from the wall.

 

[RDH]

From your picture it hasn't altered the pattern, but it is atleast 70% less bright than the regular ones. Added to the fact it looks sh*t and you've got one pretty pointless mod.

 

[Cup_Phil]

It's very dull - it's illegal - and risking your safety and others just to make your headlights look "cool" is daft

End.

 

[M4D M4X]

From your picture it hasn't altered the pattern, but it is atleast 70% less bright than the regular ones. Added to the fact it looks sh*t and you've got one pretty pointless mod.

Ok which one looks brighter then?, you might think it looks sh*t but that's your opinion and your more than welcome to a opinion, as to a pointless mod ok yes it doesn't give me any extra bhp but then it's a cosmetic mod that stands out from others like most of my other mods.

 

[M4D M4X]

It's very dull - it's illegal - and risking your safety and others just to make your headlights look "cool" is daft

End.

Which one is very dull? Left or right?

 

[RDH]

Yeah but it stands out because it as A) Illegal and B) looks crap.

The only people that will think it looks remotely good are people with Burberry caps or cataracts.

Edit: And it is the right one which is very dull. I.e the headlight you have ruined.