Xenon Light/Grill Conversion Anyone?

junglejustice · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2003, 03:34 PM

So here's a wild idea; I'd love to hear what you guys think....

I have been driving around looking at the front lights on various cars for months now, contemplating something that may be a wee-bit touchy with the purists, but here goes:

You'd have to find the lights from a car with a more "conventional" upright, rectangular-shaped headlight design, versus one of the new bubble designs...

But any way, you take the headlights from a 90's Benz SL, or from an 99/00 Audi A4 or maybe even from a Euro 164 - any of those with Xenons - and attempt to adapt them to the Verde... The "upside-down smile/frown" (light-slant) from the Milano-front will be reversed to a more updated slant toward the center of the grill, but so what... sorry, sorry, sorry... I didn't mean it that way...

This means that I will be taking the grill to one of those rice-shops (as much as I hate to admit it, some of them do nice work) and have them do a custom-mesh grill (maybe even cutting out the Alfa-crest and incorporating it into the new mesh grill...) all in a graphite colour with the black car, for a custom fit to the slope of the lights (on the inside of the lights...)

As far as the outside-fit is concerned, I'd have to find a light that sort-off fits the side-markers, or even go with a light/marker combo where the marker fits the fender...

Even with the Euro-light conversion on a 164 (which arguably looks fantastic) there is a degree of customizing as well as some trim-pieces that go beneath the lights on both sides... There was a very nice looking bronze colored 164LS on eBay the other day with a great many customizations on it... This guy had done a mesh replacement of the horizontal "slats" on the front of the hood and it looked great... NOt too overdone IMHO.

Can this be done, would you, have you, what else, what about just the mesh-grill/crest cut-out idea...?

OK, AIM! FIRE...!!!

Pscalfa3 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2003, 11:30 PM

I have thought about taking stronger lamps say from a BMW and putting them behind the stock glass and rewiring to work for the Milano. Haven't had time yet to screw with it but I ahve extra head lights to mess with.

75evo · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2003, 12:07 AM

Euro Milano lights work 10000 times better than the US spec ones. They look similar but they use H4 bulbs. The Euro grilles also look cool. I have both on my car. Also the euro bumpers saves you lotsa weight.

I've been thinking about projector style headlights for the Milano though. I saw a custom set made for an EF series civic ('89-'93) with xenon main beams. The main beams are projector xenon, but the high beams are regular halogen (non-projection type). My guess is it must have been custom, back when those civics were popular, projector beams were something really new. And these days, I don't think companies to mass production for EF civics anymore.

Pscalfa3 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2003, 12:12 AM

any pictures?

BigSwede · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 02:33 AM

Step one: Get H4 front lamps (complete assembly)
Step two: Buy Xenon (HID) lamps that fit in the existing H4 socket.

Enjoy.

**Alex Csank** · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 05:40 AM

It sounds like some of the mods are a lot of work, but I bet it could be made to look pretty cool. What about doing what they have done with some of the VW Golf light systems? Take the lights from a modern BMW (4 headlamp system) and build a composite assembly. Then build a nice mesh and frame grille incorporating the Alfa Grille into it.

I bet that would be relatively easy to do! Of course, it might upset some of our Greek friends!

Cheers,

75evo · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 11:21 AM

Actually modifying a 155 headlight may work. The shape is quite close.

universible · #8 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 12:19 PM

Hmm 155 looks similar, but skinnier. My lights stink, not sure what's up, but I don't remember my other ones being so dull.

BigSwede, so you're saying, get the Euro/75 lights that use the H4, and put in Xenon bulbs? Is that what folks are selling on eBay? I thought Xenon takes much more power to run?

Ted

75evo · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 12:27 PM

Universible,

I saw a seller on ebay selling a lot of euro carello 75 headlights. Get that and just put in Sylvania Silverstar ($19.99 at walmart) 55/60w H4 bulbs. That should be good enough.

HID bulbs are good, but they cost $499 for the H4.

AlfaRacer75 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-03-2003, 10:57 PM

That's what I'm going to do. I bought some Euro headlights and I'll just use Silverstars until I can afford the $500 HID kit.

Projectors would be cool though...

BigSwede · #11 (**permalink**) 11-04-2003, 12:13 AM

Universible: Well I don't know how bad the US lights are, I've just heard stories about how utterly useless they are so maybe just the H4 conversion would be sufficient?
Personally I have H4 since I live in Sweden and I have put relays with uprated cables to feed the lamps (100/90w, illegal but what the hell) and it works really well. I'm sure that Xenon would be much better and it actually draws much LESS power, typically 35w, but the price for the conversion I rather spend on something useful like forged H-beam conrods...