[squidlyboy]

Finally got around to putting on the new headlights on the car a few weeks ago, but wanted to leave them on for a bit before posting up pics, just to make sure they are working great. So far, they've been working like champs.

A summary of the work:

• DTM-style Corona Rings custom made of Cell Cast Acrylic that was precision cut/etched with a Laser cutter. Precision cuts down to the millimeter.
• Hockey-stick extensions similar to the Concept 4 series BMWs, and the 2016 LEDs, which makes them part of an exclusive club. The hockey-sticks really stick out, which allows them to the identified (and admired) from a mile away.
• Added an extra LED-lit accent piece on the low-beam bowls to balance out the hockey-sticks, which adds an extra touch of uniqueness and style, making them stand out a little bit more.
• Final acrylic rings are hand fashioned and assembled to produce precision perfect fitment for stock F30 headlights.
• Extra wide/fat/thick acrylic rings so that they look great up-close as they do far away
• LEDs used for the rings are the most dense (i.e. packed as tight as possible) LEDs i could find on the market, so as to appear as a continuous line of light
• LED circuit hand-tuned to maximize/optimize brightness, but not over-drive so as to cause excessive heat and shorten the lifetime of the LEDs (blown LEDs)
• No OEM wiring or FEM is modified - all wiring magic done in headlight housing to adapt to OEM F30 halogen headlight harness. Power is delivered to headlights via direct battery connection, and OEM low-beam wire is used as switch to activate relay (inside of headlight housing). Simple swap of headlights and removal of direct battery cables of headlights returns it back to pure OEM.
• Quad bi-xenons HIDs deployed in both the low-beam / high-beam bowls to double the amount of light output compared to stock bi-xenons. Standard bi-xenons produce ~3000 lumens of output. These quads produce a ridiculous output of ~6000 lumens.
• Bi-xenon HIDs w/ projectors produce high-output, ultra-white 6000k light with long lasting bulb life. With halogens, you can only get 2 outta 3. With HIDs, you get all 3 ... get to eat your cake too
• Projectors were used to produce the sharpest cut-off as possible, making the light output shape look as good as a light output intensity. Current LED headlights on the market (both OEM and after-market) delete the projectors, which rely only on the reflectivity of the metallic bowl, producing more-or-less a blob of light, which i don't particularly care for. While the output lumens is high, the shape is fuzzy/blurry. Not my cup of tea.

[Cxcordovaaa]

They look great!

[scostu]

Yeah...yeah.....great looking and all....

BUT when does your production/assembly line kick in to high gear to crank out a set of these a day??

[jojo7]

How do I place an order

[MisterZebb]

What are you doing to mitigate risk of blowing the FEM? Are you using the FEM to drive a relay which pulls power from the battery?

[ji99lypuff]

Every iteration of your headlights keep looking better! Good job man. I totally agree that the lci led with its hockey stick style looks weird towards the inner kink because itd dark and your led lighting throughout the whole acrylic poece makes it look much better. If i werent returning my lease id totally pay you to make me one.

[XKxRome0ox]

take my money!!!

[mbfanos]

How do I place an order?

[scostu]

Originally Posted by ji99lypuff

Every iteration of your headlights keep looking better! Good job man. I totally agree that the lci led with its hockey stick style looks weird towards the inner kink because itd dark and your led lighting throughout the whole acrylic poece makes it look much better.

I completely agreed.
Maybe you (squidlyboy) send a résumé to BMW design team?!

[squidlyboy]

Hey guys! Thanks for all the cool notes you guys have left! I appreciate them all ...

For the guy who asked about the FEM, i don't touch the FEM at all. In fact, none of the wiring i did messes with any of the OEM wiring. I don't touch OEM wiring in the car _at all_. All the magic happens inside of the new headlight housings, so a simple swap of the stock F30 halogens returns the car to OEM.

The power for the lights come directly from the battery post under the hood that goes to a relay (inside the headlights), then the low-beam signal from the car activates the relays, delivering power to the lights from the direct connection. This is the way i did my original quad bi-x lights and I've had that running perfectly any warnings, errors, or issues for about a year now.

Originally Posted by scostu

..... when does your production/assembly line kick in to high gear to crank out a set of these a day??

I probably need to apologize if i set the expectation that i'm going to start cranking these suckers out production line style. That's not gonna happen I'm not a vendor. Just a BMW enthusiast like all of you who likes to do cool things with their car. I primarily did this for myself because i wanted to see if it could be done, and if i could do as good of a job as blueaudi18's amazing original Concept 4's. He was a real pioneer and way ahead of his time. But for me, its just a hobby.

Anyways, i don't want people waiting around if they are in a rush to get some aftermarket lights to replace their F30 halogens. I would go out and get the OnEightyNY LEDs or the Umnitza ones or any number of really cool lights that are starting to proliferate out there. There are a bunch of really nice ones that will make your car look amazingly better than stock halogens.

With that said, i purchased enough acrylic to make 8 more sets that i hope to get cut in June as i get access to the laser cutter. So for those who are in no rush, i'll let you know when i get that done...

[XKxRome0ox]

Originally Posted by squidlyboy

With that said, i purchased enough acrylic to make 8 more sets that i hope to get cut in June as i get access to the laser cutter. So for those who are in no rush, i'll let you know when i get that done...

is it easier/better to modify halogen housings to fit your rings
or can you still do it with original xenon housings?

i JUST sent money for some f30 empty xenon housings ...


talk some numbers with me about your rings with the extended inner bar

[squidlyboy]

i have never dealt with the f30 xenon housings so i can't say for sure. but on top of the xenon housings probably being 3x-4x the cost of simple f30 halogen housings (you can pick up a used pair of halogens for $200-$400), you would have to take the extra effort to dismantle the OEM angel eyes on the xenons to make room for the new angel eyes. Seems like a lot more $$$ and a lot more hassle.

Are you wanting/hoping to re-use the stock bi-xenon HIDs in these lights and just change out the rings?

[XKxRome0ox]

Originally Posted by squidlyboy

i have never dealt with the f30 xenon housings so i can't say for sure. but on top of the xenon housings probably being 3x-4x the cost of simple f30 halogen housings (you can pick up a used pair of halogens for $200-$400), you would have to take the extra effort to dismantle the OEM angel eyes on the xenons to make room for the new angel eyes. Seems like a lot more $$$ and a lot more hassle.

Are you wanting/hoping to re-use the stock bi-xenon HIDs in these lights and just change out the rings?

since i did just pay for the bi-xenon housings (empty, no ballasts)
i'm trying to work with what i have
instead of going out and buying another set of headlights

now i have to decide if i want to source original xenon ballasts ... or go with an aftermarket kit


i think i will do this... once i figure out OEM or aftermarket for the HID part, i'll just use the original xenon housings with the original rings for now

and wait on your custom rings to be ready and eventually install them into a halogen housing ... or take apart the bi-xenon housing


my reasoning is ... if i'm going through the hassle of doing a xenon retrofit into a 2016 LCI sedan, i might as well make it visibly known that i went and put effort into modifying the lights

[XKxRome0ox]

those extra extensions
great touch
you are the man, squid

[iki4life]

squidlyboy I CALLED DIBS ON 1 OF YOUR 8 SETS. Im in no rush, since I'm the outright owner of my car

[jojo7]

Count me in for a set. I am in no rush too

[Rwillis92]

Definitely in let me know

[black_F10M5]

so would would be required for us to purchase one of your 8 sets? do we need to buy a set of used halogens and send to you for the retrofit? does the retrofit include projectors and everything? if so I would be IN. and do you have any estimate of cost?

[mbfanos]

Originally Posted by squidlyboy

With that said, i purchased enough acrylic to make 8 more sets that i hope to get cut in June as i get access to the laser cutter. So for those who are in no rush, i'll let you know when i get that done...

I'm in!

[who8mysoup]

Totally in on this as well. I am assuming you just need our halogens right?

[-berq-]

Loving the results! I'm in as well but I'm based in the uk tho

[squidlyboy]

The best way is for me to start with a spare set of halogen headlights (which i currently already have), do the work, then send it to you after you send payment + a security deposit for the headlights. Then after you receive them and install it, you would send me your original halogen headlights. I would then refund you the deposit once i receive your headlights.

With the new set, i would start work on the next one, etc...

I'm still working out what i think would be a fair price. I'm not out to gouge anyone, but it is a lot of work, so it would be in line with the going rate. But it definitely won't be more. Ideally, i would like to just produce the rings and have people do a DIY on their own, but i know that most people don't have the time, patience, desire, and/or nerve to do it, so i realize that installs are going to be just a necessary part of this thing. But if some folks were willing to do the work themselves, 1) they would save a bunch of $$$ and 2) i would work with them / provide support to get it done.

As far as the other question as to what is included in the work, I know certain people will want certain things - i.e. some will want only the rings installed, others want some HIDs in addition, so as you add more stuff, the cost will go up commensurately. I'm still trying to figure that part out...