Hella 90mm H9 projectors Installed in a 2001 Firebird (plenty of pics)

VIP1 · 2009-01-11 23:16:49

Sweet job, VIP. Thanks for the pic! :thumb:

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Feb 4, 2009 | 11:05 PM

#21

98 WS6

11 Second Club

iTrader: (20)

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 3,769

Likes: 1

From: New York

Sweet job, VIP. Thanks for the pic!

Feb 4, 2009 | 11:15 PM

#22

VIP1

Thread Starter

Copy & Paste Moderator

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 9,764

Likes: 208

From: Eastern MA

Thanks. Sorry for the delay.

Feb 4, 2009 | 11:56 PM

#23

jorgez28

TECH Regular

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 473

Likes: 0

From: El Paso

looks good wish I was more mechanically inclined

Feb 27, 2009 | 04:23 PM

#24

lo_jack

TECH Enthusiast

iTrader: (27)

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 741

Likes: 0

From: Anheuser Busch, Houston Texas

Very nice. I have two questions, as I have been following this. No doubt you made refinements along the way.

HIDs are getting cheaper - you can ebay up a set that will allegedly fit an h9 housing for $100 now I guess. Have you looked at what's out there lately to see if there are more cost effective HID kits now that work with these projectors?

The shrouds - they are pretty nice. How did you do them, and if you had to do them again, would you go the same route? I was thinking fiberglassing on an old set as a mold and making some new ones...but that seems overcomplicated. Any thoughts on that?

Feb 27, 2009 | 06:29 PM

#25

VIP1

Thread Starter

Copy & Paste Moderator

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 9,764

Likes: 208

From: Eastern MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo_jack

HIDs are getting cheaper - you can ebay up a set that will allegedly fit an h9 housing for $100 now I guess. Have you looked at what's out there lately to see if there are more cost effective HID kits now that work with these projectors?

Yes. HID kits have gotten much cheaper. Instead of ebay, check out DDM Tuning and Retrofit Source as alternatives (there are others). I'm looking into getting a 55watt Apexcone kit from DDM Tuning. I've heard mixed things about DDM Tuning recently though and the 55watt H9 kit is currently out of stock so I'll have to wait. Prices now vary $50 - $180 depending on the wattage and where you get the kit. Be careful with 55watt kits, they have been known to damage the chrome on the bowl of some smaller projectors (similar in size to the Camaro fog lights and a couple a little larger).

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo_jack

The shrouds - they are pretty nice. How did you do them, and if you had to do them again, would you go the same route? I was thinking fiberglassing on an old set as a mold and making some new ones...but that seems overcomplicated. Any thoughts on that?

Mine aren't fiberglass (I don't know how). Its the stock plastic shroud with bent thin aluminum flashing for the main area secured with rivets and molded in around the edges with plastic epoxy and a small amount of body filler over the epoxy to get the contour just right (filled in minor highs/lows/pits). That was followed by the normal painting process. On the back-side, the rivets are coated with silicone to prevent water getting past them. I should take some more pictures of the back and my process. Sanding/shaping the epoxy took a long time. Also, sometimes the backside retains water. I need to trim it. If I were to do it again, I'd explore other options. I'm not sure what (flat plexi, vacuform plexi, fiberglass, other?).

Last edited by VIP1; Feb 27, 2009 at 06:35 PM.

Mar 2, 2009 | 10:16 AM

#26

lo_jack

TECH Enthusiast

iTrader: (27)

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 741

Likes: 0

From: Anheuser Busch, Houston Texas

Very interesting. Thanks for the update. I'm riding dirty with my shrouds half off currently. I was thinking about making some new shrouds out of fiberglass, casting off a paper mache type mold, but I don't know if that is doable or not.

Mar 7, 2009 | 05:26 AM

#27

taws6

TECH Resident

iTrader: (2)

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 899

Likes: 0

From: England

Quote:

You have to admire the determination to complete the project the right way.

Good job.

Yea, looks a great job, and the shrouds look flawless too.

Mar 7, 2009 | 07:50 AM

#28

98 WS6

11 Second Club

iTrader: (20)

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 3,769

Likes: 1

From: New York

Hey VIP, How did you do the shroud?
Edit: Whoops my bad, didn't see that post. Geeze you put a lot of time into those!

LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Verdad Gallardo

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Pouria Savadkouei

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Verdad Gallardo

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Pouria Savadkouei

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Verdad Gallardo

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Verdad Gallardo

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Verdad Gallardo

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Verdad Gallardo

Mar 7, 2009 | 11:51 AM

#29

VIP1

Thread Starter

Copy & Paste Moderator

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 9,764

Likes: 208

From: Eastern MA

Thanks for the compliments.

Making the shrouds took much longer than installing the projectors.

Mar 10, 2009 | 10:37 AM

#30

lo_jack

TECH Enthusiast

iTrader: (27)

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 741

Likes: 0

From: Anheuser Busch, Houston Texas

This is cool. You asked me about this a long time ago, now I asked you for an update. It comes full circle, and the whole thing has improved drastically. I'm going to be getting a set of 35w from Retrofit. I was concerned about the heat from a 55w on these 90mms myself. I replaced all my wiring with heavier gauge from the gray factory connector up, and the housings make me all the more nervous. Are you going to put the 55w into the Hellas when you do that upgrade?

Mar 10, 2009 | 11:04 AM

#31

VIP1

Thread Starter

Copy & Paste Moderator

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 9,764

Likes: 208

From: Eastern MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo_jack

Are you going to put the 55w into the Hellas when you do that upgrade?

I'm considering it.

Mar 10, 2009 | 12:40 PM

#32

cbr600rx7

TECH Enthusiast

iTrader: (12)

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 701

Likes: 0

Very nice. At first i was not sure but after seeing them at night i am convinced. Good project man.

Apr 4, 2009 | 10:05 PM

#33

VIP1

Thread Starter

Copy & Paste Moderator

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 9,764

Likes: 208

From: Eastern MA

Today I installed an upgraded wire harness for the low beams.

Here are the highlights:
* 14 AWG wire throughout
* All connections are soldered
* Indiviual Relay and Fuse (15AMP) for each bulb

The bulk of the wire is a 14/4 cable that I found at Home Depot. It has a thick rubber casing and (4) 14 AWG wires that also have thick insulation.

Since Male H9 connectors don't exist, I had to make my own by breaking a pair of new H9 bulbs to use their bases.

In the first few pictures the insulation at ends with the bulb connectors is cut/split. I waited until the harness was installed in the car to trim the extra insulation and wrap the ends with electrical tape. The result is that the outer insulation goes up to the connectors. The reason I did it this way is that I can easily go back to halogen. In which case, I'd remove the electrical tape and peel back the split insulation. Then the exposed wires would reach the bulbs.

I tapped into power at the AUX power terminal and used a nut I already had to secure the connector to the terminal on top the exiting bundle. I tapped into ground at an existing ground point. It both locations I used a file and wire brush to make sure I had a good clean connection.