I just bought a 97 WS6 and forgot how bad the head lights are, put new lights in and still not as bright as i want. Guess i got used to the lighting from the G8.

Just wondering if any one know of a good HID or projector kit, is it plug and play, how much fabrication am i looking at etc.

Yes i did do a search but didn't find the answer im looking for.

Thanks.

 

BLS makes one that is plug and play IIRC. I know they are for the 98+ birds.

http://www.blackbirdlighting.com/93-97.php

 

Personally, I skipped on BLS because the Hella 60's aren't great projectors. They are coming out with a version 2 with, I believe, Morimoto H1's. Even if they use the newest 5.0 version of the Morimoto H1's, they leave much to be desired.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/show...oto-Mini-H1-V5

Don't get me wrong. The Hella 60's/Moritmoto H1 kit will be a great improvement but if I'm going to drop close to 600 bucks on the BLS kit, I'd want a better projector.

 

Hes looking for an LT1 kit.

 

Right, the LT1 kit uses FX-R bi-xenon projectors which are good.

Also check the Lighting FAQ to see some other options.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...hting-faq.html

 

Oops. I didn't notice the different projectors in the LT1 vs LS1 setups.

 

Have you used the Morimoto H1? I have them in my Camaro (BLS) and they are really good. Rivaled the Caddy that passed me on the highway the other day

The HID itself makes just as much of a difference as the projector. Put a crappy HID in there (read: DDM, Xentec, etc) you'll get mediocre output.

 

No, I haven't and I realize that I will bruise many people's feelings for my negative comments on the BLS kit, especially when people drop 500-600 dollars on the kit - so I prepared for cases of denial. Fortunately, there are lots of comparisons on HIDplanet where projectors are placed directly upon one another to gauge the difference. Like I said, Morimoto's or Hella 60's are still a great improvement over stock lighting, but if I'm going through the trouble of swapping out projectors and retrofitting my headlights, I want to put in a better projector - especially when they are priced very similarly.

I purchased a high quality HID kit from The Retrofit Source too. There is no mention of what type of HID are in the BLS kit.

 

Yeah i would rather do my own thing instead of spending the 600+ on that kit.

 

I probably would opt for the BLS kit if they used the FX-R, which is regarded as one of the top projectors out there - Morimoto's being on the lower end. Price is very similar on TRS:

Morimoto H1 Version 5.0: $120
FX-R: $140

I understand the Morimoto's/Hella 60's are easier to retrofit than the FX-R's which probably played a part in BLS's decision to utilize these.

 

When I got my BLS lights they came with the Morimoto HIDs.

Could I have built them cheaper than paying BLS? Yes. Did I have the time to? No... Heck, I've worked on my own retrofit in my Trailblazer with the Morimotos and its not the easiest thing, at least not for me. They are STILL not done either I have a hard enough time with the "easy" Morimotos, let alone having to actually hack up the housings entirely and hope to get the cuts right the first time. Knowing my luck I'd get it rotated and be screwed, having to buy yet another housing to hack up and hope I get right the next time around. As you mentioned the other projectors take a lot more work to get installed and installed right vs the Morimotos.

I'm a big advocate of DIY - I can't afford to do much otherwise! - but there are a few things that I've realized my limitations and just pay someone else to do it the right way

 

There is no question that there are better projectors available on the market. Whether they can be utilized appropriately in a kit that can be installed by most is the other issue. The FX-R is a much larger projector than the MH1 and 60mm Hella. I don't believe anyone is in denial. These and other projectors can be installed in the low beam area of the 98-02 Firebirds however you run into issues which will require quite a bit of modification if you want to accomplish a couple things. One is sealing of the entire assembly and the other is providing adequate protection to the projector itself.

We could certainly get a RX, FX-R or other popular projector unit and get them to simply fit in the space for a 98-02 Firebird. Fitting an attractive shroud, forming a protective lens over the assembly and sealing up the entire unit would still be a concern. We chose the Hella 60mm unit as it performed admirably with a HID system, had favorable dimensions for the space provided and is completely sealed. In the event something leaks or fails, the projector itself can be re-utilized. Any other "open" projector would likely be ruined. Unless the system was completely sealed, the open projectors are just not a favorable option. Since projector pricing is typically in a reasonable range given the options available, this represented a very small portion of our projector choice for the 98-02 Firebird kit.

Many have performed installations using other projectors as seen in the Lighting Guide portion of the Appearance Hall of Fame. If you have the ability to fabricate and retrofit your own system together, this will always be the cheaper option. Our customers want a very significant improvement to their factory lighting and something that can be installed in their garage with the backing and support from a reputable vendor. Our current systems do just that. As you have likely seen, we are looking to revamp the current kit with the MH1 projector and have successfully done so. The only item left is to design a sealing system that will guarantee the interior will stay dry.

Our 98-02 Firebird and 93-97 Camaro kits are typically supplied with a DDM tuning HID kit unless the customer has a special preference for another supplier, including the TRS Morimoto products. All of our other kits including the 98-02 Camaro, 93-97 Firebird and all 7" H6024 kits/housings utilize TRS components including Morimoto lamps, ballasts and wiring. We place orders weekly with TRS for a number of our kits and have an excellent working relationship with Matt and his crew.

I certainly hope my comments are taken for face value and do not to come off as defensive. The intent is to provide clarity and not speculation.

If you decide to change your mind, we routinely run GP's and can also offer special discounts depending on when you are interested in ordering. Best of luck with your retrofit.

 

You did not come off as rude at all and like I said, I understand your reasoning for using the Morimoto's over something more difficult to install, like the FX-R's. There is definitely a market for those who want an improvement over stock lighting without the hassle of retrofitting on their own; thus a completely plug-and-play kit is highly sought after. Personally, I was leaning towards your kit and left you a few PM's regarding the availability of your new Morimoto's but I decided to tackle this as a DIY project.

In return, I hope my comments, despite being negative, didn't come across as a bashing against your services. But understand that I was being purely objective and against sugar-coating the performance of Hella 60's an MH1's - I am merely criticizing these products; not your services. In fact, I commend a company that takes the time to "track" test their products before selling, as the reason for the long wait of the MH1's. I also commend a company that delivered such a well-written response without an ounce of bitterness.

 

i have a pair of 2008 OEM acura TL projectors (high and low beam) that i'm trying to get rid of for $100. correct me if i'm wrong but i heard they are or were somewhere around the second best light output from a projector? i can take measurements to see if they will fit, I would know already but i dont have an LT1 anymore.

 

The TL bi-xenon projector is one of the best bi-xenon projectors. $100 is a great price for a pair. The TL is a little better than the FX (and FX-R), but it is also physically larger than them which poses an issue with fitment in some headlights.