Headlights and Taillights

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L.Tigre
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2022 3:53 pm
Location: Greenville SC

Headlights and Taillights

Post by L.Tigre »

I replaced all headlights and tail lights with LEDs over the past few weeks. A few notes below in case anyone else is thinking of the same.

HEADLIGHTS:
The "Outer" pair of headlights are low beam and hi-beam. I purchased new ones from vintagecarleds.com. They're a good product, real glass and a nice bright LED, plug-and-play.

The "inner" pair of headlights are hi-beam only. Those were a bit harder to find. I did finally order them from headlightexperts.com. The product is pretty good... but it took forever to get them here and their service is second-rate. And the parts are not 100% buttoned-up mechanically... there's a rubber boot which in principle would fit onto the back where the LED mounts, but in practice doesn't fit and is basically useless. I wouldn't buy from this site again.

Headlights are pretty easy to install. I also refinished the front grilles... the aluminum with sandpaper/steel wool (hard!) and black bits with with Solution Finish Black (easy). I like the results, definitely freshened it up.

TAIL LIGHTS:
I removed the rear tail light carriers and chrome frames, which had been corroded like they get. Those taillight frames were tough, as I hoped to repair or refinish them...but soon realized I was out of my league. They were so far gone I couldn't put them back in without badly gouging the (also rare) gaskets. Stock frames in good condition can go for over $1k. I ended up purchasing newly built frames from a guy in Eastern Europe named Doczi Csaba. He tools them himself and sells them on facebook. I rolled the dice on these and was happy I did. It's a solid, well-made part. I would not call it a 100% perfect fit but pretty close, maybe 98% or so.

The bulb carriers I spray-painted in silver. Then I installed all new Sylvania LED bulbs which are available online and in auto parts stores. It's all good now except for the reverse lights don't seem to work (didn't work before and don't work now). I need to troubleshoot that... it's not the bulbs, its something else.

My left tail light lens had been previously cracked and re-glued by a prior owner. That did not hold up under pressure.... I cracked it again on the way in. New one online was $120... and that was a steal. Many left-side tail light lenses on eBay are over $400, whereas right side lenses go for $100-$150 or so. I suspect the car itself is a bit "tight" on the left side... I had to carefully calibrate the tightening of the carrier and the frame, to get the left side lens in. Whereas the right slid right in, no problems.
Attachments
new completed tail lights and chrome frames
new completed tail lights and chrome frames
IMG_5818 2.jpeg (1.16 MiB) Viewed 1150 times
new completed headlights and grilles
new completed headlights and grilles
IMG_5815.jpeg (4.36 MiB) Viewed 1150 times
tail light frames - corroded, pre-repair
tail light frames - corroded, pre-repair
IMG_5423.jpeg (2.27 MiB) Viewed 1150 times
tail light carriers; left side painted, right side pre-paint
tail light carriers; left side painted, right side pre-paint
IMG_5663.jpeg (2.45 MiB) Viewed 1150 times
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hornhospital
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Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:46 pm
Location: Silverhill, AL
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Re: Headlights and Taillights

Post by hornhospital »

Tell us more about the tail light frames! Price, where to order, close-up photos, please.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
L.Tigre
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2022 3:53 pm
Location: Greenville SC

Re: Headlights and Taillights

Post by L.Tigre »

I found the frames advertised on Facebook, in a group called ‘BMW E24 “The Shark” ‘. The guy was selling a batch of parts he had made, and I think I got the last set from that batch. His website is here : https://bmwe24parts.eu/

A couple of pics attached, one from the site and another from my car. (On the car: it’s wet and some water makes it look a bit wavy, but the part is solid/straight and smooth). Overall, they work great. In the wrap-around corners they are not quite “deep” enough to compress the gasket fully…. I will likely add some more rubber material there to seal it better. But, overall a very good part.

I paid $320 apiece plus shipping. Would definitely buy again.
Attachments
CC81886D-16EB-4331-93CB-75803338B09E.jpeg
CC81886D-16EB-4331-93CB-75803338B09E.jpeg (2.33 MiB) Viewed 1100 times
E15A5485-1EC6-4A33-B4FE-DA3F0449795B.jpeg
E15A5485-1EC6-4A33-B4FE-DA3F0449795B.jpeg (263.23 KiB) Viewed 1100 times
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