Headlight Cracked Lens

[mholbrook]

I've got a cracked headlight lens in my 1992 535. For some reason I don't have elipsoid headlights and they are not sealed beam either. Have not yet done the research on exactly what I have but I do have a cracked lens.

I took my dremel tool and cut into the entire course of the crack. About 1/32 inch or so. Then I taped it off close to the crack and filled with acrylic fingernail polish (I used clear, you can chose your own color =).

As soon as it drys, I'm going to buff it out a little bit and then cover the headlights with the stick on clear vinyl covering that I bought in sheets a couple years ago. Although it might not be the preferred method, it is a lot cheaper than changing the lens and with the covering over the headlights, I won't be breaking any more lenses.

Nothing to lose.

[Rigmaster]

There were 2 different types of headlights used on E34's. Most got the Hella Ellipsoids, but some got the non-Ellipsoids, they are marked with "NFL" on the lens. The high beams are very similar, but the low beams are quite different- the Hella's are alot longer than the others.

If it's any consolation, the NFL's are cheaper to buy new than the Hella's.



Bret.

[Springfield1952]

There were 2 different types of headlights used on E34's. Most got the Hella Ellipsoids, but some got the non-Ellipsoids, they are marked with "NFL" on the lens. The high beams are very similar, but the low beams are quite different- the Hella's are alot longer than the others.

If it's any consolation, the NFL's are cheaper to buy new than the Hella's.



Bret.

I think it's actually NAL on the lens (North American Lighting) which I have on my M5. Personally, I'm not a big fan of their performance.

Curt.

[Kalevera]

Free forms are terrible, installed to appease the DOT nazis on all '91 and '92 MY cars (E32 and E34). Forget the exact cutoff dates; Bill or Winfred may have them.

Guess your next mod, after that hot cold intake setup, will be constructing a set of ellipsoids exclusively from hardware found at Home Depot


best, whit

[Torque]

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), that 89-90 got elipsoids, then they went to freeforms from 91-93 and came back to elipsoids in 94.

[mholbrook]

Frankly, I was not fond of elipsoids at all. I had them on my 94 530 and my 89 535 and I was basically flying blind unless the high beams were on. I ran a variety of bulbs in there including silverstars, the high beam bulbs with mod to run in the low beam socket, high beam silverstar with mod to run in low beam socket and some special bulbs that I got from Stern lighting. The last were the best and they were marginal. I have recently heard that there is a plug and play zenon setup for a couple hundred bucks that can be wired right into elipsoids. My solution at my advanced age is to quit driving at night.

I swear that Home Depot parts also have BMW part numbers. Don't you just turn the part upside down to read that or something

Mike

[SC David]

An old post of mine:



Euro Lights: The headlights on euro cars, which were projector headlights with little smiley looking cutouts below the ellipsoid which help to disperse light downward a little better than the American ellipsoids without the smiley. A popular upgrade because they provide better light, even in the cheap DEPO knockoff form. The light cutoff is better than the US ellipsoid and freeform headlights as well, making them better suited for running HID headlights without blinding everyone. They came in a normal clear version, and in a smoked version. Produced by Hella (OEM), Bosch, Depo, and perhaps others.







City Lights: Euro lights also came with city lights, which are little sections at the top of the low beam headlights where a small 15W (if I remember correctly) bulbs are placed. They are the European version of parking lights.







Projectors: Projector headlights, and Ellipsoid healights are the same thing. Projector headlights have a little "fisheye" in the middle of the lowbeams, which is essentially a globe that disperses light, rather than the freeform headlights which use a sort of mirror effect. DEPO makes a projector type of headlight with eyes included.






Ellipsoids: These came stock on '89-'90 cars, then freeform headlights came on cars from '91-'93, then back to ellipsoid from '94-'95.

[liquidtiger720]

If you are willing, I'll sell you my whole depo euro spec set up!

Depo euro spec ellipsoids
Lamin-x clear 40m on all four lights since new
Xtec HID ballast
5000k ApexCone bulbs.

Whole set -up is about 4 months old. PM me with an offer.

[Torque]

Damnit why am I broke. I can give you ... 250 for that setup.

[Kalevera]

I have recently heard that there is a plug and play zenon setup for a couple hundred bucks that can be wired right into elipsoids. My solution at my advanced age is to quit driving at night.

Yes, but xenon lights suck.

If I were you, I'd pick up a set of Cibie CSRs and find a way to mount them in E32/E34 buckets. Saw a set on eBay last summer for ~ $130. The only problem is the mounting tabs -- they'd have to be fabbed. But they're standard 5 3/4" lights.

best, whit