Zyon13B's "Sleepy" H.I.D. headlight conversion How-to
 

Okay, I promised instructions to how I converted my lights to be "Sleepy" with HID fog/driving lights housed inside. The first I've seen this mod was when Wael did this. Not too many details were given how he did it so here you go. Here's the way I did mine. There is definitely some differences, ex. they go down from the "sleepy" height instead of up then down, but anyways:

First, this is one-off, so it's not the easiest thing to attempt. But it isn't the hardest thing either. Here's some finished pics:

https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9134
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=8019
Sharp cutoff(not fully adjusted yet)
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9142
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9146
Stock height comparison
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=8020
The Highs and Lows stay on together for the highbeams
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9143
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9144

I want! (for my second gen)

I'll be looking forward to checking out this write up!

First step is removing the complete headlight assembly. I'm not posting a how-to on that, but it's bolted in with 5 bolts and 2 nuts all 10mm. Then just disconnect the light and headlight motor harnesses and your good to go:) Next thing I did was figuring out how to modify the motor arm to only bring the housing so high and bring it back down. This requires making two new rotating arms that are the same height closed, but shorter when open. Here's my test arm made with spare copper:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9111

And here's the testing with that copper arm:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9130

That worked for me so I went and bought supplies to build more solid ones. Here's what I got, from Home Depot, about 12 dollars:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9112

I cut the metal here:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9135

I drilled holes in the longer piece and bent the smaller piece like so:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9136
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9115

Put them together with washers, rubber washer and a binding post. I used the red thread lock stuff to keep it together:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9114
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9117

Notice, same height closed yet it's shorter when extended:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9118
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9119

Before the arm is bolted down to the motor, make sure the motor is in the extended position by popping the lights to the up position and just plug the motor harness back in and it will rotate the spindle? to the open setting.
Then I rounded the corners of the arm on the grinder and used a long bolt, washers and a spacer to bolt the arm to the housing:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9141

Then straighten out the arm and bolt it to the motor. and turn it down onto the teeth of the spindle to set the position.

Now the hard part is out of the way. Next, unbolt the arm you just bolted to the housing, remove the headlight from the housing (if you didn't yet) and the housing from the metal bracket held by two 10mm nuts.
Next step is to cut this brace from the metal bracket. You can bolt the housings back on afterwords.
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9120

Then I drilled and cut the housings like this:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9124
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9123

I later cut a little more off of the corner to accommodate the wiring of the Opuluxes. You should be able to pick it out in later pictures.

Speaking of which, here's the Hella Opulux DE Xenon H.I.D.s I got off ebay for about $300:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9116

To mount them, I used the bracket that came with them, turned it around, and mounted it where I showed that hole drilled on the little shelf. I also used 5 washers to provide the height I needed.
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9122
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9125

Next: what I did for the highs.:cool:

Ok, for the highs, I had to make a choice. Hella makes two lights that would work. They're both called Micro DE's, but one is Halogen and one is Xenon HID. They cost $150 and $600, respectively. So, if one goes with the HIDs, they can have the lows and the highs come on one at a time separately and wiring is a cinch. Or go with the halogens because of the price and wire it so the lows stay on when the highs are turned too (because the HID lows are way brighter than the halogens). It requires one more step of wiring. I went with the halogens and wired it like so, and I may switch to the HIDs later when they come down in price. But anyways, that's your options.
Here's the Hella micro DE halogen fog lights:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9121

I initially mounted them different, but this is what I ended up doing. I went and got two more of the right angle brackets and bent it like this:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9139

Then I mounted the light bracket onto it:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9140

Then mounted the whole setup to the housing with a couple of bolts:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9138

And that's how they look from the top. This is the driver's side headlight.
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9137

Now just do the reverse for the passenger side. And all that's left is wiring and putting them back in the car.

Thanks for writing this up. I'm going to try this in the near future although I'll probably opt for a pivot control unit versus cutting new control arms. Are you doing a write up on the wiring also?

Coming up:) It got too late last night.

Very nice, Ill attempt to do this myself with tsx projectors though .

Thanks for the writeup

Okay, now you have the whole assembly ready with a ballast hanging off. To mount the ballast i looked at many different options, but what I ended up doing is bolting a piece of metal to the screws used to mount the oil coolers. Then I zip-tied the ballast to that for easier removal if needed:
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9131
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9132

Then I plugged all the harnesses in and bolted the whole assembly in. Here's before the cover is put on (the 7 now has eyes:) ):
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...pictureid=9133

As for the wiring, I went the easiest possible route (no relays). That said you might want to wire them as you see fit and feel comfortable with. I simply took the neg from the halogen and the HID ballast together , put a flat male connector on, and plugged it into the stock ground from the harness. Then I put a male connector on the halogen positive and connected it to the red/white wire from the stock harness for use as the highs. Did the same for the positive of the ballast except I wired it to the red/yellow wire for the lows. To make them come on together when the high beams are hit, I modded the connector under the steering column. It's explained in this thread:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/headlight-wiring-mod-low-beams-high-beams-395535/

So that's about it. I may have forgot something writing this beast up, so if there's any questions, feel free to ask.

Thanks, that sounds interesting. We'll need pics when your done:)

Thank you for taking the time to write this with pictures.

This is exactly the way I've been wanting to do my headlights, but didn't know how. This is amazing. Thanks for writing it up.

No problem:) Where in PA are ya?

I nominate this thread for the Nobel Peace Prize!

Yea, hidden in this article is the formula for world peace;) Good eye!

I'm in the burbs of Philly. Bucks Co.

Nice work. Thanks for the pictures and the write-up.

Where could I find those L brackets at home depot?

awesome writeup.. looks great! If anybody wants bigger projectors i have various projectors from cars.. ranging from 2 - 2.75 inch lenses.. can't wait to do my sleepy eyes :P

Be careful with certain projectors, I'm not sure if tsx will fit in there. I'm thinking maybe valeo? Unless you test fitted a bunch? :)

I don't have any TSX projectors.. I do have a bumch of different Valeo ones though.. Never tried to fit them.. i usually just sell them and have way to many projects on the rx7 to start another one right now haha

I'll test abunch of them in the near future.

Test fit them, I'd be interested in the futute. Valeo's are getting harder and harder to source.

wow thanks for the awsome write up!!!

is it possible to give dimensions of both projectors ? i think i wanna go ahead and start mine in no time!

I think you can find dimensions on hella.com. If not I'll get back to ya. I'm in the process of moving right now: )

dude i am so sorry i meant to say ' the dimensions for your custom rod' lol
sorry bout the typo.

the bendy part.

I'm looking at getting a pic up with the dimensions of that piece soon. Sorry for taking so long, it's a super busy summer:)

Tada!! I present: The dimensions for the brackets I fabricated for the "sleepy" look. I hope this helps some of you. Thanks to my Brother-in-law for creating the 3D image with dimensions. I have no idea how to use that program:)
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...ictureid=11789

Thanks so much for the time you have put into posting up your info. It will be a great help to us who hope to follow in your footsteps.

I asked my Bro what the numbers are in and he said metric inches whatever that is:) So, anyways, he's making me one for just plain inches. Look for that in about a day.

Thank you for the kind words, David. I gotta give something back to the forum, I've learned so much over the years from everybody else, and for that I'm grateful.

Is it similar or the same to that of the FC3S? Or is there a sleepy headlight conversion thread somewhere here for the FC specifically.

Waels original possibly for sale
 

Hey guys just noticed this thread, i acually got Waels kit from him years ago. this is the original kit that Wael made for his car. Im thinking of selling it because i just picked up the Knightsport kit. The kit i have used the same Hella Optilux HID lights on the outside with PIAA foglights inside. I have two sets of HID ballasts, the hella's were acting up, but still working, so I replaced them with a different set. the bulbs are new as well, still have the hella bulbs also. the harness for the hella HID's on one side shorted out, im going to see if i can replace it or fix it before selling. Just seeing what kind of interest there is for these.

wow thoes look great they remind me of the sleepy eye projectors on one of the falken fd drift cars your hids dont look very blue like the pure white you see is it possible to get that color

thank you for the chart!!! i guess u got your headlamp hooked up? pics please!!!

Awesome project, I'd love to attempt to do this conversion one day.... You should pay a visit to my neck of the woods sometime and help me with mine :D

Hi Zyon13B, i tried it out and faced a problem. the part where the bended piece of metal is bolted to the motor seems to slip... i tried to add washers so that its more secure but in vain... how did you bolt urs? thanks


ivan

a wiring diagram or something explaining the wiring would be awesome!

aww it's so cute I want it! Another weekend project to add to the list.

Any idea how much room in inches there is in each headlight assembly area? I am interested in knowing the overall width and height as well as depth I have to play around with.

I am looking at options for a HID low beam and a halogen high beam but I am not sure how much room I have.

Sorry guys, I haven't been around for a while. But, to answer your question: you need to cut the hole just a teensy bigger than will slide on. Then as you tighten the bolt, the teeth will press into the metal. Then it will grip.

I basically just wired into the existing headlight wiring. I tell ya what color wires to connect to.