i searched, but i want to be sure. For the black tape mod on Depo's, you need HID because the regular bulbs get too hot as oppose to the HID? or is it the other way around? thanks.

Im pretty sure you don't need to do the tape mod on depos, only zkw/bosch require it if you want the look in my sig

not sure why or how the thumbs down got there...

Im pretty sure you don't need to do the tape mod on depos, only zkw/bosch require it if you want the look in my sig

then how do i make my depo's look like yours?

your car is hott :)

you can do it on either, dont use electrical tape, its pretty ghetto.
i used a really tough aluminum tape, masked the projector and sprayed the tape with high heat flat black paint. Personally i think it looks perfect
-marcus

You do need the tape mod on depos, and regular bulbs get much, much hotter than HID bulbs.

you mean only the light coming through the projector and not around it? I thought depos already look like that when you have hids ?

you mean only the light coming through the projector and not around it? I thought depos already look like that when you have hids ?

i'm talking about around the projector, where it is basically chrome. i have depo's w/out HID, and want it to be black around it, but i think the bulbs will get too hot for tape.

you mean only the light coming through the projector and not around it? I thought depos already look like that when you have hids ?
they have a silver projector surround, but it still lets out small amounts of light.

what is the point to black out low beam side i have seen it done and would like to know about it more thanks

to make sure no light escapes from around the projector.
Doing this is simply an aesthetic mod.

Why can't you just use some high temp paint?

I have never heard of this until now :dunno ...

Ill def be watching this thread...

Why can't you just use some high temp paint?
because painting it will not cover up any more light than the existing silver shield. It will just turn it black

because painting it will not cover up any more light than the existing silver shield. It will just turn it black

Cloze up pictarz pleaze! because I'm totally lost and very curious :)

Yeah anybody have close up pics of this? I'm ordering new depos w/ hids next week and wanted to do this mod before installing them.

ill try to snap some pics for you at work

This is from my FX35 retrofit. You will get the same effect with the stock Depo projectors though, since I used all of the stock shrouding. Looks awesome IMO, much better than having the shroud chrome.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/jwille/98%20M3/DSC_1298.jpg

This is from my FX35 retrofit. You will get the same effect with the stock Depo projectors though, since I used all of the stock shrouding. Looks awesome IMO, much better than having the shroud chrome.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/jwille/98%20M3/DSC_1298.jpg

you kept the inner lens in your retrofit?

is the projector sticking out on the back?

I think I know what you're talking about... but I still think I'm seriously confused as to what's going on.

you kept the inner lens in your retrofit?

is the projector sticking out on the back?

yes, I kept the lens, no the projector does not stick out the back.

Looks completely stock.

intersting, those projectors must be really small

More pics, just for verification. You would never know what is inside these guys!

Cover Off
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/jwille/98%20M3/DSC_1302.jpg

Cover On
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/jwille/98%20M3/DSC_1301.jpg

Excuse the mess of wires in the pics. I didn't want to remove the stock depo wiring for some reason.

that's a really clean install A+

are the cut off lines even ?

The cutoff lines are not perfect. Both projectors angle up slightly to the right. I just have had no time to take the headlights off the car and take them apart to straighten them out. It is really not bad though, and not very noticeable.

Compared to stock depo with 6000k, these are like night and day. Such a wide spread, and the bi-xenon is awesome on the back roads!

Cabin,

The projectors are designed to raise upward to the right. You can take apart your projectors and see the metal plate in front of the lens that has the cutout shaped like what you are describing.

This is from my FX35 retrofit. You will get the same effect with the stock Depo projectors though, since I used all of the stock shrouding. Looks awesome IMO, much better than having the shroud chrome.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/jwille/98%20M3/DSC_1298.jpg

So what did you use to black it out?

if you have depo gen ivs you wont need tape, all you need is some black paint or back primer. i used primer.
what i did was take out the high beam section, then i taped off the actual projector glass, then painted the shroud black, so light wont reflect off of it, it worked perfect! i used the black tape mod on my last depos, it was alot harder and didnt look as good, but if u really have to, use black gorilla glue tape!

Cabin,

The projectors are designed to raise upward to the right. You can take apart your projectors and see the metal plate in front of the lens that has the cutout shaped like what you are describing.

I know about the up-tick. What I am saying is that the whole thing is slightly rotated so that even the flat part is slightly angled upward. Like I said though, it's very minor and probably not noticeable to anyone else.

As far as the shroud goes, I just sanded it and shot it with some black spray paint.

anyone have pics of before and after?

hmm im interested, hid's come next week

Oh baby I can't wait for my Depos, I feel like my HID have been a near waste without them (well not really...)

Heres a crappy cell phone pic from today.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u192/E36PWR2/0308081507.jpg

silver aluminum tape, sprayed black

This is the effect it gives. Makes the projector very defined

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5096/img2748bv8.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2748bv8.jpg)
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2230/img2539se0.th.jpg (http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2539se0.jpg)
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1018/img23491ez4.th.jpg (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img23491ez4.jpg)

any pic with the light on with the mod...?!

any pic with the light on with the mod...?!

How about this one? Low beams and angel eyes on... (E36 PWR's car, not mine)

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/roarf/random/img2539se0.jpg

Does anyone have a pic of what the projector looks like (turned on) without the black tape?

Edit: found one.

IMO, its better without the tape..

with it it looks all puney

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1018/img23491ez4.jpg

Agreed, I like it without the tape.

Without the tape looks better with city lights.
With the tape looks better with thinlines.

stock depos with tape :shifty

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6097/img0753mm3.jpg

I Did The Mod Yesterday Looks Great.! I Used High Flamble Black Paint...!

i jsut did these, i think im either gonna get rid of the angels and put yellow high beam lenses in or make them thin lines
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1634/headonfs7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1634/headonfs7.b9ef7e9a75.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=293&i=headonfs7.jpg)

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6261/closeupxm8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6261/closeupxm8.e609398962.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=292&i=closeupxm8.jpg)

These are my headlights, they are Apexcones, and I painted the bezel around the projector satin black, and I love the effect it gives, especially sitting next to the yellow.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/gdogtyper/edit3.jpg

better pics

These are my headlights, they are Apexcones, and I painted the bezel around the projector satin black, and I love the effect it gives, especially sitting next to the yellow.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/gdogtyper/edit3.jpg
yeaa that looks real nice!!

Good advice, good thread, nice cars.

These are my headlights, they are Apexcones, and I painted the bezel around the projector satin black, and I love the effect it gives, especially sitting next to the yellow.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/gdogtyper/edit3.jpg

MOAR PICS.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/roarf/random/img2539se0.jpgFYI this picture is saved into my archives XD

Just wondering: isn't that one of the older grilles, that is custom made to look like the newer grilles? I do like how mine is, but I have considered gettin an updated-look grille. OTOH, I kinda think the older grilles looks more masculine and braun-y, or a word I don't know how to describe what I mean.

I have black tape on my depos wit h1s

These are my headlights, they are Apexcones, and I painted the bezel around the projector satin black, and I love the effect it gives, especially sitting next to the yellow.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/gdogtyper/edit3.jpg
Yes more pics, How hard was it to open and reseal the apexcones? I'm literally about to order headlights right now and holding up b/c of this mod. I wanna be sure the apexcones can be opened and sealed easily.