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Thread: E30 Euro Ellipsoids

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Tigard, OR
    Posts
    3,032
    My Cars
    '81 323i, '87 325

    E30 Euro Ellipsoids

    I'm embarrassed to say that it took me all weekend to build these, but it did. A much easier option could have been to simply adapt E30 ellipsoid buckets to my e21, but these turned out to be challenging to source. If you can find a pair of these, apparently it's pretty easy to slot the mounting holes and they can simply be screwed to the core support.

    So I decided that it would not be an impossible task to adapt e30 euro ellipsoids to my e21 buckets, despite what I have been told by others. And no, you can not simply shave a bit off of the ellipsoid housing with a Dremmel to make them fit like I have also read.

    To start, I removed the low beam buckets from the bracket that holds both buckets. this is done by simply unscrewing the the lamp adjusting knobs until the screw is completely removed, then wiggle the adjuster free from the bracket. I needed to figure out which housing belonged on which side as the beam cutoff doesn't just cut the top half of the beam off, but it also allows a slight angle up from the center of the beam pattern on one side. This helps to illuminate signs and other roadside objects better. To do this I installed an H1 bulb in one of the housings and used some alligator clips to a spare battery I had laying around and projecting a beam onto the wall of the garage to see which side aimed up a bit higher. there are three mounting tabs on the back of the housings, two on the top and one on the bottom. The mounting tab on the bottom will be on the outside. For example, this is the driver's side housing:






    I then lined up the ellipsoid housing into the center of the bracket and noticed that a considerable amount of the center portion needed to be cut out in order to recess the ellipsoid housing deep enough, so I used a paint pen to trace the outline around the housing. Then I spent some time with a cutoff wheel and a grinding wheel cutting and shaping the inside of the bracket so that the ellipsoid housing would fit inside. As I learned on the second housing, cut more than needed to simply fit it in, you'll want some wiggle room.

    I picked up some stainless steel hardware at True Value, I used some M6, allen head, countersink type machine screws that have a profile like this:

    The V-shape of the bottom of the screw heads would allow each mounting position to pivot a bit that will aid in the adjustment process. I also got some nylon washers, also to aid in the pivot/adjustment, and of course a bunch of stainless washers and nuts.

    The lower mounting tab on the ellipsoid housing fits closer than the upper two, so I used this as the "fixed" pivot point, and set it as close as I could to the bracket. In order to have a pivot at the bracket, I figured that the best thing to do would be to weld a screw to the bracket. So in order to line things up, I took one of the screws, temporarily attached it to the bracket with some super glue and reassembled the grill & lights and found the right place to permanently affix the screw to the bracket. I then drilled a hole in the bracket under the location of the lower screw, then welded the screw head to the bracket. I then put a nylon washer over it, and then put the housing on it, followed by a washer & nut. I then eyeballed where the opposite corner nut should be located on the bracket & marked it with a paint pen. Then took the bracket over to the drill press & drilled out a hole, centered a nut on to it, super glued it in place and then welded it to the bracket. Then reinstalled the assembly into the core support and checked the center in the grille. Then took the housing and lined up the third hole, marked it with a paint pen, drilled, etc. Then I used the wire wheel to clean up the entire housing and prime/paint it.

    Okay, in all honesty, I somehow picked up two of the correct sized nuts, and two the were the next sized smaller and welded them in place before I realized it, so in some of the following pics, the paint is a bit fubared because I had to grind/drill the nuts off and re-weld the correct size back on prior to repainting them.


    Here is what one of the housings looked like with the nuts/bolt welded in, prior to installing the ellipsoid housing:






    Here is what they look like assembled, I have the set-nuts loose right now so that I can adjust them once I get them installed in the car. I'll have to adjust the beams prior to reinstalling the grilles, the primary failure in my design...










    Here is what the buckets look like assembled:












    Next up: wiring modifications so that H1 low beams can stay on with the high beams... pray that I don't burn the car to the ground...

    Also looking for the pigtails/connectors for the housings. I picked up some amber 194 wedge bulbs for the city lights today.

    Installed pics are going to have to wait until the suspension is back under her so I can get her out of the garage & get a good wash.
    Last edited by Jester323; 02-22-2010 at 11:09 PM.
    e21: 1981 2.5L sleeper
    e21: 1982 323i Baur TC 1 # 4210
    e21: 1980 323i project or parts car, can't decide
    e21: track car project
    e46: 325XiT

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Newark 2 Nashville
    Posts
    2,028
    My Cars
    82 320i/4, 89 535i/5
    great write up...

    I've been thinking that's 1 of my top 5 improvements as i use HID's in the E34... just gotta source them and set it up.. the E21 will have HID's as well.. thanks

    Wes
    E34 535i/5 (Dirty D)
    RIP E21 320i/4 (Hammerhead)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Manila, Philippines
    Posts
    3,788
    My Cars
    2 E21s, E28, Z3 Coupe

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    1,572
    My Cars
    E39 Touring, E53
    These lights have made their way into my hands and have been sitting around in the garage for about a year. I don't see myself swapping out my 316 lights. If anyone is interested in them, shoot me a PM.

    Bucket

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    San Jose, California
    Posts
    1,720
    My Cars
    E21 320i, E30 325i
    I am interested in the housings/buckets but I'm sure you wouldn't want to separate them. How much for everything?
    '81 E21 320i / '90 E30 325i / '̶9̶2̶ ̶E̶3̶4̶ ̶5̶2̶5̶i̶t (sold) / '15 Toyota XW30 / '̶̶8̶0̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶ ̶3̶2̶0̶i̶A̶ (sold)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    1,572
    My Cars
    E39 Touring, E53
    They are sale pending to the guy that made them. Very weird that notion is.

    Bucket

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    San Jose, California
    Posts
    1,720
    My Cars
    E21 320i, E30 325i
    If that falls through let me know. I'm interested.
    '81 E21 320i / '90 E30 325i / '̶9̶2̶ ̶E̶3̶4̶ ̶5̶2̶5̶i̶t (sold) / '15 Toyota XW30 / '̶̶8̶0̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶ ̶3̶2̶0̶i̶A̶ (sold)

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