French (yellow) Lamps [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

Hermes

09-26-2011, 04:50 PM

So I'm in the process of frenching my front end (gonna be a little different from those w/AEs) and I am NOT going the laminate route. Has anybody used yellow bulbs and what opinions do you have/brands you recommend?

I have so far repainted my fog reflector bowls yellow (its still a reflector, used the right paint) and now need the bulbs to finish them off. Later I will bake and deal w/facelift DRL reflector bowl but haven't got to that yet.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/b03370fd.jpg

iZHP

09-26-2011, 04:54 PM

That'll probably look good IMO. I like DRL's and I like the yellow as well. Post pics when you finish!

Hermes

09-26-2011, 05:02 PM

For sure, took some good pics while doing the fogs so I'll put up a DIY

az3579

09-26-2011, 05:11 PM

Wow. Every time I think of something cool that almost nobody seems to have, someone else goes and does it right before me... lol
I was going to do that in a couple of weeks when I swap my projector for the M3 projectors.

I'll be putting in city lights, however, in place of the DRLs and AE's. Curious to see how this would look on a coupe since the projector is so small; I wonder how that would contrast to the yellow high beam bowls. My bowls are the same size visually, so I know how that would look, but haven't seen it done yet on a coupe.

Pics up as soon as you're done........

Hornung418

09-26-2011, 05:18 PM

I like it. I would have went the laminate route for the fogs and done a 4300k Xenon conversion. Since you've already frenched the reflector, keep the bulb as white as possible. Adding a lower lumen output on top of the yellow reflector won't make it any yellower and will only reduce output. It's either a filter and white bulb or a clear reflector and 3000k bulb.

As for the DRLs do the same procedure and keep the bulb as white as possible :)

iZHP

09-26-2011, 05:18 PM

Yeah, definitely getting over the AE's...I wish there was more of an OEM look...like the new blue AE's on the new series'.

HokieZHP

09-26-2011, 06:44 PM

What paint did you use to paint your reflectors?

Hermes

09-26-2011, 07:40 PM

Duplicolor Metalcast Yellow - MC202. No primer but you need to use Duplicolor Adhesion Promotor (CP199) as a kind of base. If the shiny film is peeling then you do need to use Duplicolor Metalcast Ground Coat (MC100) as a first layer to make it nice a shiny then do the other two

what it looks like as its drying
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/DSC_9935.jpg

HokieZHP

09-26-2011, 08:09 PM

Thank you sir. I am also going with yellow bulbs. I tried the Lamin-X yellow films but they make it a very pale yellow that I don't like. I'm looking for a deeper yellow so I'm going with some Nokya Hyper Yellow bulbs like these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nokya-Hyper-Yellow-9006-Headlamp-light-bulb-Stage-1-/380371528363?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item588fe8eaab

I've read up a lot about them and they seem to be pretty decent. Long life and deep color.

Hermes

09-26-2011, 11:10 PM

ok, just for the hell of it I tried to do the metalcast ground coat/adhesive/yellow... does not work. the ground coat although "shiny" is not a mirror finish. I think I saw a krylon can of mirror finish at home depot last time I was there. Will get back to you.

Also, while I was out earlier I stopped at DDM Tuning and picked up some H7 (DRL) by some co called Xtec. They're supposedly a 4000k hyper white but its actually a neon yellow cause of the tint on the glass of the bulb. Its just enough I think where it will compliment the painted reflector bowls cause right now if I look at the fog lamps I can see the white bulb in the middle of a yellow field. Besides, the guy only charged me like $6 for them so if I dont like them its not like I spent a fortune on some bulbs

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000446.jpg

Stock H7's
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000450.jpg

'Yellow' H7's
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000449.jpg

danewilson77

09-27-2011, 04:28 AM

Yeah...I guess the Lamin-X isn't exactly bright yellow. It's more subtle...

Lights on.
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC05323edit.jpg

Lights off.
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC04623.jpg

Posted to show comparison.

Hermes

09-27-2011, 09:52 AM

ok, tried to see what they look like at night - yellow H7's at top, painted fogs w/white 9006 at bottom. actually a little more yellow in real life (stupid camera)
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000460.jpg

after some searching I think I've come to a decision... PIAA Plasma Ion Yellow (H7 & 9006). High quality (at least I've heard of them from all my offroad friends unlike Xtec, Nokya or Luminics) good color but a little pricey. Now I just have to find a place that sells them for a decent price (so far I'm looking at over $100 for 4 bulbs)

found these pics of the PIAA's on the net

http://www.cargym.com/images/H-350.jpg
http://photographydereve.smugmug.com/photos/342341216_hGRz6-L.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2442177274_4af2ca9d77.jpg

Hornung418

09-27-2011, 10:10 AM

How far away did you spray them? The thinner the coat the better, IMO. If you screw up, can you buy the reflector bowl or is the whole part necessary?

Oli77

09-27-2011, 10:22 AM

You KNOW I had to click on that.

I miss the yellow lights.

Hermes

09-27-2011, 10:38 AM

How far away did you spray them? The thinner the coat the better, IMO. If you screw up, can you buy the reflector bowl or is the whole part necessary?

I doubt you can buy just the reflector, I'm thinking you have to buy the whole thing ($$$). As for distance, I did about 4 or 5 thin coats from around 8-12 inches. I doubt you'll have issues if you know how to spray something

Hermes

09-27-2011, 06:17 PM

so my retardedness I mention in post 10 - this is what it ended up looking like:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000462.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000463.jpg

yeah, weird brownish non reflective.

to compare, this is the one without the ground coat

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000464.jpg

so i had to redo it, got some duplicolor chrome finish. in the process as we speak

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/frenching/P1000470.jpg

Hornung418

09-27-2011, 06:21 PM

Honestly, see if you can't source new bowls. Go out and buy a can of Krylon Stained Glass Spray Paint in Yellow. No prep, just hold 6 inches away and spray a single light coat. let dry and reinstall. This is highly recommended when you do your DRLs as those will be important for actual visual purposes.

Hermes

09-27-2011, 06:32 PM

I'm giving up trying to fix this, it's not working. I'm gonna try the junkyard tomorrow and if they don't have one i'll have to start looking harder. krylon was my other choice but the metalcast has a better looking yellow in my opinion - its up to you what to choose. when you say 1 coat, that wouldnt work. My coats are SUPER thin so my 5 coats might be somebody else's 2. also i had a hard time finding the metalcast in yellow around here, i guess its not a big seller. they are both the same in the sense of being kinda transparent and the reflector works perfect still. the fog lamp i DIDNT mess up looks like it came from the factory as a yellow reflector with the same intensity that I had before.

I vaguely remember somebody on the forum having a ZHP parts car, anybody remember who that was?

nike001

09-27-2011, 07:02 PM

I would have just gotten the lamin-x.

I'm thinking about getting that soon because my 35w 3k french fogs look like a mix between white, yellow, and sometimes green in the housings. The light projected on the ground though is nice and yellow though

danewilson77

09-28-2011, 03:39 AM

I would have just gotten the lamin-x.

Works great.

zj96sc

09-28-2011, 04:52 AM

I yellow fog lamin-xed my E36 and E30.

Honestly i think the only way this is really going to work the way you want it to work is with HID bulbs in the 2500k/3000k temperature range. Anything halogen just isn't going to have the umph.

RVAzhp

10-06-2011, 04:12 PM

Hermes

10-06-2011, 04:16 PM

man i wish i saw this post earlier...look...you need this:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5553630865_20f7014f13.jpg

I recommend against the laminex fogs, it looks good from far away (had it like this for 2 years) but, i recently sprayed mine yellow when i did my DRL bowls...

you sand your fogs with 1000-2000 just to rough it up/clean it up and spray them with the krylon... bowls i can't remember if i scuffed them up or just sprayed them (LIGHT COATS) so as not to drip.

yeah it was a debate between that and the duplicolor. both work the same but i like the color of the duplicolor more. i just need a new right reflector and i'll be done with the fogs. then i just have to bake my headlights and do the drl's

RVAzhp

10-06-2011, 04:24 PM

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/amgarcia/BMW/Photo0157.jpg
this is with the laminex. look at the edges you can see it doesn't cover completely. i probably had yellow fog bulbs the time this picture was taken.

This is with yellow alt highs bulbs (i don't have DRL lights)- that's just the reflection causing the yellow in the picture.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/amgarcia/BMW/219864_10100261747383003_6209301_52395370_6541214_ o.jpg

These two are post "frenching"
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/amgarcia/BMW/336543_10100420795813673_6209301_54293253_1612273_ o.jpg
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/amgarcia/BMW/242327_10100325528884363_6209301_53075705_451729_o .jpg
i haven't taken a very good shot of it yet. the night one is right after it's done and the other is a few days later.
you can see the bowls are perfect. the fogs look great too and much better than the laminex. the fogs may need to be resprayed down the line (year+ later) but it's simple and well worth the better look.

RVAzhp

10-06-2011, 04:30 PM

yeah it was a debate between that and the duplicolor. both work the same but i like the color of the duplicolor more. i just need a new right reflector and i'll be done with the fogs. then i just have to bake my headlights and do the drl's
from the looks of your pictures you sprayed the fog bowl...i sprayed the lenses makes the light yellow and makes them look yellow. did you bake and pull apart your fogs too? i use to have yellow fog bulbs as well, but one burned out and i just put the regular bulbs back in and have been too lazy to buy new ones.

Hermes

10-06-2011, 04:36 PM

from the looks of your pictures you sprayed the fog bowl...i sprayed the lenses makes the light yellow and makes them look yellow. did you bake and pull apart your fogs too? i use to have yellow fog bulbs as well, but one burned out and i just put the regular bulbs back in and have been too lazy to buy new ones.

I did do the reflector bowl. when you take the fog off your bumper you can physically disassemble the thing. It's a T20(?, cant remember) torx and two clips. I took the reflector part out on its own and essentially changed the color of the reflector so even with my still stock whitish bulbs there is a good deal of yellow when i look at the ground. I agree that halogens suck but I rarely ever use them in fog, i just look at it as a way to make my car a little different than the rest that I see around here. Your pics are essentially the look i'm going for

I actually stopped at a local JDM style speed shop for the PIAA bulbs and their prices were a joke. Just for the H7's they wanted $100 before tax and they didn't even have them in stock. Still looking for a good deal so I can get some.

RVAzhp

10-06-2011, 04:45 PM

I got my yellow bulbs from HOEN:
http://www.hoen-usa.com/

the bulbs in my head lights are going strong for 2 years.
one of my fogs burned out after maybe 8-10 months. might have just been a faulty bulb.

Hermes

10-06-2011, 04:48 PM

RVAzhp

10-06-2011, 07:04 PM

my alternate highs are SUPER yellow. the fogs were pretty yellow as well. for the fogs, i'm sure you can get something off Ebay, that will do the job. for the DRL domes (alternate highs) i'd suggest the HOEN's.

i say alternate highs because i don't have DRLs. and when i pull my high beam thing toward me to "flash" someone, the yellow lights are the ones that light up super bright.