Gauging Interest: SN95 Mustang HID Retrofit kits

stangin99 · Jul 21, 2010

Hi all. I am new here, and no longer have a mustang, but I was directed here by some guys over on SVTP.

I recently started up a new side-business for making/selling retrofitted REAL HID components into mustang headlights. I started with the 99-04 model years as those are what I am most familiar with, and am now wanting to test the water for other styles. I DO plan to create a vendor account if there is enough interest, so this is not an actual For Sale ad.

This means these are headlight housings that will have true HID projectors retrofitted into them. They will also contain EVERYTHING that you will need install, including using the factory wiring connections. That means NO cutting wires, at all.

They will be bi-xenon headlights(high and low beams) in order to provide full factory functionality. Only OEM parts will be used, unlike the cheap HID kits sold on ebay. In other words, Infiniti FX-35 style projectors, Denso(Toyota) Ballasts, Phillips bulbs, wiring that connects to your FACTORY wiring. They will also be guaranteed to be sealed, and pre-aimed.

Actual parts used in the new edge kits:

Depo Aftermarket Headlights (clear or tinted)
Infiniti FX-35 style projectors w/ clear lenses (high and low beams)
Denso(Toyota) Slim Ballasts (waterproofed)
Phillips 85122(colorshift or non-colorshift) 4300K bulbs
Plug and Play wiring harness

Other companies on the web charge well over $1000 for a set like this. Some have even stopped accepting mustang headlights as they will only work with OEM housings, which end up taking much longer and cost even MORE.

Based on my current experience with 99-04 headlights, I'm looking at ~$675 for individual conversions, and if we did a group buy of 5-10 or more, that could drop to as low as $575.

****One thing to note; this price is for the conversion/parts ONLY. The 99-04 headlights are near-impossible to take apart, and I am forced to use aftermarket headlights(right now I supply them, which is an extra $150 in cost). Depending on what route I go with the sn95 housings, the cost of new headlights may have to be added to the above prices.****

stangin99 · Jul 21, 2010

Some pictures of the 99-04 set:

Denso Ballasts:

(waterproofed)

Wiring Harness

Cutoff

High Beams:

With a black reflector(still working on better pics)

ARdoller · Jul 21, 2010

Looks killer! Any information on what bulb type they would take? I would be interested in knowing if I can use the existing HID Bi-Xenon kit (9006 bulbs) I already have, in these projectors, and whether that would be offered at a discount to not have to purchase the bulbs and ballast with the retrofit.

Also going by your description, it sounds like they would be done on existing customers' headlamps and not brand new ones, so the question of who covers cost of shipping to and from, is another thing to be addressed.

Win · Jul 21, 2010

He said Phillips bulbs so it should be something like a D2S or D2R

duh09 · Jul 21, 2010

Very nice work. I'd love to have some but can't afford them. I've done some research after I realized how big it was on the SRT4forums and thought about trying to do it myself but there's a lot of work in making a nice set.

I've seen people alter headlights on here and they don't seem too difficult to take apart, I'm sure you'll have an easier time than with new edges because our lights are seperate from the corner light.

stangin99 · Jul 21, 2010

Alexr said:
Looks killer! Any information on what bulb type they would take? I would be interested in knowing if I can use the existing HID Bi-Xenon kit (9006 bulbs) I already have, in these projectors, and whether that would be offered at a discount to not have to purchase the bulbs and ballast with the retrofit.

Also going by your description, it sounds like they would be done on existing customers' headlamps and not brand new ones, so the question of who covers cost of shipping to and from, is another thing to be addressed.

I updated the original post with the actual parts I use.

These are real HID projectors, so they use actual D2S HID bulbs. Phillips is the bulb of choice by most(if not all) OEM HID's on cars. So your kit won't match up to these parts at all(unfortunately).

As for the shipping, yes I can either modify your existing housings; or I'll purchase a new set for you, and modify them before you ever see them. Prices listed above do not include shipping costs.

det_riot · Jul 21, 2010

One other thing to think about if you're doing this mainstream relates to the shipping time. You gotta think that if someone wants you to do this to their headlights that they own, you're going to have to remember that your customers will be without headlights for as long as you are working on them and as long as it takes them to ship. Just something to think about!

Love the idea, quality looks great, keep on keeping on! :thumbsup:

duh09 · Jul 21, 2010

det_riot said:
One other thing to think about if you're doing this mainstream relates to the shipping time. You gotta think that if someone wants you to do this to their headlights that they own, you're going to have to remember that your customers will be without headlights for as long as you are working on them and as long as it takes them to ship. Just something to think about!

Love the idea, quality looks great, keep on keeping on! :thumbsup:

These things take time. Whoever sends off a set is basically going to have to understand that they won't have headlights for awhile. Best bet is to have another set to use while those are being made, I'm sure a lot of us still have our stockers chillin in the closet.

ARdoller · Jul 21, 2010

PM sent.

Untame-d · Jul 21, 2010

duh09 said:
det_riot said:

One other thing to think about if you're doing this mainstream relates to the shipping time. You gotta think that if someone wants you to do this to their headlights that they own, you're going to have to remember that your customers will be without headlights for as long as you are working on them and as long as it takes them to ship. Just something to think about!

Love the idea, quality looks great, keep on keeping on! :thumbsup:

Click to expand...

These things take time. Whoever sends off a set is basically going to have to understand that they won't have headlights for awhile. Best bet is to have another set to use while those are being made, I'm sure a lot of us still have our stockers chillin in the closet.

What I was thinking. Do it over winter.

DropTopPony · Jul 21, 2010

I'm in

But seriously I think there will be several real buyers on here if the quality is top and price is reasonable. Image some in lightly smoked headlights.... mmmm

If you get interest and want to become a supporting vendor PM Matt94GT for details. He probably won't charge you if you give him a great deal on a set for his car.

duh09 · Jul 21, 2010

DropTopPony said:
I'm in But seriously I think there will be several real buyers on here if the quality is top and price is reasonable. Image some in lightly smoked headlights.... mmmm

If you get interest and want to become a supporting vendor PM Matt94GT for details. He probably won't charge you if you give him a great deal on a set for his car.

I believe there are quite a few members on here who would be willing to plop down the cash for a set. How many of us have spent $300 on export taillights?

ProKiller · Jul 22, 2010

i'm usually not one to jump into something sight unseen. that being said, if you made a set of sn95 lights and posted them up you'd probably get more interest and confirmed buyers. i'm interested but won't spend that kind of money without seeing a set done first.

stangin99 · Jul 22, 2010

ProKiller said:
i'm usually not one to jump into something sight unseen. that being said, if you made a set of sn95 lights and posted them up you'd probably get more interest and confirmed buyers. i'm interested but won't spend that kind of money without seeing a set done first.

Obviously I will not sell anything until I have an actual set that both I, and the people I'm selling to, are happy with.

This is merely to show what I've done already, and even more so to gauge interest if anyone would actually buy such a product.

The biggest downside to this is obviously the price. Most people ask to try and lower it down, but an fyi: the parts alone for the 99-04 lights make up over 80% of my final selling price. There's almost no way to make it cheaper without doing it for almost free.

The other option I've had some people mention is a DIY kit. I provide you with all the parts you would need, and an instructions list, and you get to take apart and cut up your lights yourself. I'm not opposed to this at all, and would help reduce the cost by a good amount.

JonBeast · Jul 22, 2010

Very cool idea...and your work looks excellent. I would be interested as well.

96cobra_12 · Jul 22, 2010

stangin99 said:
The biggest downside to this is obviously the price. Most people ask to try and lower it down, but an fyi: the parts alone for the 99-04 lights make up over 80% of my final selling price. There's almost no way to make it cheaper without doing it for almost free.

I hear ya. parts take up a good chunk of the cost. Are you using FX-R's or OEM FX-35's?

95riosnake · Jul 23, 2010

I would be interested (responded the same to your thread over on SVTP) to see what you come up with once you've built a set of 94-98 retrofits. Would they all use the ocular shrouds like you are showing in the pictures? I'm not a fan of the looks of the oculars, I have always liked the E46, GTI-R, or Gatling Gun shrouds (I used the E46 -my favorite- when I retrofitted the headlights in my tC daily driver and they look awesome, just had to trim slightly). It would be cool if you had the option for the customer to send you their headlights of choice, as well as the shrouds they would like to use.

stangin99 · Jul 23, 2010

95teal_12 said:
stangin99 said:

The biggest downside to this is obviously the price. Most people ask to try and lower it down, but an fyi: the parts alone for the 99-04 lights make up over 80% of my final selling price. There's almost no way to make it cheaper without doing it for almost free.

Click to expand...

I hear ya. parts take up a good chunk of the cost. Are you using FX-R's or OEM FX-35's?

FX-R's

While I haven't had FX-35's personally to compare, from what I've seen they have a better output than them, and having the extra mounting holes is very helpful when mounting them.

stangin99 · Jul 23, 2010

95riosnake said:
I would be interested (responded the same to your thread over on SVTP) to see what you come up with once you've built a set of 94-98 retrofits. Would they all use the ocular shrouds like you are showing in the pictures? I'm not a fan of the looks of the oculars, I have always liked the E46, GTI-R, or Gatling Gun shrouds (I used the E46 -my favorite- when I retrofitted the headlights in my tC daily driver and they look awesome, just had to trim slightly). It would be cool if you had the option for the customer to send you their headlights of choice, as well as the shrouds they would like to use.

Different shrouds is always a possibility.

And it should be much more possible for the sn95 guys to send me their headlights. Most seem to already have aftermarket housings, so they won't need to spend the extra $150 that the 99-04 guys have to do.