Has anyone took apart the OEM headlights and Blacked them out?
OR
Do they sell the OEM headlights blacked out?
Any pics would be VERY helpful! NOT LOOKING FOR PROJECTORS ... Just Blacked out OEM headlights!
-Thanks

Like this :question:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287617169&idx=83

Link no good ...

Fix the link or repost please :)

Someone posted pictures of having done this on Scion Life. Not sure what you would put in for a search, but you might want to give that a try.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/max2k/Scion%20Pictures/HeadlightMod.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/max2k/Scion%20Pictures/LEDSilhouetteFront1.jpg

It's pretty easy.

Have you had any problems with water gtting in, or did you simply use entirely new caulking on them?

Fix the link or repost please :)
Fixed :crazy:

I like Max2k's ... Im NOT looking for projectors ... Max did you buy them or do it your self?

I did it myself. No problems with water so far.

he did them himself , lowbox also did some similar but he did more black with a small reflective circle.

I think bBist completely blacked the flat parts on the top and bottom of the reflector. It was really intensely dark.

Does anyone know if they sell them blacked out?

nope , not that i've seen

Nope, but it's pretty easy to do. Just take the headlights off, take them apart (use an oven to heat up the glue, then pry the lens off), paint it, and put it back together.

Thanks for the 411

Have you had any problems with water gtting in, or did you simply use entirely new caulking on them?

usually people have problems from not resealling the headlight. if you do it correctly then you shouldn't have problems with fogging

I think bBist completely blacked the flat parts on the top and bottom of the reflector. It was really intensely dark.

pics of these??

Like this :question:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287617169&idx=83
Hey Munch...Your xB is hella clean!!! How do u like the projectors???

You guys do know that the silver helps reflect your headlights beam right? Oh well style over function

That blacked out portion is not part of the headlight's parabolic reflector. The effect on the beam pattern of the headlight is negligible (if not nonexistent) from painting that black. Many vehicles have similar blacked out headlights on their sportier models.

You guys do know that the silver helps reflect your headlights beam right? Oh well style over function

*shut off brain, engage mouth* :loser:

It's actually FUNCTION OVER style - dolt. If style was the only concern, the parabolic portion would've been painted - it's not.

It's late - and I'm sure I'm just cranky after a 12 hour, 19 car day - but if your don't know a tech subject 110% inside and out, DON'T SPEAK!! You'll be more of a hinderance than a help.

you won't have a problem with leaking/condensation issues if you seal them back correctly. they actually sell a silicone sealant SPECIFICALLY for tailights, headlights, lighting products for automotive & boating use. i'm not sure on the brand but i know it comes in a small silicone tube (slightly bigger shape then a silicone gasket sealer tube. it's a no tools required product). it wasn't the type you use with a caulking gun but maybe they sell the same type in that form. it's a clear tube, btw. i've done these a couple of headlights/taillights and no problems.

Does anyone know the best technique to open them and black them out? I know of the oven way and the heat gun ... Any ideas or 411 on how to do it?

Use the oven. If you heat gun one spot on your headlight for too long you end up with bubbles in the plastic lens.

It's pretty self explanatory. Take the headlights off, open them up, paint them, put them back together, put them back on.

I used testor's black model paint. The whole cost of this project is something like $5.

This looks and sounds like a Great mod. I have already added aftermarket black taillights, but have not found a good alternative for black headlights.

The oven method sounds great, but can anyone tell me what temperature the oven should be set at, and aprox. how long you need to heat them.

Also, do you heat them up to reseal them, or do you need to get new sealant.

Finally, did you use a "flat" or "glossy" black paint.

Thanks for any additional information.

the heat gun method just requires patience and care (like anything though). it's just like ironing a shirt, if you keep it on one particular spot for too long it's going to burn it. medium heat with steady back and forth sweeps is all it takes (also be sure to keep the heat gun a fair distance from the headlight). takes me half the time to it with the heat gun then the oven.

*shrug* whichever method the installer feels more comfortable with. it's just a little uneasy personally for me to use the oven that i cook food out to heat up silicone/rubber/plastic headlight assembly. i really don't have room nor is the money worth it to spend on an extra oven.

I used glossy paint, but flat would look cool as well. Someone did satin finish, it looked nice.

Oven was at 250 for about 5-6 minutes (one at a time).

To reseal them, just stick the assembly back together and bake for a few minutes. I did this a good long while ago and haven't had any fogging issues.

Thank you Max2k for the great tips!

This will be my next mod as soon as I can get a day off without rain.

has anyone done this with a black grille? I'd like to see that... Nice work Max2k.

anybody have pictures of headlights where all the non-major reflective parts are painted? i am going to black out my headlights but can't decide how much to black out. i am also going to run hid's in the oem housing and thats why i don't mind painting so much of the headlight, i figure it will cut alot of the upwards glare, but am concerned more of how it will look.

has anyone done this with a black grille? I'd like to see that... Nice work Max2k.Oh man, I'm so far ahead of you.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/max2k/HeadlightsatNight.jpg

man if you were local I'd pay you to hook mine up Max.

Thanks to all of the great tips, I decided to tackle this mod this past Sunday. Total time to disassemble, paint 3 coats of satin black and reassemble was 3 1/2 hours.

I also removed the plastic turning signal lenses, but unfortunatly I did not paint the two flat areas in the turn signals black, thus I'm going to tear it apart and paint them this weekend.

Below are two pics and I really like the look of the headlights. I have since replaced the amber turning signal bulbs with chrome bulbs, but I still need to darken the turn signals more, thus as mentioned I will take them apart again. When all is done, I'll post another "completed" image.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Brookforest/0001.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Brookforest/0003.jpg

When taping off the surfaces to not be painted, do you have to be real careful with the reflective finish coming off with the tape? From experience with VWs, it was critical with them, but I'm just asking.

I did not tape off the areas!

I just layed off the coffee for a few hours and trusted my steady hand to not screw it up. :nails:

All went well and there were no black spots where they did not belong :D

I cleaned up my stray paint with mineral spirits, and that didn't take the finish off. You should be fine.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Brookforest/0003.jpg

Did you paint the bottom section of the headlight or is that just a reflection? That section is part of the higheam reflector (bottom facing filament of a H4 lightbulb is highbeam) if I'm not mistaken.

The hatched areas (yellow) are painted. I am in agreement with other post in this thread that the blacked out areas do very little to change the intensity of the lights!! After I painted the areas black, I can tell virtually no difference in light output (on the road) than prior, although I confess the color of the light seems to be ever so SLIGHTLY more yellow than before. I am still running the OEM lamps, thus after I change to "Silverstar" or "Luminics" (if they want to give me a pair for trial!) than I feel there will still be a much improved color and light output as original!!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Brookforest/HatchedView.jpg

The only area that truly reflects the light onto the road (where it is needed) is the parobolic rounded areas. The flat surfaces only bounce light (up, down, and side to side) where it Visually impacts the person looking (usually down) at the headlights. These areas are too flat to actually reflect light forward onto the road!!!!

With the lights on, I can see difinitive "Hot Spots" on the parobolic reflector for both the low and High beams. This is the area (as shown in the following picture) where most of the light is refected forward.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Brookforest/HotSpots.jpg

I really like the darker look (visually in daylight) and stand by this mod as a great way to achieve a unique look for the xB.

finally done.
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl4.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl1.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl3.jpg

here are some pics of my old car with the headlights done also....man, i miss this car when it looked like this.... :cry:
http://publish.hometown.aol.com/fsr20det/images/2003_0114_141915aa.jpg
http://publish.hometown.aol.com/fsr20det/images/2003_0114_141901aa.jpg

finally done.
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl4.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl1.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/data/500/hl3.jpg


interesting. looks oddly familiar...

http://www.irvsjournal.com/gallery/albums/Irv%27s_Garage/%5B2005-03-15%5DScion_xB_Headlight_Painting/IMG_0690.jpg

If you guys want DOT legal blacked out OEM headlights hit up DEPO at http://www.maxzone.com they make these types of lights. I already hit them up and they said they'll consider it. If enough people bug them they will make it. So lets make a sticky for people to post their name and email, and email the list to them, if we do this we need to have a pretty big list.

I really want to do this but getting a clean edge between the parabolic reflector and the flat parts seems tough. What brands of spraypaint have the tightest spray pattern? Would any brush-on paint give a good finish?

You want to use masking tape to get a good edge. No spray can on the planet will give you a clean enough line (trust me, I'm into graffiti).

Cool, thanks Max.

Also, I see people using the high temp engine enamel...does the headlight housing get too hot for regular spraypaint?

Personally, I do NOT suggest spray paint, but that's just my opinion.

I used brush on paint and a steady hand... and this created a nearly perfect edge at the parobolic. 8)

http://scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60881

Has anyone took apart the OEM headlights and Blacked them out?
OR
Do they sell the OEM headlights blacked out?
Any pics would be VERY helpful! NOT LOOKING FOR PROJECTORS ... Just Blacked out OEM headlights!
-Thanks

Hey LavaBox ....... As soon as my lights get back from CA, I will post some pics .... I will have all the lights smoked ......

irv_usc I really like how your lights came out ... that is exactly what I want ...

House let me know what you get some pics ... I wanna check them out!

irv_usc I really like how your lights came out ... that is exactly what I want ...

House let me know what you get some pics ... I wanna check them out!

thanks, careful masking and spray paint... :D

I really want to do this but I still can't tell which areas in the turn signal part to paint. I dont want it pitch black in my headlight either. I just want a slight black look to them

heres mine
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/thedanger/Kenstyle8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/thedanger/Kenstyle4.jpg

Nice... I plan on doing mine as soon as I have some time. HOWEVER... I think I'll be doing mine in black sand pearl, same as my car, it'd be different. heh.

bBist makes your lights black housing. If anyone wants to attempt this themselves, please do not use an oven. There is no way to control area's that you don't want heated. The arms that bolt the headlights to the radiator support are very prone to warping with just a little too much heat! Keep the oven use for food, use a heat gun for your lights.

Here is a picture of how we do our headlights. We us OEM glue so your headlights will not fog or collect moisture inside them. There is a certain process necessary for your headlights to be done correctly. We have been doing this to almost every kind of car since 1996!

Please call us if anyone is interested in having this done.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/jdmcentral/bBistBlackHousingHeadlightslogo.jpg

-Steve 8)

those look nice...
especially in person...

i loved them!!

bBist makes your lights black housing. If anyone wants to attempt this themselves, please do not use an oven. There is no way to control area's that you don't want heated. The arms that bolt the headlights to the radiator support are very prone to warping with just a little too much heat! Keep the oven use for food, use a heat gun for your lights.

Here is a picture of how we do our headlights. We us OEM glue so your headlights will not fog or collect moisture inside them. There is a certain process necessary for your headlights to be done correctly. We have been doing this to almost every kind of car since 1996!

Please call us if anyone is interested in having this done.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/jdmcentral/bBistBlackHousingHeadlightslogo.jpg

-Steve 8)



How much for this??? am I buying new lights or do you use mine?

http://www.geocities.com/scott-bird@sbcglobal.net/headlt.gif

I just bought these headlights...

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2909/headlights2cy.jpg

So I'm getting rid of these headlights...

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6066/turnindicators0048gy.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7576/turnindicators0036kp.jpg

Blacked and cleared OEM headlights.

Are ya going to sell the old ones?

bBist makes your lights black housing. If anyone wants to attempt this themselves, please do not use an oven. There is no way to control area's that you don't want heated. The arms that bolt the headlights to the radiator support are very prone to warping with just a little too much heat! Keep the oven use for food, use a heat gun for your lights.

Here is a picture of how we do our headlights. We us OEM glue so your headlights will not fog or collect moisture inside them. There is a certain process necessary for your headlights to be done correctly. We have been doing this to almost every kind of car since 1996!

Please call us if anyone is interested in having this done.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/jdmcentral/bBistBlackHousingHeadlightslogo.jpg

-Steve 8)



How much for this??? am I buying new lights or do you use mine?

We trade you a finished set for your old set. You are trading a used set for another used set. If you want, we can modify your set if you are willing to wait!

-Steve 8)

Yeah, mine are for sale. They are blacked out even more than those, as much as you can without interfering with the light output.

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=107185

Great Info! I just bought a set to paint!

I like the look, but I'm just a bit p-noid about putting my headlights in the oven. I've got bad luck...

mafiamike... how much did the angel eye lights run you? Dems are Hawt!

im sporting some black oem ones aswell...

http://driftanddestroy.com/headlt.jpg

Someone had asked me if they are dimmer...Not at all. Get some decent bulbs and it'll be plenty bright.
http://driftanddestroy.com/lights.jpg

can this be done on an xa? if so, what parts of the headlight can be painted to not affect the light output?

I like the look, but I'm just a bit p-noid about putting my headlights in the oven. I've got bad luck...

I mented one of my tails with the oven... :flame:

Hey evilbox which headlights and blinker lights are you using?

no one still has blacked out the whole thing or what?

Is anyone preheating the oven or just put them in at 250F for 10 minutes?

ok well i just took mine apart literally and i put the oven on 250 gave the oven like 10 mins to heat up then left them in there for about 7 mins. im painting my housing all black , no chrome will be showing.............(fingers crossed hoping that after their back on that there will be ample light still considering the housing will be all black) i will post some pics in the next day or 2

How easily did they come apart after being in the oven 7 minutes? Did you have to pry them with a screwdriver or could you use your finger nails?

pretty easy just used my fingers coz i didnt want to mess up any of those tabs

ok well i decided to just make a line straight across the headlight coz i was scared if i black out the whole thing that it wont be bright enough. so i masked of a center line through the middle and left that chrome. i will post pics in a little bit of the whole proccess.....

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606001.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606004.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606006.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606007.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606008.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606009.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606013.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606014.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606018.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606020.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606024.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606022.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101606028.jpg

and im done :relief:

Just so you know you're gonna have seriously diminished light output from that... I just did the horizontal and vertical surfaces on mine and wished they were brighter.... looks like you blacked out 70% of the curved reflector part. You'll probably need some driving lights...

Looks like you already have some, haha.

nope actually works better as far as where it puts the light , it now puts the light straight in front. plus i dont have the stock bulbs in there.

pics of the light output?

yea i will try and take some tonight

What's better to use model paint or spray paint?

I still haven't mustered the courage to do this yet.

I still haven't mustered the courage to do this yet.

ok well heres a day shot of my dirty salsa red box with them on

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/wepaint/101806001.jpg

also a night pic will be here :P

I still haven't mustered the courage to do this yet.

same here :nails: but looks pretty easy. i just cant put parts of my car in an oven. ill try a heat gun. i have some high temp spray paint, but its gloss. i think it will work.

how many coats did you use?

I still haven't mustered the courage to do this yet.

same here :nails: but looks pretty easy. i just cant put parts of my car in an oven. ill try a heat gun. i have some high temp spray paint, but its gloss. i think it will work.

how many coats did you use?

i used 3 coats

Here are some pics of my lights
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/755000-755999/755257_156_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/755000-755999/755257_157_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/755000-755999/755257_158_full.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g46/greenguyshrek/Recent%20pics/IMG_0563.jpg

looks clean.

your FFF finisher doesn't look flush with the emblem though.

looks clean.

your FFF finisher doesn't look flush with the emblem though.
I know the body shop cut to much.

OK...so I did mine last night...NOT happy at all...now my headlights bear a strong resemblence to my butt :cry: probably because I shouldn't have done them myself but I wanted to give it a shot and see if I could do it...Turns out I can do it, I just can't do it well :tap: I'm quite ____ed about it...thought I would vent here on the forums...it isn't helping...I'm gonna go break something now :flame: Now I have to find a new set of stockers to send to bBist to do for me cuz I suck :loser:

Thanks for reading my rant...I still love my box though :love:

OK...so I did mine last night...NOT happy at all...now my headlights bear a strong resemblence to my butt :cry:

Did you paint them flesh-colored? :)

Seriously, whatever looks wrong can probably be fixed, just take your time and do em right.

Did you paint them flesh-colored? :)

Seriously, whatever looks wrong can probably be fixed, just take your time and do em right.

Flesh colored :rofl: Thanks Boxer_Rebellion for the words of encouragement...It might be fixable but I doubt by me...I'm mean it's bad IMO...my edges are rough...painted too thick in some spots (so I got a couple runs)...the tape came off quicker in some spots then I expected and literally pulled off some of the reflective coating...luckily the worst spots are at the very bottom in the back near the bulb...oh and probably the most custom thing about them now is that when they were apart and I was taping...my damn cat stepped on the inside of the clear lens and left a print which I didn't find until I was looking at it AFTER it was all put back together...Damn me

What's worse is...When I turned the oven on...I was thinking to myself, "Self...you know you prolly gonna screw this up right?" I knew I should have just cleared the corners and left it at that...

a little off topic, but im curious to know what puddle lamps you used on your xB?...I like them and seem to put out more light than the JLevi ones. But do let me know which ones you are using. thanks bro

I did mine last week and I will say that it isn't as easy as I thought. First, I had trouble getting the bumper off. I loosened all the screws, but the thing didn't want to budge. Then I was afraid of leaving the lights in the oven too long, so I only put them in for five minutes. They really need to be in there about 10. So finally after all of that, I started to paint. It took about an hour each light. That's a lot longer than I thought it was going to take. So all in all, it took me about three hours to finish. It's totally worth and could be my favorite mod so far.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a87/bapgar/paint.jpg

where would i be able to pick up that silicone sealant stuff?
the orange reflector on my projectors is bugging the hell outta me so i wanna open them up and paint that stupid reflector but i wanna have some of that sealant handy just in case

Where do you get your headlights? How's the price and fittment issues? I love the lights at x3racing and k2motor, but I hate their price.

i have the ones on k2motor but i got them on ebay from atomicstreet
i got them for 140 and the fitment is as good as OEM

heres an old pic of mine by bBist!!!
http://www.scionlife.com/gallery/personal/3680_28.jpg

bBist did that for you? how long did it take them?