Anyone retrofit or upgrade LP projectors?

[2010GTI4me]

Anyone else have experience with HID retrofits? I come from a few prior vehicles with halogen headlights or simply bad HID projector setups. I retrofitted Acura TSX projectors into my Ford Focus and played around with different configurations, between custom cutoff shields, color-modding, spacers, etc. and the light output was amazing. I then did two retrofits on MK6 GTIs. The first for a friend and then for my own car. My friend went with mini-D2S projectors and I used FX-R projectors for my own (both from Retrofit Source). Output, cutoff, color, etc. of all of them were second to none.

I've owned my '17 GTI with Lighting Package for about 1.5 months and am surprised just how poorly the stock projectors perform. Don't get me wrong, I love the adaptive lighting but the luminosity, light throw and cutoff of the LP projectors is sub-par, to say the least. I'm completely underwhelmed by the lack of color at the cutoff and the hot/dark spots in the light output drive me nuts. I honestly think the MK5 GTI/R32 projectors were better than these, especially with TRS ZKW-R clear lenses.

I was hoping someone by now would have tackled this task on the 15-17 LP GTI, but my searches so far have come up empty. I still have a bunch of unused projectors, lenses and bulbs sitting around that I feel could be retrofitted into the LP headlights while still maintaining the adaptive functionality. I'd even settle for a clear lense upgrade to improve the output, get a sharper cutoff and increase the color. I know it's probably a tall order, but thought I'd throw the idea out there.

Few questions:
1. Does anyone know the manufacturer of the stock LP projectors?
2. Lens size?
3. Projector dimensions?

 

[Adurm]

They're a beast to open. At least the halogen ones. I'd buy some aftermarket ones to open and put a mini d2s or h1 into it. Then you have your originals to sell or put back on when you trade in then sell your custom ones.

 

[sprinks]

Yeah, no one has retrofit aftermarket projectors into oem LP because they are a bear to open since they're pretty much plastic welded shut. Far easier to do with the aftermarket reps, but then you have to get a 14-12 pin conversion squared away. Far easier to put in better bulbs.

 

[777-300ER]

That ruins my plans. Are they perma or are they actually plastic welded? Lenses are actually fairly easily sourced so if they are perma they can be cut with the lenses reused or new lenses can be had.

I actually found the cutoff pretty nice. The shutter has an anti blind notch that comes down lower than normal and I have found that the headlights can be aimed slightly higher without blinding/flashing oncoming drivers. A good bulb like a genuine set of night breaker lasers or CBB's really help.

 

[sprinks]

They are one uniform with no seam on the body, suggesting full plastic welded. It's been a while since i looked at an LP lamp though.
Here's an old jobber some one did: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...xenon-projector-retrofit-build-thread.327924/ (this was for a pair of retrofits)
Here's a jobber done on a pair of halogen lamps (cheaper and easier to acquire and butcher for cheap) https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...jectors-into-stock-halogen-headlights.325792/

 

[2010GTI4me]

They're a beast to open. At least the halogen ones. I'd buy some aftermarket ones to open and put a mini d2s or h1 into it. Then you have your originals to sell or put back on when you trade in then sell your custom ones.

The MK6 headlights were no treat either. They were perma-sealed so I ended up taking a dremel and cutoff wheel to them to separate the housings, leaving the headlight lenses intact. By the time I did my second set for my own car, it took me under 10-15 mins per headlight to get them open. This also made reassembly easy with some brackets and plastic welding.

Yeah, no one has retrofit aftermarket projectors into oem LP because they are a bear to open since they're pretty much plastic welded shut. Far easier to do with the aftermarket reps, but then you have to get a 14-12 pin conversion squared away. Far easier to put in better bulbs.

Didn't think of the pin conversion. I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!

That ruins my plans. Are they perma or are they actually plastic welded? Lenses are actually fairly easily sourced so if they are perma they can be cut with the lenses reused or new lenses can be had.

I actually found the cutoff pretty nice. The shutter has an anti blind notch that comes down lower than normal and I have found that the headlights can be aimed slightly higher without blinding/flashing oncoming drivers. A good bulb like a genuine set of night breaker lasers or CBB's really help.

I either have a misaligned set or my idea of a "good cutoff" differs from yours, haha. I know that it's not always the projector to blame though, sometimes it's the headlight lense that actually distorts the cutoff and color output.

They are one uniform with no seam on the body, suggesting full plastic welded. It's been a while since i looked at an LP lamp though.
Here's an old jobber some one did: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...xenon-projector-retrofit-build-thread.327924/ (this was for a pair of retrofits)
Here's a jobber done on a pair of halogen lamps (cheaper and easier to acquire and butcher for cheap) https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...jectors-into-stock-halogen-headlights.325792/

Thanks for the threads!