Euro 500e headlights and Lamin-X

[2phast]

The Parts.com deal was too good to pass on and is probably the last chance to get pre-94 E-Code headlights, so I sprung for a set.

I am suprised that they arrived undamaged as they were shipped in the factory MB boxes without an additional exterior box for protection. Although banged up bit (the boxes) nothing on the inside was broken. The shipper did add some additional bubble wrap.

Since the lenses are next to impossible to replace its a good idea to protect what you have and since Dave M. gave good reviews of the Lamin-X, so I went ahead and purchased the 12 mil clear film.

The attached pictures show the film and accessories. I recommend you use a heat gun to flatten out the film, its much easier to work with flat rather than curled up (it ships wrapped around a card board tube) The package includes the film, small water bottle, squeege, instructions and a Lamin-X decal. The instructions are clear and concise and the installation was simple, not unlike appling window tint. Its important to line up a edge and slowly lay the film in place using the squeege and plenty of water (as lubrication) to ensure you work out all the pockets of air/water.

I should note though that the product is not a 100% fit for the euro lights. At least not my set, about 3/4 of one edge lines up but then starts to taper downward, so you end up with a small amount of unprotected lense. At the end it leaves less than 1/4". Can't really show this in pictures unfortunately. If you use the the bottom of the headlight lense to line up the Lamin-X as your main guide, you would have the small gap at the top of the headlight (by the blinker) If you use the top of the headlight as your starting point, then the gap would be on the bottom near the blinker.

I have not installed the headlights yet, so there are no pictures at this point.

 

[Prime]

Interesting. My euro lights came with the two MB headlight boxes packed in a large box about the size of an M119 engine! But on the down-side, I don't think my Lamin-X came with a decal. I haven't installed it on the lights yet, so I can't comment on the fit.

 

[gerryvz]

Those Lamin-X decals are IMPORTANT power-generating devices. Rik, please give us the butt-dyno stats once you affix that puppy to your car !!

BTW I think it's cool that folks are taking advantage of the parts.com deal to score the Eurolights for relatively cheap. If you're in the market, be sure to jump on it now ... don't wait !!

 

[2phast]

Interesting. My euro lights came with the two MB headlight boxes packed in a large box about the size of an M119 engine! But on the down-side, I don't think my Lamin-X came with a decal. I haven't installed it on the lights yet, so I can't comment on the fit.

Yes, I expected the headlights to arrive inside a additional box. The original MB boxes are just not designed for shipping.

 

[Sacco_Fan]

Yes, I recommend that anyone installing Euro lights to also purchase the Lamin-x film. When I first installed my Euro lights I took a rock chip and ruined a lens. I was able to get a replacement, but today I hear replacement lenses are no longer available. Its a cheap investment and well worth it!

 

[2phast]

Just now getting around to installing these lights. Almost have all the bits to install the headlight wipers, just need to vent the new headlight trim panels and paint everything ;-)

[youtube]yQ-wLPOPXNg[/youtube]

 

[Prime]

Just installed mine over the weekend. The car looks great with them - especially after the $3500 freshening I just gave it at the body/paint shop. My Lamin-X pieces fit fine, with no trimming necessary. I went out last night to aim the lights at a local grade school. I followed a procedure that I found online, but the lighting pattern doesn't seem right to me - spotty, and while they illuminate signs in the distance, the signs fall out of the light when the come within about 100'. Went back to another parking lot to readjust and then the horizontal adjustment wouldn't work for either light! I had adjusted both with no issues just a few minutes before. Very strange.

 

[Allgonquin]

Interesting to hear this about aiming. I just installed my Euros a couple weeks ago and have yet to aim them. Was going to use Daniel Stern's aiming instructions at a local school as well. Perhaps the horizontal adjustment on yours reached the end of its range or unthreaded itself? Informally on my garage my low beams looked ok, but the high beams need to be lowered quite a bit, going by Stern's instructions.

About the signs, that could be by design. At times I find the reflections from signs almost blinding, so maybe the cutoff accounts for not hitting high on the road shoulder too close.

 

[gsxr]

I found that the aiming is a bit more of a chore when the vacuum level adjust is not connected & functional, i.e. it may take a lot more knob twiddling. But I was able to aim them properly with or without the vac setup present. Just something to keep in mind....

 

[Prime]

Perhaps the horizontal adjustment on yours reached the end of its range or unthreaded itself?

This is what I'm thinking as well. I'm afraid that my car may not have been exactly straight-on to the wall when I aimed, so both lights were aimed too far to the left and reached the end of their horizontal travel. When I went to correct, I was trying to go back to the right and they wouldn't move, so I'm afraid they may have unthreaded at the left extreme. I really don't want to have to open them up...

 

[Ron500E]

I really don't want to have to open them up...

Hello:

I understand but it's really not a big deal. First time it took me about two hours to completely clean and reassemble them. I got the time down to about 8 minutes after a few tries... No magic involved but it does have to be done in a certain order to prevent redoing things in order to get the next part to fit.

If you do open them up may I suggest that you put a little "grease" on the threaded adjusting rods? After a while they seize up do to corrosion, mine are unplated steel. There is a product, whose name escapes me at this unGodly hour of 8 am, that is compatable with the nylon adjusting knobs/shaft. I do not think regular petrolium grease is.
Besides, it's better to familerize yourself with the headlamps, like bulb changing (don't forget to put dielectric grease on the electrical contacts) in the comfort of your living room or driveway rather then by the side of the road at 2am when you REALLY need to know how to do it.
As a side note.. my headlamp housing had more casting flash than a 60s model car kit. I hope I wasn't the only person to get cut fingers while trying to disassemble headlamps. That prompted me to invest a few hours with a Dremel/Foredom and clean-up the entire damn thing.

Kind Regards,

Ron

PS: What about a Chicago Area Get-To-Gether for M119 engined cars?

 

[TerryA]

Rik,

Do I understand you correctly? That you are going to install the wiper blades and run them on the Lamin-X? Arn't you worried about scuffing the Lamin-X?

I also have 20mil Lamin-X on my lights and 40mil on the driving lights per Dave's suggestion. I think the stuff is great!! I also think it is soft and would not like a wiper blade running over it.

Take Care

Just now getting around to installing these lights. Almost have all the bits to install the headlight wipers, just need to vent the new headlight trim panels and paint everything ;-)

[youtube]yQ-wLPOPXNg[/youtube]

 

[2phast]

Rik,

Do I understand you correctly? That you are going to install the wiper blades and run them on the Lamin-X? Arn't you worried about scuffing the Lamin-X?

I also have 20mil Lamin-X on my lights and 40mil on the driving lights per Dave's suggestion. I think the stuff is great!! I also think it is soft and would not like a wiper blade running over it.

Take Care

Well the headlight wipers are more for appearance than anything else. I wasn't planning on actually hooking them up.

Might have a design for the venting of the new panels also. Just trying to track down some decent metal mesh. The blacked out center is the area that I might cut out. A bit smaller in diamater than the last set I did and also does not go out to the ends as far. Also going to round the edges this time. Don't want to cut anything till I test fit the plastic squirter plug and rubber grommit, may need to shorten the vents a bit

 

[TerryA]

Rik,

Why even put the wipers on? IMO the car looks way better without them.

If you are going to cut holes in the panels I would suggest you square up the end cuts to more match the square-ish E500E styling.
More of a strait end w/ small 1/4" radius on all of the corners. Just my two cents. I know what ever you do will be tasteful.

BTW, has anybody ever tried to have louvers punched into the wiper delete panels?
Back in the day Hot Rodders punched louvers in their car hoods. Maybe I'm revealing my age here.

If louvers could be done facing down they would function and not look like an out of place hole in the panel.
I'm not sure if anybody even does that kind of stuff anymore.

Take Care

 

[2phast]

Rik,

Why even put the wipers on? IMO the car looks way better without them.

If you are going to cut holes in the panels I would suggest you square up the end cuts to more match the square-ish E500E styling.
More of a strait end w/ small 1/4" radius on all of the corners. Just my two cents. I know what ever you do will be tasteful.

BTW, has anybody ever tried to have louvers punched into the wiper delete panels?
Back in the day Hot Rodders punched louvers in their car hoods. Maybe I'm revealing my age here.

If louvers could be done facing down they would function and not look like an out of place hole in the panel.
I'm not sure if anybody even does that kind of stuff anymore.

Take Care

I like the wipers. Thats what happens when you grown up watching Miami Vice

 

[DerFuror]

...Do I understand you correctly? That you are going to install the wiper blades and run them on the Lamin-X? Arn't you worried about scuffing the Lamin-X?

I also have 20mil Lamin-X on my lights and 40mil on the driving lights per Dave's suggestion. I think the stuff is great!! I also think it is soft and would not like a wiper blade running over it.

I really like the look of these style wipers on the E500E & will have mine operational. I am looking at the situation this way...Lamin-x; $45. New Euro headlights; $5XX+. It may or may not scuff, but if after a few years an obnoxious wear pattern forms on the Lamin-x, I'll treat it like a racing helmet visor cover tear-off & install a new one. The key thing to protect is what's behind the Lamin-x. The Lamin-x itself is a sacrificial product.

PS: <= (didn't use Lamin-x)

 

[2phast]

I really like the look of these style wipers on the E500E & will have mine operational. I am looking at the situation this way...Lamin-x; $45. New Euro headlights; $5XX+. It may or may not scuff, but if after a few years an obnoxious wear pattern forms on the Lamin-x, I'll treat it like a racing helmet visor cover tear-off & install a new one. The key thing to protect is what's behind the Lamin-x. The Lamin-x itself is a sacrificial product.

PS: <= (didn't use Lamin-x)

Thats a good point, keep us posted if you see any unusual wear, tearing or other problems caused by the use of the wipers on Lamin-X.

 

[szvook]

So are all of you who are keeping the wipers on the car are doing it for aesthetics or are you actually using the headlight wipers? I for one, saw no need to keep the headlight wipers on the car, since I never will drive at night through a mud field 3 feet deep or drive in snow at all. I prefer the car without the headlight wipers especially with Euro headlights installed, the wipers cover the bottom of the headlight and take away the clean look on the car. Plus the car looks older with the wipers on. Anywho...my .02 cents.

 

[gsxr]

For me, it was aesthetics. I'm with Rik, a closet Miami Vice junkie... LOL. For the record, this only applies to Euro lights/wipers. I don't like the USA mini-wipers.

On our daily drivers that actually get used in snowstorms on occasion, I absolutely want functioning headlight wipers. They really do work as intended!

 

[szvook]

I'm with Rik, a closet Miami Vice junkie... LOL.

So...the truth comes out, finally. I hope you boys have your "closet" apparel ready to go with your wipers.

 

[TerryA]

Whatever floats your boat.

FYI, I have watched every episode of Miami Vice. I guess I'm a MV Junkie also.

Last summer at Cars & Coffee I saw the Miami Vice 1993 500E. I don't know if it was the only one used in the TV series but it was in the series. It's got some cool features like flashing strobes in the head and tail lights. The license plate frame rotated or lifted or something. I have a movie on the flashing lights.

A guy I met at a previous C&C had bought it. He lives in Santa Ana, CA. I don't know if he is on this board.

Anyway he brought it and another 500E to C&C and we all parked together. I have some photos I will post them if I can.

 

[Christian_K]

Well the headlight wipers are more for appearance than anything else. I wasn't planning on actually hooking them up.

Might have a design for the venting of the new panels also. Just trying to track down some decent metal mesh. The blacked out center is the area that I might cut out. A bit smaller in diamater than the last set I did and also does not go out to the ends as far. Also going to round the edges this time. Don't want to cut anything till I test fit the plastic squirter plug and rubber grommit, may need to shorten the vents a bit

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?2588-vented-wiper-delete&p=21988#post21988 ;-)

 

[JordiC]

Last summer at Cars & Coffee I saw the Miami Vice 1993 500E. I don't know if it was the only one used in the TV series but it was in the series.

That's not possible as the TV series ended in 1989. The series did certainly have a bunch of MB's. As a teen in Miami during that time I vividly remember all the marimbero's driving tricked out SEC's and SL's around town. Miami in the 80's was total madness.

I get chills when I watch the intro to season 1 episode 5. It was a Friday night and I was 13 years old. And yes, I still drive around Miami with Russ Ballard playing on the stereo.

[video=youtube;GrLGTfz3REY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrLGTfz3REY[/video]

 

[2phast]

I don't recall ever seeing a W124 in the Miami Vice series. Mostly W126, R107 and W123.

 

[TerryA]

Rik,

To be honest, I don't remember seeing a 124036 either but I was really not looking for one then. I do remember a white (very cool) W126 AMG? sedan, the white Testarossa and the Corvette aka Daytona Spyder.

Maybe he meant it was in the later movie. It was sold to him with that provenance. I took him at his word. I will ask him again if I ever see him at C&C again.

 

[szvook]

You guys are too funny.

 

[mistermiata]

Rik,

To be honest, I don't remember seeing a 124036 either but I was really not looking for one then. I do remember a white (very cool) W126 AMG? sedan, the white Testarossa and the Corvette aka Daytona Spyder.

I never thought I would get to brag about this, but...........I got to drive the white Testarossa in Miami Vice. a friend of mine says he bought one of the Testarossa's that was used on the set, and knowing my love of Ferraris he let me drive it around town. White with blue interior, 6k miles.....

This thread has gotten way off track......

 

[DerFuror]

I should note though that the product is not a 100% fit for the euro lights. At least not my set...

My driver’s side was a perfect fit. Lined right up the first time. Passenger side was not as exact & required several attempts to properly position. Prior to doing the second headlight, I recommend refilling the water spritzer bottle completely, otherwise you will run out of the adequate supply of water required to more easily apply & position the film. No trimming was required besides the sacrificial handling tabs. Prior to installation, read the accompanying instructions & review some of the available youtube videos to familiarize the process. Before peeling off the backing paper, I made sure which piece of film went to which headlight as well as its proper orientation (& labeled the backing paper of each as a reminder). As recommended by the informational sources, wet your fingers prior to handling the film & place a soft cloth over the squeegee prior to working it on the film.

I applied the Lamin-x to headlights already mounted on the car. I popped the turn signals out of the way for hassle-free clearance (the safety wires I installed held them away at a perfect distance)

Those Lamin-X decals are IMPORTANT power-generating devices.

Yeah, I got screwed out of a decal too, just like Prime did. I was looking forward to that little extra HP. Crap!, now I’ll have to double-wax & buff my grille shell’s tri-star to make up the difference.


When I was done I just sat in the car & smelled the leather…fondled a couple adjustable door light switches…dialed in the stereo loudly…turned the city lights on and off a few times & imagined all the possibilities of this upcoming season. Oh yeah.

Oh yeah...

 

[gerryvz]

I just installed two of those door switches in my new 560SEL this weekend to sex it up a bit.

Now I can't keep my wife away from the car -- she's preferring it to the E500, which is amazing !! Like moths to a flame, I tell you !!

 

[szvook]

she's preferring it to the E500

Well, at least you got the 036 back. :-D

 

[Atatexan]

Interesting to hear this about aiming. I just installed my Euros a couple weeks ago and have yet to aim them. Was going to use Daniel Stern's aiming instructions at a local school as well. Perhaps the horizontal adjustment on yours reached the end of its range or unthreaded itself? Informally on my garage my low beams looked ok, but the high beams need to be lowered quite a bit, going by Stern's instructions.

About the signs, that could be by design. At times I find the reflections from signs almost blinding, so maybe the cutoff accounts for not hitting high on the road shoulder too close.

Daniel Stern‘s website has the TUV aiming diagram. It was also found many moons ago in my 1969 Porsche 911S owners manual.