Smoked Headlight Install.. like or dislike?

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Bl4ckedOutC0bra said:
I got a pair of smoked headlights from Mustangtuning.com and was wondering what you all think. I figured I would do a short little install guide to show how simple it was for all who haven't done a headlight swap before. I've always been afraid to upgrade lights as most look pretty ricey; hopefully these don't... I personally think it looks far better than stock. I snapped some pix with the stock lights, smoked lights and stock bulbs, and finally smoked lights with Stealth Bulbs... Enjoy :banana:

-Aaron

Before and after
sidebyside.jpg


Stock headlights
front.jpg


Bye bye amber :xpl:
leftfrontstock.jpg

poppinghood.jpg


Pull the headlight pins out
pullingpinsup.jpg


Slide headlight out
pullinglightout.jpg


Disconnect wires
unplugbulbs.jpg


DONE~! :D
PICT3298.jpg

PICT3293.jpg


With Stealth Bulbs in
PICT3299.jpg

PICT3303.jpg
Please look at the LAST PICTURE above. There is a small gap between the headlight unit and the top front part of the pointed section of the front fender. The rubber seal that's on the headlight unit is not all the way up and "flush" up against the front pointed part of the fender.
My 02 Mustang has the same exact gap in the headlight unit, but the gap is much bigger than the gap in the picture. I have that type of gap, but a much bigger one on the passenger side head light unit. The driver's side headlight unit also has a gap, but it's not as bad as the passenger side. This gap has been in existence ever since the body shop took off both head light units and put them back in their place after my front bumper was repaired and repainted.

HOW can I make both head light units "flush" up against the top pointed front part of the fender again and "eliminate" the BIG GAP that's currently there right now? I took the car back to the body shop and they were not able to make the black seal on the head light unit sit flush up against the fender. There is still a gap between the fender and the black rubber seal on the head light unit at the front pointed part of the fender area.
Please look at the last picture above to see what I am talking about here.
Is there any way to make the seal flush up against the front pointed part of the fender again like it was BEFORE the body shop took off both head light units on my 02 Mustang?
 

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RED2001GT said:
Please look at the LAST PICTURE above. There is a small gap between the headlight unit and the top front part of the pointed section of the front fender. The rubber seal that's on the headlight unit is not all the way up and "flush" up against the front pointed part of the fender.
My 02 Mustang has the same exact gap in the headlight unit, but the gap is much bigger than the gap in the picture. I have that type of gap, but a much bigger one on the passenger side head light unit. The driver's side headlight unit also has a gap, but it's not as bad as the passenger side. This gap has been in existence ever since the body shop took off both head light units and put them back in their place after my front bumper was repaired and repainted.

HOW can I make both head light units "flush" up against the top pointed front part of the fender again and "eliminate" the BIG GAP that's currently there right now? I took the car back to the body shop and they were not able to make the black seal on the head light unit sit flush up against the fender. There is still a gap between the fender and the black rubber seal on the head light unit at the front pointed part of the fender area.
Please look at the last picture above to see what I am talking about here.
Is there any way to make the seal flush up against the front pointed part of the fender again like it was BEFORE the body shop took off both head light units on my 02 Mustang?

Red2001GT,
I know exactly what you are talking about as I had the same "fitment issue with my replacement lights I bought. My solution? I used the same adhesive silicon along the gapped part (sealed it really good too. THEN, put that edge part in a vice with some napkins wrapped over where the vice was squeezing the edge of the light together as not to damage it. CAREFUL THOUGH, dont want to tighten the vice too much as it will crack the plastic. LET sit overnight. VOILA!!!!!!!!!!!! Flush headlight


Also, in addition to my extra sealant around the edge of the lights, I cut out some thin layers of rubber matting (it was actually used underneath the shingles of my garage roof). Anyway, I precut the pieces of the rubber mat and sit them on top of the headlights as any rain that runs in between the crack of the hood and fender will not go behind the headlight and chance somehow getting in the light. Overkill, Im sure but I havent had any condensation since.
 
Well I have the Silverstar headlight bulbs and turn signals (blue-ish white when off, yellow when on)... cant wait to buy the headlights and install em! It looks awesome, and my stock lights are screwed!
 
looks like yours fit a bit better than mine do. Same place...

Only my drivers side has issues, doesn't sit flush with the body even with a lot of hot water and trying to shape the seal. Its about 1/4" away :(
 
FivePointStang said:
Red2001GT,
I know exactly what you are talking about as I had the same "fitment issue with my replacement lights I bought. My solution? I used the same adhesive silicon along the gapped part (sealed it really good too. THEN, put that edge part in a vice with some napkins wrapped over where the vice was squeezing the edge of the light together as not to damage it. CAREFUL THOUGH, dont want to tighten the vice too much as it will crack the plastic. LET sit overnight. VOILA!!!!!!!!!!!! Flush headlight


Also, in addition to my extra sealant around the edge of the lights, I cut out some thin layers of rubber matting (it was actually used underneath the shingles of my garage roof). Anyway, I precut the pieces of the rubber mat and sit them on top of the headlights as any rain that runs in between the crack of the hood and fender will not go behind the headlight and chance somehow getting in the light. Overkill, Im sure but I havent had any condensation since.
The body shop used the same exact headlight units after they finished doing the repair to my car's front bumper. I am very curious to find out WHY there was no gap BEFORE the repair and WHY there is currently a gap AFTER the repair was done??
There's got to be a logical explanation as to WHY both headlight units are not flush at the front pointed part of the fenders and WHY there is a gap in that particular area? What is causing them to have the gap? The rubber gasket seal on both headlight units has not been tampered with and it has not moved or stretched from its original position. And the body shop put both headlight units back into their place correctly. If this is the case, then WHY do I have the gap issue? Something has to be causing it. But what?
 
RED2001GT said:
The body shop used the same exact headlight units after they finished doing the repair to my car's front bumper. I am very curious to find out WHY there was no gap BEFORE the repair and WHY there is currently a gap AFTER the repair was done??
There's got to be a logical explanation as to WHY both headlight units are not flush at the front pointed part of the fenders and WHY there is a gap in that particular area? What is causing them to have the gap? The rubber gasket seal on both headlight units has not been tampered with and it has not moved or stretched from its original position. And the body shop put both headlight units back into their place correctly. If this is the case, then WHY do I have the gap issue? Something has to be causing it. But what?

Other than what I had already mentioned, I can only suggest double checking your passenger side headlamp that it is totally in correctly. Maybe something is wedged underneath it not allowing it to set back in all the way. Pop the hood pull the two metal brackets and give it a shot.
Good luck.


Chris
 
They look good. I wanted smoked clear corners, and the husband said if I could find them on ebay for the $105 - $110 price I could get them for Christmas, but it looks like all the ones in that price range have the amber sides. :( Did you guys that got them on ebay get them with the amber sides or clear?
 
FivePointStang said:
Other than what I had already mentioned, I can only suggest double checking your passenger side headlamp that it is totally in correctly. Maybe something is wedged underneath it not allowing it to set back in all the way. Pop the hood pull the two metal brackets and give it a shot.
Good luck.


Chris
Everything was checked and re-checked. Both headlight units were taken out and put back in again correctly by the body shop. There is nothing wedged behind the headlight assembly unit to cause it to not set back all the way in the socket. But the gap is still there.

It would be nice if anybody else in here who has had this same exact gap problem with the headlight assembly unit can tell me what is causing this to happen? The body shop has tried everything and they are unable to get the passenger side headlight assembly unit to go flush and to seal itself into the front pointed part of the fender. There is still a small gap there between the headlight assembly unit and the front pointed part of the front fender. This is very frustating and an eyesore to look at.