OEM Cobra Headlight Resto + Install ***Lots Of Pics***

[SRT Handz]

IMO, Every after market headlights from the SN95 looks like BS. IDK Why, but something just looks "Off" about them. Either the fitment is nasty, the quality looks like Poop, or the are a Knock off of the OEM design but look cheap. I am also not down with smoked headlights as for some reason i know they wont looks good on my SN95. So about 4 years ago i got a set of Brand new OEM GT lights and have been happy ever since. Made the car look amazing.

Ever since then i wanted Cobra headlights. Over time i have wanted them more.... But i know the knock off lights look cheap to me and i had a feeling it would make my car look cheap and not "Clean" anymore.

Then i learned something. Ford Has Discounted The OEM 94-98 Cobra Headlights. I knew that i needed to get some of these before these parts are gone for good.

So I bought these from a Forum Member (Paul) for $65 Shipped. The lights were in great condition with little hazing, BUT since they are from Arizona they had LOTS of rock damage. This is even harder to fix then heavy hazing. In a picture the lights dont look that bad, but i know they could look Better.

These lights also didnt come with any Adjuster pieces. Not just the removable one, but ALL 3!!! So now i am pretty F'd on how to get these adjuster pieces off my stock headlights. The **** adjusters were GLUED IN and i had to butcher my GT headlights to get these pieces off. I made it work, and after some cutting and screwdriver work, I had the pieces off.

I also Found out that the Cobra Headlight Bulb retaining ring differs from the GT ring, and the Cobra ring didnt come with my headlights... So I had to go to The Stealership and order 2 pieces. they were overnighted from Mississippi. Cost: $20

Left=Cobra, Right=GT/V6

Headlight Assembled with HID Bulb for Check.

Got Those Adjusters In!!!

So Now to the Restoration Part!!!

Washed With CG MaxiSuds II and a Sponge
800 Grit
1000 Grit
1500 Grit
2000 Grit

CG Scratch + Swirl B-Gone w/ 4 inch Hex-Logic Orange Pad
CG Pro Polish 3n w/ 4 inch Hex-Logic Green Pad
CG Final Polish w/ 4 inch Hex-Logic White Pad
CG Wet Mirror Finish

CG Jetseal109 (2x)
CG XXX Paste Wax (2x)

..... I think the pics speak for themselves!!!

Sanded....

**** Headlight Studs ******* my Pad

View attachment 241313

Left=Finished, Right=Sanded

Perfection!!!! Brand New?

Just for Good Measure.....

Before

FINALLY, LOOKS AMAZING!!!

Fitment was DEAD ON, because they are OEM and i spend alot of time lining of the body lines. Looks like i spend $400 on lights that are discontinued!!!

OEM Cobra Headlights w/ 6000K HIDs
OEM GT Fogs w/ Yellow Lamin-X + 3000K HIDs

 

[sneaky98gt]

Wow. That is one sexy beast. I'd love to get a set of Cobra headlights for mine. I hate that glazed/not clear look the stockers have.

-Will

 

[EPIK]

Yup, on an SN95= Cobra Headlights>all other 94-98 headlights....

That is 1 amazing resto job, that is 4 sure....

 

[SRT Handz]

Thanks guys, glad you like the work!!!

 

[Poisoned Pony]

amazing turn around on those lights man

 

[SteedaGT9150]

looks real good man

 

[mazen189]

dam handz, ur headlights before were clean....now its jus...cleaner!!!

 

[Greenscobie86]

Very nice!

I know what you mean about the other Cobra knock off lights being junk when it comes to fitment...

Quick Q for ya: Are you using single beam or BI Xenon for your HID's in the headlights? Where did you mount the 4 ballasts for the HID's? Just curious...

 

[sarmikgar]

Very nice looking!

 

[slick35thgt]

Quick Q for ya: Are you using single beam or BI Xenon for your HID's in the headlights? Where did you mount the 4 ballasts for the HID's? Just curious...

I'm also curious about this one.

That is a VERY clean car man.

 

[patman0911]

Funny timing - I just restored a set of GT headlight covers this weekend because my original set was very cloudy and very yellow and it got to where I could barely see anything at night anymore - like all I had were two yellow candles on the bumper. I had a another set someone gave me a while back that weren't quite as bad, just cloudy but still mostly white, so I started with them since they needed less work and I could take my time and fool around with them without the car being out of action. I was already thinking about doing some more work on them or restoring the original set because I didn't have the right assortment of sandpaper and polishes on hand when I did them, I just went with what I had in the garage - then you posted this thread showing what's possible with a little more elbow grease and the proper tools. Amazing job on those Cobra headlights - looks unbelievable!

Here's how mine turned out with a half-ass job compared to SRT Handz's efforts:

The set I started with were about the same or maybe a little worse than your Cobras but better than the ones on my car in that pic (I'm embarrassed to have a picture of my rock chipped, bird-pooped-upon nose in the same thread as your immaculate machine )

This was supposed to be the money shot illustrating how much brighter the restored lens on the drivers side is compared to the original lens still on the passenger side but it didn't come out like I initially expected:

I should have taken two shots with the same exposure settings but positioned directly in front of the path of each headlight instead.

Anyway, the drivers side light is actually much brighter and if I'd remembered to take a picture of the lights hitting the garage door too you'd see it better. What you can see though is that the lens is now behaving like a lens again instead of a diffuser and so a good bit of the light is being directed past me and down the road like it's supposed to. The old lens is just diffusing the light and scattering it randomly in every direction and it's also giving a yellowish brown cast to it which you can see in the corners and around the edges.

Big improvement in illumination at night now! A set of fresh bulbs would probably be nice too.

 

[twogts4us]

Very impressive work SRT Handz!

 

[Dkblue98GT]

Those look great. Sweet car.