Help with HIDs

Looking to install the HIDs I bought a while back. Where all did you guys install your ballasts? Any tricks to making them look presentable?

[MP81]

I know on my Cobalt, I put them under the headlight buckets...

With a firebird, I'd suggest somewhere that's not really visible, or will be visible...but I'm not quite sure where that'd be.

[transampimp]

Will you be hooking them up to the head lights? Or fog lights?

I've got my HID's hooked up to my fog lights. I attached the ballast to the underside of the foam support under the bumper.

I haven't installed HID's to the headlights, and probably won't until I come up with a projector housing. I'm sure there is plenty of room inside the fender next to the front turn signals. I'd just double side tape them inside the fender.

Take some pics once installed, you will never drive without them again.

[phoenix_rising]

I was kind of thinking of mounting them right in the open on the top of the wheel well since my ballasts actually look pretty attractive (they are either chromed or polished).

[Fbomb]

How much was it for the whole setup? I've heard that HID's are ridiculously expensive.

[steddy]

They aren't that bad. Mine cost roughly $60 for the setup, with another $30 for the modular headlights (H4 setup instead of sealed beam). I ended up putting the driver ballast on the back of the top rad support, then one on the frame in front of the headlight motor.

[DeadOnWS6]

They aren't that bad. Mine cost roughly $60 for the setup, with another $30 for the modular headlights (H4 setup instead of sealed beam). I ended up putting the driver ballast on the back of the top rad support, then one on the frame in front of the headlight motor.

where did you get yours from?

[steddy]

I got mine through Ebay about 2 1/2 years ago.

[Detoxx03]

I have pics of where I mounted mine on fquick if you wanna check them out.

[phoenix_rising]

Did you have to change the factory headlight three prong plug when you installed your HIDs? Any pics of the wiring.

[steddy]

Did you have to change the factory headlight three prong plug when you installed your HIDs? Any pics of the wiring.

I did change the connector to an H4, but that was just a switch and very straight-forward. I'll get a pic today before I leave for the body shop. This is going to be a long week.

[meissen]

How much was it for the whole setup? I've heard that HID's are ridiculously expensive.

What Ben and others are doing is actually just using an HID ballast with the bulb in a non-HID housing. I've done it myself so I'm just as guilty but it's not the best setup for HID.

The expensive part is when you get actual projector housings so the HID light pattern is fine tuned correctly so you don't have massive glare and heat spots in the light pattern.

Honestly, doing just a ballast and a bulb is not HID... it's fluorescent lights. HID requires the projector, without it you've got nothing more than a fluorescent light setup instead of halogen.

[MP81]

HIDs are HIDs - they're just not used to their full potential in stock housings.

I'll eventually get some halo projectors, but mine seem to work pretty well in the stock housings.

[cobalt camaro]

I mounted mine on the two main supports that the bumper attaches to. There should be an area on each side with a nice flat spot just under the headlight. I choose this area because i was told to put them in a well ventilated area, but also where they would not see alot of rain and water. This area is perfect because it's by the radiator where there is quite a bit of air flow, while also providing a nice and tidy install. I was able to drill two small holes and mount the ballasts securely to these spots and it looks pretty good when the hood is open. Let me know if you want to more and i'll try to take some pics for you.