Big update today, lots of progress, lots of pictures.

About two weeks ago I bought a set of of ST170 Xenon headlights.




Was excited to get them fitted, and as soon as it stopped raining I got out there on the task. After figuring out how to remove the original headlights (that 3rd clip behind the front wing is a nightmare, although once you know where it is things aren't so hard), got them fitted, only for this...






The person I bought them off did mention they might not be a direct swap and some people need a VW part to convert them. Wondered what he was on about, until I got these from a forum member, fortunately found it for sale the day after realising I'd need it. Haven't seen another one for sale, so I might have got very lucky.






Picked them up from the Royal Mail depot today, and promptly got them fitted.

Before, yellow



After, white n bright (looks bluer in the picture, it isn't, think it must be the camera exposure or diffraction through the lens at that angle or something)




Much much better, whether the headlights are on or off. Only thing is I want to stick HIDs in the full beam, because they'll be even brighter and look white all-round then. Had 50W HIDs in my dipped, full and fogs in my old car and on pitch black country roads, it would light up EVERYTHING up to 150m away, you wouldn't believe it unless you saw with your own eyes, so definitely want that kind of visibility again.




Also got some ST170 fog lights through the post the other day. They only came with one silver ring, and that was pitted and weathered badly, but some Fairy liquid and a brillo pad it came up a treat, good as new. Gave the plastic surrounds a clean too, then gave them a lick of wet-look tyre gel. Now to get another silver ring for the other side.








Uh oh. The plugs are different. Does anyone know how to get around this problem? Is there an adapter, or should I just chop the connector of the original one and wire that in?




Fitted, without the silver rings.




Then decided to fit the one ring I had








Next was to debadge the back and sides... get rid of the Focus, 1.6 and Zetec badges.


Hope the missus doesn't find out... :-/




Cotton thread to cut through the softened glue




Badge off, glue still on.




Meguiars Professional Body Solvent (basically a bug n tar dissolver)




After letting the solvent soak for 5-10 minutes, scraped off with a credit card, repeated a couple of times




Got some AutoGlym Intensive Tar Remover and a cloth to get the last of the glue residue off, then a quick clean with some shampoo, clayed and taped up to machine polish. Went at it with an abrasive cutting compound as there were quite a few shallow but noticeable scratches in the lacquer. A layer of some filler polish after that, came up good considering the lack of effort I put in. Only did the area where the badges were, didn't have the willpower to do the whole car.




Before




After





Since the Karcher and my detailing box was out, figured I may as well give the wheels a clean with Meguiars Professional Wheel Brightener. That stuff is incredible, but it stings your eyes sooooo bad when you spray, and it gets in your mouth and everything. Came up very good though, didn't even have to wipe or scrub, just sprayed on and rinsed off, so would have been even better if the effort went into it.





Finally vacuumed the car, as I've been clearing out the attic and garage over the last few weeks, so made 4 trips to the dump with crap ranging from carpets to old car bits to bags of general rubbish, leaving half of it behind in the car, and went over all the black plastics with the wet-look tyre gel. Going to get them colour-coded, but for now, dark black is better than dull black.

Best part of 5 hours work, least it was a fairly nice day for once.



Before I started.




After I finished.