E420/E500 Headlight lenses - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Dcraig · #1 11-06-2001, 12:17 AM

Does anyone know why the headlamp lenses on the E500 appear different around the fog light as compared to the E420?

Is it the headlamp assembly or is it the lens?

Thanks,

Craig

JCE · #2 11-06-2001, 12:39 AM

The difference is that the fog light area on the 500e is actually a pencil beam driving light, and the fog lamps are seperate units under the bumper. The 300/400Es don't have driving lights, just the fogs that are behind the headlight lens. I believe it is not only a lens difference, but that the actual bulb mounting point and reflector shape is also different on the 500E - but made to occupy the space that the fog light normally is installed.

Glen · #3 11-06-2001, 12:42 AM

Craig,
The inner lights on the 500E headlights are driving lights not fog lights, which are mounted below the bumper. Also, on the 500E the light housings are chrome vs. light grey plastic.

Dcraig · #4 11-06-2001, 12:47 AM

I see all of the So. Cal members are awake. The Easterners must all be asleep. Now all we are waiting for is David.

Craig

Thanks for the info.

Glen- How is the E500? I'm sure you still love it. I haven't seen a Pearl Black/Parchment E500 car yet, but I'm still looking. I've pretty much decided on a 1994 E420. It's half the price and I plan on it being every other daily driver. I don't think I could do that to an E500.

Dcraig · #5 11-06-2001, 12:51 AM

Sorry, I didn't finish my post.

Darn, I really like the way the headlight lenses look on the E500. I wish I could figure out how to do them on an E420 but I know the units are about $300 each and that's for the 320/420's.

Craig

rainmaker · #6 11-06-2001, 03:56 AM

If you change the lens ($75 each) and chrome the entire area behind the lenses (both the housing and the reflector, from what I remember) and you should be good to go. Bulbs (wattage) might be different but beam pattern should be because of the lenses.

I've tried researching whether the lenses themselves are different and haven't heard anything definitive.

Good luck...

Glen · #7 11-06-2001, 08:43 AM

Craig,
I think you're on the right track with the E420 provided you can live with the standard body work and don't go overboard with modifications. When I was looking for mine, the same thoughts went through my head but I realized that I would have spent the same or more on mods. So, in my case it made economic sense to get the 500. [I can rationalize and justify ANYTHING :-)]

It shouldn't be that hard to duplicate the E500 headlights on an E420. Like Rainmaker mentions, you can buy the lenses without breaking the bank. Then you can use chrome tape on the interior housings...ScottyC190E did this on his 190E and the results look great.

Check out the exterior of Scotty's car, there's a good picture of his Euro lights with chrome housings:
http://www.geocities.com/scotty-c_2000/

Dcraig · #8 11-06-2001, 10:00 AM

Rainmaker/Glen-

I thought I knew of every MB parts supplier. Everytime I come across another one, I bookmark it. I checked my bookmarks last night and couldn't find a supplier for the '94 lenses. My Performance Products catalog only lists the headlight assembly. Do you guys know where to get them?

Since the E500 has a driving light next to the headlight, I better stick with 'chroming' the inside of the housing and not changing the lenses because that would screw up the beam pattern of the fogs on the E420.

Unfortunately, Scotty has exceeded his data transfer and Geocities has temprorarely shut down his site.

I think that I can get by with 2-3K in mods. (springs, shocks, sway bars, PAD chip and If I go nuts, a different rear end. But I still want to keep it as close to stock looking as possible. What I love most about the 500E/E500 is that people look at it and can't figure out why it looks a bit different. That's what I'd loke to re-creat.

Glen- This has been a very tough decision. I can rationalize anything. But the E500 I like in Laguna is $35,000 and the E420 in LA is $16,000 (MB dealer, they just dropped the price $7K to move it). The E420 is very clean and is very tight (the dealer just put $1,700 into it).

A hard deal to pass up.

Craig

rainmaker · #9 11-06-2001, 10:10 AM

The lenses can be bought off Bekkers.com I believe.

If you need fogs, then I guess you shouldn't change the lenses...

aldedmon · #10 11-06-2001, 11:07 AM

DCraig,
I think that I am the only one on the board who has actually completed the conversion. If you do a search I listed the PN's and prices. I went from 92 400e to "faux" 94 e500.
If you're looking at a 94 e420 then it'll be a little cheaper. The headlight assy for the e500 are QUITE expensive (@$600 ea VS $300 for the 400e/e420 as I recall) . Unfortunately you have to buy both the Heads and turns as they come as a unit. Qick list of parts are Fenders @$350ea, Hood you don't need if you're using a 94 e420,Front Bumper(hold on to your underwear) $1000 + another $150 for the bumper strip plus another $150 ea for the chrome pieces under the head lights, plus another $75 ea for the brackets which hold the fog/driving lights in the bumper,plus another $225 for those lights, $50 ea for the inner fender covers,$150ish for the lower fender plastic, $250ish for the Long lower plastic rocker panel molding,$125ish for the rear door molding(right ahead of the rear tires)......see the complete list via search. My thing wasn't/isn't "OEM" but Originality! So even had I started with the 500e/e500, I still would have done a boat load of mods to get the car looking the way I want. Damn how fast it'll go, how Sweet does it look standing still. This car makes Porsche and Ferrari drivers do a second take. But don't get me wrong, it ain't all show and no go.This menancing looking Black Beast sure clears the road when they see me barreling down on them with all those lights on.

Jim's500E · #11 11-06-2001, 04:03 PM

I gotta pipe in...Let me get this straight...you spent big dollars on getting your car to LOOK like a E500? How did you widen the tracks and flare out the rear fenders? Did you put a E500 badge on it too? Just curious...seems kinda like putting on a Evo II body kit on a 190 D !!! Or, even better, the classic Rolls Royce grill on an old Beetle. I do think the Porsche and Ferrari owners ARE giving you that second look...only it may be out of dis-belief that they just blew by a E500 so easily...or what appears to look like one. I realize imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but c'mon...you can pick up the real deal for under 30 grand if you look hard enough and if you keep it long enough...it'll probably be worth something more than what you put into it. I know what you're thinking...I am a Nazi..but at least I'm not pretending to be one. Anyway, have fun with your 'car'...let's see some pics of the bastard child you've fathered.

(wink...wink) BTW, just because I am a Nazi doesn't mean I can't take some *****-slappin' back from you guys...fire away all you wannabes!!!

aldedmon · #12 11-06-2001, 05:51 PM

No Flames, No Slaps just let me set you "Haters" straight!
My original post which incl Part #'s told that the car was MODIFIED after being in an accident. So NO I didn't spend BIG bucks to MODIFY the car. I have not widened the track, it was not/is not necessary.
The offset of the wheels makes the car sit as it does. The wheels on my car have at least the same Width and offset as the 500e/e500's if not just a hair WIDER! No need to flare out the fenders, the rears of the 500e/e500 really are NOT all that pronounced. Besides with the rear wheel offset such as it is and those BIG ol 245x40's back there, you can barely slide a popsicle stick between tire and fenders which have been rolled to the max.As for the other drivers taking notice, It because it soooooooooo CLEAN that they take notice. It's not concourse quality, but damn near.
An imitation you say? HOGWASH! No disrespect to any of my MB brotheren, but even though this car was sourced from the 500e/e500 parts bin, it is NOT an imitation! It is in fact a one off original. It has AMG body cladding as well, am I imitating an AMG Hammer as well?!?! It wears no rear badging, I removed it a week after I bought the car NEW I might add. My AMG ducktail is unique in that the letter AMG are actually molded(sunken) into it. I have all but taken the 3 pointed star off the car as well. I have on the front and replaced it with the SL style which lays flat against the hood. AM I Imitating and SL too?!?! I don't want people to guess what type of mercedes it is, but what kind of CAR it is...... ITS A CUSTOM.(period)
As for the real deal, I would like to find a nice 93-94 500e/e500 but It MUST be in my color, RED or TRUE BLACK. These are truly rare colors as I know of only 3 true blacks, Faruhks(sp), the 93 BLACK HAMMER in Nevada and another black I saw on the net, and only 1 RED, the Totalled one also on the net. I'm in no hurry. I have a beautiful classic car. 10 yrs old, bought it new, know the complete history, Did/do all the mods myself. Lastly, in as much as you exercised your 5th amendment rights, I know you must be a true red blooded American and not a Nazi at all. Your only crime is that you prejudged before properly analyzing ALL the facts.Plainly statedyout leaped before you looked. Someone else(may have been you) already coined it "faux" e500. As I told someone else, Many MANY car makers used parts from a manufactures parts bins to make their own unique car, Pantera and Cobra's had Ford engines, the beautiful show cars and 1 off prototypes are all parts of different cars that either the manufacturer or another car company makes. And even the MIGHTY 500e,isn't it just a compilation of spare parts(Entire Drive train from the SL) and the fruit of someone elses labor(The AMG Hammer was the "Original" V8 powered W124 body car).
So now lets recap, No forget it cut to the chase. My car is a SHOW CAR, The 500e/e500 is an imitation(If you want a 5litre benz buy an S class or an SL, dont spent 100's of $K's retooling your best just to sell a few thousand and not break even on the retooling cost.) The AMG Hammer IS the "Original". Enough said.
You can close you mouth now and take a seat!

-fad · #13 11-06-2001, 07:18 PM

'haters' vs. just 'another's opinion'? (its just life)

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and one man's passion for his machine may not be shared vehemently by anyone else....all these occur naturally

-fad

Glen · #14 11-06-2001, 07:43 PM

Al,
Can you post some pictures of your car? I'd love to see it!

Thanks.

Dcraig · #15 11-06-2001, 09:59 PM

Jeez, I didn't intend on starting a fire! Bad day?

Can you post pictures or a website where they are, I also would love to see it.

Craig

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