Mustang Tech Article: 1987-1993 Headlight Kit Install

Posted on 03. Mar, 2011 by Andy in Products, Restoration

It’s almost time to get the Mustang out of hibernation and back on the road, and that means making sure everything is ready for cruising and car shows. One of the more affordable and easy exterior modifications you can do yourself is upgrading your headlights. Whether you are looking to replace for safety or styling reasons, a good set of new headlights can really make your Mustang pop!

Smoked Ultra Clear Headlight Kit with Amber Reflectors for 1987-1993 Mustangs.

Stock headlights on 1987-1993 Mustangs become yellowed and cloudy over time, showing your Mustang’s age. This tech article will show you how to replace your headlights with a brand new aftermarket kit. CJ Pony Parts offers a variety of headlight kits for 1987-1993 Mustangs, ranging from stock replacements to clear style, all the way to smoked ultra clear!

The headlight kit we will show being installed this week is our Smoke Ultra Clear kit, HLK37. These headlights feature a non-stock style “diamond” look, while offering a direct replacement fit.

Includes:
-Pair of smoke ultra clear headlights
-Pair of smoke ultra clear marker lights with amber reflectors
-Pair of smoke ultra clear parking lights
-Backing plates & seals

At the beginning, we have a 1990 Black Mustang GT with a set of good condition stock headlights. This fox body recently had the front bumper repainted and a Cobra grille installed, so a beautiful set of smoked ultra clear headlights seemed like the next great upgrade to make this car really stand out.

Installation of aftermarket headlights is very easy, and really only requires one tool. Make sure you have a 7/16″ wrench, preferably a flexible ratcheting wrench, and you are ready to install! This kit comes with backing plates and seals installed onto the headlight assemblies, along with headlight bulbs, so you can completely swap out your stock headlight assemblies.

Each headlight assembly is attached by three 7/16” nuts, the outside marker light by two 7/16” nuts and the inside parking light also by two 7/16” nuts.  There is very little room to get to the nuts, which is why the ratcheting wrench comes in handy. The area you will be looking in for the nuts is between the radiator support and the back of the headlights. After the nuts are removed, slide all the lights forward and then remove the parking light bulbs, marker light bulbs and headlight bulb plugs.

NOTE: If the headlight kit you are installing did not include backing plates and seals, you can reuse the stock parts. The seals will slide off of the stock assemblies easily, but you will need a screwdriver to remove three clips on each headlight before removing the backing plates. If you need new backing plates or seals, CJ Pony Parts carries both.

When installing the new lights, you will want to make sure that the alignment pins on each light go into the alignment holes on the headlight panel. Put each light back in and thread the nuts on loosely until you have all the seals and assemblies aligned correctly. Once everything looks strait, tighten up all the nuts and admire your brand new headlights! You are done!

Here is a comparison between the original stock lights and the new smoked ultra clear lights. As you can see, new headlights can really make a difference!

And now the finished product! I present to you a 1990 Black GT Mustang… with a noticeably meaner look.

Make sure to pick up a pair of matching smoked fog lights (FGLA7P) to really tie-off the front end smoked installation. Now go out, install some new headlights and send us some pictures of your Mustang’s new eyes!

Tags: Aftermarket, CJ Pony Parts, Ford Mustang, Fox Body, Install, Parts