Custom headlights: what they are and what you can add

Custom headlights are your car's own headlights converted to a style you choose, with new lighting inside and better light on the road where you want it. We have specialised in automotive lighting since 2012.

What are custom headlights?

A custom headlight is a conversion, not a new headlight. We take your own headlights, a second set you send us, or our exchange set where we hold your model, and rebuild them to the spec you choose.

The upgrade can be cosmetic, functional or both. Angel eyes, projectors, eyebrows, demon eyes and internal paintwork can all be added or changed. Once the build is done, the headlights are sealed and tested before they go back on the car.

Why upgrade to custom headlights?

• Your own style. The headlights are the eyes of the car. Angel eyes, a blacked-out interior or an eyebrow change the whole front end.
• Better light. A projector upgrade gives a focused beam with a sharp cut-off, so more light reaches the road and less glare reaches oncoming drivers. Halogen cars can take bi-LED projectors, and an upgraded high beam adds more light again.
• Modern features. Switchback angel eyes that turn amber with the indicators, dual colour on a remote fob, and colour chasing from a smartphone app. Sequential indicators are possible as part of the advanced colour-chasing set-up with the Ghozt controller.

Choose the look first

The easiest way to plan a build is in this order:

1. The look. OEM, OEM plus or fully modded. On a car you want to keep looking original, less is more.
2. The colours. White, switchback, dual colour or colour chasing.
3. The projectors. Keep the originals or upgrade them.

If a build photo is stuck in your head, go with that build. Changing your mind later rarely pays, and options added afterwards usually cost more than building them in from the start.

Popular upgrades

Angel eyes

Illuminated rings around the projector or reflector, made famous by BMW. We offer full circle, flat top, DTM, 3/4 DTM and Vision shapes, in two brands: our own KYCS range and BavGruppe Design. See KYCS vs BavGruppe Design angel eyes for the difference.

Angel eye colours

Angel eyes come in white as standard. Switchback turns them amber when you indicate. Dual colour switches between two colours, such as white and CSL yellow, from a fob. Colour chasing lets you set any colour and moving patterns from an app. See angel eye colour upgrades.

Projector upgrades

A modern projector in your existing headlight puts light exactly where you need it, with far less scatter than an older reflector setup. It is one of the most noticeable upgrades for night driving. See our lighting technology comparison for how halogen, xenon and LED compare.

Eyebrows

Carbon fibre eyebrows, LED eyebrow strips and complete BavGruppe Design eyebrow units with their own optic. They add a sharp, modern line across the top of the headlight.

Demon eyes and etched lenses

Demon eyes are a coloured backlight in the projector, on a remote fob or an app. An etched lens adds a design to the projector lens, such as a honeycomb, a logo or initials, lit by the demon eye. Both are for show use only.

Internal paintwork

A classic blackout turns the chrome inside the headlight satin black, the finish we use on our custom builds.

Every option is explained, with photos, in custom headlight options.

Show cars and daily drivers

You decide where your build sits. A show build might lean on colour chasing, demon eyes and etched lenses. A daily driver doing a lot of night miles might put everything into projectors and high beam. Most builds mix the two: a projector upgrade for the light, with angel eyes and a blackout for the look.

Tell us what the car is used for and what you want it to look like, and we will build the spec around that.

Road legality

Our base custom headlight conversions are road legal and will pass the MOT. They keep the original E-mark on the casing and show only white to the front, with amber for the indicators. Our custom headlight conversions have been signed off by DVSA.

Red, blue and colour-chasing options are for show use only and must not be used on the public highway. See custom headlights road legality.

What keeps working

Adaptive, levelling and cornering functions keep working after a custom build. The headlights plug into your car's own connector, and some cars need a small coding change. See coding before fitting custom headlights.

Why KYCS

• Specialists in automotive lighting since 2012, based in Oldbury.
• An authorised BavGruppe Design distributor and installer.
• Installed at our unit or shipped worldwide.
• A 1 year warranty on every custom headlight build.
• Repairs and refurbishment in house, so a damaged lens or casing can be put right as part of the build.

Common questions

Are custom headlights new headlights?

No. A custom headlight is a conversion of existing headlights: your own, a second set you send us, or our exchange set where we hold your model.

Are custom headlights road legal?

Our base custom headlight conversions are road legal, pass the MOT and have been signed off by DVSA. Coloured and colour-chasing options are for show use only.

How much do custom headlights cost?

The price depends on your make, model and the options you choose. Each model's page shows its starting price, and we quote the full build once the spec is settled.

Do you only build custom headlights for BMW?

Our catalogue is BMW, listed by chassis and headlight type. Other makes are built to order and quoted individually.

Will my adaptive headlights still work?

Yes. Adaptive, levelling and cornering functions keep working after a custom build. Some cars need a small coding change.

Start your build

Choose your vehicle to see the options and starting price for your headlights, or WhatsApp us on 0121 295 1900.