C3 aftermarket headlights?
#1
C3 aftermarket headlights?
I have a 77 vette and my headlights are terrible. I was looking to put in some HID headlights but I don't know how or where to find some that'll fit. Does anybody know how to do this or have done this to their c3?
#4
#5
This kit is available.
http://cmc.speeddirect.com/items.asp?Cc=ELEC&Bc=
http://cmc.speeddirect.com/items.asp?Cc=ELEC&Bc=
Last edited by PRMalo77; 05-10-2011 at 09:50 AM. Reason: New info
#6
Burning Brakes
Got that kit on mine. The buckets had to be cut, but the rest is plug & play + it takes the strain of the instrument panel harness as it's fed by the alternator.
If you have the patience you can see the brightness, just running from the battery :
http://s494.photobucket.com/albums/r...rent=Movie.mp4
Regards,
Nick
If you have the patience you can see the brightness, just running from the battery :
http://s494.photobucket.com/albums/r...rent=Movie.mp4
Regards,
Nick
#8
Le Mans Master
A couple of comments:
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives
The speed direct kit referenced above is very expensive for what you are getting.
I have Hellas lead crystal lens Euro lights with 55/80 lows and 100 watt halogen highs. The lows run off the standard wiring and switch but the highs arecon a relay off my Cs-144 140 amp alternator. I could easily run an hid conversion kit using my lenses if I wanted to but don't need to.
The single biggest and most important aspect for the best light output is the quality of the head light lense and reflector!
Hope that helps!
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives
The speed direct kit referenced above is very expensive for what you are getting.
I have Hellas lead crystal lens Euro lights with 55/80 lows and 100 watt halogen highs. The lows run off the standard wiring and switch but the highs arecon a relay off my Cs-144 140 amp alternator. I could easily run an hid conversion kit using my lenses if I wanted to but don't need to.
The single biggest and most important aspect for the best light output is the quality of the head light lense and reflector!
Hope that helps!
#9
Yeah the speed ones are very espensive for me right now. So the ones you have, the hella euro are cheaper? And do I have to do any major modifications to them in order for the to work or fit? I wonder if there are ones I just plug in and work. And can I get the hella euro's to show like blue lighting? And is halogen better or HID? I'm sorry for asking a lot of questions.
#10
Racer
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: Buena Vista Colorado
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The easiest and cheapest improvement is to simply replace all 4 of your sealed beam bulbs with halogen sealed beam bulbs. Did it shortly after buying my '78 about four years ago, and the improvement was significant. The halogen sealed beams (H5005 & H5001) are less than $8 each. I drive mountain roads at night, and they've been just fine, in my opinion. Since I changed to the halogens, I've also installed relays for the headlights that further improved light output. Here's a link to the relay setup I used:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ay-wiring.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ay-wiring.html
#11
Race Director
Putting mine in today, can't wait to flash them at the first "Look how bright my headlights are Lexus owning arshole" coming my way
Last edited by MotorHead; 05-10-2011 at 01:54 PM.
#12
Burning Brakes
Yeah the speeddirect is expensive, but the harness is of a high quality and everything you need is included. It wasn't on my to do list, but i had to get it to pass technical inspection (euro mark on lens and improved brightness)
Nick
Nick
#13
Race Director
Member Since: Dec 2007
Location: Hartselle AL
Posts: 14,345
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St. Jude Donor '09
A couple of comments:
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives
The speed direct kit referenced above is very expensive for what you are getting.
I have Hellas lead crystal lens Euro lights with 55/80 lows and 100 watt halogen highs. The lows run off the standard wiring and switch but the highs arecon a relay off my Cs-144 140 amp alternator. I could easily run an hid conversion kit using my lenses if I wanted to but don't need to.
The single biggest and most important aspect for the best light output is the quality of the head light lense and reflector!
Hope that helps!
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives
The speed direct kit referenced above is very expensive for what you are getting.
I have Hellas lead crystal lens Euro lights with 55/80 lows and 100 watt halogen highs. The lows run off the standard wiring and switch but the highs arecon a relay off my Cs-144 140 amp alternator. I could easily run an hid conversion kit using my lenses if I wanted to but don't need to.
The single biggest and most important aspect for the best light output is the quality of the head light lense and reflector!
Hope that helps!
http://www.mesaperformance.com/web_s...cat/hella.html
Designed as plug-in replacements for your tungsten or halogen sealed-beams, these powerful halogen units will throw a high beam over 4,000 feet. Low beams are glare-free to oncoming traffic, but with far better, brighter coverage. Precision made with aluminum coated reflectors and lead crystal lenses. Bulbs are available in several wattages - please see our halogen bulb listing. Bulbs may be swapped out for higher wattages. All units include 12v, 55w (or 55/60w) bulbs. 6v available on request.
5 3/4'' Round High inner beamon 4 headlight cars 55w bulb 71156 $45.00 ea.
#14
Race Director
A couple of comments:
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives !
Landing lights are a very inexpensive way to get more light from your highbeams but there are several drawbacks for road use: thet are still sealed beam ligts with poor light color(yellowish) versus halogens or hid's. They also do not have a proper beam pattern for tfe road. There are much better alternatives !
another plus if you want a little fun, the mystery is to watch people trying to figure out what they are......especially Vette owners.....
#15
Advanced
Member Since: Oct 2010
Location: Edmonton AB
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The easiest and cheapest improvement is to simply replace all 4 of your sealed beam bulbs with halogen sealed beam bulbs. Did it shortly after buying my '78 about four years ago, and the improvement was significant. The halogen sealed beams (H5005 & H5001) are less than $8 each. I drive mountain roads at night, and they've been just fine, in my opinion. Since I changed to the halogens, I've also installed relays for the headlights that further improved light output. Here's a link to the relay setup I used:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ay-wiring.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ay-wiring.html
#17
Le Mans Master
Is this an example of what you installed?
http://www.mesaperformance.com/web_s...cat/hella.html
on 4 headlight cars 55w bulb 71156 $45.00 ea.
http://www.mesaperformance.com/web_s...cat/hella.html
Designed as plug-in replacements for your tungsten or halogen sealed-beams, these powerful halogen units will throw a high beam over 4,000 feet. Low beams are glare-free to oncoming traffic, but with far better, brighter coverage. Precision made with aluminum coated reflectors and lead crystal lenses. Bulbs are available in several wattages - please see our halogen bulb listing. Bulbs may be swapped out for higher wattages. All units include 12v, 55w (or 55/60w) bulbs. 6v available on request.
5 3/4'' Round High inner beamon 4 headlight cars 55w bulb 71156 $45.00 ea.
I can assure you that I cannot even remotely outrun my headlights on high beam with a total of 360 watts of power out of the 4 Hella Euro lights.
No I have not see the GE aircraft landing lights in person on but have seen countless cars from the 60's with these lights in the high beam buckets.I have seen them on planes of course and they are NOT brighter than the Hella H1 100 watt Euro's and they do have the typical seal beam yellow halo light color as ALL sealed beam headlights do-no way around the color issue with a sealed beam light. All lights will appear white until they are compared to the more modern technology. Note the comments above from those that switch from a seal light filament to sealed halogens. The lights are brighter because a halogen bulb produces whiter light than a sealed beam filament, this from essentially the same lense and reflector. The Hellas (and Cibie/marchall's) produce brilliant light from the same amperage bulb because the Lense/reflector is superior to anything else produced. There is a reason these lights cost $45 each (they were $20 in 1983) and an aircraft landing light is $10. Like I said, an aircraft landing light is a cheap inexpensive way to get more light on the road with your high beams only, not the lows, but you get what you pay for with most things in life. I have a portable hand held spot light that uses a 100 watt GE aircraft landing light and it's beam pattern is nothing like the Hellas which are designed for road use.
My Hella Euro's were installed with no modifications to the headlight buckets-tight fit but after 28 years, they must have been all right!
Hope that answers all the comments and gives a clearer picture of some of the differences with sealed beams and halogens. I currently run a McClough HID conversion kit (real HID's, not bulbs that are made to mimic HID's) on my Chrysler 300 Limited that has the OEM projector lenses and these lights are pretty awesome as well. 5000K bulbs which are the brightest white light spectrum and designed for the highest Lumen output, not color preference.
Last edited by jb78L-82; 05-10-2011 at 05:27 PM.
#18
Instructor
Here is the Hella lights you need and they are legal and you don't even have to rewire if you don't what to.
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=733
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=733
#19
Le Mans Master
Here is the Hella lights you need and they are legal and you don't even have to rewire if you don't what to.
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=733
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=733
#20
Melting Slicks
I was sick and tired of not being able to see at night with my old sealed beams, so I ordered a couple of these for $15 a piece - http://www.bigrigchromeshop.com/Merc...Category_Code=
They come with high/low bulbs, but I decided to put in some Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulbs instead.
So, for ~ $75 total, I was ready to go, and what a difference! I had gotten to the point where I avoided taking the car where I would have to drive back roads at night, now that's not an issue.
The installation was very easy, and there was no modification needed. I believe there would have been some required if you replace the high beams, but I didn't have an issue with my high beams, they provide plenty of light, I just wanted to be able to see with only the low beams on.
These cases are of good construction, metal and glass - no plastic. The cut-offs seem sharp, I've had these on all winter, and have never been flashed with them, so I don't think I'm blinding anyone.
They come with high/low bulbs, but I decided to put in some Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulbs instead.
So, for ~ $75 total, I was ready to go, and what a difference! I had gotten to the point where I avoided taking the car where I would have to drive back roads at night, now that's not an issue.
The installation was very easy, and there was no modification needed. I believe there would have been some required if you replace the high beams, but I didn't have an issue with my high beams, they provide plenty of light, I just wanted to be able to see with only the low beams on.
These cases are of good construction, metal and glass - no plastic. The cut-offs seem sharp, I've had these on all winter, and have never been flashed with them, so I don't think I'm blinding anyone.