Awesome Headlight upgrade - Not HID
11-08-2009, 05:31 AM
#1
Instructor
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Location: Vancouver Wa
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Awesome Headlight upgrade - Not HID
I can't speak for pre 1980 vettes but I just upgraded my lights without having to re-wire, run relays or carve up head light bucks. Had been thinking about upgrading and found out that HID conversions in Halogen housings are illegal. Was at DC Trucks DCTRUCKS.NET here in Vancouver buying a fuel tank float for and old RV when I noticed he had light housings, the housings are made by United Pacific 5.75” and are being marketed for Semi trucks. These are nice housings Metal instead of Plastic with a Glass lens, look like they are quality and are about $35 a piece and come with Sylvannia Halogens. The housings go right into the buck for 80-82 on the low beam side and a little notch has to be dremmeled in the high beam bucket. Housing are 9007 and come with a H4 pig tail. For bulbs I initially put some Vision X Blue bulbs in, while they looked cool they suck for light output when compared to a real bulb after doing a lot of research and throwing out the Vision X Blue bulbs I settled on GE NightHawk Sports, which put out a lot of White light and are supposed to last around 1100 hours of use (unlike Silver Stars). As the bulbs are 65/55 watts no special wiring is necessary. Conversion cost about $180 and takes about an hour. Put the old low beam halogen in tonight on one side and drove down a dark rainy road with Black Tape on the new light and then over the Old yeller and OMG what a difference, could easily drive all night on the single new light, kind of scary just on one old halogen though. Have not been flashed yet and conversion is ALL DOT approved, if I am being flashed I will adjust lights down a little, lot of bright lights out there though. Did a little test on a dark dead end road last night where I put on the high beams walked forward about 1/8 mile and turned around, it was like looking at the SUN! Sorry about the long write up felt I should share this easy and affordable upgrade with the other C3 folk. BTW just rolled 242k in the Vette, original motor no overdrive, so much for legendary Japanese Quality, take care of your Chevy (Valvoline Max life) and it will got the distance too.
If you are thinking about going with this upgrade DC Trucks in on the Web and could use the business as things are so bad he is going to sell Christmas Trees in front to keep the doors open.
If you are thinking about going with this upgrade DC Trucks in on the Web and could use the business as things are so bad he is going to sell Christmas Trees in front to keep the doors open.
11-08-2009, 07:48 AM
#3
Melting Slicks
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Hi
This is exactly what we must do when we try to register a C3 in Europe.
Install new lights with the H1 and H4 halogen bulbs.
There is even a manufacturer who offers the glass roundish like the original sealed bulbs where. No modification required.
The inserts with the flat glass require some notching of the headlight housing recess.
The difference in light from the halogeen bulbs to the sealed beams is light night versus day.
Rgds. Günther
This is exactly what we must do when we try to register a C3 in Europe.
Install new lights with the H1 and H4 halogen bulbs.
There is even a manufacturer who offers the glass roundish like the original sealed bulbs where. No modification required.
The inserts with the flat glass require some notching of the headlight housing recess.
The difference in light from the halogeen bulbs to the sealed beams is light night versus day.
Rgds. Günther
11-08-2009, 07:51 AM
#4
Race Director
It sounds like you found a fairly easy solution for an upgrade to some modern lighting that won't break the bank. Pictures would be very helpfull. Thanks for posting!
11-08-2009, 08:14 AM
#5
Drifting
I have always used aircraft landing lamps. Standard bulbs are around 37,000 CP, have a curved lens and multiple triangle in the lens to diffuse the light. These bulbs and 200,000 Candle Power, have a flat lens and are clear glass. The same diameter so they fit right in the standard high beam holder and draw 7.81 amps.
11-08-2009, 11:52 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
I have had hella Euro lead crystal lens low and high beams on my 78 since 1983 that fit perfectly into the OEM headlight bucket. I run H4 55/65 watt low beam halogen bulbs and 100 watt H1 bulbs on the high beam side. If you run standard sealed halogen high beams, no relay is needed but I run a relay for the 100 watt high beam side only. The light output is unbelieveable and the light dispersion from the hella lens is unmatched. The only thing better would be HID bulbs (real HID's, not the imitation bulbs) in the lead crystal lenses!
11-08-2009, 12:03 PM
#10
Safety Car
11-08-2009, 03:08 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
My issue with sealed lens aircraft landing lights is that these types of lights are a pencil beam pattern with a reflector and glass not of the same quality as a lead crystal lens and reflector, not a precise broad beam like a lead crystal lens from Hella or Cibie for the road, are a 100 watt sealed beam element, not a halogen bulb, that will produce much whiter light than a sealed element which is more yellowish in color, are 100 watts just like an H1 bulb, and have a much shorter bulb life than a comparable 100 watt H1 bulb. A sealed beam aircraft landing light is much cheaper than the aforementioned quality lights but like just about everything in life, you get usually what you pay for!
I have a set of aftermarket HID bulbs (real HID's) in the OEM projector housing on my 2008 Chrysler 300 and the light output color (5000K), dispersion pattern, and general overall road illumination at night is incredible!
The most important three items needed for maximum illumination are:
1. Reflector quality (Very important)
2. Lens/glass precision and quality
3. Light color produced by the bulb/element (not so much the wattage as the color).
Hope that this helps!
I have a set of aftermarket HID bulbs (real HID's) in the OEM projector housing on my 2008 Chrysler 300 and the light output color (5000K), dispersion pattern, and general overall road illumination at night is incredible!
The most important three items needed for maximum illumination are:
1. Reflector quality (Very important)
2. Lens/glass precision and quality
3. Light color produced by the bulb/element (not so much the wattage as the color).
Hope that this helps!
Last edited by jb78L-82; 11-08-2009 at 03:19 PM.
11-08-2009, 03:21 PM
#13
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I have to pull Old Yeller out from last nights test drive today and put back in the new light. Will take pics today and post for you. I highly recommend this upgrade as you can see SO MUCH better and the lights look a lot better even when they are off. It looks to me like the light output and color is close to that of some stock HID's as I have been next to a couple of these vehicles on the freeway now. Pretty cool to see the White, Slightly bluish light lighting up the road and painted lines.
11-08-2009, 03:41 PM
#14
Race Director
My issue with sealed lens aircraft landing lights is that these types of lights are a pencil beam pattern with a reflector and glass not of the same quality as a lead crystal lens and reflector, not a precise broad beam like a lead crystal lens from Hella or Cibie for the road, are a 100 watt sealed beam element, not a halogen bulb, that will produce much whiter light than a sealed element which is more yellowish in color, are 100 watts just like an H1 bulb, and have a much shorter bulb life than a comparable 100 watt H1 bulb. A sealed beam aircraft landing light is much cheaper than the aforementioned quality lights but like just about everything in life, you get usually what you pay for!
I have a set of aftermarket HID bulbs (real HID's) in the OEM projector housing on my 2008 Chrysler 300 and the light output color (5000K), dispersion pattern, and general overall road illumination at night is incredible!
The most important three items needed for maximum illumination are:
1. Reflector quality (Very important)
2. Lens/glass precision and quality
3. Light color produced by the bulb/element (not so much the wattage as the color).
Hope that this helps!
I have a set of aftermarket HID bulbs (real HID's) in the OEM projector housing on my 2008 Chrysler 300 and the light output color (5000K), dispersion pattern, and general overall road illumination at night is incredible!
The most important three items needed for maximum illumination are:
1. Reflector quality (Very important)
2. Lens/glass precision and quality
3. Light color produced by the bulb/element (not so much the wattage as the color).
Hope that this helps!
11-08-2009, 05:01 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
And the landing lites have all 3 qualities you suggested above. Since you dont care for landing lites and made some inaccurate statements about them as pencil lites its very obvious that you have never driven a car with them...If its good enough for aviation its good enough for me....Plus you cannot out drive its pattern at almost any speed....Longevity, they are in all of my 4 beam cars and some over 40 years including the 62 Vette...without any special relays or any other parts that some insist is necessary. Conservatively speaking its brilliance is over a 1/2 mile plus....and airplanes land safely with them dont they?....I know they work from first hand knowledge....but there not for everybody....and you have to be careful not to obstruct those coming from the opposite direction, but you already dim the brites as a courtesy, I know I do in my cars with out the aircraft lites.
11-08-2009, 05:37 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
And the landing lites have all 3 qualities you suggested above. Since you dont care for landing lites and made some inaccurate statements about them as pencil lites its very obvious that you have never driven a car with them...If its good enough for aviation its good enough for me....Plus you cannot out drive its pattern at almost any speed....Longevity, they are in all of my 4 beam cars and some over 40 years including the 62 Vette...without any special relays or any other parts that some insist is necessary. Conservatively speaking its brilliance is over a 1/2 mile plus....and airplanes land safely with them dont they?....I know they work from first hand knowledge....but there not for everybody....and you have to be careful not to obstruct those coming from the opposite direction, but you already dim the brites as a courtesy, I know I do in my cars with out the aircraft lites.
11-08-2009, 05:50 PM
#18
Drifting
do you know who the manufacturer is?
This is very helpful. I ahve been looking around for this type of fix. Thanks!
Hi
This is exactly what we must do when we try to register a C3 in Europe.
Install new lights with the H1 and H4 halogen bulbs.
There is even a manufacturer who offers the glass roundish like the original sealed bulbs where. No modification required.
The inserts with the flat glass require some notching of the headlight housing recess.
The difference in light from the halogeen bulbs to the sealed beams is light night versus day.
Rgds. Günther
This is exactly what we must do when we try to register a C3 in Europe.
Install new lights with the H1 and H4 halogen bulbs.
There is even a manufacturer who offers the glass roundish like the original sealed bulbs where. No modification required.
The inserts with the flat glass require some notching of the headlight housing recess.
The difference in light from the halogeen bulbs to the sealed beams is light night versus day.
Rgds. Günther
11-08-2009, 05:51 PM
#19
Drifting
where do you get them?
Thought acft lights were 24volt.
I have always used aircraft landing lamps. Standard bulbs are around 37,000 CP, have a curved lens and multiple triangle in the lens to diffuse the light. These bulbs and 200,000 Candle Power, have a flat lens and are clear glass. The same diameter so they fit right in the standard high beam holder and draw 7.81 amps.
Last edited by eagle275; 11-08-2009 at 05:55 PM.
11-08-2009, 05:57 PM
#20
Drifting
Ironcross....
where do you get the acft lights?
And the landing lites have all 3 qualities you suggested above. Since you dont care for landing lites and made some inaccurate statements about them as pencil lites its very obvious that you have never driven a car with them...If its good enough for aviation its good enough for me....Plus you cannot out drive its pattern at almost any speed....Longevity, they are in all of my 4 beam cars and some over 40 years including the 62 Vette...without any special relays or any other parts that some insist is necessary. Conservatively speaking its brilliance is over a 1/2 mile plus....and airplanes land safely with them dont they?....I know they work from first hand knowledge....but there not for everybody....and you have to be careful not to obstruct those coming from the opposite direction, but you already dim the brites as a courtesy, I know I do in my cars with out the aircraft lites.