1996man

Why does no one make HID set ups for C4s anymore? I have ridden in so many cars with them lately that even my 100w headlights dont seem to do any sort of justice. I already have the H4 non-sealed beam conversion. isnt there just an H4 swap you can do? the stock headlights used in the C4 were used on many many different GM models around this time so it was quite common. i am sure there are HID setups for some of them. can someone help me out?

Tom Piper

I think one of the problems is the weight would be too much to put the transformer/power-supply in the rotating headlight assembly for the C4.

And, mounting the power supply on the outside of the assembly and running a high voltage wire into the assembly where it will be stressed by the rotation of the headlight is not a good solution either.

Tom Piper

rocco16

In my experience, a good set (Hella, Cibie, etc.) of lights with good (Philips, Sylvania, etc) 80/100W H4 bulbs will be more than adequate for nighttime street use.

Just keep the speeds under about 130.....

Most people who have older cars with our type of headlight will not be willing to spend the several hundred dollars for HID lighting. That's why no one makes a conversion; there is no market.


Larry
code5coupe

1996man

why isnt this a good idea? as far as weight goes you couldnt fab up a little stronger motor to spin them around? i wouldnt think it would be hard to find a motor about the same size that would have hte power.

stevec4

Cos they are totally illegal to use.

zeitgeist57

I installed a set of Sylvania Xenarc HID foglights in my factory foglight locations. TOOK A LOT OF BOLTS TO GET THE BUMPER OFF!

I think it's got a great effect, and very stealth. I love the look.

However, most laws DO state that HEADlights cannot be upgraded to HID bulbs if the manufacturer did not put HID's in the automobile from the factory. This includes swapping in an HID assembly to a base model vehicle that came from the assembly line with standard halogen headlights.

Mr. Peabody

Nice Wheels

1996man

you HAVE to give me a link where i can get those! they look sweeeet!

1996man

how much were they? ( i wonder if you had enough time and patience if you could fab them to work in the other running light areas as well) if i asked really nicely could i talk you into posting some more pics? i havent even heard of these for our cars before

dizwiz24

Having been thru 4 headlight conversions...including real HID's... I consider myself the C4 headlamp upgrade expert

1. Matrix diamond conversion with matrix 90/100w blue tint bulbs.

This was ricer junk. They looked cool from the outside, but had no focal point or concentration of the beam pattern onto the road. Worse than stock.

2. Hella e-spec reflector with matrix 90/100w blue tint bulbs...

Much better, but the separation between high and low beams was too much for our cars low ride height (ex. you aim the low beams and when you switch on the hi's they point up into the trees)

3. Sylvania Xenarc HID headlight system.

Garbage, worse than everything including stock, except for the matrix diamond conversion.
Heres the problem, according to insiders...the Xenarc had a top quality HID light source in a cheap taiwanese made reflector not designed for down-road lighting. They had to shield it heavily to not tick of the DOT. So heavily that you dont get much lighting.

4. Hella e-spec reflector with HID light source from Xenarc kit.

Amazingly crisp and bright up close lighting. False sense of security because it wasnt focused down road far enough.

However, it blinded other drivers so bad that they not only flashed high beams, they laid on the horn as I drove by. It was kind of funny.

***The solution ***

5. Daniel stern lighting recommendation

Bosch E-spec reflectors (better for lower ride height cars) and Narva CLEAR 100/130w bulbs. I also rewired everything with 10/12 gauge wire (except I kept the little piece of 16 gauge wire that goes into the rotating headlight assembly, cauze its too complicated to get 12 gauge wire thru the pivot point of the rotating headlight.)

Much better downroad lighting.

Tom Piper

I don't remember the brand, but I tried some e-spec reflectors with 90/100 bulbs and I was not impressed -- focusing was poor.

I finally put in some Sylvania Silver Star lamps, and like them the best so far -- especially the low beams.
I'm sure other systems are better, but the Silver Stars are impressive considering they are 100% DOT legal.

Tom Piper

jsinga

I went the Ciebe lamp with Narva 100/130w bulbs and rewired everything. I got 12ga wire through the headlight housing. For under $200 they are equal to HID on the road.

JS

1996man

i have the H4 non sealed beam conversion from midamerica and my biggest problem is that the lens cant aim both beams right... low beams are to low and high beams are to hgih. i have the low beams set where they are good but like you said the high beams are in the trees and doesnt help much. i dont mind the blue bulbs i got and kind of like them but i wish the light got projected better. is the non sealed beam conversion from hella have better lenses and aim the beams better?
sounds like everyone likes the NARVA 100/130 bulbs so i just have to figure out what reflectors i need that actually focus the beam where i need it. you say the hella lenses/reflectors arent very good at aiming the light but bosch and ciebe reflectors do a good job of aiming the light from out lowriding vehicles?

dizwiz24

Yes,

Bosch e-spec and CIBIE e-spec are, according to Daniel Stern, equally good for the Corvette (low mount height) applications.

I asked him that back in november of 2003 and that was the answer I got.


I forgot to add, although Ive had no experience with them, it seems a lot of people have been happy with the Sylvania Silverstars (especially in terms of price per performance).


By the way, even though I hated the XENARC headlamp kit, those XENARC fog lights look sweet.

tjwong

Thats a great job, how was it to get the Sylvanias to fit correctly?

1996man

http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/hid-6054.htm

this looks like they have HIDs for out headlights AND foglights? am i misreading something here?

Mr. Peabody

You know this looks like it might just be the real thing. I say this for 2 reasons .... it's the first system i've seen that is actuall a sealed beam system (the correct reflecter is the key to properly focused light) and it has a 31" cable from the balast to the light which sould be more than enough for the rotating lights.

Also that price looks about right for a real HID system.

ALLT4

Siverstars here, cleaned the connectors, used some dielectric good to go. The low beams are so bright I never need high beams, and I live out in the boonies with lots of deer. No problem seeing them with only low beams.

I did adjust them up a bit though because as stated earlier the high beams seemed to shoot for the trees. So I figured as bright as the low beams were I'd just use them only.

Tom Piper

When I thought about it, the one thing that always bothered me about putting a true HID system in a C4 (assuming the ballast has to be mounted external to the rotating headlight assembly) was running the high voltage wire where it would be stressed by numerous rotations.

I think if it like running a spark plug wire though there -- after numerous rotations, I think the insulation would start to suffer minute cracks and let the high voltage "leak." A low voltage (12 volts) wire would not be as sensitive to the problem.

Anybody know how high the voltage is for HID?

Does the C5 with hide-away headlghts have HID?

Tom Piper

1996man

the C5 does not have HID stock. i dont know if anybody makes a kit for them. i have not seen any