Who has changed/improved headlights

Hi All
NEW THREAD TITLE--DRIVING IMPAIRED AT NIGHT
I've read backwards and completed the searches, but still do not have a clear path on how to improve the ability to see down the road at night. So I ask, who has changed their MkI or MkII headlight bulbs or lamp fixtures that improves the night time vision for these cars and what did you do?

From what I've gathered any value above 90 watts will require additional wiring and a relay. Also the current bulb series has a unique shape and does not lend it to cross linking similar bulbs such as the Silverstar replacement lamps. Any help?

There are higher output bulbs available for the lamps. I don't have the chart with me, but I'll get you the info and part numbers.

I would suggest doing the relay setup if you really want to improve the wattage. Of course proper aiming is important as well as keeping the plastic lenses clean.

Grady,
Suggest speaking to Malcolm here in the UK. He put HID bulbs into his GTD. Don't know if you can in the US or not, but it made a world of difference to him.

Brett

A very popular solution to the (appalling) headlight problem in UK is the fitting of a Xenon HID system. There is a GT40 kit obtainable from HID City, but I'm sure others are available throughout the US.
The standard headlight shells will accept the xenon bulb units, usually with a 45mm-43mm adapter ring. The system has one choke per xenon tube, housed in the void behind the headlamps and has its own loom and relay system to take the load off the switches. All that's required is a hard 12V supply and a hard earth; the rest is contained in the loom.
These lights produce a very intense, blue light, probably more so than a modern car and have the added advantage, here anyway, that road signs stand out like the proverbial dog's b******s.

Since you're in the US, I'd call Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply. He has helped me with a number of vintage cars over the years. His website is a good source of information on all sorts of automotive lighting solutions.

Not to knock on HID City, but the projectors for normal lights are not designed for HID bulbs and the effect is not efficient and often not legal (though I'm not sure who'll every catch you).

I'd troll around on his site before I did anything.

Isn't it possible and cost effective to just go buy corvette headlights from a junkyard and fab a backplate. Has to be the best of both worlds cheap, street legal and plenty available!!!

trader said:

Isn't it possible and cost effective to just go buy corvette headlights.....

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I assume you mean C4 headlights, since they are the only rectangular ones I can fines. If so, Do we know that they are any better? And what are the dimensions?

That's all the questions I have for now. :shy:

I changed out the old round bulb for a 75 watt dual beam halogen, if I can remember all you have to do is bend one of the mounting tabs in order for it to work. Its been 3 years ago so I just can't tell you which one it was I purchased, I just took the old bulb into autozone and matched the base with the highest wattage bulb that they had and it works much better. I do like the zeon idea. Thats the one with the electronic ballast right?

huntsen said:

A very popular solution to the (appalling) headlight problem in UK is the fitting of a Xenon HID system. There is a GT40 kit obtainable from HID City, but I'm sure others are available throughout the US.
The standard headlight shells will accept the xenon bulb units, usually with a 45mm-43mm adapter ring. The system has one choke per xenon tube, housed in the void behind the headlamps and has its own loom and relay system to take the load off the switches. All that's required is a hard 12V supply and a hard earth; the rest is contained in the loom.
These lights produce a very intense, blue light, probably more so than a modern car and have the added advantage, here anyway, that road signs stand out like the proverbial dog's b******s.

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At the risk of being labelled a killjoy, I would add that the HID kits have one distinct disadvantage in that in most cases it's illegal (in the UK at least) to fit them. Two requirements for legal fitment are that the lights are self levelling and that the lamp units are fitted with a wash system as any dirt on the lenses causes serious light scatter.

Now, having said that I have HIDs fitted to my BMW which didn't have them factory fitted although I could possibly get away with it as my car does have levelling and washing systems from factory. Also, most MOT testers don't seem to know or care about them. My tip would be to fit them anyway but make sure that the lenses are properly aligned to avoid dazzling people. You can play around a lot with the lamp temperature Kelvin rating (colour) to find what you prefer, personally I wouldn't go above 4,300K rating and most OEM manufacturers are now going for temperatures in that area. Some people fit 6,000K but IMHO they are too blue and would not look right on a GT40.

HIDCity is a good source but you can also find shed loads of kits on eBay, most of them are Chinese but to be honest, I've used 3 chinese kits on different cars and I've never had a problem, the quality is perfectably OK.

huntsen said:

A very popular solution to the (appalling) headlight problem in UK is the fitting of a Xenon HID system. There is a GT40 kit obtainable from HID City, but I'm sure others are available throughout the US.
The standard headlight shells will accept the xenon bulb units, usually with a 45mm-43mm adapter ring. The system has one choke per xenon tube, housed in the void behind the headlamps and has its own loom and relay system to take the load off the switches. All that's required is a hard 12V supply and a hard earth; the rest is contained in the loom.
These lights produce a very intense, blue light, probably more so than a modern car and have the added advantage, here anyway, that road signs stand out like the proverbial dog's b******s.

Click to expand...

I agree with Tony, these HID lights have transformed my night driving experience. There is one added bonus; when i visited my local MOT guy to get the light dipping sorted for the LMC last year, he advised me that the dip profile was OK for both UK & France. The cut off was horizontal and very flat, so no need for any correction on the bulb housing rear or black tape on the front glass! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

argonaut said:

I would add that the HID kits have one distinct disadvantage in that in most cases it's illegal (in the UK at least) to fit them. Two requirements for legal fitment are that the lights are self levelling and that the lamp units are fitted with a wash system as any dirt on the lenses causes serious light scatter.

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Have you noticed the difference between a fully laden and an unladen GT40? This question was posed by my MOT tester when I bounced the possibility of fitting HIDs off him. He also said that the scatter from the acrylic headlamp covers was far more than any dirt would cause, but there isn't anything in the legislation about acrylic headlamp covers.

huntsen said:

Have you noticed the difference between a fully laden and an unladen GT40? This question was posed by my MOT tester when I bounced the possibility of fitting HIDs off him. He also said that the scatter from the acrylic headlamp covers was far more than any dirt would cause, but there isn't anything in the legislation about acrylic headlamp covers.

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Not yet having a GT40 I have to say no I haven't. I would expect that the level difference in a GT40 would be next to none assuming most will have some pretty decent suspension and that there's minimum luggage space anyway. The acrylic covers would I'm sure cause some scatter.

As I mentioned, I'm not trying to be a killjoy just pointing out that there might be some issues with the legality so that folks don't get caught unaware.

This site has great tech info on upgrading, bulb types, and really useful, detailed information on proper aiming.
Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

Original GT40s used Viva lights as far as I know

Does anyone have a list of possible alternatives which may have a better light capbility ???
Which ones are E compliant ???

Does CIBIE or anyone like that make an E compliant HID ????




thanks KB

The answer....
I worked with Daniel Stern Lighting and got an answer. I will order and update my wiring and since this is the SPF section, this maybe pertinent to those owners.
I found my headlights are from Cibie. E2 compliant. The lamps are Phillips cupo 12620R2 12V45/40 ZB5A5. Folks that is 45/40 watt lamp. The wiring is ~18AWG. Way to small and that may cause a drop of 60% of voltage necessary to operate at full power of 45 watts. As I was told " Thin wiring plus weepy bulbs will do that."

His suggestion was to buy a RIK-2 kit that includes containing all relays, brackets, terminal blocks, terminals, plugs, sockets, fuses and fuseholders. You supply the wire. Parts are specially made premium-grade items (e.g. ceramic headlamp sockets) that accept large-gauge wire; this is not the "consumer grade" junk you can find at the parts store. The in-car switches continue working normally, and you will not need to cut or otherwise disturb any of the vehicle's original wires.

I will use Narva 60/55w halogen bulbs on P45t base, $14/ea. They will produce nearly double the light of your present bulbs.

You will find interesting reading at Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply. The use of HID is discouraged because of the plastic lens cover and how it scatters the light making for a driving hazard. (?new Mustangs with HID & plastic lenses?)

Anyway the current wire size is too small as are the relays. I will update.
Thanks for the help.
Grady

I agree on the wire size Grady in all accounts of the car.

I have to question the whole scatter thing because the headlights on my M3 were plastic covered and I had dual HID behind them from the factory and the escalade is the same thing (I have pulled them both apart several times and have baked them so I know that they were NOT GLASS). Also the TFX conversion uses a remolded TX plastic shroud so again I think this this may be a bit blown out of purpotion. I am sure that there may be something to it but obviously not enough to NOT make them OEM.

On a side note, the scattering can be minimalized with the addition of a flat clear coat to the inside painted surfaces of the light housing. I did this to my car on a recomendation I got here on the forum years ago. I also added the flat to the door sils to cut down on reflection of the sun. If you have a painted dash it wouldn't hurt there as well.



It is a little hard to see but its there.

Bill

That is a clever idea, Bill. I might still be able to do that.

I have gotten some things from Daniel Stern Lighting. You should also (in the USA) try Candlepower in Rockville, MD, who have a lot of high-output bulbs. My car has old Marchals in both the rectangular and round positions (upper and lower). I got p45t base bulbs from CP for them.

trader said:

I have to question the whole scatter thing because the headlights on my M3 were plastic covered and I had dual HID behind them from the factory and the escalade is the same thing (I have pulled them both apart several times and have baked them so I know that they were NOT GLASS). Also the TFX conversion uses a remolded TX plastic shroud so again I think this this may be a bit blown out of purpotion. I am sure that there may be something to it but obviously not enough to NOT make them OEM.

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Damian,
I think it is the fact that the plastic light covers are at such a steep angle on a 40 that the problems with reflection and "star formation" occur. That is why I mention the flat clear for that area to cancel it out. The cars you mention have the glass or plastic almost flat to the light(if I am remembering correctly). So reflection would bounce back to the surround reflectors of the lights, or the bulb itself. Thus no problem.

Bill