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Posted by: Cire Oct 29 2009, 06:10 AM

I was thinking about replacing my flood lights with hi / low beam lights and then removing my standard bucket and motor lights.

Anyone seen this done?
Anyone seen a hi low beam for the fog light area?

Thanks all.

Eric

Posted by: jt914-6 Oct 29 2009, 06:13 AM

In most if not all states, the fog lights would be too low to be considered "headlights". Headlights would have to be higher to be legal......

Posted by: Cire Oct 29 2009, 06:32 AM

You are probably correct about that. = )

Anyone seen it done or tried it? = )

Eruc = )

Posted by: tat2dphreak Oct 29 2009, 09:14 AM

and if you put that kind of wattage down there it would be noticable.

get some pilot driving lights, they bolt in and are basically another set of low beams.

also, the fog light surrounds are plastic, and actual headlights would probably get too hot

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Oct 29 2009, 09:21 AM

the Pilot driving lights that I have work better then the H4 headlights. I have them aimed in between my low beans and high beams. I actually don't need my high beams with the driving lights on. WAY more light with the H4 low beam and pilot driving lights.

Zach

Posted by: underthetire Oct 29 2009, 09:55 AM

+1 on the pilot driving lights !

Posted by: detoxcowboy Oct 29 2009, 10:26 AM

2nd on Pilots!! I have yellow Pilots w/ 85 watt H3 PIAA crystal ion yellow bulbs (regular pilots come at 55 watts H3 clear) when I flash these in a bright sunny so. cal. day on the freeway it is like the autobahn move & the drivers see it and move out of "my lane" (thats driving w/ Los Angeles attitude). Also have used them middle of the night in foggy/misty Big Sur North Coast and they work outstandingly.

Not a sales pitch because I do not care if I have to hold these awhile but I am selling these in about a week when my restored stock with new amber lenses get here. Only changing for some purity of originality and atheistic ( I am painting next mo.) but will miss the "evil yellow eyes" and their laser beams.

Posted by: Cire Oct 29 2009, 11:14 AM

LOL My goal is to totally remove the standard regular head light. Less weight, 1 less wire, less hassle... So just to get some street legal headlights in there would be great. = )

See? = )

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Oct 29 2009, 11:21 AM

They won't be street legal, they will be mounted too low. People that have done what you are trying to do have re-purposed the turn signal housings as headlight housings, using motorcycle headlights. That is the only way to get the height legal. its all custom work, at that point.

To remove the headlights would be more then 1 less wire. but to remove them would mean taking apart the entire forward wiring harness, or else you will be risking ground outs. Would be less work to remove the headlight motors and work up a cable pull system that uses small pneumatic struts (which has also been done and documented on this site.)

If your car is a street car at all, you are going to want legal headlights.

Zach

Posted by: SirAndy Oct 29 2009, 11:22 AM

The lights you put in there might be legal, the location will not. You'll still get a ticket.

If all that is of no concern to you, you can probably make any smaller headlight fit ...
Andy

Posted by: tat2dphreak Oct 29 2009, 11:38 AM

the real weight savings would be taking out the motors for the headlights? why not just buy/make the GT-style opening kit? that would be legal and easier.

Posted by: detoxcowboy Oct 29 2009, 11:41 AM

Actually the height would not be legal, Porsche/Volkswagen put the pop up headlight in the 914 not to be aerodynamic but to meet legal height requirements for headlights. True Story.

Posted by: detoxcowboy Oct 29 2009, 11:55 AM

Here is the link page cut and pasted for u. If you give up on "legal" you can do it. My first 914 had the turn signals removed and cut out w/ the fenders bent /shaped into a slope nose w/ the side marker moved to the front and hooked to the flashers thus working as turn signals," less weight no hassle less wires" never got a ticket but i sold that piece of **** as a costumed slop nose first sign of problems.., I do not think it went any faster with the turnsignals and buckets removed but it was quicker when the tank was on "e".


The Porsche 914 featured pop-up headlamps to meet height regulations.
Because the nose was so low, pop-up headlamps were used to meet minimum-height regulations. The headlight design was a typical piece of Porschearbeit, with every contingency anticipated. For example, each unit had an electric motor and provision for manual operation in case of power loss. Both methods were designed so that either could easily break the thickest coat of ice the engineers could conjure in cold-weather tests. To prevent catching unwary fingers as the lamps closed, Porsche provided a safety panel that would give way before one’s digits did.

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Oct 29 2009, 12:45 PM

Not only are lights in the fog light position of a 914 illegal because they fall below the minimum legal height, but any light used as what we call a 'headlight" has to be so designated and approved for use as such by the DOT. That's TWO strikes. Why go looking for trouble?

The Cap'n

Posted by: Jeffs9146 Oct 29 2009, 01:02 PM

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=35304&hl=

I don't know what Neo914-6 ended up doing with his but he was on track with an interesting concept!




Attached image(s)

Posted by: Bruce Hinds Oct 29 2009, 01:28 PM

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING!
Where's that thread?

Posted by: JmuRiz Oct 29 2009, 04:38 PM

I'm guessing with those lights you have some kind of relay? Just wondering if the stock fog-light wiring can handle the wattage. BTW I'm diggin' the look with the yellow Pilots!

Posted by: pcar916 Oct 29 2009, 06:53 PM

I've always run one white running light and one yellow one for fog. That said, you guys may have better luck than I do with those low mounted lights. I've put on several sets over the years and they always get broken within a few weeks of mounting them. Come to think about it, they were broken when I bought the car!

Legal or not, I'd never mount my main beams that low. Too much maintenance.

Good Luck

Posted by: dw914er Oct 29 2009, 08:43 PM

what he said


btw... those yellow pilot lights look sweet... that might be a future investment for my car

Posted by: flipb Oct 29 2009, 08:51 PM

Came across http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/9144/POR_9144_ELlite_pg3.htm while browsing for other things.

Only $25 and it wires the fogs to work as flashers when the headlights are off, but the stalk will still activate the high beams as usual when the lights are on.

Anybody using this?

PS - never seen the Neo car before today. My new favorite non-stock looking teener.

Posted by: plymouth37 Oct 29 2009, 08:56 PM

I did that to my car but I am only using single beam not high/low.
I am running KC hi-lights and by removing the old pop-ups and the buckets that housed them I dropped 18.8 pounds.
And yes they are totally illegal but they work a lot better than the originals.

Posted by: SirAndy Oct 29 2009, 09:17 PM

What front valance is that?

Posted by: plymouth37 Oct 29 2009, 09:30 PM

It is Renegade Hybrids front valence, IIRC it goes for around $200.

Posted by: tat2dphreak Oct 29 2009, 09:36 PM

that's the jwest kit. www.jwesteng.com James makes great products. I still have rennshift envy.