Headlight "pseudo" HID conversion, advice about these headlights Options

[pat4]

Hi all,

My H4 headlights are 30 years old and of course the reflector is not in good shape. As 914 lights are not really efficient at the base, you can understand that now night driving is a nightmare ...

So I can buy the same new H4 headlamp, but or ...
... things like "7' HID Composite Conversion Kit" we can find on eBay (example HERE)

They are cheaper than glass headlamps, but the main question is about their efficiency. Are these things better than conventional H4 glass headlamp ?

[thesey914]

Are these the blue xenon headlights that are on most modern cars? Personal preference of course but I reckon they'd look a bit out of place on an older car such as a 914. Suit a honda/nissan though.
Is it possible to fit newer units from a VW golf?

[pat4]

No, these are conventional headlight with Krypton + Xenon charger bulbs, may be blue tinted.

The real HID lights needs electronic adaptor to boost voltage at 1.000 volts at least and are about $ 800-1000.

[F4i]

I have heard that all you usually get with these bulbs is a trace amout of the "speciality gas" and a bulb that has been dipped in blue paint. I would be concerned about the 130 watt rating. They say normal current draw so how do they get this value? I have also heard that these bulbs tend to run very hot. 30 year old wiring may not like them. That said Sylvania make a brand called sylverstar. They are pricey but I think they would be worth it. I think more has gone into them that a blue paint dip.

[zehrschnell914]

I talked to a guy at my local parts shop and he said that the HID lights run very hot and if you don't have glass headlamps it will melt them. I opted for some "Ultra White" bulbs (no blue paint), and they are very white and seem to light things up nicely without making it look like a teenager's ride.

[Joe Ricard]

I bought a set of Euro H-4 head lamps for my 78 928. Very bright, Like you can cook a hotdog in front of them on high beams. Flat lens and different beam pattern. Plug right in.

These should fit a 914 as the general assembly is the same.

Put some driving lights with brighter bulbs in the car. properly aimed you will "lite the night" My 914 has 55W bulbs (stock wattage) and are plenty bright.

[Flash]

Sylvania supposedly makes a good headlight for the 914. Do a search for Porsche here http://www.sylvania.com/auto/carapp .

[TonyAKAVW]

$800 - $1000 for an HID setup was the going price, but it seems that you should be able to get something for substantially less now.. For instance, here's one for H4s...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2457100016

even cheaper yet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2455214876

So its true that they are not as cheap as the pseudo-HID lights, but they are probably more 914-friendly.. Consume 35 watts rather than 100+ = run cool.

-Tony

[fiid]

I have the Sylvania "Cool blue" lights in my car. They are nothing special. I have been told that the Sylvania "Silverstar" bulbs are pretty cool, and make a significant difference.

HID is hard (you need a ballast transformer, and the set up costs about $600 - $1000), plus it is almost certainly illegal. I reckon a kit is doable with HID mounted in the turn signal pockets at the front of a 914, and with a glass panel over the top, but I haven't seen anyone who's actually done it. I may do it when I retire from professional life, but that's looking like it's more than 3 years away at the rate things are going at the moment.

When I had my spitfire (also has 7" sealed beams) - I had a halogen 80/100Watt setup (this was in the UK). This is certainly illegal in the US. These things were freakin awesome. If a deer jumps out in front of you, you have a real chance that it will be medium rare by the time you are in biting distance. Also, they will fully illuminate a freeway sign on dip at about 500 yards. I highly recommend this. I justify it to myself by saying that the 914 is lower than most cars, and almost everything else on the road is a 2 ton SUV whose driver is watching TV, and has HID lights pointing straight into my cockpit. I call it self defense.


For a slightly more legal solution I would go with the 55/100 bulbs that are available. These look normal on dip, but you can cook just about anything by going up to brights.

Can someone write about putting fatty bulbs in the stock foglights on a 1973 914?? I have new seals (Thanks Quarl), but have tey to rebuild them and make them bright.

Thanks,

Fiid.

[Scott Carlberg]

That said Sylvania make a brand called sylverstar. They are pricey but I think they would be worth it. I think more has gone into them that a blue paint dip.

I have the Silver Stars on my 914, but they weren't pricey at all.
I got them at Kragen's, so they couldn't have been that pricey!

Check the Kragen's ad that comes attached to the Sunday funnies, that's
where I first saw them.

pic attached of these Silver Stars....

[Scott Carlberg]

found this pic of 1/2 way thru putting in the Silver Stars.

One Old,
One Silver Star (white)


sorry the pics are so big (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[garyh]

These should fit a 914 as the general assembly is the same.

They do.

And after 5 years, there is no decrease in light output.

If there was, I'd finally get around to putting the 100W bulbs in...

[pat4]

My problem is not to choose the bulb, but the reflector ...

[dbelleperc]

I have real HID's/Xenon light on my teener, they are the Sylvania Xenarc HID's and they are only like 300 or so from Sylvania. Take a look for yourself.
(IMG:http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/dbelleperc/Beampattern.JPG)
(IMG:http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/dbelleperc/X60243.JPG)
(IMG:http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/dbelleperc/X6024on2.JPG)
(IMG:http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/dbelleperc/914Xenon.JPG)

[JmuRiz]

How did you swing those for $300? I thought they were in the area of $800+ !

[fiid]

http://store.yahoo.com/rodi/sylxenhidx6s.html

$350 here..... niiiiice.

Do you guys have a bushing where the headlamp retractor arm meets the lamp assembly? I do not have one and my lights flish up and down at speed, which is really annoying.

Fiid.

[dbelleperc]

How did you swing those for $300? I thought they were in the area of $800+ !

I got them for 500 about a year ago, but then about 5 months later they droped to 300. Sylvania Shop. But I guess they are out of stock at the moment.