Headlight Improvement Options, Any Ideas other Than Halogen Options

[TheCabinetmaker]

I've ran the 90 or 100 watt sylvania sealed beams for 30 plus years. Great light and never a problem with voltage.

[Mblizzard]

With a 37 year old car, the first electrical step should always be cleaning the connections. I don't even bother to put my multi meter away any more! I have chased down wires in my car and found splices held together with wire nuts of all things.

I did do the checks first and ordered new sealed beams first. I think the ones in my car must be at least 20 years old. But if there had been an direct replacement, internally ballasted HID light available that was proper for the car, it would have been nice to have. Like I say if you don't ask you may miss something.

[DBCooper]

I have HIDs on my 914 and I LOVE THEM. I would never go back to stock unless I had an original car.

I used el cheapo housings off of Ebay and got my HID kit from a supplier. If you're interested, I'll find the details for you.

The only permanent modification was a little bit of cutting on the headlight bucket to allow the harness to fit correctly. It's a tight fit, but it works.

Yes, there are external ballasts, but those I fitted to the fenderwell with velcro. The wiring was pretty much plug and play and I could reverse the whole installation if needed.

Plus one. All good, no problems, never been flashed by oncoming traffic, and they do throw the light!

[gandalf_025]

Like I mentioned... Do what you want, BUT it certainly will be the one night
you have had a couple of beers or a few glasses of wine and are driving home,
minding your own business when a cop notices you.
You will be doing nothing wrong, but he will notice the lights and decide to stop
you just because you gave him a reason. You are toast. and it doesn't matter
if you have used those lights for a week, month or years.. End result will be the same.
Your choice, your gamble....

[DBCooper]

Like I mentioned... Do what you want, BUT it certainly will be the one night
you have had a couple of beers or a few glasses of wine and are driving home,
minding your own business when a cop notices you.
You will be doing nothing wrong, but he will notice the lights and decide to stop
you just because you gave him a reason. You are toast. and it doesn't matter
if you have used those lights for a week, month or years.. End result will be the same.
Your choice, your gamble....

Using that same logic you shouldn't be driving any kind of sports car anyway, you should stick to minivans. Just using the logic. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[gandalf_025]

You make no sense.... Drive what you like... BUT if you do something stupid like
draw the attention of the cops by modifying the car with something very noticeable, like lights that didn't exist when it was manufactured.. You bring it on yourself.
You give them "Reasonable Cause" to stop you if nothing else
Do you not know of anyone stopped because they had a tail light or brake light out..
Just because the cop was curious ??? If not, go for it...

[Mark Henry]

One, our cars are much lower than just about everything else out there. This means it's a lot less likely that light is being scattered as far as those big SUVs with HID lights, but it's also the reason why we're so blinded when they come up behind us - we're directly in the light path, whereas a higher car isn't as susceptible.

Just an FYI on my blinded from behind by HID rant... I wasn't driving my 914...I was driving my wife's SUV.

[DBCooper]

You make no sense.... Drive what you like... BUT if you do something stupid like
draw the attention of the cops by modifying the car with something very noticeable, like lights that didn't exist when it was manufactured.. You bring it on yourself.
You give them "Reasonable Cause" to stop you if nothing else
Do you not know of anyone stopped because they had a tail light or brake light out..
Just because the cop was curious ??? If not, go for it...

Your point is that if you draw attention to yourself you may end up talking with a nice policeman. My point is that ANY distinctive car, including your nice little old dimly illuminated sportscar, will attract attention, nighttime, daytime, any time, just by being distinctive. So using your logic, that you shouldn't call call attention to yourself, you shouldn't be driving it anyway. And further, the only "safe" thing to drive is from the category of minivans, preferably beige.

Or, alternatively, don't drink and drive.

Just an FYI on my blinded from behind by HID rant... I wasn't driving my 914...I was driving my wife's SUV.

Yeah, can't argue, I'd be wishing and hoping that human waste would pull over and want to discuss it, too. Him and most of those loud Harleys, how do they get away with that? And those ancient V8 pickups in need of a tuneup, spewing so much unburnt gas that your eyes water.... nitwits on their phones, and a long list of others. In fact sometimes it worries me that I'm going to end up a crotchety old man, like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. Thankfully it's possible to adjust those lights, if you're even a little bit considerate.

[ThePaintedMan]

Just an FYI on my blinded from behind by HID rant... I wasn't driving my 914...I was driving my wife's SUV.

Was it another SUV with HIDs? I guess it's probably safe to assume it wasn't a 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I guess any SUV with them is pretty much broadcasting that light everywhere.

On that note, why is it that so many big truck/SUV owners feel the need to pull DIRECTLY behind cars at stop lights? Even when I'm in my Mustang I'm constantly blinded by my mirrors, even with traditional lights. Not accusing anyone here, just something that I've noticed when I drive.

[gandalf_025]

again, you make no sense.. Draw attention to yourself by being
OBVIOUSLY illegal
and you deserve what you get.
No argument here... just reality... I'm done with this..

[DBCooper]

It seems simple enough, ANY way you draw attention to yourself, if it's a sportscar, a pink wig, a yellow car, HID lights, loud exhaust, burned out tail light, dim original tungsten sealed beams, loud stereo, for whatever reason to whatever degree, you're increasing your chances of talking with a policemen. So take the risk and drive what you want, or don't take the risk and drive something anonymous. Seems logical, that doesn't make sense?

['73-914kid]

HID's are awesome at throwing light..but I'm one of those people that is so absolutely annoyed with people behind me driving with HID's aimed poorly, that I will absolutely not buy them..

I currently have sealed beam el' cheapo kragen headlights, and my pilot foglights are brighter... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

I'm ordering these next week once finals are over, because once school is out, I'm going to driving WAY more at night. I genuinely think these, properly aimed are the best legal option for our cars, as long as you run the wire directly from the battery, and run relays.
H4 housings
And these bulbs

[Mark Henry]

Just an FYI on my blinded from behind by HID rant... I wasn't driving my 914...I was driving my wife's SUV.

Was it another SUV with HIDs? I guess it's probably safe to assume it wasn't a 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I guess any SUV with them is pretty much broadcasting that light everywhere.

On that note, why is it that so many big truck/SUV owners feel the need to pull DIRECTLY behind cars at stop lights? Even when I'm in my Mustang I'm constantly blinded by my mirrors, even with traditional lights. Not accusing anyone here, just something that I've noticed when I drive.

No, the asshat was driving a mid/compact sedan...a honda or hyundai, something like that. No excuse.

[iamchappy]

I think someone is overly paranoid... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[Mblizzard]

Could someone enlighten me on the concept of "running wires to the battery and using relays"? The existing headlights already have relays so I am a little confused as to the way this would be done and what relays would be needed.

[jdlmodelt]

What's wrong with these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-Round-Halogen-Se...940&vxp=mtr

[Mike Bellis]

The HID blinding problem is due to improper housings. All legal HID lights have a shield built into the lens to prevent upward light. This is why a new BMW or Mercedes does not blind you. HID's installed into an H4 lens cannot prevent upward light AND the length of the HID bulb does not line up in the reflector properly. Most HID lamps are longer and you loose the parabolic effect of the reflector.

Halogen lamps put out 3500K (Kelvin). This is the closest to the color of sunlight and will give you the best light reflection at night. Most cheap HID kits are 5000K or 6000K, which give you a whitish blue color. These may look brighter than 3500K but actually give you less reflection. As you go up in Kelvin, the light turns to blue and purple. This give really crappy reflection and only an idiot would install these. AND there are many idiots. If you want absolutely the best reflection you would need a yellow lamp. The problem with yellow (think street lamp) is the absence of color. All is washed out to shades of yellow. However, this gives the maximum reflection.

With that said... I do have HID's. In a correct parabolic. shielded lens. At least for the low beams. My high beams are an HID flood lamp. Before I put the correct lens in place, I blinded everyone at WCR Tahoe. In addition, the traffic signals around my house work from cameras mounted above. My HID lights would blind the camera at night and the signal would never change in my favor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)


Bottom line... Do not install HID's in a lens not designed for them. You may think it's cool but you will always blind the oncoming driver. It is not courteous you your fellow man on the road AND it is illegal.

[ThePaintedMan]

As promised, here's video. Sorry its a little loud and shaky. Somehow I've already lost my mount for my GoPro. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxEegIVOBLs

[Mblizzard]

George. It looks like those are aimed well and give off great light.

[ThePaintedMan]

Yeah... but I'm not pleased with the video quality. The Hero 3 should do a lot better than that, even at night. I'll have to find out what the settings on the camera are, or if I encoded the video differently. Hopefully you guys get a picture of what they look like though. Like I said, I have yet to have anyone flash their brights at me.