I thought about doing a h4 kit, since the pair is about the same as buying 1 bulb at the FLAPs...

but they all say


what is your experience with these? and are they ok for street use? what gives?

Just use sealbeam Halogen headlights. You do not need any extra wiring or relays. About $30 for the pair.

I like the H4s. They are brighter, have a flat face which I like, and take the look away from stock.

Down side.. the wiring. I didn't ever get it right. I'd flick on the high beams and one side would go out....

I'm using the Hella H4 E-Code lights - love 'em. This site also has some great advice on wiring using relays, especially if you're using a high wattage lamp.

Why do you need relays for the 55/60 watt H4 bulbs? I am running some Euro spec H4s on my 914 with the standard bulbs and it doesn't pull any more power than the standard sealed beams. The H4s are twice the brightness. I love them.

I also went through Cibie Z-beams, etc., and am now using plain Halogen sealed bulbs as they seem more than adequate for the driving I do and I don't have to worry about them corroding.

If you haven't tried the sealed beam halogens, you might be pleasantly surprised! It's also nice to not have to rewire things with relays, etc.

I too am using H4 European blubs on my '86 Carrera. Got them from Pelican. No extra wiring needed. Just plug 'em in.

I put Cibie's in my car 9 years ago with no relay and no problems. I'm using stock wattage Hella Yellow Star bulbs. When my friend and I flew to LA to pick up his car, out first stop was at Performance Products to pick up a pair of Hella H4s. Again, just plug and play and it's been many years with no problems too. I love the E code lights, more light on the road and not in the trees.

(edit: don't recall who makes the bulbs, maybe Sylvania not Hella)

I have H4's in mine. No problem, no wiring change. Since amperage is wattage divided by volts you can calculate the current draw. Sealed beams I think were 35 watts(2.91 amps) and H4's 55 watt (4.5 amps) each. Thats a grand total of 3.18 amperes difference. Oh, and all the new replacement headlamps are 55 watt anyway. I think the car can handle it.

what about the "offroad only use" thing? is that just :bs: ?

are the ones in the kit the "european/E code"? it sounds like that's the trick to not re-wiring

In VA if it does not have DOT approval it will not pass safety inspection. That said I am planning to go with Sylvainia Silverstars for mine.

if it's just an inspection issue, I could care less I have the antique plates that are exempt.

In MA as long as the lights work, they couldn't care less. most people doing inspection don't have a clue when it comes to "these old car" and their original equipment.

No one has ever noticed my H4s including VA. Tho' VA did question my 911's OEM-type H4s.

The relays are definitely needed for the high wattage (especially 80-100W) bulbs to preserve the light switch. I agree with those that said that the lower wattage halogens don't need relays.

Offroad only gets the manufacturer off the hook in states that care about such things. Modern cars and regulations have changed a lot since the days sealed beams in standard sizes were required.

I got mine when they we not legal because they had the Euro pattern that thru more light to the right away from oncoming cars. And more light period.

I am using "pelican parts" h4 with 55/100 watt bulbs!! no special wiring no special relays, (even will putting a kill switch in had my mechanic down there about it and no need) and the extra light is awesome and really safe when you need it, i have drivin "big sur" coast hwy No. Cal. 3 times in the middle of the night and the first time with 55/60 h4 and the next 2 times with 55/100 h4 and I will never go back to '70s 914 lighting.. same for the fogs, i am using 85 watt piaa h3 bulbs and again no special wiring no extra relay, (with j west flasher) and they just flat out blow awy 35 watt 1970 driving lights for safety and usefullness..

as far as legality in your state.. blah blah no police are going to notice your lenses with the lights on and when they are off they are down out of site..

unless your going for a concourse trophy i definately recomend h4, damn half the cars on the road today i think they have their brights on but nope just better lighting of todays cars..

I can't count how many cars I have installed these exact H-4s onto. . . I run them on my own 914 and the rest of my cars. No special wiring relays needed, they are 100% plug and play. As long as you stay w/in the same wattage rating on the bulbs they will work as-is. It's when you up the wattage to a 90/120 etc., bulbs that relays are required.

These are nice and bright with a nice white light with the bulbs provided. The reflectors are chromed steel and the lenses are glass (rather than plastic as some are). My only wish is that they were still in stock as I need to stock up for my shop.

I bought a set from bus depot today

I hooked up the H4s tonight, the 55/60 bulbs seem to work great, no relay or extra wiring...

went in easy, but the little plastic headlight plugs on the car are beyond their life expectancy. I'll have to find some of those... but the lights seem to work great regardless.

That connector is very standard since all sealed beam cars used it. If it's just a driver not a concours car, Kragens or autozone will have them in the help section.

cool. I'll splice in a little longer wires too... tight squeeze.

ok, did I blow a relay or something? if I turn on the car the headlights will come on and pop up fine, but when I turn the key off they are not returning to down position.

?? mine don't go down with the key. Just the switch. They will stay up if you turn the key off untill you push the headlight switch in.

Orly? Mine did go back down before last night. I had to turn them on and pull the battery to get them to stay up to change the headlights

Just checked to make sure. Yes, mine stay up with the key off, just the bulbs go off.

Wayne: I checked mine, and when you turn the key off, the lights go out but they stay up. They go down then when you push in the switch (with the key off).

ok, I guess mine was acting weird before then

I think the reasoning for lights-out-but-stay-up is for bad weather (snow and ice) where they might not "pop back up" the next morning due to incliment weather.

... Gee ... I always pop up in the morning

mine was doing this before the bulb replacement, I thought it was the high-beam bulb was out, since that one was much dimmer on low, too, and looked older... now, brand new bulbs, same symptom... the pass. side light is dimmer, and goes out when I flip on the high beams...

I didn't notice it when I first checked them, all I did was turn on the lights to see if they worked... but driving tonight, I noticed the high beam was "weaker"... because it was only one headlight on high beam.

I may not have even needed the H4s, but they are nice..