Far brighter headlamps and relay system
 

I noticed a couple of comments recently about lighting so I thought I would chime in with some ideas. This is especially appropriate now since I hit a deer about month again and still can't get my car in the one and only body shop that was willing to write an estimate ... good thing he's also the best shop in town. I would have much preferred to not have it happen at all, needless to say. This brings me around to this topic.

I've always been a giant pick about lighting and regret that our DOT / SAE lighting standards frankly suck compared to the E-code standards.

The very first thing I do with an old car is the below. I've been doing this with Cibie or Hella back since the days that these were new cars.

First, is the forward lamp harness with relays as it greatly eases the load on your light and dimmer switch and gives you a full 13.8 +/- volts to the headlamps, which is far better than the 11 to 11.5 volts you're probably getting now. You would now have 12 gauge wiring from relay to lamps instead of the 18 gauge that you'd have from the factory or a M&H repop wiring harness.

I just did the below relays (finally) in my 63 GP and it's an easy plug and play install. Relays are mounted on the inside of the core support in front of the battery and the current low beam, left side H4 plug plugs in to trigger the relays. Then the 12 gauge wire goes to all four headlamps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-HEADLIGHT...item4d04edc7a3

Next are the headlamps. I've found the overall best prices to be from Summit. Just make absolutely certain to get the lamps that are NOT legal for highway use in the USA as they do not have nearly as good a dispersion pattern as the Euro E-codes. The H1s have a slightly different connector, but Hella supplies jumper wires to make it all work. The links below are the exact lamps you want in a four lamp H1 and H4 system. You can also get the equivalent for a two headlamp system

Edit: the summit links didn't work so you'd have to search by the item numbers

Hella Vision Plus Headlamps 002850811

Hella Vision Plus Headlamps 002425831


In addition, I use the 85/100w H4 low beam bulbs and 100w H1 high beam. Aimed properly, I never get flashed from other drivers when using the low beams, but holy mother when you light it all up! On high beams, you have a reflective distance of well over a mile so they take a while to get aimed properly. Even in the daytime, you'll never ever have a problem with a left lane hog again.

For the rear, I use the Ron Francis Bright Bulbs and it looks like my brake light are stuck on until you actually use the brakes. Plus I took the taillights apart and cleaned and repainted the reflectors. I used a Duplicolor chrome paint and some folks use white, but all in all a very useful improvement.

This all hit home after I hit the deer (not dark enough that I had headlights on at all) and broke both right side lamps. So temporarily I went back to the Sylvania Extravision H4 and H1 until my Hellas got here from Summit and couldn't believe that folks drive with those things. IT's simply the best $150 you could spend on your car if you drive at night. Important thing is don't buy the DOT / SAE legal lamps. Stick with the E-codes

True, they look slightly different, but very well worth it.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/w...a/DSC_6846.jpg

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/w...199aa2d86d.jpg

A good source for aftermarket lights and information is http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

The big thing is to buy the NON USA DOT/SAE lamps. The bulbs are the same.

Make sure it says:

"Lights are for off road use and are not D.O.T. approved. This is a 5 3/4 in. H4 headlamp."

Far better for road use and frankly less glare to oncoming cars.

I got a pair of non legal 7" Hella H4s for my kid from Summit a couple of weeks ago and he had the DOT legal Bosch H4s with the exact same bulbs. So to prove a point, we changed just one of the two lights and went out on a dark road and compared sides. No question using the 7" .... same results as with teh 5 3/4". Even the HIDs that meet SAE/DOT standards, it's just a much brighter, but ill-defined puddle of light.

I've used these in every car I've had since the early to mid 60s. Well worth it.

This guy is putting 840 w of light on the road

http://youtu.be/bWS30yHBuLQ (pretty extreme on high beams)

And I'm putting 560w with everything lit up so I'm pretty close..... plenty close enough. They just have to be aimed carefully on low beam, but if done correctly, I'm less glare than the typical HIDs coming at you.

A note. A good flat white is more reflective than silver. I am not going into how I know this but it is. Thanks for the headlight info. Good stuff.

It may also be worth considering employing the brightest only on high-beam as the deer issue is that they are hypnotized by the bright light and will often freeze in front of the vehicle. This is OK if they are a mile away and you have time to stop, but if they step off the shoulder and freeze, you are screwed. At least you would have the option of super bright or not. Been all through this and trying to figure out the best way to avoid b/c I live in an extremely rural area with a massive deer population. I too have had a Pontiac injured by them, and I don't have a 'best' body shop to choose from, so it is still awaiting final repair.

I've been told similar regarding the white. The Duplicolor Chrome paint is getting close to chrome and chrome works really fine in the headlights. I also thought that the white reflector could make my taillights look pink in certain lighting conditions. With the Ron Francis Bright Bulbs, I've been told a couple of times that my brake lights were stuck on.

I have the brightest only on high beam out of consideration for oncoming drivers. I have the 80/100 H4s in the low beam housing. However, when the high beams are on it lights both 80s and both 100s in the H4s in the low beam plus the 100 H1s in the high beam.

I would have missed the deer had it not turned around and come back. Nothing was coming so I swerved into the left lane to go behind it thinking it would wisely keep going, but nooooooooo, it would have to turn around. The state highway cop who took the 'accident' report said that's exactly how he ended up with one through his passenger side windshield.

Body shop told me today that it will be first week of October before they can get me in.

Deer reversed to hit my wagon, and wife ended up with one in the rear seat of her Yukon after it dove through the cargo window. You can't fix stupid, or the impression you might make with a pink tail light, but I think the lens accounts for the color.

I'm going to try your mod and get a nice high beam. I had a '69 Mustang that I had 6 lights across the front on high. 2 driving lights stashed behind the grill. Wish I still had that car.

Also does wonder for dispatching left lane hogs. My number one pet peeve on the road.

You guys are adding a circuit breaker in the power feed to the lights, right?

And sorry I didn't do the 66 GP you bought from me, but in West LA you almost didn't need lights period and could never ever use your brights except to burn someone out of the left lane .... very tempting given the lane discipline around there.

Two relays to lighten (or really eliminate) the load on the factory light and dimmer switch. After, you use the light and dimmer switch as simply a switch to trigger the relay instead of it carrying the entire load.

I bought the exact same one as I have linked in the OP. Just be sure regarding the lights to get the NON DOT / SAE, 'Illegal for on road use in the USA' ones, commonly referred to as the 'E-codes'. They are, however, legal in Canada.

For those in mandatory annual inspection states, I don't know what to tell you except put some good ole sealed beams back in there for inspection day. Or maybe your state doesn't even look at something like that.

So you run the H4 in the low beam location? And are you using both filaments for low beam operation?

I'm getting ready to order this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/upd-34263

Looks to be drop in and doesn't require cutting your harness.

Britt

Yes, I run the low beam (H4) on top (63 Grand Prix so vertical light) and yes, on high beam it lights up both 80s and 100s in the low beam and the 100s in the H1 high beam. PLENTY of light!

That appears to be for just a two lamp system and since 1958 ours have had four.

I think it's best to have the relay harness for four lamps even if you leave the stock sealed beams in for the low or the high beams. In fact I think you have to go all or nothing because to be plug and play it uses the H4 connector going to the driver's side low beam to trigger the relay.

Btw, no I didn't have to do anything with my orginal harness except wire tie up so it doesn't fall out and drag on the road. The one you link to at Summit appear to work the same way, using the yellow male connector to plug into your driver's side low beam female connector to trigger your relay. Make sure the total harness from side to side is long enough to reach the 63 - 66 with vertical headlights. The top low beams are a bit of a reach.

And one more thing. I wouldn't use the Ron Francis HR56 or HR58 that plug in by the dimmer switch. It's more wiring and I couldn't get it to work.

:confused: I know it's English but did you mean to type it that way because it's confusing. Sorry. :o
After reading a few times I think the answer is no, you only use the 80's in the H4 for low beam operation?

Low beam H4s are double filament and I use 80/100 H4s so I typed what I meant, although it is CORNfusing. ON high beams, it lights up everything ... all six filaments (all four in the low beams and the two in the high beams)

Oh, ok I think my confusion was that I thought with the h4's you could choose one or both filaments like a stand alone high/low beam. So you are using both. Good deal and thank you!

There were a bunch of years when they did do that .... shut the low beam light off entirely when you went for the high beam.