I know lots said that they went ahead and did the H4 low beam headlight conversion on their C3's. Has anyone experienced any problems in doing the swap? I know lots have done it, but I am afraid of melting my wires or doing more harm then good.

This is my definition of conversion. My 74 already has the sealed beam halogens from the PO. I want to replace them with new buckets and H4 bulbs. Thats it. No additional wiring or circuits.

Thanks.

 

Stick to the standard 55/60W bulbs and stock wiring/switch etc is fine. I've had my H4s since the late 90's with stock wiring and switch.

 

Excellent. Thanks. I was worried going from 35 watts up to 55 watts. But it dosent seem like anyone has had issues. With my luck I will be the first!

 

I agree it shouldn't be a problem, as you're basically going from 6 to 9 amps current, on the light switch and wiring. Some guys still use a relay directly to the battery though, as can eliminate some voltage drop, potentially yielding brighter headlights. Lightens the current draw the aging cars headlight switch see's to virtually nothing, too.

 

I have had Hella Euro halogens on my 78 since 1983. The low beam H4 bulb at 55/60 watts will cause zero problems with the stock wiring. Way back then I did have an issue running the 55 watt H1 high beam with the stock headlight switch which also serves as a circuit breaker on the 78. It would cause the lights to flash on and off when all 4 were on. I solved the problem running a relay for the high beams ONLY, not for the lows. I have run H1 100 watt highs with a 20 amp relay since the early 90's-talk about portable daylight!!

 

Thanks. Can't wait. I got the Rampage lights already. I will take pics and Do write up. The lights seem Very well made.

Don't know why I am so excited to do the mod. I rarely drive at night.

Now I need to do the headlight switch. It's old and worn. Dosent have a 'positive' position when the lights are no. Kind of need to stop at the right spot.

 

I run HID's. Very low draw.

 

Which ever way you go, halogens or Hid's, buy the best lense you can afford- it is the most important aspect of the light output-not the bulb wattage!

 

I agree. I bought swap meet quality lenses first off ebay. They were terrible. Then I bought the complete kit made for my C3 that included the new wiring harness. Outstanding quality and the kit fit perfectly. I have HID's for the low beam and it doesn't matter about the high beams. I simply never need the high beams. I have HID's in my C5 as well as all my other cars. Again, very low draw and they perform perfectly. Other C3 lights look like flashlights compared to mine.

 

Do you mind sharing the details of your setup? Brand, PN, where to buy, etc? Thanks

 

I've got aircraft landing lights for my highbeams , and Beemers that blind me with the "Look how bright my headlights are" I light em up for a second with my "High Beams" to show them how annoying those lights can be at night.

There was a reason we had the yellowish not to bright headlights we have all become used to for more than half a century, so you don't blind oncoming traffic and end up in head on. All that seems to have been forgotten

 

After screwing around with all the wrong stuff, I finally stepped up to the headlight conversion kit from SpeedDirect. Top quality wiring and components. Then I bought high and low beam hid's digital from ebay. Later, I switched back to brighter, regular bulbs for the high beams. The hid's took too log to warm up to be useful for high beams. However, since then, I converted my lights to where the low beams stay on when switching to high beam. Did that to my C5 also. The headlight conversion is worth every effort.

 

I used aircraft landing lights in the 70's. At the time, they were very bright. However, way outdated now. Try a set of hid's and you'll never look back. The older I get, the more light I need to feel safe at night. No one has ever flashed me in either of my Corvette's with hid's. Very inexpensive conversion.

 

Thank you all, will start the search on eBay....

 

HID "conversion" kits - might as well just drive with your high beams on since that's about what you get with those HID kits. If the bulb p/n isn't D1R/D1S/D2S etc then it doesn't belong in the car.

I just throw my highs on when I meet them and just keep driving. I'm not dimming my lights and driving blind past them just because they think their lights are OK since the high beam indicator isn't on.

 

I usually get "They are pencil beams and no good" which I don't experience. The difference between my normal headlights and how far ahead I can see with the landing lights is incredible, and do you think I have never been in a car with those annoying lights ? Cost me $25 and I am very satisfied with them. So you keep your hid's and I'll keep my landing lights and we are both satisfied and I don't have to comment on how bad your hid's are and you don't have to comment on how bad my landing lights are ( I just have to find a way to correct the alignment right now they point up and to the left slightly )

 

Absolutely 100% correct.

There is a reason why not one single major HID lamp manufacturer directly sells HID conversions - and that is because HID lamps do not work properly in non-HID reflector housings. Every single HID conversion kit is cobbled together by 3rd parties using some parts from the major manufactuers, and others made in China.

Some really good info here about the use of HID lamps in non-HID reflector housings:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html

A video about it:

 

Why is this video from England? There are several different brightness choices. I always choose the lower temp lights. I agree that the housing is not correct for the hid's. Yep, I bet they are all made in China. All my sets have been outstanding quality. C6's come with hid's, but with the correct housing. I bet that all cars will come with hid's in the future. All race cars that race at night have hid's. Oh well.......

 

Holy smokes!!! If you use a high quality lens like Cibie, Hella, Marchal you will have no problems using an HID bulb in these lead crystal lenses-NONE!!! I have done it and the most important factor is aiming the lights correctly.

I can think of a few reasons that OEM HID manufacturers do not offer conversion kits for their lenses-hint!!!-money or the cannabilizing of their margins on their OEM light lenses.

I have stated this fact before on the forum but let's try this again! My 2008 Chrysler 300 quad projector headlight is the same part number whether the car had haolgens or the optional HID's-SAME LENSE!!!

Lastly, I have mentioned this before as well-a $25 aircraft sealed beam headlight is not even in the same league as a top quality lead crystal halogen light. Sealed beam lights are very yellowish in color and again, the most important facet of quality light output is the LENSE, not the bulb.

 

Don't tell that to the pilots