I really need to get brighter lights as I always seem to be out driving them. I suspect it is a combination of being lower in the car which affects the angle they hit the road and the actual brightness of the lights.

Any recommendations that involve actual experience????

 

www.CorvetteHID.com

 

Good people to deal with!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Lighting has always been a spirited issue.

Understand that US lighting standards have always lagged far behind the Euro counterparts. We were using 1940's standards up until very recently. US lighting has always been designed to spit out a very broad beam to illuminate overhead lights and is very diffuse. The Euro spec lighting has a very sharp cutoff and kicks up to the right for countries where we drive on the right. They care more about seeing down the road than up at lit signs. The beam is very defined. The old Cibie Z beam was an amazingly defined, bright light.

HID lighting is great, no issue. But if you don't have that kind of cash or want to invest in something else, there are alternatives. As I've said, the Euro spec lighting, not DOT standard, is for off road use (on the box) but there has never been an issue...if they are adjusted correctly. Go to the Daniel Stern website to read up on aiming or even purchasing.

The two big manufacturers are Cibie and Hella. They will swap out for your plastic lenses. First modification I do to any car I own where you can do that. As for your experience requirement, I've run either lighting in my cars since 1976.

Web sites are, Cibie:
http://www.cibieusa.com/
Hella:
http://www.rallylights.com/SearchRes...?CategoryID=37

There are other sites but those are the big ones. I'm not sure who thought plastic lenses in these cars were one of the silliest things around. Who thought of this? Anyway, the lenses you would be buying if you go this direction are glass. Go get clear lens protectors to protect against stone damage as the housings are the prices you see on line. Stay away from the garbage on Ebay. Stick with a good 55/60 watt H4 bulb in those housings, aim properly and you're good to go. Cheaper than the HID's too.

 

Try this guy. I havent even done the harness yet, and my lighting is much better at night. Much clearer and I dont outdrive my headlights. This guy knows the Vette lighting real well, without going HID this is by far more cost effective.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

 

Hellas. The low beam is wide and has a good elevation cutoff.
The high beam reflector is designed to look down the road, not just brighter as most after market bulbs are notorious for.

You can use brighter bulbs if you wish. I have observed my cars headlights from another car and found that they are bright and focused with the regulation bulb.

 

Another vote for them

 

Simple solution is to clean the surface of the bulbs when you wash your car...you'd be surprised how much dirt builds up and deminishes the light's output. The Hellas are though.

 

Are you saying that people do not pop up their lights to clean the rest of the housing and the lens?? That is just crazy.