I recently replaced the headlights on my C4 with a kit from midamerica
http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=3.249.823
...I hadn't realized that they also carry a kit from hella
http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=3.249.831
...I was wondering which kit you guys think is better?...I would change the lights to the hella's if I could get better illumination...another option would be to bring the car to a local shop for a full zenon upgrade...

 

You need to get "diamond cut headlights" and set of good bulbs, check ebay, you can get the whole thing for like 40 bucks.....

 

I've been converting headlights since 1970, in an attempt to find the ultimate setup. During that time, I've purchased just about every brand/type on the market and I've learned a few things:
A) You get what you pay for. Cheap units will not only give poor performance, but they have a nasty tendency to
1. Not fit properly.
2. Tarnish/lose the reflective coating very quickly.

B) Avoid gimmicky stuff (e.g. diamond cut) and stick with old, established manufacturers. This usually means two brands
1. Hella
2. Cibie

C) Price and repututation also apply to the bulbs! Philips and Sylvania are two brands that you will pay top dollar for and get top quality pieces. Get standard, high-wattage bulbs (but not TOO high!) This means avoiding the "blue" types....sticking with standard H4's.... and not going over 100W.

Since the first link doesn't tell us who makes those units, and the price is only about $30 for one headlight AND one bulb, I'd pass on it.

Expect to pay about $40 for a housing and about $15 for each bulb. This means about $110 to do the job right.
Of course, you don't have to take my advice, but it's taken me too many years and too many dollars arriving at my conclusions to not share them with you.

Larry
code5coupe

 

Hi Larry,

where would you recomend I get the headlights and bulbs...is the second link that I posted the same hella lights that you have? and where should I pick up the bulbs? thanks again for all the help

 

I just ordered the same replacement kit from Mid America. My headlights are not very bright and I have a long drive home each night.

Did you notice a difference?

 

I have the Hellas, they were a tremendous improvement over the sealed beams.

The other kit you are linking appears to be basically the same thing, but with no brand given, and more expensive.

You can get the Hellas a lot cheaper at non-corvette places (I found out after I bought them from one of the corvette places...)

 

I was very disappointed with my stock sealed beams and put in a kit (non Hella) from MAD. They were not bad,provided someone walked in front with a candle so you could see where you were going. Out came the kit and in went Silverstars. They are the best yet but I still think there is something better someplace this side of HID. Still looking.

 

I had the SilverStars before the Hella's. No comparison, IMHO.

I got my Hella's from a non-CF vendor, I'll post the link as soon as I get home tonight... They should be the same as the Hella's that MAM sells.

Larry
code5coupe

 

rocco16

Do you use the factory harness to power the lights? Or have
you added a relay and larger ga wire to provide more current
capacity?

If you've added the relay, where do you draw power from?

.

 

I purchased two pairs of headlights when I had two vettes... both of them were diamond cut and lit good (after i bought a pair of kragen/checkers silverstar bulbs) ... the other set was blue glass with a projector in it ... that one is cool in my opinion... You can always check ebay and check out what they have ... good luck!!

Steve R.

84 CFI - Grand Sport Scheme

 

Here's where I get my Hella's:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/200mm.asp

I did not change the system in the Corvette to accommodate the 80/100W bulbs...not even the fuse required a higher-amp unit, but I know the fuse is right at the limit. You might want to go up 5A on the fuse.
Daniel Stern Lighting's website has some great info on this, as does the above purveyor of high-quality lighting. They say that, up to 100 watts/bulb, modern factory lighting and switchgear should be okay.

That said, I did build a relay unit for my '87 Scirocco when I put four 100W H4 units in it several years ago. The older wiring and corrosion issues in the A1 Volkswagen makes relaying those cars a "must-do."
I drew power directly off the battery, going through a small fuse block, using 12ga wiring. It has worked perfectly since installing it. (By the way, i just recently replaced the cheap Eagle Eye headlights...from JCWhitney...in that car with, , Hella's. What a difference.)

Larry
code5coupe

 

I ask because in the C4 lighting circuit, I believe that the head light
current passes through the light switch in the cabin and that this
switch is the same basic configuration as used across the GM line
in the 70's-80's.

The gauge is not large and the circuit is longish.

While wiring in a relay is an extra step, this helps ensure delivery
of maximum power to the bulbs. Maybe more importantly, it helps
prevent outages - possibly when the lights are needed most!

Imagine scooting along a backroad, smug in the knowledge that those
100W bulbs are reaching way out into the distance and then suddenly
being thrown into pitch darkness because the fuse or circuit breaker
gives out.

For those interested, Hella offers an extensive line of relays and relay
mounts. I think Painless might use Hella products for a light relay kit.
I know that Susquehanna Motorsports offers Hella stuff and has a
lot of good information, too.

Besides the battery, some claim that another source for power is the
alternator. The arguement is that instead of 12VDC, you get the full
regulated charging output (13.5-14.0 VDC). More volts, more light.
I'll leave it to others to prove/disprove this approach.

Whatever the source, just remember to provide a fuse and possibly
a fusible link in the new circuit.

.