My 1996 Collectors Edition LT4 has what I consider to be poor lighting. I'd like to upgrade the headlights and stock fog lamps with something brighter, without either having to break-the-bank or replacing everything.

Any suggestions?

Brian

 

I put HELLA H4's in mine and I'm happy with them

 

I put Sylvania "Cool Blues" in mine......significant improvement for a modest amount of $$. Sylvania SilverStars should be even better...they weren't available when I did mine....

 

Yea, the Hella lenses are nice and you can use the H4 bulbs. This gives you many choices in what bulbs you can use.

As for the foglights, a popular upgrade is to install 50w bulbs in the stock housing. Helps a little bit and it's cheap.

 

any part numbers for Hella or APC lenses/housing?

Edit: is this what i'm looking for?
http://www.autobarn.net/heleurhal20h.html


There are 2 model numbers for the Hellas. I'm not sure of the size, and I don't have my car back yet. Does anyone know which Hellas? Summit has HLA-72206, and HLA-72207.

 

 

Great Idea! You got me thinking about that now. BTW. I'm in the next town, Mansfield. Small world huh?

 

Them's the ones.
I wouldn't get that kit, however. Buy those lenses and purchase two H4 bulbs in 80/100W. These will have noticeably more light output than the 55/65W bulbs that come in that kit, and are well worth the extra few dollars.

You might also look here:
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/200mm.asp

H6054C is what I have and they are very good.
NOTE: when comparing prices, check to see if they are selling by the pair or by each....

Larry
code5coupe

 

what about the weight from the glass units? Does it wear out or take the life out of the motors? Anyone done anything about that?

 

Well, there are plastic lenses available, but I don't think they're DOT approved. If your car gets an annual inspection, that could be problematic.

 

can you use the H4 bulbs with the plastic lenses?

 

Yes. They actually replace any 6052 or H6054 sealed beam, allowing you to run either Halogen or HIB bulbs.



http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.823

 

Get the CIEBE lamps that use H4 bulbs they have a better pattern than HELLA.
I have those with 100/130 NARVA bulbs. They are at least equal to any arc discharge or other high dollar stuff. The down side, the bulbs won't last much more than 18 months they burn so hot.
To use the overwatt bulbs you must put in relays and heavy duty wiring. Otherwise you will fry everything. Mine pull 18a on low beam.
I got everything from www.danielsternlighting.com Lamps, bulbs relay kit and wire was less than $200 total. Took a good afternoon to do the wiring. Now I see stuff and drive around it at night not just run over it.
These lamps shine down on the road, even with the 100w low beam I never get flashed at. The other advantage is light doesn't reflect back off rain at night. If you drive a lot at night it will cut down on driver fatigue to.
It was really worth it to me.

JS

 

Next town over? Cool!!! I'm sure you'll see me speeding around!!

 

JS - I'll check these out! BOK

 

My brother in law put the Sylvania SilverStar's in his 84.. Compared to my 89, its a 100% difference (I have the stock Sylvania's)... I also have SilverStar's in my Tiburon and in the wife's Altima. They are VERY bright lights... I'd HIGHLY recommend them.

 

Are the Silverstar lenses heavier than the OEM sealed headlights? There are concerns about straining the headlight motors due to the extra weight, but I've got a viable workaround.

 

JC Whitney has H4 conversions at really good prices. When I bought mine they arrived in Hella boxes. here is a link, they are available with your choice of bulbs, you can spec either the standard H4 60/55-watt bulb, or two higher wattage bulbs 100/80- or 130/90-watt bulb. It was a long time ago, but I think that I spec'd the mid-range bulb and didn't have to rewire the headlights. Check the fusing and wiring and you can spec what you want. Although they are for "off road use only" I never had a complaint even using the hotter bulbs...

You can't do any better for $25/headlight...

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...002821/c-10101

 

I ordered the APC clear plastic diamond cut housings yesterday from Pepboys. They accept the H4 lights from what I was told. Today I ordered some xenon headlights and fog lights from eurodezigns. I hope everything fits. Will post again later in the week.

 

There is now available H4 dual xenon HID kits at Ebay, the downside is that when you flash your high beams it still takes a few seconds to warm up the high beam, used to be the H4 HID bulbs that are often reffered as xenon bulbs had the high side a regular halogen.
On my Silverado and my wifes car we both use the 4 bulb system, my low beams are 9000K HID and my highs are Sylvania Silverstars, I prefer the violet color through the APC projectors cause it reflects minimally in blowing snow up here in Alaska. With the halogens as high beams I get instant light, the low beams though are more than enough.
research them out, the warm white color is about 4300K, 3000k is yellow, the higher you go the more UV you get and more purple plus you lose lumens after 9000K.

HID bulbs that are 35 watts (there are 50 watters in the new Vettes) put out about 120 watts equal to a halogen bulb, they actually run cooler in the lamp and last a lot longer something like 4,000 hours against 700 hours for a regular halogen, lot less for the high output halogens like Hella that do require extra relays.
I have installed several kits to my vehicles and friends at work, the H4 HID bulbs will cost a bit more than say a 6005 HID bulb, average kit price is around $400 last time I checked, you will still need a lamp housing that uses a H4, I would search for a projector from a BMW, I recently saw here on the boards a mod for the C6 that had projectors, looked pretty good!

Eurodezigns has been pure crap to me, the bulbs burn insanely hot and blow early, look for Mc Cullough HID kits, they are reliable. You do not normally have to install relays but you may need to up the fuse size, when they first ignite the inverter pumps out something like 12000 volts and then settles back to around 85 volts. HID bulbs are similar to the mercury vaor yard like but the automotive DS2 bulbs have Xenon gas to make the ignite quicker, just do not repeatedly flash a HID bulb, it shortens its life.

Also I may suggest looking for the new Luxeon LED headlights, they may be out of your price range but they are oh so cool looking.
BTW I am planning on installing 3000K yellow HID bulbs in my Silverado fog lights, possibly the H1 size bulbs to replace the anemic 880 bulbs or 893 they use.