Hey Friends,

I'm thinking of upgrading the headlights on my 1988 Corvette. I will likely go the LED route.

-I don't care about original looks, as long as the lights have an attractive design.

-I'd rather not have to mess with the headlight wiring

-I believe my car has the older style headlight wiring configuration as I can have both the brights and fog lights on at the same time.

-The brighter the better! But I need both high and low functions to be legal here.

What are some good option for replacing the sealed capsules?

 

Most of the LED 5x7 lights available are cheap Chinese-made garbage:

I'm going to give these a shot when they come back in stock (according to the store owner, should be about 2 weeks):

 

I"m also looking for an upgrade. The stock headlights are yellow and dim. I also have a 1974 VW Beetle that I converted into a beast of a Baja Bug. I put 7" LED lights in there and yes, cheap Chinese made, but so far they've held up to the serious abuse I put them through.

What I'd like to find is some MUCH brighter and maybe focused fog lights.I can 3D print some shims to tilt them forward a bit,

 

Wrong forum

 

I went with HWstar LED's in mine, part#HWS210816 and then I installed DDM 35w HID's in the fog light housings. There was a thread a while ago where several people recommend these headlights so that's why I went with them. The difference in both the headlight and the fog lights are incredible. Very happy with this setup. Best part is I got the LED's and the fog lights for under $200 total.

 

Does the DDM HID fit into the fog light housing with no issues? I haven't ventured to that part of the car yet. I've only had it about 3 days.. LOL

 

Not exactly. I had to use a small file to remove just a small amount of plastic for them to lock into the factory housings. But it wasn't too bad. Also my wiring was a hot mess. So I removed every bit of wiring and relays that had anything to do with the factory lighting. I installed an aftermarket relay/fuse box in the driver's side headlight area to run the LED bulbs, the headlight motors and the HID's. I used a 40 amp relay to run the HID's. I'm not sure if this needed done for them to work. But I don't know if a 35w HID draws more current than the factory bulb or not. So I'm not sure if the factory wiring can take it. So you may need a separate relay and fuse.

 

Hey Mittz. In the second video, i am running the led comparison lights. The ones he took off his car to put his new kit on.

What i like about the new kit he is offering is it looks more original.

That said, mine were from an amazon reseller called “genssi” and they were i think 85$ for both ! far better than stock but i do like what this guy has brewed up because it looks stock. the genssi that i have look ricer.

 

I just upgraded my old Wagner sealed beams (which were absolute garbage) to Holley LED 5x7's, made by Morimoto. The light pattern is excellent, the lens is glass and they ran me about $330 (during a sale) at VetteLights. I also got LED fogs but got lazy and didn't put them in yet. Very pleased with the product, fast service and shipping.

One caveat: These units are heavier than the old stock ones. If you haven't done so already, I suggest upgrading to brass headlight gears. The nylon ones in mine were ground to powder. Now I never have to touch them again.

 

I went with Philips. Very simple remove, install, plug-in setup. I have used them on several road trips. They give reliable lighting and you won't be pissing off other drivers/cops.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/phl-h6054led

 

Sigh. As my dad likes to say, some people have more money than sense.

The HWStar 5x7 LEDs are $89, for the pair, and have excellent cut off lines. I know, they aren't as cool to say the brand like Phillips, Holley, Ralf Lauren or whoever the popular youtube influencer is making some kit. But they flat out work, and work well, and they don't run $150+ per light like the options people listed above

I've been daily driving my 84 in the past 4 years I've ran them, and I don't remember ever being flashed by oncoming traffic like the people running those horribly diffusing cheap online led bulbs in everything nowadays do.

The first video above, I've seen it many times over the years. He's getting product kickbacks. Watch him complain about certain beam patterns or hotspots on the early cheap "fail" lights, then watch him praise the same/similar pattern on an expensive light. Listen carefully to the end of the Phillips review, "The beam pattern is just ok (remember earlier when he failed one for the same pattern?) , same lux as stock, but hey it's a Phillips ✅ 'Pass' "

The second video of they guy touting his kit, but not the price, his beam pattern cutoff is almost identical to the HWStar, but in the video it doesn't appear to be as bright. Granted it could be because it's a video and not in person, I don't know. But that's the same 2 step cut off, and his kit's brights beam pattern sucks. When brights are used I want to see out to the sides of the treeline off the road on a highway for kamakazee animals, not a bird 10 ft above the road

Knock on wood I'm also running the original 40 year old headlight motors and gears, so the claimed weight increase will powder your gears comments need to die. The lenses are plastic vs the heavy glass originals, and at this point in their age I highly doubt any failed gears can be solely blamed on an extra ounce of headlight weight when the bronze gear upgrades and powdered guts has been an issue on the forum for over 20 years that I can remember. Way before LED lights that may or may not weigh more were even a thought.

I know, looks matter. But we're talking about a C4 here, not a jeep or 80s Chevy truck. When the headlights are off they are rotated down and are hidden. Unless you stare at the headlights when they are flipped up and on, the retro look vs rice, won't matter. Do you stare at the sun and complain about how it looks rice when it's hidden and you can't see it at night?

If you haven't actually ran em quit knocking em. Just like I won't tell you your Holley lights are crap compared to X, Y, Z because I haven't actually ran em. If you want to pay a lot to brag about the brand go on ahead, I won't stop you. Or if you want something affordable that works great, try the HwStar. If you don't like them the 5x7 is used in a lot of vehicles and you probably have a friend willing to use them who will love you for them

 

Another vote for the HWStar units. I'm on year 2 with them. No problems and much better than stock. Plug and play. Regrounding the fogs is a pain though.