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Getting rid of headlights completely-crazy or not?

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Old 09-30-2009, 09:39 PM
  #21  
petermj
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Originally Posted by Mr.Bill
Is this a trick thread?
There is a fedral law about height of headlights.
no, it is not... How about a link to that law?
Old 09-30-2009, 09:44 PM
  #22  
Lowcash
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The only time I use my headlights is in downpours or fog. I run with PIAA 1100x driving lamps and they are bright enough for normal driving.
Old 09-30-2009, 09:49 PM
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terrible1one3
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Originally Posted by petermj
wow...
Sorry.. I just HAD to!
Old 09-30-2009, 09:49 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by petermj
no, it is not... How about a link to that law?
All car produced and sold in the US have specs they have to abide by.You can't just put the lights where you want them. LOL
Do a search..

Here I found this for ya,
http://www.sema.org/system/files/attachments/33525.pdf
Old 09-30-2009, 10:17 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Mr.Bill
All car produced and sold in the US have specs they have to abide by.You can't just put the lights where you want them. LOL
Do a search..

Here I found this for ya,
http://www.sema.org/system/files/attachments/33525.pdf
You found a summary of STATE laws This is why certain states do not have the same requirements or have none period. I already mentioned that 24" earlier in the thread too, if you cared to look. I am concerned with some states requirements as I mentioned too, although I am pretty sure that cops are usually too busy with lifted vehicles and llights being too high. This is not a sensible reasoning from me right now but I have driven for a number of years with driving lights instead of headlights on numerous vehicles without being pulled over a single time. Keep in mind that main concern for cops is lights blinding other drivers, not the ones that may be impeding vision to the driver with altered lights. But I still do acknowledge this concern-from the start.
Old 09-30-2009, 10:22 PM
  #26  
Mr.Bill
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Originally Posted by petermj
You found a summary of STATE laws This is why certain states do not have the same requirements or have none period. I already mentioned that 24" earlier in the thread too, if you cared to look. I am concerned with some states requirements as I mentioned too, although I am pretty sure that cops are usually too busy with lifted vehicles and llights being too high. This is not a sensible reasoning from me right now but I have driven for a number of years with driving lights instead of headlights on numerous vehicles without being pulled over a single time. Keep in mind that main concern for cops is lights blinding other drivers, not the ones that may be impeding vision to the driver with altered lights. But I still do acknowledge this concern-from the start.
You asked a question and I gave you my answer, Sorry you don't like it, I have seen cops in Nevada and California take a tape and measure for the correct height. As most said in this thread it is a bad idea, If you do it and don't get stopped more power to you, But as you can see it is no lower than 24 inches in most states............. And keep in mind when you drive in another state you must abide by there laws......
Old 09-30-2009, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr.Bill
You asked a question and I gave you my answer, Sorry you don't like it, I have seen cops in Nevada and California take a tape and measure for the correct height. As most said in this thread it is a bad idea, If you do it and don't get stopped more power to you, But as you can see it is no lower than 24 inches in most states.............
I live in California too I know a few CHP, none of the carry a measuring tape. They do pull lifted trucks routinely though... Not sure if you realized that but installing fixed headlight on a lowered vette right now puts you below 22" Nevertheless, if you consider yourself the voice of majority, then definitely, the consensus is this being a bad idea I may just do a little install and start testing the rule of the ruler. I gotta tell you though that this has never happened in the past with Porsches or other rides that were blatantly violating this brutal law.
Old 09-30-2009, 10:47 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by petermj
I live in California too I know a few CHP, none of the carry a measuring tape. They do pull lifted trucks routinely though... Not sure if you realized that but installing fixed headlight on a lowered vette right now puts you below 22" Nevertheless, if you consider yourself the voice of majority, then definitely, the consensus is this being a bad idea I may just do a little install and start testing the rule of the ruler. I gotta tell you though that this has never happened in the past with Porsches or other rides that were blatantly violating this brutal law.
Why you being a new guy come here looking for an argument?
I will not lower myself to you in this thread anymore. Sorry guys. You asked and got answers, Seeing you know everything why did you even ask the question in the first place?

Bill K
Old 09-30-2009, 11:51 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Mr.Bill
Why you being a new guy come here looking for an argument?
I will not lower myself to you in this thread anymore. Sorry guys. You asked and got answers, Seeing you know everything why did you even ask the question in the first place?

Bill K
sorry
Old 10-01-2009, 12:23 AM
  #30  
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This is what I had in mind, these are projector headlites, not HID (sorry for mistake). One high, one low plus the OEM fog should fit rather nicely in the fog lite opening. Breaking the law or not, I am very attracted to this idea.

Old 10-01-2009, 08:27 AM
  #31  
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i predict that before your car gets towed at night, you will have an exciting conversation trying to convince the officer that your driving lights are actually headlights
Old 10-01-2009, 08:34 AM
  #32  
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Whether you have enough light to see by is one issue. Being seen is of a greater concern to me and with lights that low, you may just be ignored (maybe on purpose, maybe not) by some of the SUVs and other nut jobs that are sleeping/eating/texting/driving at night. With dips in the road and other nonsense that happens, your lights in general will be very low when being viewed from other cars.

From a usability standpoint, it might visually look great. From a practical standpoint, maybe not.
Old 10-01-2009, 09:05 AM
  #33  
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Don do it !
Old 10-01-2009, 09:29 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by BOTYNV1
I understand the lowering/moving, but your post did say completely. I would also be concerned about effectiveness of the lighting being lower to the ground. I do think it is an interesting approach for a mod though.
form/function

Originally Posted by petermj
I actually think that lower headlights would be more effective overall (in HID form)? Not to mention that even a medium grade flashlight would walk all over the factory headlights in C5
HIDs produce a LOT of output but the shadowing would be horrible.

Originally Posted by IM28702
Lower headlights would not work well at all. You won't have enough angle on the lights to properly light the entire road and reflect back up to you. Try driving with just your fogs, they shadow so badly that you could miss every pothole you encounter. You need a higher angle of light reflection.
Agreed. My previous setup ran 55w HID Hella micro De foglights. While I COULD drive fogs only, I was just never comfortable with it. I recently switchs to Hella Micro DE Xenon driving lights with the a 55w kit. They have a spot beam that really helps long range vision but has virtually zero width.
Old 10-01-2009, 11:14 AM
  #35  
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Thanks for the great input, definitely a lot to think about. I do not think there would be any harm in trying while leaving the OEM lights fully functional though? This is pretty cheap experiment for me, basically whatever a couple pairs of these projectors would cost plus some fiberglass and elbow grease. BTW, I am not breaking any new grounds with this idea.



Anyway, this is really a cheap mode to make, ain't no harm in trying. Interestingly enough, everyone seems to be concerned with laws and safety while not having issues with blacking other lights out (yours truly included).
Old 10-01-2009, 11:17 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by mischiefse7en
i predict that before your car gets towed at night, you will have an exciting conversation trying to convince the officer that your driving lights are actually headlights
Around where I live, it takes considerably more to get your car towed than forgetting to turn on your headlights... I'd move from where you live in a hurry
Old 10-01-2009, 11:23 AM
  #37  
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Unless you NEVER plan to drive the car at night, why would anyone tamper with a safety related item. There are enough wrecks when people can see.
I would not risk not being able to get the car inspected to drive on public streets.

By the way, I would never black out any other lights either. Again, there are enough wrecks even when people see you. Don't make it even harder.

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Old 10-01-2009, 05:23 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by petermj
I am talking about redoing the hood and the fenders to remove the cutouts for headlight buckets completely. Then installing HID headlights where the fogliths are right now. I can actually make the headlight housings right now, I more or less have them already. Finding some generic HID and installing them in the housings should finish this off. You could keep the exisiting foglights too. In essence, you would have three little lights in the duct area. I think this would be fully functional, saving quite a bit of weight up front and improve the aerodynamics as well. Now, what would be needed is someone to make modified fenders and hood. I am quite certain this would be very pleasing to the eye too making the vette look very stealthy and all business.
Don't forget that the headlight covers cut into the line of the front fascia, which would look sloppy if you didn't redesign the front fascia to make that seam straight across. if your thinking of going to the trouble of redesigning the hood and fenders, I don't see how you could leave the front fascia untouched. Interesting ideas though. I do know that my PIAA fogs are plenty bright to drive with alone, but they aren't focused lenses with cutoffs, so they do blind oncoming traffic. I only use them as high beams (they are that powerful) when there isn't oncoming traffic around. See video link below

front fascia indents


PIAA foglight video
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DaGrove005.flv
Old 10-01-2009, 05:50 PM
  #39  
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Thanks a bunch for this reply. I forgot about the bumper indents and like duh, I have this extra bumper I mold things off right up front in my back garage. If the front bumper was to be modified, then might as well account for the lights being there from the get go... Strosek style higher up on the bumper could work out great. PIAA my favorite brand of lights BTW As it stands, I may just start off with auxiliary headlites, avoiding using the OEM... After talking to radioflyer, it seems you can wire up a relay to toggle between the stock and your own when using the light switch. Even this would be cool for now, IMO. Just to find out how things work. I can make some mockups and post pics if you are interested. I guess I was thinking too hard while making the fog light screen housings, LOL...

How hard would be to add fillers with light openings to these things? Me think not hard at all... The clearance is about 2.75in which is more than enough for projector lights... Beats those idiotic (IMO of course) lights that I saw in the center of the bumper where license plate should be...

Old 10-01-2009, 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by MG RED 99
Don't forget that the headlight covers cut into the line of the front fascia, which would look sloppy if you didn't redesign the front fascia to make that seam straight across. if your thinking of going to the trouble of redesigning the hood and fenders, I don't see how you could leave the front fascia untouched. Interesting ideas though. I do know that my PIAA fogs are plenty bright to drive with alone, but they aren't focused lenses with cutoffs, so they do blind oncoming traffic. I only use them as high beams (they are that powerful) when there isn't oncoming traffic around. See video link below

front fascia indents


PIAA foglight video
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...DaGrove005.flv
Hmmm... How about this instead?



Notice the brake duct screens Still totally dissatisfied with the fog light areas but already a bit better...


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