For the Euro Fog lights, it's not a big deal. Install is as the PIAAs, meaning you have your choice of going in from the top, front or bottom.

Most people jack the front end up and remove the two plastic access panels for the factory fog lights located on each side of the car. Then move the brake cooling duct out of the way, and remove the DOT factory fog lights. Plug in the Euros, and reverse. You're done.

:smash:

 

So, they plug right in to the OE wiring? If this is the case, this will be my project for the week. Thanks for the info.

Greg
:cool:

 

Affirm. Wiring and mounts.

That's why I like them. OEM all the way.

 

Cool, that's what I wanted to hear. I ordered them today. Thanks for the info.

Greg
:cool:

 

And when you're done plowing through Stern's rhetoric, go test drive a car with HID's (even a retrofit) and I think you'll have the whole picture. Even retrofits are not nearly as bad as he makes them out to be. That "technical" article is a bit overzealous, and stretches a lot at times to drive home a point that's not entirely true. I installed HID's after reading that article and many other documents. I'm happy with the additional light. I'm happy with the beam pattern. It is not overly glaring to oncomming drivers (have spent a lot of time testing this by driving toward the car in another vehicle.) That site has great technical information, but its discrediting of HID lights is off base. In any case you'll be happy with either the euro lights or the HIDs.


Scott

 

H I D LIGHTS IS THE BEST WAY TO GO.......

 

OK, Scott, thank you for the insight.

Now, did you install the HIDs in the 1992 Cadillac Cimarron headlight assemblies with the low beam cobbled together HID bulbs, or the T-84 "I don't have high beam anymore" Euro lights?

Please. Let us know.

Thank you.

BTW -- Regarding the Stern website, you say it is "overzealous,... stretches a lot... [and is] not entirely true."

Can you help and give one or two examples?

:cheers:


[Modified by EHS, 5:32 AM 5/26/2002]

 

Ahhh..., errr..., why, exactly?

 

EHS,
To answer your questions: I used the stock headlamp housing, with a bulb and balast from Phillips. I have had no problem with the beam pattern, and have passes Massachusetts inspection. I thought about the T-84 housings, but didn't want to lose the high beams. Before and after comparisons showed no significant changes in beam pattern, and the beam pattern was within the specifications for the MA safety inspection. There light distribution is even, with no discernible hot spots. Overal visibility is greatly improved, glare has not proven to be a problem, and night time driving (which constitutes the vast majority of my use of the car) has been made much more pleasant. Compared with other HID equipped cars in my houshold, the modified lights on my corvette look, feel, and function so much like OEM equipment, that one would be hard pressed to know that they are not. I did alter the wiring to keep the low beams on when the high beams have been switched on, so as to avoid turning the HID lights on and off everytime I switched from high to low.

As far as Stern's website is concerned, I decline to provide specific examples, as you are perfectly capable of reading it yourself, and seeing where he asserts many things as fact, which I have stated to be untrue. Specifically the problems that will arrise in an attempt retrofit HID lamps. In all of my subjective, and objective testing, these have proven to be untrue, or inconsistant. Some may go ahead and take his word as gospel, but don't forget that that document has been on the net for a few years now, and won't be entirely correct forever. People will develop solutions for most if not all of the problems he has mentioned. Some of the problems are already solved, or aren't even legitimate problems. In any case, I made an informed decision to upgrade to HID lights, and it has been a complete success. I stand by my reccomendation of the upgrade, and will continue to enjoy the benefits of HID lights regardless of the fears and false beliefs put forth by Daniel Stern's otherwise excellent website. Any more questions? :cheers:

Scott

 

Yes, just one. Have you read these threads?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=130350
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zero...972096#1972096
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=188672


And, here's an excerpt from two posts by "hcvone" on another forum. You may know Carl from this forum with the same handle:

" I had Philips HID's in the Z06 and then moved them to my Grand Cherokee, the ballasts do not always light when you turn the lights on, I have been through about 4 ballasts, they were under warranty, when they work they are great, I took them out of the Vette because I could not drive down the road without getting "high beamed" in the stock lenes, I replaced the HID's in the Z06 with Euro lenes and PIAA 100/150 bulbs, this setup works great, I am looking for whiter H4 bulbs but the pattern and light output is great."

and

" The HID's were not in my 2000, they were in my 2002 Z06, they came from SUV Light in Cal. and not from LAPD. I took them out of my Vette after the problems with the ballasts because in the Vette you have to remove many items to remove and install the ballasts, in my Grand Cherokee it is a 5 minute job, 2 hours in the Vette because of limited space, so I take it that now I am lying about my ballast problems? I would rather have HID's in my Vette, but after my problems it was not worth the problems. I guess C54Tim is lying about his ballast and other problems as well? I have a Zaino customer named Don who has a silver Z06 that has been through 3 ballasts as well, do you want his phone number to check his story as well. To top it off I am having a problem with my drivers side ballast not firing all the time, that will be my 5th ballast replaced, I am probably going to swith from Philips to either McCulloch or Slivania, I hope the change helps..."

In case you are not familiar with Carl, he's one of the original members of this forum (almost 3 years) and currently has 14,364 posts -- I find him to be very straight forward, accurate, and honest, with always excellent information.


:cheers:

 

Nice examples of instances in which the HID conversions did not work. This does not necessarily mean that the Can Not work as desired. I have had no problems with the ballasts failing to light. I was also able to install them without moving anything. When I first installed them, I had some difficulty seating the bulb properly (because it's a little hard to get your hand in there) and got a weird beam pattern, untill I realized that I had put it in crooked. When I seated it properly I had a beam pattern that was fine. I do not get high beamed by anyone unless I leave my high beams on. I will not argue that HIDs will always work. It's possible to botch the job. There are also probably plenty of shoddy conversion kits out there. But if done properly, it's a great upgrade with virtually no downsides (other than cost perhaps).

By the way, if we need to establish credibility through seniority here, I've been on the forum for over 3 years, and you will find that each of my 2000+ posts is a minumum of 3-4 sentences long, which counts for a least 15,000 of the typical " :cheers: :jester :lol: :confused: :mad " posts found around here. So feel free to ignore my reccomendation of the HIDs if you want. But it's never wise to base one's opinions entirely on the reports of those who have failed to acheive satisfaction.

Scott

 

Scott --

No offense intended. Carl's credibility has nothing to do with his number of posts, neither does yours, nor mine for that matter. I couldn't agree with you more about the funky smilie posts that get the post count up -- I've had exactly the same issue with others on this subject.

Carl is a very knowledgable car and Corvette guy, and I respect his opinion highly, and that's what I tried to convey.

I've also spent enough time with properly designed and engineered HID systems in European and American cars -- nothing wrong with the lights. I've never heard of the factory lights not lighting, or falling off the car. I do have a concern, and a legitimate one I think, when the aftermarket lights continue to blow ballasts, fall off, and not light -- especially when looking at the systems with problems in proportion to the total number of installs.

Hence my word of caution and skepticism on the HID conversion for Corvette. Not saying it doesn't work, just saying a disproprtionally large number of people seem to have problem with this item, including some who are very knowledgable about cars (and lights). Obviously you don't and I have no issue with that at all.

BTW -- does this post qualify as long enough not to b e considered "free?" :cheers: :lol:

 

euro/ H4 set-up is more cost effective.

 

T-84 Euros with 80/100 watt or 90/130 watt bulbs and a custom harness will provide better beam pattern with sharp cut-offs and great light without worrying about the HID ballasts.