Headlight Upgrade...

[Ken]

Anybody try this yet?
What about the upgrade for the driving lights, where you change the bulbs and fuses?

[BigRed]

I talked to my buddy who sells these he said they're great! but there are two different types you can buy. He said to stay away from the Plastic built ones and went on to say that theres a company that makes a tin backed one. he said the plastic ones melt with those super bulbs in them ...

Heads up =)

Yup - tried it (the glass/metal versions). The box (from Mid-America last year) was marked 'Not legal for street use'. But since then I heard they were legalized.

I ended up selling them to another vetter. Why? No matter how I adjusted them, I couldn't get the beams (low or high) of the driver's lamp out of the eyes of oncoming drivers. I pointed them at my garage's back wall. The pattern was something like a backwards capital 'P', rotated 90 degrees to the right. I aimed them to straight ahead, down slightly, driver's side slightly inwards. The road ahead was well lighted (much better than stock lights). Nice white light, spread well - too well. Low beams and high beams would also light up the tops of 40' trees on the left side of the road. That's what I mean about not being able to get them aimed away from other drivers.

There was only one way the bulbs could be installed in the housings, and the housings fit the headlight holders perfectly. I didn't see how I did anything wrong in the installation. So I sold them.

[Ken]

Thanks for the input Gregg. What about the upgrade for the driving lights? have you known anybody to try it?

Ken

[CorvetteArchives]

If your driving lights use the 34 watt bulb (#880) U can safely upgrade to the 50 watt bulb(#885)...explained why at our web page at bottom....Driving Fog Lights

The beam pattern is definitely different on the headlights as its euro versus DOT.........unless u get it just right a dead spot may occur.........if u just want brighter/more intense light rather than distance of Euro lights.....Sylvania sells a light thats 1 1/2 times as bright as normal halogen for around $10

[Ken]

Thanks Vette Nut$ - Christian/Sue. (I never know who it is that I'm communicating with!)

Your site must have been the place where I first saw mention of this upgrade for the driving lights; the dialog sounds very familiar. I have a printout somewhere, I just have to look for it.

One thing though, on my '87, the driving lights come on if I have the parking lights on by themselves; the headlights don't have to be on. I don't know what year they changed it.

Ken

[vms4evr]

vettenut$ is right on with the Sylvania headlights. I lost a lamp a little while back and bought a pair of the new Sylvania lamps that are advertised as being 150% of factory. i noticed a significant improvement in both distance and off to the sides. $12-$15/lamp.

i noticed my driving lamps are considered fog lamps and use the 896 bulb. is there a way to bump them up? since I put the Sylvania headlamps in you can't even tell that the fog lamps are on. i just using them for daytime running lights.

graham

[Interceptor430]

vms4evr...
I have the same question ref the fog light bulbs....I understand the 896 bulbs are 68 watt - and would like to replace mine with
a higher watt/brighter bulb....did you find out what will work?

Anybody else know?

[Corvette-Pilot]

Originally posted by vms4evr
vettenut$ is right on with the Sylvania headlights. I lost a lamp a little while back and bought a pair of the new Sylvania lamps that are advertised as being 150% of factory. i noticed a significant improvement in both distance and off to the sides. $12-$15/lamp.

i noticed my driving lamps are considered fog lamps and use the 896 bulb. is there a way to bump them up? since I put the Sylvania headlamps in you can't even tell that the fog lamps are on. i just using them for daytime running lights.

graham

I did the same thing with the same results.
I can turn the fogs on/off and not even notice them.
I did put in the higher wattage bulbs (forget the rating).
Not sure if the lens is diffused to give you the low/wide fog light pattern??
I haven't tried them in fog so I don't know yet.

I found them to be good for flashing oncoming drivers to warn or radar traps
With the pop up headlights that method isn't going to cut it.

I hate the thought of putting anything with the word "Euro" in it on any of my cars

I changed to the plastic headlights with the HIB (high intensity blue)100/80 watt bulbs and also changed the driving lights to the 55 watt halogens. Been using them for a year with no ill effect. I gave my second set to Len and he just loves them. He also upgraded th the HIB lights and the 55 watt bulbs for the driving lamps....
My driving lamps are switch controlled and I can turn them on in either low or high beam...

[Vettelt193]

HIB? High Intensity ___?

[jsinga]

I upgraded my headlights, got them from here.
http://lighting.mbz.org/home.html
They were worth the money. I went with the wiring upgrade and 100/130watt bulbs. They put out as much light as any HID system.
JS

[scorp508]

I have APC Xenon Plasma H4 bulbs and Hella Vision Plus housings. I will never go back to normal bulbs.

http://personal.tmlp.com/scorp/vette...ts/install.htm

[Ken]

Nice instruction write-up Brian. You could not have been more specific; every Do-It-Yourselfer should be able to understand, and be able to perform that job if they so desire. It also could be used as instructions to replace the stock headlamps if desired or needed. I thank you!

_ken

[SPANISHVETTS]

Scorp508,

You are a a real pro.

Thanks