Headlight wiring

[EScanlon]

...They probably had engineers faxing back & forth over the pacific...snip...

It's understandable if the product was being sold by a Japanese company, and shipped to the U.S., but VB is in KANSAS! :devious:

I doubt if they were consulting with anyone in the U.S.. More than likely, it was a vendor in Japan that saw a "need" and produced something for that need. As far as writing instructions, they did...in Japanese. As Alan will attest, the Japanese language in written form consists of symbols that convey an IDEA and not specific words (and I may be completely off base on this, I've got a tooth that's getting a root canal next week so I'm completely punchy). The main point I'm trying to make is that it would be very difficult to effect a LITERAL translation to English from the written Japanese.

Add to that that the "typical" response to translating into another language by ANYONE seems to be one of "Pull out the English - XXX dictionary and translate each word.". After all, how hard can it be?

I've seen translations into Spanish from English which were absolutely horrible, to the point of being ludicrous and worse of all, difficult if not impossible to understand. This was from English to Spanish. Conversely, I've seen Spanish to English and have had the same experience. I've no doubt that if I could read the original Japanese I'd "see" what they meant to say, and probably even pick out which words should have been changed to make it more intelligible to the English speaking buyer, BUT you have to remember that most companies balk at paying someone $200 a page to translate something that they think they can do "just as good as".

As far as VB is concerned, they're just re-selling something that there's a demand for. But I doubt that there is enough demand for them to justify having the instructions translated professionally.

Besides, if we believe the typical stereotype about men, the only time we need any "stinkin" instructions is when we've bollixed it all up and need to fix it before the wife gets home.

E

[240Zdragon72]

In your last picture Prox, you can see that it says TOYOTA. No where on the box does it say Nissan/Datsun. I am not sure what to think about VB. They have such good prices, but the people who work there is another chapter. I got my freeze plugs from them and the bag was 2 plugs short. I had to pull the ones I needed off my spare block. Some of the products they sell look cheaply made as well. IMO.

[montoya_fan01]

In your last picture Prox, you can see that it says TOYOTA. No where on the box does it say Nissan/Datsun. I am not sure what to think about VB. They have such good prices, but the people who work there is another chapter. I got my freeze plugs from them and the bag was 2 plugs short. I had to pull the ones I needed off my spare block. Some of the products they sell look cheaply made as well. IMO.

VB is the Wal-Mart of Z parts.

You get what you paid for (sometimes).

If you are lucky

[beandip]

before we go off on V B , Motorsport or any other vender , just think about it . If they were not there what would you do ? Sometimes we , and myself included here , tend to think that the world revolves around our passion. These great little cars . We are just a pimple on the butt of the classic car community . Just go to a rod and custom show for an example . At least in my area . They are held inside a air conditioned or heated building . Any show featuring Z cars in this same area are held at a fair ground or park . Maby at a Nissan dealer. thats my 5c . it was 2c but with the gas prices I had to increse . Gary by the way I am with escanlon on the headlight wireing update. Mine is fantastic , I recomend this product he builds 100%

[TomoHawk]

Enrique was making a headlight harnes for a 280Z?? If not, who was it? I know of the one for the 240Z, but why not something good (or correct) for a 260Z/280Z? Can't we just call VB and have them get the people who make the headlight harness for them to just adjust things to make it right? I mean all it probably needs is just longer wires. Maybe even include those rubber grommet things that go through the inner fender?

thx

[montoya_fan01]

before we go off on V B , Motorsport or any other vender , just think about it . If they were not there what would you do ? .........

What would I do??

Not going to get into an ongoing rant about it, but after my one purchase from VB, and hearing of the problems my friends have had with VB (actually owned by Long Motor Co.), I have done vary well without them. I have bought parts from higher quality ( in terms of products and customer service) oriented companies and I have yet to find anything I need that cannot be found at another company in better quality, and with better customer service than VB. I may pay more, but I get what I pay for........ much, much more often.

[TomoHawk]

I have used VB very successfully, and with one exception when I gave them the wrong part number (for a 280Z 2+2 instead of a 280Z), I always got the right part, and at a good price- less if not the same as from other sources.

There are probably other sources, like Z Specialties, where you could get a great deal on miscellaneous oddball pieces, but on the common things, VB has been great. Of copurse, therre are times when I will order from MSA et al, for specific stuff.

[EScanlon]

Tomohawk, I'm not making a Headlight Harness (too many projects still in the pipeline) Dave up here in WA was making the one for the 240's. If I recall he said that the only problem with doing the 280's was the connectors. Why not see if in your spare harness you have the connectors he needs to make your kit?

Beandip and I both installed Dave's Headlight Relay Upgrade on our cars and the difference on the headlight brilliance is noticeable...even during a sunlight day. At night, it's at least as good as driving my Acura Legend, and my wife's jealous of those headlights. The clencher to this is one last point, even though I have those Halo Headlights, I'm still only running 50/55 Headlight bulbs. So think about it, if there is noticeable improvement with the original wattage bulbs, how much do you think you will note the difference in a 90/100W ?

Enrique

[TomoHawk]

I know the original round connectors on the280Z were made by AMP, but you'd need a 25-year old catalogue to find out what the part # was to contact AMP to see if there are any floating around somewhere. Maybe there still is one that would plug in with some fiddling. I have some older electronics catalogues, and I will try to take a look-see what is in there from the AMP people...

thx

[2003z]

I converted my headlights today. Its very simple without a kit.

You need a relay holder, 2 relays, 2 fuses, and some wire.

With the stock setup, the Red wire powers the right headlight, the Red/Yellow powers the left. The Red/White is the ground for high beams and the Red/Black is the ground for low beams. With my system, the R powers the low beams and the RY powers the highbeams.

I mounted the relay holder on the fender well, just forward of the voltage regulator.

First unwrap the wiring harness in the vicinity of the VR.

Cut the Red, Red/Yellow, Red/White and Red/Black wires.

Wire as follows:

1st relay

86- R from cockpit

85- RB from cockpit

30- to alternator (inline fuse here)

87- RB to headlight

2nd relay

86- RY from cockpit

85- RW from cockpit

30- to alternator (inline fuse here)

87- RW to headlight

Take the R and RY from headlight, splice and ground to chassis.

Pure voltage straight from alternator and much brighter than stock, without the hassles of the harness.

[beandip]

I converted my headlights today. Its very simple without a kit.

You need a relay holder, 2 relays, 2 fuses, and some wire.

With the stock setup, the Red wire powers the right headlight, the Red/Yellow powers the left. The Red/White is the ground for high beams and the Red/Black is the ground for low beams. With my system, the R powers the low beams and the RY powers the highbeams.

I mounted the relay holder on the fender well, just forward of the voltage regulator.

First unwrap the wiring harness in the vicinity of the VR.

Cut the Red, Red/Yellow, Red/White and Red/Black wires.

Wire as follows:

1st relay

86- R from cockpit

85- RB from cockpit

30- to alternator (inline fuse here)

87- RB to headlight

2nd relay

86- RY from cockpit

85- RW from cockpit

30- to alternator (inline fuse here)

87- RW to headlight

Take the R and RY from headlight, splice and ground to chassis.

Pure voltage straight from alternator and much brighter than stock, without the hassles of the harness.

THIS IS GRATE HOWEVER YOU ARE STILL USING 30+ YEAR OLD WIREING TO CARY THE LOAD PLUS YOU HAVE BUTCHARD THE LOOM . THE LOAD NEEDS TO BE CARRIED BY HEAVIER GAGE WIREING . THIS WILL CUT DOWN ON ON THE RESISTANCE , ESPECIALLY IF YOU GO TO THE HIGHER WATTAGE LIGHTS. Obviously the stock loom can be cut in to and made to work, sort of , but the problem with the light , marginal stock wireing carring the load remains. I have no connection with Dave , the maker of the loom mentioned here . Other than I installed one of his units . I was going to build one myself , before he offered his for sale. I am vary impressed with the quality and workmenship and ease of installation . As escanlon said the difference is remarkable , and as a bonis , the tail lights and dash lights are brighter as well. Gary

[TomoHawk]

Plus like Gary and others have said, you can get the same power signals for the relays off of one of the stock headlight connectors.