Anyone using these headlights?

[Si|v3r72]

I was browsing through 240 stuff on E-bay and came upon this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33710&item=2401625672&rd=1

It's true the stock headlights (which I still use) are dim by today's standards, but there's something about them I really like. I'm not sure what it is, maybe the dim yellowish tint, or they way they reflect in the rear of the car in front of me.

Anyway, are these good replacements? The thing that bothers me is that the profile is flat and not domed like the stock lights, so I'm worried they won't look right.

[biker]

I have the stock headlights as well and yes they are pretty woeful.

I have seen the Hella H4 lights used by other people in their Zeds and they look okay.

Speaking with my auto sparkie, he told me that the biggest problem with my dim lights is the thickness and length of the wiring used in the original. The current has to travel too far and loses power as there is no relay to keep it up to standard.

There are wiring diagrams around that shows how to fix these.

Use the search function on this site.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by biker

Speaking with my auto sparkie, he told me that the biggest problem with my dim lights is the thickness and length of the wiring used in the original. The current has to travel too far and loses power as there is no relay to keep it up to standard.

There are wiring diagrams around that shows how to fix these.

Here's one place with information on wiring upgrades for the 240Z. This is from Pete Paraska, one of our members who has a sweet V8 240Z

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/Headlight_Relay_pg1.htm

[Si|v3r72]

so what you're telling me is the new lights won't be any brighter w/o a wiring modification?

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by Si|v3r72

so what you're telling me is the new lights won't be any brighter w/o a wiring modification?

One other thing to keep in mind:

A stock 240Z Alternator doesn't put out a great deal of AMPs, so keeping up with the current demand will be difficult unless you replace it with a later (internally regulated) Alternator, which will require wiring modifications to do.

Even with a higher capacity Alternator, the lights MAY be brighter, but you will be drawing significantly more current thrugh the wiring than it was ever designed to handle. People have burnt the wiring ( and in some cases the CAR ) severely when running high current through the stock wiring of Z cars. If you are going to use lamps that draw high current in your Z be forewarned, you could be getting yourself into something that could destroy the wiring and your car. If you really need 85W to 100W lights, do yourself (or your car) a favor and put in relays and an upgraded Alternator.

I haven't experienced this meltdown personally, as I use 55W Cibie Z beams in my car, but I've seen it (or the result of it) at least a dozen times over the years on cars owned by friends and aquaintances.