Anyone changed their headlights?

[240k Style]

Have any of you guys changed out the original headlights for better setups??

Not that HID stuff, but modern bright headlights!

[uras1]

origanlly they are sealed beams but you can get semi sealed. Look on ebay and there is someone from thailand.

[Wade Nelson]

I've owned 30 year old cars with sealed beam headlights just as bright as newer models. Brilliant white, not yellow.

The trick is getting FULL voltage to the headlamps. If yo'uve got a .5 volt voltage drop due to thin wires, bad grounds (paint under the ground screw) , corroded connectors, etc. your headlights may be as much as 30% dimmer.

So how do you do it. Wire in some headlight relays. Use 10AWG wire. Get new headlamp connectors. Newset of bulbs, they do get "tired" as the filament material plates out on the glass and blocks some % of the light trying to exit the headlight.

NAPA and such places sell "headlamp relay kits" for wiring up foglamps you can use to add a relay to your "normal" headlamps. but even they typically use 12AWG wire instead of 10.

The non-sealed beams with the bluish tinted bulbs really DO make a difference, stuff is noticeably easier to see at night. Esp if they're getting FULL alternator voltage.

You don't need to get HIDs or go away from sealed beams. Just give a NEW set of bulbs full voltage. And if yo'ure in 240 or model with an external voltage regulator, tweak the set point up .5V for some real flame-throwers.

My '82 Subaru beater, with such a setup, would turn night into day.

It's an invaluable safety item if you do much driving at night.

Cheers!

Edited December 24, 2012 by Wade Nelson

[Adzmax]

Good info!!

[fixitman]

Have any of you guys changed out the original headlights for better setups??

Not that HID stuff, but modern bright headlights!

The best headlight options in the 70's and 80's were Hella, Marshal and Cibie, especially their "Z" beam model. Doing a quick Google search, it appears the "Z" beams may be out of production. But danielsternlighting.com and clearcorners.com offer 7" dia. Cibie headlights that look very similar to the "Z" beams. At $78-90 each, they are expensive but the lighting improvement is worth it. For more info, try a Cibie forum search.

[Stanley]

Within a day or two of buying my car a few years back put in halogens and a new windshield. Noticeable difference in the lights even in the daytime. Unsafe to drive if you can't see. On a lonely desert freeway, the 8, found out the halogens aren't up to a top speed run, though.

[240k Style]

I've owned 30 year old cars with sealed beam headlights just as bright as newer models. Brilliant white, not yellow.

The trick is getting FULL voltage to the headlamps. If yo'uve got a .5 volt voltage drop due to thin wires, bad grounds (paint under the ground screw) , corroded connectors, etc. your headlights may be as much as 30% dimmer.

So how do you do it. Wire in some headlight relays. Use 10AWG wire. Get new headlamp connectors. Newset of bulbs, they do get "tired" as the filament material plates out on the glass and blocks some % of the light trying to exit the headlight.

NAPA and such places sell "headlamp relay kits" for wiring up foglamps you can use to add a relay to your "normal" headlamps. but even they typically use 12AWG wire instead of 10.

The non-sealed beams with the bluish tinted bulbs really DO make a difference, stuff is noticeably easier to see at night. Esp if they're getting FULL alternator voltage.

You don't need to get HIDs or go away from sealed beams. Just give a NEW set of bulbs full voltage. And if yo'ure in 240 or model with an external voltage regulator, tweak the set point up .5V for some real flame-throwers.

My '82 Subaru beater, with such a setup, would turn night into day.

It's an invaluable safety item if you do much driving at night.

Cheers!

Now THAT is a great idea!!!

[Jeff G 78]

I agree with Wade. My 260 race car lights are H4 Autopals from H4Lights.com. The biggest bang for the buck is the wiring. I did use 12 AWG wire and relays with great results. I can run two sets of H4 lights with my very old 50 amp alternator and they put out amazing light even at idle. You can upgrade the lights all you want, but without doing the wiring and relays, you will be disappointed. Once the wiring is upgraded, you can decide if the halogens are enough.

[Stanley]

Dave's headlight relay upgrade harness at MSA. Save the turn signal switch, they're expensive. Could make one cheaper yourself, with the know-how, but these are very nice, plug and play. Black Dragon has some ok stuff, but their cheapie relay harness from China didn't match any of my connectors, finally trashed it.

[SteveJ]

Dave's headlight relay upgrade harness at MSA. Save the turn signal switch, they're expensive. Could make one cheaper yourself, with the know-how, but these are very nice, plug and play. Black Dragon has some ok stuff, but their cheapie relay harness from China didn't match any of my connectors, finally trashed it.

I'm not sure that Dave's setup would work in a 240K.

[Stanley]

Don't know.

[uras1]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DATSUN-SKYLINE-GTR-510-180K-240K-KGC10-PC10-SEMI-SEALED-BEAM-H4-SOCKET-FRAME-SET-/160901629093?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item25767c04a5