LED Headlight conversions - My Recent take

[zKars]

So it has been very common for me to "upgrade" Z head lights using CIBIE H4 housings, and then stuff in either H4 halogen bulbs, or more recently, LED H4 bulbs. Save the ol' headlight switch contacts with lower current LED bulbs and maybe you don't need to add a relay harness I say.  All good. 

Lord, but there are SO many options for LED H4 bulbs out there. Which ones to choose?

There are tons of prebuilt fancy one piece LED 7" round headlights out there (thank you to the millions of classic Jeep owners), but most of them are far too modern looking for any Z restoration I'm doing. I want a classic looking lens, then jazz the innards.

There is a basic issue with stuffing an LED H4 in a housing designed for Halogen H4 bulbs, primarily with the exact positions for the light elements once in the housing. This can have a major impact on your beam pattern. Very easy to get this wrong.

I have fallen in love with Dapper's solution, (https://www.dapperlighting.com/collections/1970-1973-datsun-240z/products/oe7) where they supply a matched housing (made inhouse apparently) with an LED bulb that lines things up perfectly. I have the 575 version in both of my 510's (anyone want one?) and love the pattern perfection and light output. But.   $$$$$$$  Have put them in a Z too, but there is a caveat.

There is a driver box attached to their bulbs, and that thing does NOT fit inside a S30 headlight can. I had to (cough cough) "make room" with a ball peen hammer..... 

Many of the aftermarket H4 LED bulbs I see on Amazon for example, ALSO have a driver box and sometimes a rather large fan attached.  Buyer beware of the need to do a li;' shapin' as they say.

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by zKars

[zKars]

So doing this all again on a bit of a budget 71 Z that I'm restoring (Dapper don't fit the $$ profile), I decided to hunt down a better LED bulb solution, and maybe I have it.

Philips has a nice LED H4 that has a small fan and NO driver box. 

Here is my Amazon screen. Two bulbs for $!00 CAD, about $12.85 USD.....

It fits in the headlight can without a struggle, and although I've only played in the daylight shining against my tool box, the patterns look pretty decent. Will report better results shortly.

 

 

[zKars]

Who doesn't love a little butter on their Z after all!

[zKars]

Cost analysis, The CIBIE housings where $78 each, the bulbs a hun, so for $200 bucks I got pretty decent (and easy to install) lighting. Not bad.

[SteveJ]

I like Auxito LEDs from Amazon. Those are polarity independent. I have never had a problem with them, and neither has anyone else I have recommended them to.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TQLK6SH

[cgsheen1]

Yup, bought those in Feb 2020 for my H4 housings and love them.