What’s the Latest on LED Headlight Conversion? |
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What’s the Latest on LED Headlight Conversion? |
FRUNKenstein |
Dec 13 2020, 02:55 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 109 Joined: 25-May 20 From: Overland Park, KS Member No.: 24,308 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
I’ve spent the past couple of hours searching here and surfing the web on LED headlight replacement/conversion. I see the GE Nighthawk 69821 was used by several folks, but they are expensive and no one seems to have them in stock. I think they’ve been on the market for 5+ years, so assume there are competitors. I read on a Mustang forum that the Truck-Lite 27270C is a good alternative for 7” sealed beams. I looked on Spoke’s website, but he doesn’t offer headlights, so I assume there is a good, readily-available product on the market already, or else he would have something.
So, can anybody give me an update on the latest and greatest in LED headlights? Thanks in advance! |
horizontally-opposed |
Dec 16 2020, 11:14 AM
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#2
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,435 Joined: 12-May 04 From: San Francisco Member No.: 2,058 Region Association: None |
Would really like to move to LED headlights for the safety and efficiency, but don't love the look of modern headlights in vintage cars.
Have been trying to figure out if any of these with "period" lenses are viable. Concerned that the fluting that makes them look nearly stock may be incompatible with LED, and yet here they are for sale—and I definitely prefer their appearance over some of the truck lights. https://vintagecarleds.com Curious for others' thoughts… |
GregAmy |
Dec 16 2020, 01:15 PM
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#3
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,319 Joined: 22-February 13 From: Middletown CT Member No.: 15,565 Region Association: North East States |
...but don't love the look of modern headlights in vintage cars. You drivin' around during the day with your headlights up where others can see them...? Or you don't like the pattern of light that others can see at night...? Or it just bothers you knowing it's there even though no one can see it...? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Honestly, if it's the vintage-look thing, then we should all be driving around with the original seamed-beam incandescent lights. Because that's all they came with originally here in the USA. |
horizontally-opposed |
Dec 16 2020, 03:38 PM
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#4
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,435 Joined: 12-May 04 From: San Francisco Member No.: 2,058 Region Association: None |
...but don't love the look of modern headlights in vintage cars. You drivin' around during the day with your headlights up where others can see them...? Or you don't like the pattern of light that others can see at night...? Or it just bothers you knowing it's there even though no one can see it...? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Honestly, if it's the vintage-look thing, then we should all be driving around with the original seamed-beam incandescent lights. Because that's all they came with originally here in the USA. None of the above, actually. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I like cars and details that look "period" but perform better—it's an affliction, I tell you, but we all have our ticks, don't we? Worse in this case, I actually like the way a 914 looks with its lights up (just as I do with, say, a Stratos or any number of cool old cars), so occasionally I put them up. Or I do so for safety during the day in some situations. Maybe it's 5-10% of the time (in truth I have no idea), but it's enough that I'd love to figure out a performance solution that retains "enough" 1970s to it. Trying to weigh out how much performance is lost against LEDs that don't worry about such silly concerns; the good news is the baseline with old H4s is very low indeed…hence the desire for better lights! I have the VintageCar LEDs in my own car. Night and day difference over sealed beams or H4 lights. I wish I had made the jump to LED headlights years ago. When the lights are up, they look like 70s sealed beams except MUCH MUCH BRIGTER. If I was doing it again I WOULD NOT buy them. I would go with any of the cheaper LED headlights made for jeeps. The Vintage LEDs look really good when the headlights are up. But, as Mark said, ours are mostly down. Also - and this is big for me - the Vintage LED bulbs stick out of the housing. They push against the headlight covers and were kind of a pain to adjust because of it. Also, due to the light vibrating off the headlight cover, I am concerned about them failing. Concerned enough that I have a set of Jeep LEDs sitting in my garage waiting for the more expensive ones to break. On a Bug or a 911, I would say get the Vintage Car setup. for a 914, get something cheaper, its going to work better. Zach ^ Just the kind of feedback I was hoping for—thank you for sharing your experience Zach! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Sounds like the Vintage LEDs were a massive jump over your old headlights. That's what I needed to know, and super helpful. Would love to know more about the fitment issues and not entirely clear on your concern about the vibrating off the covers? One of my H4's vibrates enough at speed that I know something is wrong...need to deal with that. Suspect it has to do with the adjustment of the damping "bolt" on that side of the car, but really need to take everything apart and rebush everything. Have a kit that's been sitting... Hi Pete, @horizontally-opposed , Zach, @VaccaRabite , is hitting an issue not previously discussed which we had to deal with on my GE Nighthawks. They protrude further out of the housing then a stock sealed beam or H4 lens. That is why when you look at my car or see it in pictures it looks like the gap for the eyebrows and the headlight cover is just off a bit. Kent & Jim had to adjust the eyebrows to allow the headlights to open/close without hitting the eyebrows. The headlight sticks out maybe 3/16" to 1/4" further than stock. But considering the GE's are 100% plug and play with no alterations or extra wiring, etc., I decided that was the way to go. Now, if someone makes an LED headlight that looks period correct and does not protrude and is plug and play....I would likely swap to that. Then we could re-adjust the eyebrows to fit 100% correctly. Not high on my list, but on the list. I like the look of the Vintage lights a lot - I would go with the Hella H4 lens in the 5000 series and run them with the bright white color. Price wise they seem to be about the same as the GE's at today prices. That leaves the truck light options- and there has got to be tons, like Zach said. Keep us informed of how you proceed. I do love, love, love the light my Nighthawks put out. It's like the factory headlights were candles. The older I get the more light I need to see anything. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) ^ Also really good info, Michael. Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) I'll contact Vintage LEDs, as I wonder if one of the two upgrade lenses is "flatter" than the others, and if this might help? It's funny that they list not one but three lenses you can choose from—and one of them is an "H4" and says as much. I was going to skip it as it looks most likely to cause issues with the beam and adds the most $, but I wonder if it's as flat-faced as my H4s, and if that might help? Is it the convex nature of the lenses that is causing the problem, or the way these LED lights sit in the factory cradle? |
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