Upgrading headlights (1977 Riv)

[BuickBoss]

Hi everyone,

 

So it seems that my high beams don't work and I have to replace them. But it got me wondering about upgrading to something beyond the factory sealed beam. This is very important to me because I had laser eye surgery way back in 1999 and I can't see that well at night (I get a lot of glare and need lights as bright as is reasonable).

 

Does anyone have any experience with "upgraded" headlights? To be clear, I want something that looks reasonably factory and not like those silly (sorry if this offends anyone) halo ones or ones that look like projectors or LEDs from a late model car.

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[steelman]

You can get the halogen replacements for these that still look stock and are a lot brighter than sealed beams that came in your car. They do make a difference.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ANZ0/841004/N2337.oap?ck=Search_headlights+-+halogen_-1_211&keyword=headlights+-+halogen

[BuickBoss]

3 hours ago, steelman said:

You can get the halogen replacements for these that still look stock and are a lot brighter than sealed beams that came in your car. They do make a difference.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ANZ0/841004/N2337.oap?ck=Search_headlights+-+halogen_-1_211&keyword=headlights+-+halogen

 

Nice! Okay I'm going to search to see if I can find an image of what these look like installed. I'll post if I find something.

 

Thanks!

[RivNut]

[BuickBoss]

Actually I found some that are really highly rated and look SUPER factory. Check it out.

http://www.myhellalights.com/index.php/products/auxiliary-lamps/sealed-beam-conversion-headlamps/4-x6-rectangular-conversion-headlamps/

 

[BuickBoss]

Update: Okay so I bought 4 of these. They come with a simple adapter harness, a H4 halogen bulb and dust boot. I'll be sure to do a before and after.

 

 

[BuickBoss]

Okay so I put these puppies in and they look super stock! Very pleased. The first picture is before and the second on is after (sorry they are different sides. Was too lazy to do a before and after of all four).

 

One issue is that l can't get the high beams to work. Mind you they didn't work before. I noticed that the plugs for the high beams only have 2 prongs where as the low beams have 3 prongs. Does anyone know whats going on here?

 

[BuickBoss]

Actually this thread answers my question:

 

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vintage-mustang-forum/698721-3-prong-headlight-2-prong-connector.html

 

[PWB]

I'm afraid you ordered 2 of the same pair. My '77 Monte Carlo had the same system as yours. And I think my '85 El Camino did as well. You need to order the hi pair and low pair.

Silver Stars are VERY bright. I put them on about 3 years ago.

You need H4656 pair (Low beam)

and H4651  pair (high)

I'm sure Hella makes an equivalent.

 

 

So Sorry

 

[BuickBoss]

1 hour ago, PWB said:

I'm afraid you ordered 2 of the same pair. My '77 Monte Carlo had the same system as yours. And I think my '85 El Camino did as well. You need to order the hi pair and low pair.

Silver Stars are VERY bright. I put them on about 3 years ago.

You need H4656 pair (Low beam)

and H4651  pair (high)

I'm sure Hella makes an equivalent.

 

 

So Sorry

 

 

PWB, you're exactly right. I just bought the high beam pair to rectify the situation. They are H1 bulbs where as the low beams are H4. Not a big deal. Jegs will take back the extra pair of low beams.

 

Regarding brightness, the Hella bulbs are not ultra bright but the good thing is that I can always swap out the bulbs to ones like your silver stars. We'll see when I get every thing together!

 

[68RIVGS]

Some halogen units are like sealed beam headlamps with no access to the bulb, and some units like the Hella, come with separate changeable bulbs.

Both types will be a great improvement over the factory sealed beam headlamp system !

[BuickBoss]

37 minutes ago, 68RIVGS said:

Some halogen units are like sealed beam headlamps with no access to the bulb, and some units like the Hella, come with separate changeable bulbs.

Both types will be a great improvement over the factory sealed beam headlamp system !

 

Yeah actually the ones i removed are in fact halogen! So the improvement is not as dramatic as I was hoping. Two things are definitely advantages though:

 

1. Being able to change bulbs allows you to choose whatever brightness level and color (temperature) you are after.

2. Changing bulbs when they burn out is much cheaper than replacing sealed beam units.

 

HOWEVER, regarding my '77 Riv, to change out the bulb actually requires removing the headlight "cage" that the sealed beam unit sits in. The new conversion unit still has to sit in this cage to be mounted. No big deal but it's just not as easy to twist and remove a bulb from the rear as you would in a late model car that's designed this way from the beginning.

 

 

[BuickBoss]

Welp, I installed the correct high beam lamps and bulbs and they have the same two-prong connection as the harness. All is well except that the high beams aren't working... sigh.

 

Gotta check the fuse tomorrow and if that's okay I guess it must be the switch on the turn signal lever?

[RivNut]

High beams have to have two prongs, low beams have to have three prongs.  If the new ones work the way the old ones did, the high beams are off when you only want the low beams so you need a 12V source and a ground for the high beams.  The low beams have two filaments, one that is the low beam filament and another that comes on with the high beams. (all 4 lamps are now lit and they throw more light down the road.)  Therefore the lows need three prongs - one for the low filament, one for the high filament, and one for ground.

[BuickBoss]

10 hours ago, RivNut said:

High beams have to have two prongs, low beams have to have three prongs.  If the new ones work the way the old ones did, the high beams are off when you only want the low beams so you need a 12V source and a ground for the high beams.  The low beams have two filaments, one that is the low beam filament and another that comes on with the high beams. (all 4 lamps are now lit and they throw more light down the road.)  Therefore the lows need three prongs - one for the low filament, one for the high filament, and one for ground.

 

Oh interesting. Right now when my low beams are on, high beams are off (which is correct). But when I turn on my high beam, both high beams AND low beams are off...

 

Just as a dummy check, the high beam switch is on the turn signal level right? I pulled it all the way in until it clicks. Could be the switch is broken.

[steelman]

I m not sure, but I think in the later models, you got one or the other. High from the inside or bottom and low from the outside or top, depending on light placement. Low beam did not come on with high beam, it was one or the other. Not sure when this started, but it was late seventies to early eighties. About the time these halogen lights started coming from the factory and for sure on the composite lights.