MRJBUICK Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 I purchased the Hella E spec Housings thinking that they would replace the the sealed beams. the bulb seems to be deeper in size and the plug now hits the headlamp assembly mounting bracket. i know i can grind the part of the bracket to clear the electrical connection. just wondering if anyone has tried his before and maybe there is a better way. please dont bring up the led headlamp issue i am not partial to how they look and have always loved euro lights from the first days of my driving with Cibie lamps many moons ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Are these the units with a removable H4 bulb? I have had them for many years and I have found the same issue but I was able to wedge the plug onto the bulb after housing installation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 I always liked the Syvania Silver Star Ultras. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y-JobFan Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 4 hours ago, padgett said: I always liked the Syvania Silver Star Ultras. Agree 100%, all the more you need for safe well lit night driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Ran a test a few years ago and the best halogens put out more light (measured and visible) than HIDs. Have not used LEDs because do not need and worry the little fans will fail (have replaced A Lot of little fans). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 I believe the lights referred to use conventional H4 incandescent bulbs. The beam pattern of the euro spec has a very sharp horizontal cutoff which is much more friendly than many modern cars with all different types of headlights that have horrible light scatter. I don’t know if the lighting approval agencies test for light output in incorrect or unintended locations but if so, they do a lousy job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Osram/Sylvania makes a H4 Silver Star Ultra. Philips Plus 130 is similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, 2seater said: I believe the lights referred to use conventional H4 incandescent bulbs. The beam pattern of the euro spec has a very sharp horizontal cutoff which is much more friendly than many modern cars with all different types of headlights that have horrible light scatter. Yes, and any sealed beam, no matter how fancy is likely to be inferior. There is only so much light available from the bulb at normal wattage. The trick here is putting as much light as possible where the driver needs it to see, and NOT in the eyes of oncoming traffic. On low beam E-Code lights shine farther, but look dimmer to oncoming traffic. Even with oversize bulbs installed there will be less glare to other drivers. 5 hours ago, 2seater said: I don’t know if the lighting approval agencies test for light output in incorrect or unintended locations but if so, they do a lousy job They do, but in the USA the 1939 standard we were stuck with for decades, and still have vestiges of, required some light shining up high and thus into the eyes of oncoming traffic. Why? Supposedly to illuminate overhead signs. It is completely insane. When was the last time you saw an overhead sign that was not illuminated? Maybe there were some in 1939. The Europeans were not stuck on a 1939 standard and continued to develop the headlight in the decades following WW2. The regulations in the USA did not even begin to relax until aerodynamic headlights came along in the 1980s. Today some aerodynamic units exist in the USA that are much closer to the European standard, but in many cases we still shine light up into the faces of oncoming traffic. Edited March 24, 2021 by Bloo (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 (edited) 23 hours ago, MRJBUICK said: I purchased the Hella E spec Housings....... Marty, What company did you purchase these housings from? I might be interested in acquiring a set. Also, what bulbs did you buy to put in the housings? Thanks... Edited March 24, 2021 by dship (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Errrrrr always thought the "H" in "H4" was for halogen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 (edited) Yes, H is halogen but it is just an incandescent light with a noble gas to redeposit the vaporized metal to the electrode to allow hotter burning? HID is a totally different animal, an arc light in effect. I have used E code type lights for decades, Carrillo, Cibie and Hella. There are two downsides I have encountered and one is the lack of scatter which sometimes makes non observant motorists, especially cross traffic, not see you coming because they are used to the bright marker light effect. The other is travel in hilly rolling terrain where the cutoff will not illuminate the rising road ahead. Hard to believe in this day and age that the decorative effects of lighting on the front are more important than actual performance. Just read test reports on new vehicles that rate all sorts of safety items, crash tests and other items. Note how many brand new cars have marginal ratings in headlight performance, but they look cool😖I should say the H in H4 may not mean halogen, but may just refer to a bulb and connection style. The operation of the bulb uses the halogen cycle. Edited March 24, 2021 by 2seater (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Ok, "enhanced incandescent" but nothing Edison ever think of, the redeposion effect is totally different. Agree possibly the greatest invention of the 20th century was cold light but still say the best halogen is better than HID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Where did HID come from in this thread? E-code headlamps are simply headlamps made to European beam specs. Any of these that we would be likely to use in US market cars have a replaceable H4 bulb if the reflector supports both high and low beam, and a replaceable H1 bulb if the reflector supports high beam only. These are halogen bulbs, not HID. Hella would not be my first choice, although I would take them hands down over any sealed beam. I wonder if another brand might fit better (or worse?). Cibie is getting hard to find though. Marchal and Carello are even harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 I tried all three Halogen, HID, and LED in the SLK (see sig, replacable bulbs) headlamps for a test. If the right size they can be exchanged. Housing I used just said not to exceed 55W. My first real driving lights were Cibies...in 1964. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRJBUICK Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 Thank You to all yes these are replaceable h4 bulbs i have the problem with the left/driver unit the socket hits the bracket not on the right but it is close 2seater are your housings Hella, do you put the rubber seal over the bulb. and are your housings e spec or DOT with alignment tabs i am wondering if the vision plus DOT H4 housings would be better for rear clearance, but they dont have as much of a cutoff i think absolutely love the E spec cutoff in the lights i have IPC lamps in my 78 wagon and my 75 pace car but this brand seems to have gone away they were quality (not as good as Hella) made in Japan again thanks for the input any more is always appreciated i purchased my Hellas off amazon about 2 years ago tried to make it work then gave up but i really want something better and H4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 (edited) My housings are E spec and about 20 years old. I know there is a Z beam light that has a raised horizontal cutoff on the right side but mine angle up on the right side with no cutoff. Yes they have the rubber boot on the rear that the prongs stick through. The are a very tight fit and I must give the plug an extra seating push through the space at the rear with the lights closed or just manually cracked open. Not ideal, but the lights work well. 80/100w bulbs, hence the burned out headlight switches until the twin relay harness was added. The Hella brand was available when I looked for something way back when and they do make many oem lights as well. When I had 7" and 5.25" round, I forget the par number, both in headlights and driving lights I used Carello in the 80's and then Cibie. I don't recall ever trying Marchal's. Now everything I have are modern composite housings except the Reatta of course. Edited March 25, 2021 by 2seater (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Avoid dot versions if you want the cutoff. Every one I am aware of was designed long ago and don't even pretend to have a cutoff. They imitate sealed beams. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 This is what the Philips +130s in my test looked like. (white garage door, 25 feet away, driver's side only). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Looks pretty good. Hard to judge brightness without a comparison side by side. The stray light in the center may be acceptable as a locator if well controlled and filtered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Ran a full test including a lumens meter. Best halogens were top followed by HID, then OEM (long life) Halogens. Just do not trust little fans in current LEDs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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