Older vs newer headlights

[WPVT]

While driving my 25 year old truck at night, I have difficulty seeing when there are other vehicles' headlights facing me, or behind me.  The situation is the worst when they are newer LED headlights. When they are behind me, I can see my own shadow reflected inside the cab from their beams. Facing me, the lights are blinding, and it's hard to see the road. I was ready to chalk this up to fading vision, but then the other night it was so bad that I tried an experiment.

I drove into a steady stream of traffic with my incandescent headlights switched to high beams. I did this for an hour, and that whole time I never had an oncoming driver blip his lights at me. That seemed odd. In the old days, if your high beams were in someone's vision, they were quick to let you know. My theory is that the brighter LED lights have upped the ante, so that my high beams are no longer blinding to an oncoming driver, because everyone else's lights are so much brighter.  I think everybody's pupils are contracting because of the brighter light, and as a consequence, brighter lights are needed in order to see.  

Has anyone had experience upgrading older, sealed beam headlamps.  I hate the blinding bluish light from LED's, but  I like being able to see where I'm going.

[Bhigdog]

Get checked for cataracts............Bob

[BillinMd]

1 hour ago, WPVT said:

While driving my 25 year old truck at night, I have difficulty seeing when there are other vehicles' headlights facing me, or behind me.  The situation is the worst when they are newer LED headlights. When they are behind me, I can see my own shadow reflected inside the cab from their beams. Facing me, the lights are blinding, and it's hard to see the road. I was ready to chalk this up to fading vision, but then the other night it was so bad that I tried an experiment.

I drove into a steady stream of traffic with my incandescent headlights switched to high beams. I did this for an hour, and that whole time I never had an oncoming driver blip his lights at me. That seemed odd. In the old days, if your high beams were in someone's vision, they were quick to let you know. My theory is that the brighter LED lights have upped the ante, so that my high beams are no longer blinding to an oncoming driver, because everyone else's lights are so much brighter.  I think everybody's pupils are contracting because of the brighter light, and as a consequence, brighter lights are needed in order to see.  

Has anyone had experience upgrading older, sealed beam headlamps.  I hate the blinding bluish light from LED's, but  I like being able to see where I'm going.

No cataracts here, just really dangerous glare. At 75, I still have good eyesight and do not need glasses. Those led beams are also unnecessary.....how were we able to see the road for the past 100 or so years,

But the problem with flicking your brights nowadays is that the other drive may do harm to you 

[Fordy]

I try to refrain from night driving for just this reason. I always assumed that newer cars were not correctly aimed. Most of the old shop manuals I have show how it's done up against a wall and it is quite simple. How many new cars would be way out using that as a test?

Steve

[Andy J]

I thought that I could see good,until at 68,I had cataract surgery.Now I can see very well and the bright headlights aren't as bad.True,some newer head lamps are very bright,especially on these jacked-up pick ups and SUVs people drive today.Another problem is that people ride around with their headlights on bright,never paying attention to what's going on because they're distracted by their damn phones.Several times I've been behind people on the interstate for 20 miles with a turn signal blinking and they never know it.How the hell do you go that far and never notice or hear that your turn signal is blinking?Not paying attention and never looking at your gauges,that's how.

[Twisted Shifter]

1 hour ago, Bhigdog said:

Get checked for cataracts............Bob

I've had cataracts for years, but they don't help. I still go blind facing those bright headlights

Edited October 23, 2023 by Twisted Shifter (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

I don't drive at night because I'm too busy getting up to pee.............Bob

[AzBob]

I am another who has given up night driving due to the prevalence of the dazzling blue headlights.

[Rivguy]

There is an article in the current issue of AARP magazine about safe night driving for "mature" drivers. Our vision gets worse as we age, and our night vision suffers the most. Besides the deterioration of our vision, we have to deal with the glare produced by more powerful modern head lights as well as by many drivers , especially those in tall vehicles like trucks and SUVs, that don't dip the high beams or run with the driving or fog lights on. Modern lights also have a lot of blue in them, which our eyes are more sensitive to. 

I'll list their recommendations as they were presented.

1) Use your high beams as much as possible when there isn't much traffic. The extra light is helpful. Of course it depends where you drive. Most of my driving is on well lit freeways and suburban streets. I find that the high beams are useful on smaller, poorly lit residential streets around my house. There are always a lot of pedestrians and for some reason they like to dress in black or dark colors.

2) Buy your new car with the best available head lights. If you're shopping for a new daily, check out the lights first. I've got two post 2005 cars that have large round headlamps, an F150 and '06 Mustang, both put out plenty of light. My '05 Navigator has HID lights and I love them. 

3) If your car is several years old consider replacing the headlight units. How many 15-20 year old cars have you seen driving around with headlamp lens that look yellow? According to the article, heavily oxidized lens can cut up to 75% of the light output. I keep an eye on my cars and polish the lens every couple of months so that they stay nice and clear. 

4) Keep your windshield  and head lights clean. Obvious enough.

5) Turn down the dashboard lights, and keep any other screens, like your passenger's smartphone screen as dim as possible. 

6) Don't skip the after dinner cup of coffee. Drowsy drivers result in more accidents.

The other tip was to be sure that the headlamps are properly adjusted. When I bought my '17 Flex the headlamps weren't properly adjusted. Later, after a left damaged headlamp was replaced, it was even worse. The dealer wouldn't aim them for me. The bodyshop didn't know how to do it correctly. There aren't any light inspection stations around that I could find. My driveway was unsuitable since it slopes downward. I finally set up an aiming rig in the street and did it myself. What an improvement!

 

There are higher output bulbs available for more modern cars, check with a good auto parts store. I found some Sylvania bulbs for my '96 Mustang.  There are halogen sealed beams available for older cars, though sometimes the fix will require improved wiring, using relays that will deliver a full 12 volts to the lights.  A lot of resistance can develop in old wiring looms. I set up the lights in my '70 Mustang like that. 

If i anticipate a lot of night driving, like returning home from a long trip, I reduce my screen time to a minimum. I find that too much time in front of the computer results in eyestrain which makes night driving more difficult. 

 

I am almost 70, and i had perfect 20-20 vision most of that time. I don't need prescription glasses and  don't need anything beyond reading glasses. But I know that my eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

 

 

 

 

[arcticbuicks]

you all could get a new self driving EV........i wonder......do they flash oncoming cars with high beams on ?

[avgwarhawk]

HID headlights are the worst.  GM has been required to recall pick up trucks with headlights that are not only too bright but also in the line of sight of on coming drivers.  Not sure the fix for that.  Try a pair of anti glare night driving glasses. 

 

Anyway, I installed, just the weekend, halogen sealed beams in my 54 Buick.  The original sealed beams were still in service.  Very big difference. 

[arcticbuicks]

i dont get it .....i travel thousands of miles on the highway,a lot of night driving ......amazing how many people do not dim the headlights oncoming.....a high number of semi trucks too.........and coming into towns they continue to drive around with high beams on.......is it the attitude that they do not care.......or do they not see ?

but apparently ........on the other hand ......auto manufactures think we can all see in the dark now.........as they stopped putting in glove box light after what 85 years of having a light in the glove box

[pont35cpe]

I think the problem is "inconsiderate" drivers that just won`t dim their lights. I always have to direct my vision towards the white line between the road surface, and the shoulder. Makes me think of the song, "I wear my sunglasses at night".

[WPVT]

Seems like many others share this problem. I have heard this same complaint from younger drivers with older cars. The important point was that none of the oncoming traffic minded me having my high beams on. They didn't even notice.  

Our pupils expand or contract to adjust to lighting conditions. If I am staring at spotlights and trying to find my way with a flashlight, I'm not going to see anything. I do believe that a large part of the answer will be upgrading my sealed beam lights to the extent possible. Aging vision, poor regulation, inconsiderate drivers, etc. notwithstanding.

[pont35cpe]

In the early `50s my mother got her drivers license, shortly after she went to the grocery store at night. On her way home she got her first and only ticket, it was for not dimming the lights. She didn`t even know about a dimmer switch, or the high beam indicator. My dad never let her forget about her first ticket.

[EmTee]

I see many oncoming new cars with their pencil-beam headlights appear to flicker as the approaching car drives over dips in the road surface.  The beam pattern is so narrow/sharp that only a slight change in angle makes a big difference in brightness.  It seems that the pattern, which used to be fixed in the sealed-beam days, is now totally unregulated...

[John348]

I only notice the problem with my eyes when I drive one of my vintage vehicles. I own a 2023 vehicle and when I drive it I don't receive that "flash burn" feel in my eyes. Maybe the modern windshields have a tinting that assist the driver? I don't know. I had my 54 out two weeks ago, I started heading back home around dusk and it was horrifying! A few weeks earlier I had my 62 Biscayne out and I had the same experience. 

 

56 minutes ago, pont35cpe said:

I think the problem is "inconsiderate" drivers that just won`t dim their lights. I always have to direct my vision towards the white line between the road surface, and the shoulder. Makes me think of the song, "I wear my sunglasses at night".

Many of the newer vehicles have automatic controls on their high beams, the driver might not even be aware that they are on. I have the Guidematic Control on my 62 and it is constantly going off and on. The one in my new car seems to work fairly accurately. 

 

1 hour ago, arcticbuicks said:

i dont get it .....i travel thousands of miles on the highway,a lot of night driving ......amazing how many people do not dim the headlights oncoming.....a high number of semi trucks too.........and coming into towns they continue to drive around with high beams on.......is it the attitude that they do not care.......or do they not see ?

but apparently ........on the other hand ......auto manufactures think we can all see in the dark now.........as they stopped putting in glove box light after what 85 years of having a light in the glove box

Maybe they have a low beam out?  

[WPVT]

1 minute ago, John348 said:

"I only notice the problem with my eyes when I drive one of my vintage vehicles. I own a 2023 vehicle and when I drive it I don't receive that "flash burn" feel in my eyes. Maybe the modern windshields have a tinting that assist the driver? I don't know. I had my 54 out two weeks ago, I started heading back home around dusk and it was horrifying! A few weeks earlier I had my 62 Biscayne out and I had the same experience." 

 

John,  I can attest to the value of having an old windshield replaced, even though it appears ok. Over time, windshields accumulate tiny micro abrasions, which interfere with vision. Rain-X can help, but a new windshield can make a huge difference. 

 

[joe_padavano]

1 hour ago, pont35cpe said:

I think the problem is "inconsiderate" drivers that just won`t dim their lights. I always have to direct my vision towards the white line between the road surface, and the shoulder. Makes me think of the song, "I wear my sunglasses at night".

I have had exactly the same experience. I don't think it's inconsiderate as much as clueless drivers. I live in a rural area without street lights and with lots of deer, so I use my high beams a lot. I find that I can easily see the glare of an approaching car's lights long before I can see the car and dim my lights as a result. Most cars today have automatic lights and frankly most people probably don't even know if their outside lights are on or off, since the video game dash looks exactly the same in daylight and at night. Frankly, I've occasionally caught myself forgetting to put the lights on when I get into a strange rental car for the first time in the dark. I travel a lot for work and it seems like it takes me 10-15 minutes now when I get into a rental car to find all the hidden controls and disable all the electronic nanny functions.

[Paul Dobbin]

With 3 six volt cars with sealed beam bulbs behind  the old glass lenses,  not having bright enough lights is always a problem.

My lights are aligned correctly, but for night driving, I leave the high beams on and never get flashed, but they see me coming. 

Problem is with rain and fog, & for safety, daylight driving with lights on is required by law.    Many times I would  park with the

lights on, and you know what that does to a battery.

My solution was to wire the bright lights indicator light to the low beam.   That way the blue light in the dashboard tells me to

turn off the lights when I arrive, just like the bells do in modern cars.

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, EmTee said:

I see many oncoming new cars with their pencil-beam headlights appear to flicker as the approaching car drives over dips in the road surface.  The beam pattern is so narrow/sharp that only a slight change in angle makes a big difference in brightness.  It seems that the pattern, which used to be fixed in the sealed-beam days, is now totally unregulated...

Flickering on bumps is probably not a pencil beam, and if it is, the driver needs to beam down. It may indicate a European-inspired low beam pattern, and that should normally look downright dim to an oncoming driver. The picture below shows why. Some patterns about like this exist in the US nowdays. European spec lights like this are legal in several states, and some federally approved designs even approach this closely. US spec sealed beams on the other hand were *required* to shine up in the oncoming driver's eyes, allegedly to light up overhead signs . You can't make this up. Someone must have thought it made sense in 1939, and maybe it did then. I imagine this idea has crept into some of the current US federally approved lighting. Most of the latest models seem to shine in the oncoming driver's eyes just like sealed beams do, only brighter.

 

 

[pfloro]

5 hours ago, pont35cpe said:

I always have to direct my vision towards the white line between the road surface, and the shoulder.

 

Since we can't turn the clock back to earlier style headlights or get new eyes, I have a technique which works well for me.

 

When on coming cars approach with those bright LED headlighs,  I cover my left eye and focus on the white line at the road's edge.

I still have a safe view of what's ahead of me.  Knowing that this technique is a compromise, I slow down a bit and preserve my limited night vision.

 

From the 1972 Alka Seltzer commercial:  "Try It, You'll LIke It..."

 

Paul

 

 

 

[Grimy]

1 minute ago, pfloro said:

 

Since we can't turn the clock back to earlier style headlights or get new eyes, I have a technique which works well for me.

 

When on coming cars approach with those bright LED headlighs,  I cover my left eye and focus on the white line at the road's edge.

I still have a safe view of what's ahead of me.  Knowing that this technique is a compromise, I slow down a bit and preserve my limited night vision.

 

From the 1972 Alka Seltzer commercial:  "Try It, You'll LIke It..."

 

Paul

 

 

 

That technique is taught in the Army (probably other ground-pounding services also) to preserve night vision when flares are fired.  In my advanced geezerhood, it doesn't work quite as well for me today as it did 50-60 years ago....  😞

[WPVT]

Back to my original question....Does anyone have experience converting old style sealed beam to HID or LED ?

[timecapsule]

I've come up with a solution that works great.  I made up this tool that is a piece of darkest tint plexiglass attached to a UHMW round rod.  I simply hold it up between my eyes and my windshield and position it so I'm blocking out the oncoming car.  I can see everything around the headlights that I'm blocking out.  Also if I'm at a 4 way stop I can block out the car at 90 degrees to me by holding the tool to block out their headlights.  When not in use, I rest the tool across my lap and the curve on the bottom of tinted plexiglass rests on the inside of my left elbow.  Even when turning corners I can use both hands on the wheel and the tool stays in place.  

As for the rear view mirror.  I have a piece of felt tucked in to the headliner and the other end rolled up behind the mirror.  When a car is behind me, I simply flip the felt in front of the mirror.

 

As for a number of comments about people driving with their high beam on.  I think it's actually their low beams.  That's how insanely bright the new lights are.  Then of course the aftermarket companies all want to outdo each other so they in turn come out with even brighter lights.  I believe it's only a matter of time before studies are done to confirm that many head on collisions are caused because of the bright lights.  But then of course it will take multiple deaths before anything is done about it.

[avgwarhawk]

2 hours ago, pfloro said:

 

 

 

  focus on the white line at the road's edge.

 

 

Paul

 

 

 

 This is exactly what my driving instructor advised I do when a car is approaching at night.  High beam or not.  Look at the white line on the side of the road until the other car passes.  

[39BuickEight]

I really can’t believe that the NHTSA approves these new headlights.  On a bumpy road, it looks like they are flashing.   They are incredibly bright and dangerous.  Also, unnecessary.  I’ve never had trouble seeing at night with any car I’ve ever owned. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[classic_cruiser]

4 hours ago, WPVT said:

Back to my original question....Does anyone have experience converting old style sealed beam to HID or LED ?

Depending next what sealed beams you have now, there are direct LED drop-ins available.  

For example, this site lets you search by vehicle:

https://www.headlightexperts.com

 

I did an H4656/H4651 conversion on my old 1980 Sunbird a few years ago and it was plug and play, but they were hard to find and selection was limited.  The replacement LED lights today are far more advanced than the ones I got just a few years ago.

 

[timecapsule]

1 hour ago, 39BuickEight said:

I really can’t believe that the NHTSA approves these new headlights.  On a bumpy road from, it looks like they are flashing.   They are incredibly bright and dangerous.  Also, unnecessary.  I’ve never had trouble seeing at night with any car I’ve ever owned. 

I agree 100%.  Back in the 60's with the typical seal beam, ( 1004 was the P/N I think ) I could see just fine. Even without the high beams on.   

Like I mentioned in my post here.  People need to die, in large numbers, before the politicians do anything about it.  Of course, at that point they're just playing the sympathy card to get votes.  What  messed up world we live in these days.

[rodneybeauchamp]

12 hours ago, WPVT said:

Back to my original question....Does anyone have experience converting old style sealed beam to HID or LED ?

On two of my Buicks, both 1963 I replaced the original sealed beam with quality (Cibie) QH conversion kits for both low and high beam. I also fitted relays and uprated some of the wiring to ensure each QH globe got the maximum voltage available. These were standard QH globes, not 100W and proved more than adequate for country and town use.
 

Once aimed correctly these were ideal for night driving. We are in a country town so anything outside the town limits requires high beam (our Kangaroos are rife at times).

 

And re the current draw, both had alternators. 
 

Also fitted 6V QH bulbs to my ‘38 Buick using the standard reflectors and these were considerably brighter than the incandescent bulbs they replace. And fitted relays hidden in each headlamp bucket to ensure none of those pesky six volts escaped. And fitted warm white LEDs in the driving lights too!
 

All these conversions worked for me and was not afraid of the dark! 
 

Just my two bobs worth from down under 

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/22/2023 at 9:53 PM, Bhigdog said:

Get checked for cataracts............Bob

25 year old truck, you mean check the truck for cataracts/distortion of the lense. Very common. Not much had sealed beams 25 years ago!😉

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/23/2023 at 8:36 AM, John348 said:

The one in my new car seems to work fairly accurately. 

And there is a problem. It needs to work perfectly, well, I guess the human didn't dim them perfectly either!🤣

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/23/2023 at 8:36 AM, John348 said:

Maybe they have a low beam out? 

One can drive around town with a low beam out just fine. There is enough light around to help. Back in the shop days I had several cars come in with "low beams not working". Sure enough, not a vehicle wiring problem, just when the second low beam burned out the driver could tell as there was NO LIGHT!

[Frank DuVal]

On 10/23/2023 at 10:16 AM, Paul Dobbin said:

My solution was to wire the bright lights indicator light to the low beam.   That way the blue light in the dashboard tells me to

turn off the lights when I arrive, just like the bells do in modern cars.

Two things:

 

1. Blue? I thought we were speaking of antique cars? The high beam indicator was red until in the 70s. 

 

2. Won't pass state safety inspection around here:

 

13. The high beam indicator in the driver's compartment does not burn when the high beam is on or does not go off when the low beam is on. 

 

 

[Frank DuVal]

Speaking of state safety inspections, checking headlamp aiming is part of it. And if it fails then they know how to correct it, usually, as it is a chargeable repair and they don't like letting money walk out of the door!

 

 

B. Aiming the headlamps.

1. Inspectors shall rely on their education, training, and experience to determine if the headlamps are properly aimed. If improper alignment is observed, headlamps shall be checked for proper aim by using an optical headlamp aimer, except on vehicles equipped with on-board aimers.

Headlamp aim on vehicles with on-board aimers shall be checked by visually examining the leveling device mounted either on or adjacent to the headlamp. Reject the vehicle if the leveling device shows the headlamp adjustment to exceed indicated specifications.

NOTE: Driving lamp and fog lamps must be visually inspected to ensure proper aiming. If improper alignment is observed, the optical aimer shall be used to correct any misalignment.

2. Headlamps are not aimed within the following tolerances using the optical aimer.

a. The center of the hot spot of all single element high beam lamps is set more than four inches up or down from the horizontal centerline or more than four inches to the left or right from the vertical centerline.

b. The left edge of the lamp pattern of any low beam lamp or any combination or multi-element lamp is more than four inches to the left or right of the vertical centerline or the top edge of the lamp pattern is more than four inches above or below the horizontal centerline when checked on low beam.

C. Optical aimer.

1. Optical aimers must be properly calibrated and used in the manner recommended by the manufacturer.

The optical headlamp machine must be aligned to the vehicle in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

2. When aiming headlamps, first look for the type of lamp, which will be found embossed on the lens. The type determines which aiming requirements must be followed for the optical aimer.

3. All low beam or combination/multi-element headlamps must be set by aiming the lamp pattern with the lamps set on low beam.

NOTE: If attempting to align a composite or sealed beam lamp with a high and low beam within the same housing, align only the low beam. If aligning a four-lamp system with high and low beams in separate housings, it may be necessary to cover the low beam while aligning the high beam, if all four lamps are on at the same time.

4. Pattern should be aimed so that the left edge does not extend to the left or right of straight ahead, and the top of the pattern should be even with the horizontal.

Pattern "A" represents the light pattern as it should appear on the view screen of the approved aimer when checking the low-beam pattern on a single element headlamp or a combination multi-element headlamp.

5. All VOL and VOR headlamps will be aimed as follows:

To properly aim a combination multi-element or low-beam VOL or VOR headlamp assembly, the headlamp pattern should be aimed on low beam only.

Letters marked on the headlamp cover should properly identify VOL and VOR headlamps.

NOTE: VOL and VOR headlamps will normally have only one adjustment, which will be for the vertical aim only. The horizontal aim should be disregarded, as the horizontal aim is preset at the factory.

6. All single element high beam headlamps shall be set by aiming the center of the hot spot with the lamps set on high beam.

7. Aim straight ahead-center of the hot spot should be centered with the vertical and horizontal centerlines.

Pattern "B" represents the light pattern as it should appear on the view screen of the approved aimers.

8. When lamp pairs are mounted horizontally, the low beam lamp must be on the outer side and when mounted vertically, the low beam lamp must be at the higher position in the pair.

9. The four headlamp system must be wired so that only the lower beam lamp will burn when the light beams are depressed. When switched to high beams, both high beam and low beam may burn.

The "F" type halogen headlamp 1986 (LF-UF) of the four headlamp system will function in the following manner: system must be used so the low beam does not burn with the high beam.

D. Headlamps on vehicles used for snow removal. Approved auxiliary headlamps may be mounted above the conventional headlamps. (These lamps must be in compliance with this section in its entirety, subdivision 7 of 19VAC30-70-150, and 19VAC30-70-170.)

E. Inspect for and reject if:

1. Lamps are not an approved type as previously indicated in subdivision A 6 of this section.

2. Lamps are not mounted in a manner that will permit proper aiming.

3. Lamps are mounted so as to obstruct the driver's vision.

4. The auxiliary headlamp circuit does not contain a switch that will deactivate the primary headlamp system when the auxiliary headlamps are in use.

5. Auxiliary headlamps are not aimed in accordance with the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section.

6. Headlamps are not wired in accordance with the provisions of subdivision C 8 of this section.

NOTE: Light patterns shown in the following diagram will be displayed on the most recently approved light machines produced by Hopkins and Symtech Corporations.

HEADLAMP PATTERNS

NOTE: Always inspect the following sealed beam and replaceable bulb and integral beam headlamps on LOW BEAM only:

- 5-3/4 inch, marked 2, 2C, or 2C1

- 7 inch, marked 2, 2D, or 2D1

- 100 X 165mm rectangular, marked 2A, 2A1, or 2E1, 2G1 or 2H1

- 200 X 142mm rectangular, marked 2B or 2B1

- Replaceable bulb headlamp, marked LF with 9004 (HB1)

- 92 X 160mm rectangular, marked LF

- Replaceable bulb headlamps with 9006 (HB4) alone or in combination with 9005 (HB3)

- 55 X 135mm rectangular, marked L

- Integral beam headlamp when high and low beam reflectors move together.

[Ed Luddy]

The Ford F250 & F350's are the worst offenders of far too bright headlights.

[Paul Dobbin]

7 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Two things:

 

1. Blue? I thought we were speaking of antique cars? The high beam indicator was red until in the 70s. 

 

2. Won't pass state safety inspection around here:

 

13. The high beam indicator in the driver's compartment does not burn when the high beam is on or does not go off when the low beam is on. 

 

 

    I'm just sharing an ideas that works for me, that I've added to my cars because of the topic in this thread.

    No inspections where I live and I doubt the had a regulation for the color of the high/low beam indicator light.

    My blue light tells me #1 the lights are on,  #2  they are on low beam.  #3 to turn them off when I shut the engine off.

[PONTIAC1953]

Here's the halogen headlights I selected to use in my 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Custom Catalina, which is getting converted to 12 volts, I like the sphere lens like the originals.

[Bloo]

Those have a European pattern, a very good choice in my opinion. You can have more range on low beam, while blinding oncoming traffic far less.

 

The "E4" tells you they have European certification. Autopal lights are made in India, and the "4" tells you what country the  European certification was originally obtained in (I don't know off the top of my head what "4" is, but not India).

 

These take "H4" bulbs, which are available in many voltages and wattages. People who have not converted to 12V can also use these after installing appropriate bulbs.

 

 

[rodneybeauchamp]

1 hour ago, PONTIAC1953 said:

Here's the halogen headlights I selected to use in my 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Custom Catalina, which is getting converted to 12 volts, I like the sphere lens like the originals.

These look great.

 

I concur 100% with PONTIAC1953 that the rounded convex lens looks much, much nicer and blends in much better on our older vehicles. The dead flat versions made by Hella and others may work OK but in my opinion look awful and often detracts from a nice vehicle. I am all for upgrades but make them subtle and hard to pick. 
 

Just my two bobs worth from down under

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀