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Greetings,

I'd like to change out my headlights with a much brighter light.  I understand halogen is a recommended option.  Should I also consider LED?

I'm leaning towards a sealed halogen unit.  Can anyone tell me what I should buy and the pitfalls that I'll likely face by doing this, e.g. wiring changes to wiring size, fuses, relays, etc.?  Does introducing LED to the equation simplify or make this more complex? 

I understand there are American driving lights and European?  Does this come into play somehow?

I have a Fiberfab built on a 1972 VW chassis.  It was just wired up last April so some of its components may be newer.  I'll get the car back from the shop this weekend and will pull out a headlight for make and size to provide the group.  Is their anything else I should photograph or take a part number from that would help in providing advice?

Is it possible this might be a "plug and play" where I can go to Autozone and pop in a new headlight?

Thanks in advance,

Marshall

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I installed H4 headlights all my cars - years ago.  Latest headlights are LED/HID/Xenon.  If you install H4 7" replacements with removeable bulbs, you can go to higher wattage bulbs and even LED bulbs.  You also get whiter light and better lens optics.  I used Hella Vision Plus.  If you stay with standard wattage bulbs, stock wiring is adequate. When I installed mine they were sold "for off road use only" but they are ECU approved.

Europeans have always had advanced lighting over US.  There is the US DOT certification and a separate European specification (ECU).  I think that officially all US registered cars should have the DOT approval stamp on them BUT most of the aftermarket 356 lenses are unmarked or worse just marked TIAWAN!

This looks like good unit - $38 each

Hella 002395991 7" Round E-Code (ECE) H4 Conversion Headlight | Quadratec

The low beam will yield about four times as much light down trail as a standard sealed beam and twice as much on high beam. A wedge of light on the right side lights up trailside features. These offer tight beam control and don't spread light overhead like DOT conversions. That facilitates the use of upgraded bulbs without offending oncoming traffic. Hella E-code headlights conform to European Standards. Not DOT approved.

You can use higher wattage H4 bulbs and you can install LED bubs in the fixtures - but they may be deeper and you'll have to enlarge the cars headlight buckets.

If your state inspects the lenses for DOT markings or does a headlight aiming test - the ECU lights may fail. VA used to do headlight alignment inspections on annual safety inspections.

Last edited by WOLFGANG

I had previously removed a headlight after ordering a VW type one replacement light.  When it came it was smaller than the one that was in the car and we couldn't get the clips/springs to hold it firmly in place.  Had to return the new ones.

Are there different sized headlights that fit our cars?  Do CMC/FF bodies have a different headlight config?  How do I know what to order?

Are halogen replacement headlignts common enough that I can ignore ordering online and just take an old light down to Autozone and compare lights until I find one that is the same size with the correct style of connector?

Personally, I prefer LED headlights for brightness and longevity ( so far so good).

I replaced the sealed beam halogens on my VS with these in 2015... https://vintagecarleds.com/sho...h-led-headlight-kit/

Great company, great customer service... the owner sometimes visits this forum.  @Vintageleds  . He has sold many for installs on our type of cars,

I did not have to modify the light bucket. It was a simple remove-and-replace.

if you already have a H4 DOT housing, you can buy bulbs only.

Attached also is an exchange with comparison pictures from 2018:

https://www.speedsterowners.co...8#586501884304104168

Bright headlights for daylight and nighttime driving is a GREAT upgrade.

happy New Years..

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