Just exploring options here and had a couple questions. I came across Autopal brand headlight housings in 4656 and was wondering if anyone has these. If so, are they decent quality, and will they fit in the factory headlight buckets without cutting them? It says for the low beams, it comes with an H4 halogen bulb, which I believe is the same as the stock plug in an 87 GN. If I do the low beam Autopal with the H4 bulb and stay at 55w, which I think is the same as the factory low sealed beams, will I need a headlight harness. I know I will need one if I want to do the Autopal highbeams, which appear to come with an H1 bulb, to convert to an H1 plug. I do not want to do HID bulbs. Any advise or correction in my thinking is appreciated. Thanks!
Upgrade headlights
- Thread starter GNvsTA
- Start date
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
www.alradco.com will solve all of your problems. Check him out, good stuff.
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
I put Hella H1 and H4s in my car. Night and day difference. Very defined cut off and great projection down the road. My research on the Autopals indicated them to not be as good as Hella lights. Install was easy.
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
I upgraded my headlight harness.
trailinjake
Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2012
Just wondering why you don't want HID's? I have them in everything I own including DD, motorcycles, quads, etc. If aimed properly, I don't see any downfall to them...
HIDs in sealed beam housings is one reason. I do admit though that HIDs do look nice and more up to date. I am also trying to stay away from as much additional wiring as I can. I am also looking at a set of conversion housings for my 98 T/A from LMC Truck. The housings come with halogen bulbs and pigtails attached that will plug into the factory plugs. Was hoping to find something similar to that setup.
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
I didn't go with the HIDs, because in my opinion, all the HID kits I have seen are not that good. They send a bunch of stray light all over the road and into oncoming drivers eyes.
I upgraded to the Hellas as they have a much more defined cutoff and project the light much better, down the road. They meet the European specs (e.g., E-Codes) for lighting. Having lived in Europe for ten years, I can tell you the E-code lights produce better placed lighting and don't offend other drivers nearly as much as much as our DOT lighting. The Hellas are great on my Buick, and really light up the road in front of me. The brights literally turn night into day, and the dims light up the road and the right side of the road incredibly well, especially compared to the sealed beam halogens they replaced.
Most of the aftermarket HID kits I have researched are placed into a light housing made for halogen bulbs and produce stray light up, and to the sides, due to the flutes cut into the glass lens, as well as the reflector in the light being designed for a sealed beam. The stray light these aftermarket kits put out can bother other drivers. Other drivers know the lights are not on bright, but they are still bothered by the light. I can usually spot these after market HID kits coming towards me or coming up behind me. The blue wall of light is one of the first give aways.
There is an old Cadillac and a Dodge truck I sometime "see" on my way to work in the morning that project light all over the place, courtesy of some sort of hillbilly HID kit with 10K lights. I was beside the Dodge truck one day (two lanes traveling in the same direction), and although the road was brighter right in front of his truck, my factory HIDs projected much further down the road. But since a lot of drivers don't look much further than the hood of their car while driving, they probably think the lights are much brighter and better.
I am attaching some pictures of well defined cutoff beam patterns, and one from an aftermarket HID kit. You will notice in the first two there is a very distinct cutoff and and even dispersion of the light without hot spots and stray light going above the cutoff and the sides. You will see the hotspots and stray light in the last photo of an aftermarket HID kit.
Here is a picture of my factory HID's (in my Mazda) against my garage door to show what a good cutoff and beam dispersion is. This was a quick picture with my cellphone.
Here is a picture of E-Code lights (I found this using a quick Google search - this isn't from my Buick), but again a very defined cutoff and even dispersion of the light below the cutoff. My Buick's light pattern from the Hella lights is identical to this photo.
The upward cutoff on the right sign is for street signs, etc, and is designed not to bother drivers on the other side of the road. DOT approved lights light up street signs with "stray light," which is an irritant for fellow drivers. Poorly desinged HID kits are terrible for this, as they tend to sent stray light all over the place.
Below is a picture of an aftermarket HID kit, that more than likely makes the road bright immediately in front of the car but doesn't project the light all that well. You can really see a lot of stray light being projected with this kit. These are the types of kits that bother other drivers. It's surprising that the left light puts out a different amount of light than the right light in this picture. It also projects a lot of light to the left - possibly right into oncoming driver's eyes.
I would like to see some of the Buick HID kits light pattern (similar photo to those above). I have asked for this in another thread but have never received a reply.
I would really like to put HIDs in my Buick, but will only do so when one is produced with a well defined cut off and uniform dispersion of light. Although I want to see better, I don't want to do it at the expense of fellow raid users.
Please let me see some photos of your Buick HIDs so I can make an informed decision. And pictures of the front of your car with the headlights on won't show how the beam pattern is - put your headlight beams on a wall from about 20 feet away and snap some pics and post them up. I've heard good things about ALRADCO's kit, perhaps someone can post some pics like the above.
Thanks in advance.
Rob
I upgraded to the Hellas as they have a much more defined cutoff and project the light much better, down the road. They meet the European specs (e.g., E-Codes) for lighting. Having lived in Europe for ten years, I can tell you the E-code lights produce better placed lighting and don't offend other drivers nearly as much as much as our DOT lighting. The Hellas are great on my Buick, and really light up the road in front of me. The brights literally turn night into day, and the dims light up the road and the right side of the road incredibly well, especially compared to the sealed beam halogens they replaced.
Most of the aftermarket HID kits I have researched are placed into a light housing made for halogen bulbs and produce stray light up, and to the sides, due to the flutes cut into the glass lens, as well as the reflector in the light being designed for a sealed beam. The stray light these aftermarket kits put out can bother other drivers. Other drivers know the lights are not on bright, but they are still bothered by the light. I can usually spot these after market HID kits coming towards me or coming up behind me. The blue wall of light is one of the first give aways.
There is an old Cadillac and a Dodge truck I sometime "see" on my way to work in the morning that project light all over the place, courtesy of some sort of hillbilly HID kit with 10K lights. I was beside the Dodge truck one day (two lanes traveling in the same direction), and although the road was brighter right in front of his truck, my factory HIDs projected much further down the road. But since a lot of drivers don't look much further than the hood of their car while driving, they probably think the lights are much brighter and better.
I am attaching some pictures of well defined cutoff beam patterns, and one from an aftermarket HID kit. You will notice in the first two there is a very distinct cutoff and and even dispersion of the light without hot spots and stray light going above the cutoff and the sides. You will see the hotspots and stray light in the last photo of an aftermarket HID kit.
Here is a picture of my factory HID's (in my Mazda) against my garage door to show what a good cutoff and beam dispersion is. This was a quick picture with my cellphone.
Here is a picture of E-Code lights (I found this using a quick Google search - this isn't from my Buick), but again a very defined cutoff and even dispersion of the light below the cutoff. My Buick's light pattern from the Hella lights is identical to this photo.
The upward cutoff on the right sign is for street signs, etc, and is designed not to bother drivers on the other side of the road. DOT approved lights light up street signs with "stray light," which is an irritant for fellow drivers. Poorly desinged HID kits are terrible for this, as they tend to sent stray light all over the place.
Below is a picture of an aftermarket HID kit, that more than likely makes the road bright immediately in front of the car but doesn't project the light all that well. You can really see a lot of stray light being projected with this kit. These are the types of kits that bother other drivers. It's surprising that the left light puts out a different amount of light than the right light in this picture. It also projects a lot of light to the left - possibly right into oncoming driver's eyes.
I would like to see some of the Buick HID kits light pattern (similar photo to those above). I have asked for this in another thread but have never received a reply.
I would really like to put HIDs in my Buick, but will only do so when one is produced with a well defined cut off and uniform dispersion of light. Although I want to see better, I don't want to do it at the expense of fellow raid users.
Please let me see some photos of your Buick HIDs so I can make an informed decision. And pictures of the front of your car with the headlights on won't show how the beam pattern is - put your headlight beams on a wall from about 20 feet away and snap some pics and post them up. I've heard good things about ALRADCO's kit, perhaps someone can post some pics like the above.
Thanks in advance.
Rob
turbo nasty
Turbo Dojo / MNTR
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2001
Very nice informative write up Rob
RunninShine231
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
Very good write up and pictures.
curious as to a comparison between factory plain janes and factorys with harness upgrade not even sure if this is even the correct label. either or interested in comparison
. Take pride in my 80's S****y headlights and frankly is a little scarey when shes blinking 85. all part of the animal if you ask me.
curious as to a comparison between factory plain janes and factorys with harness upgrade not even sure if this is even the correct label. either or interested in comparison
. Take pride in my 80's S****y headlights and frankly is a little scarey when shes blinking 85. all part of the animal if you ask me.
I gave you 2 YouTube videos. What more do you want out of life?
OP-You could check these out:
and:
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
I'll stick with my Hellas.
Rob
Rob
87GN 98GTP
Andrew
- Joined
- May 29, 2008
Hey rob are the Hellas stock replacements. Plug and play? And where to get them
I have the Autopal H4 headlight (E code) housings in my GN, I'm also using D2s hid bulbs with this set up.
I'm also using a hid wire harness to supply power to the bulbs and save the headlight switch from any overload that might occur on start up of the hid bulbs.
I'm also using a cut off shield in the Autopal housings for the hid bulb. This set up produces no glare, and the cutoff point is great.
I have never been flashed once with this set up. I'm using the 6000k hid bulb with this.
I'm also using a hid wire harness to supply power to the bulbs and save the headlight switch from any overload that might occur on start up of the hid bulbs.
I'm also using a cut off shield in the Autopal housings for the hid bulb. This set up produces no glare, and the cutoff point is great.
I have never been flashed once with this set up. I'm using the 6000k hid bulb with this.
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
1KWIKSIX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2007
If you want a plug n play harness with dual relays set up for H4's & H1's........Dennis Kirban now has a great harness that bolts in without modification. He even has the H4 lights too.
For best results using Halogen Bulbs, I'd go with the Hella Zenon Blue for the whitest 4000k light output for both H4's (55/60W) & H1's (55W).
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44103/H4 Headlights Upgraded Plug-and-Play HARNESS #7531.html
For best results using Halogen Bulbs, I'd go with the Hella Zenon Blue for the whitest 4000k light output for both H4's (55/60W) & H1's (55W).
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44103/H4 Headlights Upgraded Plug-and-Play HARNESS #7531.html
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
If you want a plug n play harness with dual relays set up for H4's & H1's........Dennis Kirban now has a great harness that bolts in without modification. He even has the H4 lights too.
For best results using Halogen Bulbs, I'd go with the Hella Zenon Blue for the whitest 4000k light output for both H4's (55/60W) & H1's (55W).
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44103/H4 Headlights Upgraded Plug-and-Play HARNESS #7531.html
Do you know what brand of headlights they are and what specifications (E-Code, DOT, or some hybrid DOT/E-Code) they meet?
I couldn't find anything on Kirban's site.
I also noticed the kit looks to include four H4 headlamps (which are designed to work as both a low and high beam). I used H1's for my high beams, as an H1 replacement headlamp is designed only to be a high beam, and not a compromise as both a high and low beam.
