H5001/H5006 Headlight Upgrades/Conversions

[Big_John]

If you buy the Hella headlights, it should allow you to install regular wattage H4 bulbs. The bulb base should be the same.

The rather "crisp" line between dark and bright of the low beam pattern with an H4 bulb is why the sealed beams are officially outlawed in Germany. Sealed Beams achieve assymetry of the low beam pattern by placing the filament out of the center of the reflector (plus the lens pattern). This allows a little less wattage to get the same amount of light out. But the downside is the somewhat diffuse zone where the low beam ends.

H4 on the other hand achieve assymmetry by placing a small steel cup right under the low beam filament, allowing the light only to go up on th upper half of the reflector, then being projected downwards from there (plus the lens pattern).

I used a pair of Cibie headlights years ago in my 73 Barracuda back when it was new. The low beam pattern was "crisp" just like you say. It was flat across and then flared up on the right to light up the side of the road. The high beam was really nice, it lit up the road like it should.

I would have liked a little more light above that crisp line though. I felt that was kind of blind to me and really didn't work well with the city streets that I had to drive at night. I did get used to them, but once halagon sealed beams became the norm, I never went back to that type of headlight.

 

[Big_John]

DOT leaves it to the company

I've been in the lab that tests headlights for the car companies. I wasn't impressed.

Even the tail light LEDs are getting too bright.

Some of that comes with the overwhelming desire to yell at kids to get off your lawn. Welcome to getting old.

With some spade connectors and sealant you could wire from the original pigtails for the headlights to control a couple relays and minimize the wiring and the change from original. As mentioned before, short runs all but eliminate voltage drop issues. Also fuse any add ons as close to the battery as you can.

It is a cheap and easy mod. It drives me nuts to see guys buying the expensive add-on harness when it can be duplicated for less than $25. I hid my relays under the speed control bracket. Easy to get to, but you have to look for them.

A <$5 self resetting circuit breaker is the way to go rather than a fuse.

 

[commando1]

just wish I could pop into the local parts store and buy original incandescent bulbs...

Recently went to AAP.
Told counter dork I wanted a sealed low beam headlamp. 5-1/4 round.

Que:

 

[stubs300]

I'm insulted that you think of me as a person that wouldn't care about alignment.

Remember that you said that and not me, sorry your insulted. It wasn't my intent.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I see a lot of trucks with LED headlights, company trucks so not one off owner/ops or overzealous driver they seem to just put out light like a flood light not really concentrating a beam like a old sealed beam incandescent. I believe putting your lights on relays is a great idea and part of the reason new cars, before this HID/LED stuff started, always seem to have nice lights is their wiring was new. For the a-holes(nobody here of course) that do put illegal HIDs in a non directional vehicle and blind the crap out of everybody so they lose track of lane position, someday that blinded vehicle may weigh 40+ tons with a left front to left front hit at 40 mph your pu/ricer/etc. will surely lose.

 

[commando1]

I see a lot of trucks with LED headlights, company trucks so not one off owner/ops or overzealous driver they seem to just put out light like a flood light not really concentrating a beam like a old sealed beam incandescent. I believe putting your lights on relays is a great idea and part of the reason new cars, before this HID/LED stuff started, always seem to have nice lights is their wiring was new. For the a-holes(nobody here of course) that do put illegal HIDs in a non directional vehicle and blind the crap out of everybody so they lose track of lane position, someday that blinded vehicle may weigh 40+ tons with a left front to left front hit at 40 mph your pu/ricer/etc. will surely lose.

Always seems the car following you at night has their HI beams on blinding the **** out of you through your mirrors.

But it's OK because they are behind you...

 

[Big_John]

Always seems the car following you at night has their HI beams on blinding the **** out of you through your mirrors.

But it's OK because they are behind you...

The ones that get me are the ones that follow you close in fog or into a snowstorm at night. You can't see because now their headlights are reflecting back off the snow or fog, so you slow and they follow even closer. Pull over so they pass and they start off fast... then they slow down to even slower than you were going.

 

[300rag]

Recently went to AAP.
Told counter dork I wanted a sealed low beam headlamp. 5-1/4 round.

Que:

Is that with or without AC, sir?

 

[commando1]

Is that with or without AC, sir?

No lie. I swear to gawd. I got the Year?/Make?/Model/Engine? dance.

FWIW, alongside the pegboard display of every modern halogen bulb known to man, there was ONE lonely #5006 headlamp... covered in dust.. on the bottom shelf.

 

[Gerald Morris]

No lie. I swear to gawd. I got the Year?/Make?/Model/Engine? dance.

FWIW, alongside the pegboard display of every modern halogen bulb known to man, there was ONE lonely #5006 headlamp... covered in dust.. on the bottom shelf.

That's why I go to the junkyard. I'm extremely blessed that I live within a mile of one that takes old cars and DOESN'T CRUSH THEM! There are a number of shops down here that stock the 500x lamps too, usually Sylvania/Osram Xtrablinds. Maaaaaybeeee Cree will get a decent LED 5.75" out in another year. At least there are some Euro-Americans involved w that bunch.

 

[1978 NYB]

Is that with or without AC, sir?

Do you need a front or rear headlight Sir?

 

[Big_John]

Do you need a front or rear headlight Sir?

I had one going the other day... I asked for a gas cap for my Tesla model S.

The joke was on him... I don't own a Tesla model S.

 

[commando1]

I had one going the other day... I asked for a gas cap for my Tesla model S.

The joke was on him... I don't own a Tesla model S.

You made my day, sir.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Here is a question. How is it legal to have like 20 lights on the front of these cars today? All these little Asian cars are coming at me with what looks to be Asian language characters written all over the front of their cars. I get the feeling they are saying something and laughing because I do not know, like the girls at my wife's nail salon talking in Vietnamese. Hmmmmmmm anybody familiar with Japanese or Korean characters?

 

[kmccabe56]

Most C-Bodies have the same H5001/H5006 headlights that don't light up the road at night worth a damn. The Sylvania H5001XV and H5006XV bulbs really aren't any kind of improvement.

So has anybody here (or anywhere) come up with an upgraded headlight conversion or HID system that works?

Check with Dan Stern. 225@torque.net

 

[Big_John]

Check with Dan Stern. 225@torque.net

His web site is : Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

and he's a member here: slantsixdan

 

[Knebel]

I am currently browsing headlight conversions too. JWSpeaker makes quality LEDs in 5.75" but they are $400 a piece. That with 4 lights, no thank you. Idk if they are just rebranded chinese but I see the same headlights elsewere for $200 for a set of 4.

They dont look lime standard lamps but i am willing to sacrifice that for better light and less current draw. My car isnt very original and i mainly want to enjoy driving it, plus we have 10months of rain here so i need better lights than the sealed beam "candles"

 

[saylor]

With some spade connectors and sealant you could wire from the original pigtails for the headlights to control a couple relays and minimize the wiring and the change from original. .

fking brilliant, man.

. I get the feeling they are saying something and laughing because I do not know, like the girls at my wife's nail salon talking in Vietnamese.

aahahahahahahaahahahahahahaaahahahaahaahahahaahaahahhahaaahahahahaahahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahaahaahahahaahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahaahahahahaaa

 

[Jakenks]

If one chose to buy the lights mentioned early on in the thread, one could also easily replace those H4 bulbs with a lower rated bulb. Second, the same site sells the almost required relay harness. that'll save you some time. Hell, its a good idea to use that even with sealed beams: you'd be surprised how much brighter they get.

4-Headlight Relay Wiring Harness H4 Headlamp Light Bulb Ceramic Socket Plugs Set

And, Dan Stern has great stuff also and is very knowledgeable.

 

[cantflip]

If one chose to buy the lights mentioned early on in the thread, one could also easily replace those H4 bulbs with a lower rated bulb. Second, the same site sells the almost required relay harness. that'll save you some time. Hell, its a good idea to use that even with sealed beams: you'd be surprised how much brighter they get.

4-Headlight Relay Wiring Harness H4 Headlamp Light Bulb Ceramic Socket Plugs Set

And, Dan Stern has great stuff also and is very knowledgeable.

Nice kit... at $50... you aren't spending too much more than the supplies to make your own.