1970s 1976 Eldorado headlight improvement

[Finndorado]

In Europe the sealed beams are not allowed so all American cars get new lamps from Hella or Bosch. To change them is not a big deal and they come with a regular H4 halogen bulb. Better than sealed beam but still not good.

A while ago Osram and Phillips came out with LED bulbs with a H4 socket and exactly the same bulb size like the regular H4 bulbs. So it is a simple plug and play game.

These LEDs have 230% (!!!) more light than the regular H4; last forever and use less current.

I have them in my 76 Eldorado and my 79 Lincoln. Hi Beam is now like the fireworks.

It is worth the "Hassle" ! 

Hi Peter !
Where did you get your lamps ? -76 Eldorado has square ones but my -73 has round ones (normal selaed beams).
So you don`t have to do anything else than change the lamp and then put an Osram led bulb, correct ?
I would like to give it a try.

Thanks
Mika

[winger888]

Hi Mika,
that is correct. My Eldorado has square and the Lincoln has round lamps. Just make sure you have the H4 bulb lamps and sockets.
I got my bulbs from Sebastian but I guess you can easy order them online.
Regards Peter

[Finndorado]

Hi Mika,
that is correct. My Eldorado has square and the Lincoln has round lamps. Just make sure you have the H4 bulb lamps and sockets.
I got my bulbs from Sebastian but I guess you can easy order them online.
Regards Peter

Thanks Peter, but I meant the lamps, to replace the sealed beam.
Where did you find your own ones ?
Mika

[Big Fins]

If you plan on using halogens, put relays in the area of the headlights themselves. Halogens use some serious power and the relays will pick up the load off of the headlight switch and the dimmer switch.

LED's are great, but look ugly as sin. They also cause a white out when driving in fog. Incandescent bulbs are the best for foggy driving. I have the regular halogen sealed beams in mine. Aimed properly, there are no issues with night driving.

For maintaining usage of the fiber optic monitors, if the little rubber sections are missing in the headlight plugs, cut a 3/8" section of 5/16" vacuum line and as you are plugging the pigtail into the rear of the bulb, slip the section of vacuum line right into the center of the plug and press it home. While you have the plugs off of the bulbs, take a toothbrush and clean up the ends of the fiber optics. It makes the hood and rear deck monitors so much brighter.

[TJ Hopland]

If you plan on using halogens, put relays in the area of the headlights themselves. Halogens use some serious power and the relays will pick up the load off of the headlight switch and the dimmer switch

What year and model did you experience this 'serious power' draw when compared to the OE bulbs on?   I keep seeing that statement and assume its true but I don't think anyone has ever came up with details.  In the 70's GM cars at least the bulbs I have personally measured there was no significant difference in the draw between the types.

Yes it will reduce the draw if you install a relay but does it really gain you anything vs adding extra parts?  I would argue in 70's GMs no gains.  I'm open to hear about other years where it is an issue?   Maybe in the context of outside the USA where they are fitting bulbs no originally designed for USA cars I could see the draw being different.   

[TJ Hopland]

For maintaining usage of the fiber optic monitors, if the little rubber sections are missing in the headlight plugs, cut a 3/8" section of 5/16" vacuum line and as you are plugging the pigtail into the rear of the bulb, slip the section of vacuum line right into the center of the plug and press it home. While you have the plugs off of the bulbs, take a toothbrush and clean up the ends of the fiber optics. It makes the hood and rear deck monitors so much brighter.

This only works if you have a fairly old production bulb that still has that nipple on the back, or have you found a reliable source for bulbs that still have the glass nipple?  Last time I was working on a possibly 80 Cadillac I tried some different brands and kept getting identical bulbs in different boxes that had an white opaque plastic plug instead of the clear glass nipple and they just didn't let much light out.  For sure you had to get it as clean as possible to have a chance. 

I will have to look but I think the last square bulbs I bought that plastic plug was black so no light at all gets out, glad those were not for a Cadillac that had monitors.

It may be getting to the point where someone will have to come up with a likely LED light that will shine in the optic so at least it will work.  Won't tell you that your real bulbs are working but at least you will still have an idea what you have or have not selected to be on or off.

[Big Fins]

I remember the switch on my '59. It would get hot as hell with the halogen bulbs but remain just warm to the touch with the incandescent lights. That thought always carried over to other cars that I would change the bulbs out in. I have no solid numbers as far as amperage draw. But I can really feel the difference in the switch temperatures.

Could it be weak connections? Maybe, not all that sure. I clean them up with contact cleaner and then put them together with dielectric grease. That really helps keep them clean. It sure made a difference in the windshield wipers in my recent '69. They would never park. One of the member did a write up in the S/S about it, I tried it and they worked just like new.


The older sealed beams did have that glass 'tit' that really helped the monitors. The newer ones are mostly just flat. That's why I use the vacuum line. It channels the light to the fiber optic cord. It's not nearly as bright as the older bulbs, but it still works. At night you can see them okay, but during the daytime, it's pretty much useless.

[TJ Hopland]

Originally at least on the 70's and 80's cars it seemed like it was a foam rubber sort of material that made up that sleeve so if it was even there the first time you had to change a bulb the next time it likely just was too brittle to re use.   I too used hose. I think I was several Cadillacs in before I got one that still had the sleeve in there so I didn't even know it was a thing for ever.  I would guess it was mostly there to try and keep that area clean. 

[winger888]

Thanks Peter, but I meant the lamps, to replace the sealed beam.

Hi Mika, just look for Bosch or Hella. Sorry for responding so late. Had the Eldorado out for a wonderful trip to Tuscany/Italy

To make it clear again because of other comments: replacing sealed beams lamps by halogen lamps does draw more amps and may result in malfunctioning including fires.
We are talking LED bulbs not lamps. The appearance is like the original build. 

[Finndorado]

Hi Mika, just look for Bosch or Hella. Sorry for responding so late. Had the Eldorado out for a wonderful trip to Tuscany/Italy

To make it clear again because of other comments: replacing sealed beams lamps by halogen lamps does draw more amps and may result in malfunctioning including fires.
We are talking LED bulbs not lamps. The appearance is like the original build. 

Ok, thanks Peter

Mika

[amarzano]

has anyone had experience with these from Holley? They LOOK like the stock lights, but are LED.

Wondering if they can be adapted to work with the lamp monitors.

https://www.holley.com/products/electrical/led_lighting/retrobright/parts/LFRB120-1

[TJ Hopland]

Looks interesting.  If anything has a decent chance of not being awful it could be these.  For the money they better work.   

On the monitor front there is that odd nipple like thing on the housing that could be some sort of port into the reflector area.  If they were like $30 each I would risk messing with that to see if it could work but at $200 a pop I would be afraid that messing with that would compromise things and shorten their lives.   

[TJ Hopland]

I forgot to finish my thought on the monitors,  I think if it was me I would rig up a smaller LED and wire it into the connector and use heat shrink to connect to the fiber.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

If there is any light source that the Fibre Optic could be aimed at, then it would work, but you would have to drill into the housing to get that source.

A bit useless if you put a globe into the end of the Fibre Optic line, and then the head light blows.   The Fibre Optic stays on, and the driver doesn't get the signal that the headlight has blown.

Plus, with Headlights, there are two Fibre Optics.   One that shows the Low Beam, and the other, the High Beam.  The third Optic is for the Park Light/Indicator Light.

Bruce.

[Big Fins]

I think that at $200 a piece, they are going to be sitting on their shelves for a looooooong time.

[bcroe]

I have had a lot of quad rectangular headlight
cars, all equipped with halogen bulbs.  One I
ordered that way from the factory, none used
relays to power them.  Same wattage means same
wiring load.

However old cars can have wiring issues.  If
there is enough resistance in the wiring to
generate heat, probably that will cause contact
oxidation, more resistance, more heat, till it
outright burns out.  Relays can help avoid this
happening, and feed peak voltage the lights need
for peak brightness. Bruce Roe

[amarzano]

Looks interesting.  If anything has a decent chance of not being awful it could be these.  For the money they better work.   

On the monitor front there is that odd nipple like thing on the housing that could be some sort of port into the reflector area.  If they were like $30 each I would risk messing with that to see if it could work but at $200 a pop I would be afraid that messing with that would compromise things and shorten their lives.   

TJ
I believe that is a vent port on top. I have these ports on other LEDs for some motorcycles. They help vent air and moisture. I was thinking the same thing to have the fiber run in there.

No doubt these are pricey, but now that they are out there, the trend is for the cost to come down.

I run LEDs on various other vechicles and have found them to be the leading tech in lighting right now, when considering output, power consumption and heat.

I have replaced all the courtesy lights in my car with LEDs for fear of the plastic lens melting. Still keeping with the warmer colors.

Alex

[amarzano]

TJ
I believe that is a vent port on top. I have these ports on other LEDs for some motorcycles. They help vent air and moisture. I was thinking the same thing to have the fiber run in there.

No doubt these are pricey, but now that they are out there, the trend is for the cost to come down.

I run LEDs on various other vechicles and have found them to be the leading tech in lighting right now, when considering output, power consumption and heat.

I have replaced all the courtesy lights in my car with LEDs for fear of the plastic lens melting. Still keeping with the warmer colors.

Alex

And here we go - much cheaper version $135 for 4 lamps,  that looks like it might work with the lamp monitor mod above.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/135033328915?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=w35pgbuvqe-&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=MYdS7fq8RIm&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[TJ Hopland]

I dunno, the Holley ones are expensive but I think they have a very good chance of being good performers.  That ebay ad has all the hallmarks of being just another sort of cloned junk product.   If someone has tried them or wants to be sure to let us know how they work out and that includes having someone else drive your car after you install them behind you and coming at you while you are driving a car not some tall truck or suv. 

LED's by nature are super directional so it takes a lot of extra work to get them to do what was much easier to do with an incandescent lamp.  I didn't dig into the Holley one but I didn't notice if it had a replaceable 'lamp'.   The Ebay housings look like they were made to fit some sort of universal replacements.   I'm not saying that can't work and that that isn't what Holley did. 

Also look at the certifications for the ebay one,  OE certified?  Seems like they are just throwing in keywords. "No blind oncoming drivers"... ya right and 6500K?  5000 is institutional white and 5600 is about the limit before you start really looking blue so 6500 is gonna be pretty blue.     Originals would have been maybe 2700 and halogens maybe 3000. 

[Big Fins]

In foggy or snowy conditions, LED's are useless. They create a white out in which there is no beam to pierce the fog or snow. Incandescent lights are the way to go when you really need to see. LED's just scream, 'Hey, look at me, I can blind everyone'.