BradleyScott

Low beams

Hi beams

Typically even though I drive my car everyday, I don't often take the time to go out for a nice cruise so I guess I miss the self reflection part of just cruising around and enjoying the car for what it is. Tonight was different though. I didn't have any deadline to make it on time to work or anything so I got to really just enjoy it and the amazing weather we've had recently. Coming back I realized the drastic difference between aftermarket l.e.d. headlights and the factory bulbs. I'm not sure how I even saw the road before hand. It's just one of those things that if you don't know, then you don't know.... So I decided to make this short post. Go ahead, upgrade all your lighting. It's okay to improve upon the safety aspects of these 50 year old cars! Converting back to sell is a simple 15 minute job and if wired up cautiously, doesn't have to modify the factory harness in any way whatsoever. The led bulbs aren't like the older style high wattage/amperage halogen bulbs requiring heavyduty wiring. The factory harness is more than adequate for the l.e.d. style. And after seeing those results, you can't fall back of the ignorance is bliss attitude anymore. Those high beams light up about an 1/8th of a mile down the road!!

tru-blue 442

.

redoldsman

I love that Tee shirt.

fleming442

I agree to a point. Visually, I like to retain the fluting in the glass. Hella H4 conversion housings are cool, but I hear the Retrobrites are way expensive.
I don't think I'll abandon my OSRAMs just yet.
What are you running?

Fun71

I heard the same thing about the HID headlights on my wife’s car. Folks on that car forum made it sound like you couldn’t see the road 10 feet ahead, yet I never had any issues seeing, even in totally dark rural areas.

Greg Rogers

The headlights on my Olds seem just fine, I have the 80's "Halogen". I hate the look of the newer ones with the rings.

oldcutlass

x2

joe_padavano

Years ago (when they were still in print), Rod and Custom did an article about how to attach original T3 lenses to H4 halogen reflectors for the best of both worlds. This is a great use for burned out T3s.

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/10...rs-conversion/

BlueCalais79

x3 on the 80's Halogen. I replaced my guide (yellow) headlights with a set of Halogens in 1988 in my 79 Calais, the brighter (white) was a game changer. Back then the blue Calais was my everyday driver, so night driving was all the time.

I still have not changed the same Halogen headlights (H6054) since then. Now that I mentioned that, one of them will croak tomorrow. I'll be ready, I always keep a spare in the trunk, I doubt these are readily available in parts stores.

jaunty75

Because I don't want to blind oncoming drivers.

Oldsguy

I don't like driving at night, it's too dark.

Olds64

I replaced the head lights on my 71 98 years ago with halogens from the parts store. They work great.

I don't know if I would try an LED kit. Are they available that aren't imported junk?

redoldsman

I am not driving on stock headlight bulbs. I am driving on halogen bulbs which are fine. I rarely drive the car at night. I don't like the look of these new lights and like the expense even less.

BangScreech4-4-2

Same thing I thought when I saw the title for this thread.

I'm old.

tru-blue 442

I can't hardly see at night with the new Ferd pickup coming at me. My gosh, how many candle watts do you freaking need anyway. Those need a recall, they will blind.

matt69olds

Are people scared of the dark???

While it’s great that you have headlights bright enough to see into the next time zone, it’s too bad you have melted the retina of the approaching drivers.

Im amazed the DOT allows some of the headlights on new vehicles.

Funkwagon455

Thank you very much sir, your support and courtesy to fellow drivers is greatly appreciated.😀 #selfless/courteous

Fun71

My thought exactly. This past winter when folks had headlights on during the drive home I was amazed at how many oncoming vehicles were blinding me. I initially thought the high beams were on but after so many cars with the same blinding lights I realized it was the low beams. What’s unbelievable is the passengers side headlights were blinding me. I thought there were regulations about light patterns but apparently I was wrong.

bccan

That’s one reason, among others that I like the E-Code light pattern. Keeps light away from oncoming traffic, better illumination of signs, both roadside and overhead, along with seemingly better “throw.” I like them better than U.S. DOT pattern.

…

Koda

Part of engineering is providing "enough." More is not always better. Young people tend to dismiss anything that was around before them as a mental coping of them not having much experience, thus, anything old, sucks, to them.

I'm a student of technological history and I enjoy old stuff because it often gives you more freedom to control it the way you want.

In this situation, halogens are enough.

66_Jetstar

I'm growing real tired of these folks driving around with the lights off a 747. Seems like the stupid bright bulbs are the quintessential upgrade for the young crowd. They have no regard for the other drivers on the road..

BangScreech4-4-2

Doesn't need to be an upgrade -- what the factory supplies is plenty blinding, even (as noted above) on low-beam. Just another symptom of our narcissistic "me-first" ("I can see perfectly clearly; who cares if YOUR retinas are permanently seared?") culture.

66_Jetstar

It seems like the newer cars have dialed in the beams and are able to aim them so they aren't so bad, but I agree, they are still ridiculous.

The folks witg leveling kits in their trucks are the worst. Of course they never bother to adjust the lights down after.

Oldsguy

I saw a commercial for a new flashlight that is actually lasers, it burns through stuff! Maybe we will start seeing people with that kind of upgrade on their headlights as well. Lord help us!!!