What is the maximum headlight wattage you can have for low and high beams?

I see you can get up to 100/130 watt halogens but they say off road use.

What is the wattage of the "Hella" lights?

[This message has been edited by Murfys_Law (edited 09-22-2000).]

Summit Racing offers Hella vision plus headlights that they say are 50% brighter low beam and 25% more on low. (they are in the detailing and finishing section of the catalog. -- hope this helps.

If you've got a first or second gen. car you should also update to relays. This way instead of 11.5 volts or so to the headlights you get 12.5-13 volts which will make the bulbs much brighter. One of the car mags just did an article on this a couple of months ago. Also I believe the wiring companies offer the kits to convert; very inexpensive and definitely make a difference.

Jody

I noticed quite a difference on mine just going to Halogen. Quite a bit brighter on high beam. I've always liked the European looking lights with the center shield inside. Don't know if these are available or legal in U.S.

What will actually give you better vision is the lenze.I've tryed Sylvania Extra Vision Halogins(these are U.S. specks), Hella's(Euro),IPF(Euro)and Cibie(Euro).I have to say without a dout the Cibies have the best useable beam pattern.If you buy them from the right place the Cibies will only end up being about $20. more for the set(compared to Hella).Well worth it if you want to see. They are about $55 each with bulbs.

There is also a big diference in the U.S speck lenze and the European speck lenze.The European lenze being vastly superior in lighting up the road,the shoulder,and its hazards.Once you have a pair you will not want to go back.

About bulbs:The legal limit for watage in the U.S is 55/65 for a single headlight system(thats a total of two headlights on your car).Don't be fooled into purchasing blue bulbs.They only mimick HID headlights curently avalable on high end cars,Mercedes,BMW,Porsch,Acura.I payed my $80. for PIAA's and found out the hard way. They will(the blue bulbs)blind the driver in fog and foul weather due to them reflecting blue light.Like the lenzes,the best bulbs are made in the European countrys.They have a tighter quality controll,and they will be closer to the advertised watage.

If you plan on installing higher wattage bulbs like 100/90's or 130/100's please do replace your factory harness.You could have a big melt down if you dont.Use 10 gauge wire and aftermarket relays.Hella makes a suprisingly good relay.Also, make sure your lenzes will accept the higher heat that the higher wattage bulbs create.There is a chance that they will crack and break from the higher heat.

OH yea, you spoke of the Hella bulbs...Well guess what?It seems Hella doesn't even make there own bulbs.A lot of there bulbs are made in places like China and Japan.Not good.The Hella's that I bought had Osram 65/55 bulbs in them.Mabey I got lucky.Osram and Narva are good Manufacturers.I believe both of them are in Germany.

Check this sight out,lots of info. http://lighting.mbz.org/products/


Hope this helps.



[This message has been edited by mutant 68 (edited 09-24-2000).]

Somewhat related Factoid of the day:

German design, yes. But guess what, they're made right here on the Oh So wonderful island of Penang, Malaysia. I know because I've been driving by the factory for the last 2 months. As yes, Osram makes excellent bulbs. Widely used in the semiconductor industry.



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Shawn Peterson
1969 Z28, 406SB
http://www.geocities.com/corsican69

M.A.D. Enterprises makes the relay kit.

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68 RS, Ash Gold,pwr windows,Hounds tooth

Shawn,

Have you driven by a Malaysian MacDonalds lately http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

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Click here to see see my car and hear 5-speeds. http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

mutant 68 - sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction with the PIAA H4 superwhite bulbs. i personally have sold hundreds of them to very pleased customers. i use them on all my cars including my '68 camaro and and see a vast improvement over standard halogen bulbs. they are also SAE approved for the superwhite hue (not blue). i also feel that if you use their lower wattage H4 you will not need to install a relay.

Interesting thread. I'm just learn, learn, learning. http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif What I can't figure out is how shawn drives around malaysia from colorado. Now that's a trick. http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

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Steve
67 SS 396,4-sp
67 RS 327,4-sp
72 RS 350/350
69 4X4 suburban 350,4-sp
73 3/4 ton 454/400
http://www.geocities.com/stevocamaro

Ahhhhh. MacDawnolds. I'm recalling a conversation from the other day.

"Ah sirw, you like Big Mac? We have best beoff on island. You like, you have barking beef. It llook like dog, but taste like beef!

Ah maybe you no like barking beef, you have chicken McNuckles, very goot, very chewy. Would you wike fwied chickens feet wit dat? And Flied Wice?"


***************

I'm having visions of being stuck here driving the Oh sooo fun 850CC Kancil. Pride of Malaysian automotive industry. I think the company president had a sense of humor though. It's a crappy little car that makes a Honda Civic look huge. Note that "Kancil" is similar to "Cancel" which is exactly what happens to you life if you get hit by a killing bus (Bas Kilang).

The other day I told my driver about the Camaro I have back home. In order to appreciate it fully, you have to understand that a car in Malaysia with anything over a 2.0 litre engine is taxed like crazy, and the cost escalates wildly beyond 3.0 litres. The conversation went something like this:

Driver: "Ah Ah Mr. Peteo'San, ah you have carw in US?"

Shawn: Yea, it's a 1969 Camaro, pretty fast.

Driver: "Oh, how you keep 30 yeer owd cawr wunning?"

Shawn: It's a collector, has been taken care of and restored. Not original motor though, faster one.

Driver:"Ah, how big you engine, 2 writres?"

>>>some quick math in my head....mmmmm 406,...

Shawn: It's about 6.6 litres.

Driver:" Howry cwap, you have 6.6 writres, wow, must be verwy eexpensive to own. How you dwrive with such beeg engine, that like 10 of Kancil engine. Is it wace cawr?"

Shawn: No, just a fun car. I drive it to work several times a week.

Driver: "Howry cow, must be vewry wich man to afford tax on 6 wreeter engine, that be like $20,000 ringiit a year" ($6000 US)

Shawn:"Nope, $50 a year"

Driver: "DOH !"

Such is life in Malaysia. OOPS, Camaro forum, I'm ranting. Oh well, chock it up to missing my car as much as mi novia.



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Shawn Peterson
1969 Z28, 406SB
http://www.geocities.com/corsican69

LOL! Thanks Shawn, I needed that. Not much sleep in my household lately so the laugh came in handy.

So, terrible food, heat and humidity that would kill a toad, and no Camaro to drive. Did I mention no girlfriend? You must be a bundle of joy when you get home http://www.camaros.net/forum/tongue.gif

Good luck and don't let that rat sized bug keep you awake.

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Click here to see see my car and hear 5-speeds. http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

Shawn-Auts uh goo stowy.I understand Cibie was bought by someone.Do you know who it was? What was the name of the factory you drove by?

CJ-I bought the 80/80 version of the Superwhites.I was very pleased with them until I started making regular trips to Depoe Bay, the road is narrow,mostly 2 lanes,with no passing,very windey,lots of ups and downs,and it doesn't have any light on it.It's simply a joy to be stuck behind a motor home doing 45-50 in a 55 for 70 miles.I was almost having to squint to see.I became unhapy with this situation.I started to do research on the subject and found the bigest reason for being blinded was because of the slightly blue tint.I swaped my bulbs to Narva 100/90's and I could see beter.From what I've read it's because my eyes are more relaxed.It didn't make a huge diference but it did help.I might even try the yellow tint bulbs,but I believe they would sacrifice to much illumination in normal clear weather.I have recently bought some fogs,but haven't mounted them yet.



[This message has been edited by mutant 68 (edited 09-28-2000).]

Just found out that Cibie was bought by Valeo.I have also herd there quality droped slightly.My Cibies are still beter than my Hellas.The Hella's had a good beam patern but the spread from high to low was to great.When the lows were adjusted properly the highs were at the top of trees.When the highs were right the lows were on the bumper.

[This message has been edited by mutant 68 (edited 09-28-2000).]

I mounted a pair of 200,000 candle power Ray-Dots on my '67's front bumper like in 1968. I removed two bumper bolts and they bolted up just like my car had big round quad's. I had 9.50/14" mud and snow tires on my car so it was raked so much that my brights were useless.
One night about 9 PM, I was on the highway south of town and a Smart-a-- wouldn't dim after three polite tries. I aimed my car over at him and hit the toggle switch at about an eighth of a mile and he DARN near hit the ditch. As I went by him at about 50-55mph, I saw that it was one of Missouri's finest. He didn't U-turn and come after me so I considered myself real lucky. pdq67

Pdq67,
He probably thought you were a UFO!
He probably came back to the station with a sunburned face!


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Check my web page for First Gen Camaro suspension info:
David's Motorsports page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/)
First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
67 RS 327
69 Camaro Vintage Racer
65 Lola T-70 Can Am Vintage Racer

Just found out that Sylvania is the manufacturer of Osram bulbs.



[This message has been edited by mutant 68 (edited 11-05-2000).]

Hella H4's are the way to go. Throw out the 55/60 bulbs that come in the box, and pick up a set of 80-100 bulbs, never touch the bulb with your fingers. I ran 'em for years in my 69, and cruised for over 300 miles in the dark, without a problem. The whackjob I sold the car to said he burned the headlight harness out, and therefore went to less wattage. Check your grounds and connections periodicly and you'll be ok... (my .02)