fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Can anything be done with my '89s headlights to make them halfway decent? I always admired the GTPs lights because those suckers are so bright, you can see the deer a good quarter mile away. However, the SEs are dim as hell comparatively. Any way to brighten them up? Also, any way to make them look good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 You're telling me your composite lights are dimmer than your miniquads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 You're telling me your composite lights are dimmer than your miniquads?Yeah, no shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 You're telling me your composite lights are dimmer than your miniquads? Yeah, why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I much prefer my miniquads to the regular composite.. I don't seem to have the low light output everyone bitches about. Quality light output is going to depend on the condition and cleanliness of your lenses and headlight assembly, and the age and condition of your current bulbs. As bulbs age, they decrease in output... they don't just die... they dim. And obviously, a dirty lense and/or reflector is going to KILL light output. THAT is the biggest factor in light quality. For those of you in the snowy regions... ever notice how horrid your headlights get to be after a good day of road dibris, salt, and slush create a very fine coating on the front of your car? It doesn't take much to kill the lighting quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Yeah, the lenses are clean. In fact, on my '95 T-Bird, I had just buffed and polished the headlights, and put in brand new bulbs, and they still weren't half as bright as the GTP's (dims and brights). Which ones are supposed to be brighter, composites or mini quads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I don't think one is supposed to be better than the other. The light output depends on the reflector design. In theory, with a properly designed assembly, you could create more light output from a 3057 bulb than you could with a non-assemblied 9006 bulb. Over time, the assembly can become quite dirty inside.. it may look somewhat clean, but even the smallest layer of film can kill output. I should have taken a picture of the amount of dirt I emptied out of the taillights and headlights from my old '89 GP.. they LOOKED fine... but once I opened them up and cleaned them out, the dirt inside of them was astounding. And the Ford headlights are well known for yellowing. Most of them are plastic, IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Oh, yeah, the T-Bird's lights were crap, so I spent the afternoon wet sanding and buffing them back to normalcy. Still, they weren't adjustable, so all the good light ended up pointing more towards the ground. What about those...oh, hell, I can't remember what they're called.... Silverstars? Those really bright mofos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Silverstars... They aren't any better than any other bulb.. Same light output... just a slightly different color. A whiter light, such as the Silverstar is claimed to be, is supposed to pick up more things on the road and be easier on the eyes. THe hell if its worth the extra money to me. I've had two sets in two different cars and I'm still not in awe. If you want headlights, find a car with HID's... wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I'm so paranoid about all the deer around here, I'm thinking of wiring up an extra set of headlights and aiming them towards the side of the road. You can't swing a dead cat on any UP highway without hitting a damn deer. Their eyes just barely reflect the dim-ass lights I have now, but I can't make them out when their heads are down. Too bad about the Silverstars... I put a set of those "SuperBlue GM" bulbs in the 'Bird, and they were a little improvement (the whiter/bluer light caught more things than the yellowish OEM ones did), but nothing to scream about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I'm so paranoid about all the deer around here, I'm thinking of wiring up an extra set of headlights and aiming them towards the side of the road. You can't swing a dead cat on any UP highway without hitting a damn deer. Their eyes just barely reflect the dim-ass lights I have now, but I can't make them out when their heads are down. Too bad about the Silverstars... I put a set of those "SuperBlue GM" bulbs in the 'Bird, and they were a little improvement (the whiter/bluer light caught more things than the yellowish OEM ones did), but nothing to scream about. About the deer I totally agree w/you! I was in the UP last summer. Clipped the end of one on US-2 and on the way back a guy in front of me hit a fawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 What about those...oh, hell, I can't remember what they're called.... Silverstars? Those really bright mofos? I've got a pair in my car. I like 'em, but they're no brighter than the normal 9006's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 My miniquads are bright as hell too...they work way better than the lights on my old Blazer or the ones on my mom's 97 Grand Prix GT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 And it also depends on how well they are aimed to the road. If you're off to either side, up or down, just a few degrees... you'll miss a lot of stuff on the road. Just carry comprehensive coverage with your insurance company I've made near 14 comp claims in the past 4 years that all involved collisions with animals. The coverage is cheap and it'll save your ass sooner or later. Plus, filing a claim doesn't affect your premium! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Oh hell yeah, I put nothing less than comp on the GTP (the SE can make do with PLPD for all I care). So, if I smack a deer, and he decides to cave in my front end, my insurance will pay enough to put the car back to nomal? BTW, I pay $840 every six months for coverage. You say yours is cheap? Where do you go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I just put Silverstars in the Prix, and I like them. They seem slightly brigher to me, but I also like the "whiter" light they put out. I will soon be replacing the fog lights with them as well...if nothign else, they are Sylvania and I'd like to see that place stay in business as they have a plant in my town... But my mini-quad's on the Cutlass were BRIGHT. I think overall, they could have been brighter than my Prix, but it's hard to say. I really did like the mini's though. As for your composities...are your glass or plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Oh hell yeah, I put nothing less than comp on the GTP (the SE can make do with PLPD for all I care). So, if I smack a deer, and he decides to cave in my front end, my insurance will pay enough to put the car back to nomal? BTW, I pay $840 every six months for coverage. You say yours is cheap? Where do you go? I pay 330 every 6mo. for full coverage through State Farm. And yeah... if you hit a deer and you carry comp, its treated just like any other accident... the car is either deemed salvage or repaired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 why did GM stop using the Mini Quads in there vehicles anyway? It is prolly an aiming issue too, cause my mom had a Headlight pointing to the side of the road, lol and she couldnt see crap but the side of the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 probably had to do with the designs...I LOVE them to death but some people think the car looks wierd because of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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