97-03 GP headlights/fogs

[KnightOwl]

I realize this is a wide topic with a lot of personal taste thrown in, but I also know there is a lot of junk out there too. LED lighting has taken a huge leap forward since my last W-body so what kind of results do they provide is any?

 

 

 

 

Searching on either of these items only gives random references, so what to avoid and whats ok?

 

 

 

 

 

I installed a set of projectors on my 2001 but took them off due to low output. I was told to go HID back then, so is that still the chosen route or have other options gotten better?

[MiriV]

Outside of a proper projector retrofit, the stock headlights don't really benefit from anything other than a quality halogen bulb set like Sylvania Xtravision or Philips Xtremevision. LED bulbs won't help much with the crappy beam distribution our stock housings have.

 

Aftermarket projector headlights for the car are either really bouncy (fixed with weatherstriping around the enclosure) or have a really weird pattern and pretty much demand HID/LED bulbs to operate efficiently and at that point you're looking at the same money it'd cost ya to do a proper retrofit.

[Imp558]

I love my HIDs. Did a little rewire so the lows stay on with the highs. Next I'm bypassing the fog light control so just run off the switch with ignition power so on gloomy nights that car will have 6 HIDs up front.

[digitaloutsider]

Do not install HIDs or LEDs in factory halogen housings.

 

If you want better lights, you need to do real HID projector retrofits. 

[KnightOwl]

I recall reading something about HIDs taxing the electrical system? Something about an alternator booster cable? Anything to that?

 

 

 

So retrofit projector housings with HIDs deliver best results...same with fog lights?

[Imp558]

Hid kits always seem to come with a pigtail jumper, I cut these up for plugs and run a large 14-12 GA wire through a relay and fuse to the battery and then trigger the relay off one of the factory headlight plugs. Plenty of power that way. If you have a car with "Headlight out" indicators HIDs will show the lights as out all the time.

 

HIDs are supposed to have proper reflectors, the reflector is to focus the light more straight ahead and provide a point of vertical cutoff to keep oncoming traffic happy.

HIDs do physically mount in a factory housing without reflectors but this is very offensive to proper reflector diehards.

When I do them I adjust the headlight down a bit to keep them out of oncoming traffic's eyes.

 

When the cost of reflectors becomes realistic I'd like to convert all of mine but mathematically I have 3 sets on the Monte, 3 sets on the SSEI, and will have 2 sets on the GS as I did the Regal for a grand total of 16 expensive reflectors - that ain't happening.

 

I did a headlight shootout with a light meter over the summer and made a thread about it.

[rich_e777]

I had bought a set of aftermarket offroad foglights off the shelf at AZ that fit into the foglight molding pretty good. They wouldnt mount to the bracket but with a bit of modification one could use pieces of plastic to "clamp" it to the bumper cover.

[digitaloutsider]

HIDs are supposed to have proper reflectors, the reflector is to focus the light more straight ahead and provide a point of vertical cutoff to keep oncoming traffic happy.

HIDs do physically mount in a factory housing without reflectors but this is very offensive to proper reflector diehards.

When I do them I adjust the headlight down a bit to keep them out of oncoming traffic's eyes.

 

 

"Aiming headlights down" does not fix glare.  This is a fundamental issue with how the light is emitted from the bulb. In addition, you're purposely screwing up the aim of your headlamps.

 

For anyone with Facebook, please join the Headlight Junkies group to get good lighting advice.

[Bronco Boy]

LED's are not there yet. HID in a projector is still the best way to go.

[wstefan20]

LED's are not there yet. HID in a projector is still the best way to go.

Agreed. I'm sure it'll change in the near future, and I'm looking forward to not changing ballasts and bulbs! Even though they aren't as bright, morimoto led projectors are actually surprisingly good. Now, I'm not about to pay that price tag though.... lol

[Imp558]

I've often wondered what could be done with a bag of high brightness LEDs and some prototype board. I got the stuff last year with the intention of making tails and markers for the Regal. LEDs come in different viewing angles so a tight angle should be along the same idea as a reflector. Have to figure 500 LEDs would throw a respectable amount of light.

[Bronco Boy]

Yes, the more LED's the better. I sell off-road stuff, and the Rigid Industry LED lights are some of the finest. The 30-50" LED light bar throws tons of light. I do see some of the newer cars with 4-5 LED pods for headlights, so we still need multiple LED's to make some light.

[Bronco Boy]

Agreed. I'm sure it'll change in the near future, and I'm looking forward to not changing ballasts and bulbs! Even though they aren't as bright, morimoto led projectors are actually surprisingly good. Now, I'm not about to pay that price tag though.... lol

IMO, retrofits are the best investment. In the winter months, my drive to and from work is all darkness, and after having the retrofits, I will never go back.

[Imp558]

Aftermarket LED driving lights are like a dozen or less. Lol Doing the whole area would produce ungodly amounts of light, of course they could be voltage dropped or PWM to make realistic amounts of light. Imagine plating the entire headlight area with High brightness LEDs and being able to run the lows at full power and switch on all the ones in the high beam housings at once to make unimaginable amounts of light for high beams, wow.

[KnightOwl]

I'm surprised I haven't seen a retrofit housing with a couple small LED light mounted side by side (something akin to the current aftermarket housings) Given the crazy number of LED lights I found on eBay looking for my fog lights, it seems doable. The housing would probably have to have some kind of "eyebrow" to cut the upward glare.

[FordMan77]

Once I have the money, this is the only place I'm going to get mine from--> http://www.classysretrofits.com/

 

Will be the best headlights this car has ever had.

[KnightOwl]

Once I have the money, this is the only place I'm going to get mine from--> http://www.classysretrofits.com/

 

Will be the best headlights this car has ever had.

 

That stuff looks amazing!

[wstefan20]

That stuff looks amazing!

Just do the retrofit yourself! It's really really simple and there's all sorts of options that you can do too! Haven't posted in awhile but I've got a thread I'm doing on some spyder headlights. You'd be shocked just how easy it is.

[KnightOwl]

I'll definitely check it out but I'm leaning toward replacing my stockers with a set of those smoked halo projectors. I will still be interested in getting the best light out of those so any info on the different bulbs will be welcome reading. I just really like the 4 light look.