LED headlights - now cost effective option.

[kitten1]

Here are some pictures of Kits new beam in the dark.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/139422280 ... res/67D993


Margaret

[jtparr]

Looks good Margaret...mine should arrive Monday

[23e Heure]

- Then order the Trucklite units...

Nice post Chris, pictures are always popular

Re the Trucklite items, a month or 2 ago I posted my intention to fit those to my 914.
Some response warned me about their legality in UK, and I put the plan on hold.
One of those images you posted is on a UK registered Landie though...

So... has anyone seen these for sale in UK? And confirmed them as legal here?

[squirejo]

Re trucklite- yes, they are for sale in the UK and regularly fitted to Landies.

[Bruce M]

There are trucklite & very similar copies on eBay under "defender LED headlights". The copies aren't E marked so should fail the MOT, if spotted,

[55ovalcharlie]

My plan to fit LED lights to the Modrod goes something like this...

I have two early cars sitting in the Garage, but they have different headlights.

'67 912 has original units but with upgraded H4 sealed beam units and Hella smooth glass...



'68 Modrod has later H4 units and later Bosch glass...(never liked the look of the later glass on this car)



This afternoon I decided to remove one of each and compare. There are pretty much the same, with all adjustment screws and adjustment grooves in the buckets in the same locations. The main difference is that the EARLY sealed beam light unit sits in a retaining ring.

I have tried to show below. The lights look alot different in the first picture, but this is only because original side light holder on the LATER light sticks out the back and effects the 'resting' angle.

EARLY - LATER


EARLY - LATER


EARLY


EARLY (that white self tapping screw wasn't me)


EARLY


LATER


LATER




So with this comparison, I am happy that the EARLY parts are inter-changeable with LATER and visa verse.

PLAN:

- Use the LATER Modrod chrome rings and buckets

- Order these Beetle repro units and use only the EARLY retaining ring from it (might be able to use the glass also if quality is ok):

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... %2D037%2DC



- If glass quality on the above is bad I'll order these repro HELLA SB19 glass (I used these on my 912 when I rebuilt the lights afew years ago):

http://www.ebay.de/itm/2-Stuck-Scheinwe ... 25a389ec1c


- Then order the Trucklite units, and put it all together:

http://www.drivetrainamerica.com/truck- ... -cj-tj-jk/




I have already painted the LATER buckets on the Modrod black during the initial build process. I think the black Trucklite units mounted to a painted black retaining ring should look pretty good in there. I found an example, albeit on a Landrover, of the Trucklite light pattern:








Helped me write it all down if nothing else

Hey Chris
Yes - that plan sounds like it will work

My 912 with the trucklites indeed uses the early style lights so the truck lights just get clamped to the retaining ring with those bendy wire thingymabobs

Very impressed with the output of the trucklites and for me was a really effective "bargain basement" option which has worked out really well.


P.s check your Instagram messages

[jtparr]

pictures should amply able to speak for themselves.....G6 LED lamps, 3000 lumens...fantastic value


to quote a certain Bobbie Gillespie

".I was blind..now I can see...."

[gridgway]

I certainly want to see better, but wasn't the law around max brightness (as limited by 55w for halogens) there to prevent super bright lamps? Are these LEDs not super bright?

"I could see until the car coming the other way had LED lights"!

[jtparr]

I was concerned about the same thing.....but these are similar to the mini we have...

[markm]

Like the look of them mr parr, now we will be able to see you in the rear view mirror.

[mdmax72]

Like you say pictures speak for themselves. Impressed. So will you have to change the bulbs back for an MOT??
He does state;
– Disclaimer : All bulbs are fitted and used at customer’s discretion and responsibility!

– All LED bulbs are sold as Off-Road or Show Use Only.

[Jonny Hart]

The LEDs look brighter and whiter but I would be concerned over the dazzle too.

Since I put relays on my standard headlamps, they are at least as good as the lamps in my 'modern' which are non LED.

Do you have headlamp relays? Part of the reason for the dramatic difference could be that the column switch is no longer having to switch as much current with the LED bulbs, rather than the bulbs themselves.

[jtparr]

Hi Mark...maybe now I have a not so pungent car....AND I can see where I am going I might even try something other than a rear position...

Rich..don't know about the MOT to be honest, Steve the seller was very open about their use, has sold dozens of kits, and uses them on his own 928....which he said has passed a number of MOT tests...I guess the truth will tell come October when I need mine doing....

Jonny....I have used a relay kit for the headlamps since I completed the car...and I checked my halogen lamps I had installed when I took them out, 55/60's...I still am using the relay....do you think I should remove it with the LED's...if you think that could "take the edge off" these new ones that would be worth a test too...

Think tomorrow night I will first try a test using the 911 and the mini....see how they compare, and whether their is a noticeable dazzle when driving towards the mini....

More later
Jonathan

[sladey]

I had no trouble with mine at the MOT. Mine are BRIGHT but no brighter than modern BMWs, audis etc

[Jonny Hart]

Jt, keep the relays, better that the current (though less) is handled by them rather than the column switch.

Still say your halogens look particularly dim although hard to tell with a photo.