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If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 6:56 am
by neilbardsley
https://youtu.be/X1L_aFGjmSI
Good review here.
Do our cars have projector or reflector headlights (
Sent from my M2004J19C using Tapatalk
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 8:19 am
by deano
Enjoyed that quite thorough test. We have reflectors on our early cars - projectors are the small compact things with a kind of magnifying glass lens at the front to shape the beam - our reflectors shape the beam too, but use a larger area to do the same thing...
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:45 am
by KS
Latest MOT update...
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 10:49 am
by deano
Hadn't spotted that MOT change - I'll bet there are a lot of people out there that don't know yet.
Looks like the change only applies to bulbs (should not be converted to be used with LED bulbs), and we are free to change the headlamp unit itself for an LED projector unit (which I did on my 924 Turbo), I hope...
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 11:37 am
by hot66
theyve been an mot failure for a while now .. that document seems to clarify things if mods have been done pre 86 ( which obviously an LED ownt have been )
I still run LEDs in my 964 ( change them out for MOT ) .. it is so much safer for me to have these fitted for driving nightime on the country roads
re 356.. any with american style sealed beam headlights its a direct swap for the LED projector units ( same as fitted to many defenders etc these days )
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 12:13 pm
by KS
hot66 wrote:theyve been an mot failure for a while now .. that document seems to clarify things if mods have been done pre 86 ( which obviously an LED ownt have been )
No, cars used before 1986 are OK – it refers to the date of registration, not whether the headlight mods were done back then.
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 12:31 pm
by hot66
my mistake .. skim read it .
So my 964 with LEDS is a failure .. but my 1973 car with the same headlights is a pass
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 12:43 pm
by KS
Crazy, isn't it?
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 1:15 pm
by Gary71
That YouTube video is great, particularly interesting is the messy beam pattern most of the LED lamps put out in reflectors.
I’m interested in the complete LED projector replacements that have dip and main built in. Not cheap though and not sure what the beam pattern will look like through a normal H4 lens.
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 2:37 pm
by hot66
Gary71 wrote:That YouTube video is great, particularly interesting is the messy beam pattern most of the LED lamps put out in reflectors.
I’m interested in the complete LED projector replacements that have dip and main built in. Not cheap though and not sure what the beam pattern will look like through a normal H4 lens.
you can build those yourself using your original rims and VW US spec buckets and using an LED unit to replace the old sealed beam unit
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 10:59 pm
by Jonny Hart
hot66 wrote:my mistake .. skim read it .
So my 964 with LEDS is a failure .. but my 1973 car with the same headlights is a pass
but both are illegal. Only a complete E marked LED unit is legal.
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 6:05 am
by sladey
I think my rpm technic ones are sealed unit e marked - they are tub approved I seem to remember
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 6:35 am
by jury
Something like this kinda works...No silly things like an MOT to deal with stateside, so long as they work
(seriously though...lack of MOT over here is bloody scary at times!!)
jury wrote:Been awhile since I had a tinker.
There had been some chat about LED headlights, at which I chirped in on...
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=52440&p=486077&hili ... ts#p486077
On the few occasions I have driven the car in the dark it is noticeable that the lights are pretty woeful. Bulbs, Relays and outputs have been checked and are good, the only other possible reason was that I had painted the buckets Black (I wanted a look similar to the black scoops on a 904/906) and maybe the light wasn't reflecting around.....who knows
So this weekend I got everything together and made a MOD.....I had previously done some research and worked out that early sealed beam units, later H4's and early Beetle headlight parts are all interchangeable.....well sort of, alittle massaging is needed.
I ordered some complete but cheap Beetle repro units from CIP1 in California, along with extra wiring pig tails and seals, whole lot came to $90. Then after bit of research I found a company making similar units to the LED Truck-lite units mentioned in the above thread...but at half the price.
Current setup...
Repro Beetle units...
LED units with H4 compatible connector. A transformer is also supplied should you experience any flicking (repro Beetle retaining ring shown) ...
I had planned to use the already fitted buckets but even with some persuading the new LED units and retaining rings wouldn't fit. I ended up painting the Beetle buckets, and blanked off the running light hole. It is still bit visible and I may either go back to revise the blanking plate, or, refit the running light fitting and bulb...
Everything put together:
-Beetle Bucket
-LED sealed beam unit
-Beetle retaining ring
-Porsche chrome ring
-Beetle glass
Ready to fit. The tabs on the retaining ring stick out little bit more vs the originals and the unit wouldn't fit ! This may be because the fiberglass wings have a substantially thicker Bowl compared to standard steel wings.....but, alittle bit of Dremel work and the new units slotted in.
Best thing is that the new LED units are black, this in combination with the black bowls and retaining rings gives look a lot closer to the 904/906 I was originally looking for...and the early glass is much more date appropriate for the car.
And...they work !! Blimey they are bright, and the light is instant !
Dipped...
Full beam...
Will need to level and adjust, but over all very pleased with the result
Cheers
Chris
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 3:26 pm
by deano
I had no idea that the 7" sealed beam Beetle bucket and glass could take a Porsche headlamp ring. If that's the case, and they can be converted for RHD cars (e.g. the alignment screws can switch sides), this could be quite an economic way to fit MOT passable E-marked (Jeep) LED projector units lamps for RHD cars.
This looks like the same Beetle bucket that Jury points out, available here in UK
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282619622379 ... Sw63FZ-b8H
Sorry to deviate from the bulb thread...
Re: If you are thinking of buying an LED headlight
Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 10:40 am
by Bruce M
If you want a “proper” led sealed beam (rather than the questionable E marked units) and are prepared to pay the cost...
https://www.wipac-led.com
