upgrade headlights 1973 911

[Crosby]

I have a 1973 911 T Targa and I would like to upgrade the headlights to something a little brighter. Any suggestions.
thanks
Cros
crosbycoughlin@earthlink.net

[jester911]

Euro H-1s (big money,hard to find)
Euro H-4s (not as much, easy to find)

[Crosby]

is there much differnece between h-1 and h-4 in terms of the amount of light ?

[tcar]

It's not the H1 or H4 that makes it bright, it's the bulb.

First you need to put in a relay kit - sucro

Problem installing Sucro headlight relay kit

Then you can put in aftermarket bulbs, say 80/100W instead of the 50/60W stock.

[Crosby]

do I need the relay if I put in the Hella H4 Halogen DOT-Approved Headlamp 55/60 watt?
many thanks
Cros

[ljowdy]

Here are before and after photo's of my 1973, with stock headlights and with H4's.

Currently, I'm not using a relay kit however, I'm going to make my own using relay harnesses and 20/30 amp relays.

Right now, they work just fine but the relays will take the load off the headlight switch and because relays have their own power source, they will remove the 12 volt load from the existing 34 year old wire loom and should make both low and high beams brighter.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Crosby

do I need the relay if I put in the Hella H4 Halogen DOT-Approved Headlamp 55/60 watt?
many thanks
Cros

No, that's what came from the factory, but, relay kit will help make existing headlights and dash gauge lights brighter.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by tcar

It's not the H1 or H4 that makes it bright, it's the bulb.

First you need to put in a relay kit - sucro

Problem installing Sucro headlight relay kit

Then you can put in aftermarket bulbs, say 80/100W instead of the 50/60W stock.

Wellllll....

The bulb 'makes' the light, but the reflector design is what sends the light out in a beam (or a not so good beam). The H1's also have separate &
separately adjustable reflectors so you can put low beams in one place and high beams "on down the road." They also will cost $800 or 2x that for a nice set...

Yes, you do need relays.

Why not start with H4s and see if you are happy. If not. then you can begin your search for the H1s while still driving at night.

search as all your queries have already been answered many times.

[304065]

Use Hella Vision, they are a DOT-legal copy of the E-code lamp.

[bluesky]

Which headlight relay do we order for the 73 & earlier?

I see the one (# JWST-911-HLPR) posted on Pelican for the +74 but not one for our long hoods.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=911L&section=ELgage&page=2&bookmark=5&part_number=JWST-911-HLPR

Do we use the same relay? If so, are the instructions written to tell how to use it on a '73?

Thanks

[ljowdy]

I made my own relay kit by using (4) relay wire looms and (4) 20/30 relays. Blue wire goes to the fuse block and is energized when you turn on the headlight switch, the yellow wire goes to the headlight wire, the brown wire goes to ground and the Red wire goes to your battery. The black wire from the relay wire loom is not used. I used (4) relays because the early fuse block has (4) fuses, one each for left/right low beam and one each for left/right high beam.

[tcar]

Get a set of H4's, they plug right in. Use 55/60 bulbs and see what you think. Just the improvement in beam pattern will be a huge step up.

Later, if you want more, you can get the relays and 55/100 bulbs.

The H1 improvement isn't worth the price IMO, unless you're say, racing at night.

[ljowdy]

TCAR, a good point. I installed H4's and they worked fine but after a while, I thought about my 34 year old wiring and that's when I decided to use relays.

[bluesky]

Originally Posted by tcar

Get a set of H4's, they plug right in. Use 55/60 bulbs and see what you think. Just the improvement in beam pattern will be a huge step up.

Later, if you want more, you can get the relays and 55/100 bulbs.

The H1 improvement isn't worth the price IMO, unless you're say, racing at night.

Thanks guys for the replys.

I've run H-4's for the past 14 years in my car and have loved the illumination improvement. However, my reason for going to the relays was the old wiring of the car....sort of along the same line of ljowdy's line of thinking. Also, doesn't the relay solution also reduce the amount of power running through the turn signal switch.?


jlowdy, i'm going to try your 4 relay solution. I believe my car has the same multi-fuse set-up.

[cak]

The four relay solution is really overkill (and, the way you described it, provides no fuse protection for the headlight wiring at all ... unless I misunderstand).

The kit that Marcus Sucro sells (one relay for high and low) is completely adequate; the fuse block is arranged such that one wire drives the pair of fuses going to either low or high beams. You can find pictures of installs on early cars by searching a bit (try "sucro" for starters).

While you're at it, install a circuit breaker in the red wire that goes to the battery.

Do the relays, even if you do nothing else. You'll get an immediate improvement in brightness, and protect your expensive stalk switch. If that's not enough for you, change the pattern by installing H4s.

[ljowdy]

The fuses remain in the fuse block and the blue wire, the one that triggers the relay is thus fused.

If it blows then no lights.

[cak]

The fuses remain in the fuse block and the blue wire, the one that triggers the relay is thus fused.

But there is nothing protecting the wiring harness if the wires to the lights themselves are shorted - you're going straight from the battery to the bulbs, via the relay contacts. That's my concern - and should be yours, too.

[ljowdy]

Ok, so a simple spade fuse between the battery and 12 power supply to the relay will solve that.

[RWebb]

I'd use relays even with the stock 55/60 watt bulbs. Not only for the above adv. but to prolong the life of the switch - the circuit design is poorly engineered and sends all the current thru the switch.

But on a '73 you might already have H4's... -- can you post a pic?

I'd also enable the city lights - they are just a very cool little touch on these cars.

[bluesky]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I'd also enable the city lights - they are just a very cool little touch on these cars.

Now that's a great idea!

I noticed the fitting for them when I cleaned & installed new lens' in my H4's this past winter. What light fixture/bulb/wiring do we use for these?