Euro H4 conversion a costly lesson

[targa80]

After an accident in 2000 I had to buy a replacement right fender and other items to get the car legal for the road. One of the first things I bought were the Bosch Euro H4 headlamps to covert from the stock sugar scoops (the right side scoop was toast). Back then they sold them with the primer trim ring, bulbs, the special screw and the rubber seal. I thought they were expensive then, If I remember right ~$250 each. I did actually put them on the car and drove with them before tearing the car a part for a complete repaint.



Fast forward to last month, I finally was able to install the headlamps with the relays to protect the light switch and high beam stalk. I did search the site for any other issues with the install. I read posts on how difficult it was to install with the new rubber seal and that one individual had actually lost the headlight while driving, it had popped off somehow. The poster bought a replacement and used wire and crimps to hold the headlamp in case it popped off again. When I read that, I thought yeah it is only held on by one screw and a tab but wire straps that's excessive and should not be necessary, the guy must not have installed them properly




Now for the Homer Simpson DOOH!

Took the car for a 20 mile test drive on some windy roads on the North Shore of Long Island. Made it back home and pulled the car into the garage and low and behold my right side headlamp was completely gone. There was some damage to the paint on the side of the fender where the headlamp must have scraped it as it went flying off the car. The screw that holds the headlamp in place was also completely gone. Naturally, I was pretty upset about what had happened and then I remembered the post about the wire straps as a safety precaution. I actually re-drove the route in my truck hoping to find it laying on the side of the road, damaged but hopefully salvageable. Well fat chance of that happening it was gone forever.

My next heartache came when I started searching for a replacement. It seems that Bosch no longer makes the lenses so what ever you buy will have AL on the glass instead of the Bosch name. I know this is minor, but it bugged the crap out of me. My next shock came when I tried to get one with a primed trim. I found a competitor that offered the headlamp with a primer trim and no lamps for ~$300 and they could get it to me by around February of 2015. Well that long lead time was out of the question. My only other option was to buy the headlamp with the chrome trim from Pelican for $425 or the black powder coated trim. The black powder coated trim unit was an additional $300 more. They do sell a primed trim cover that goes over the chrome or the black trim for an extra ~$60. I was not happy with that solution because now you have another trim piece with another specialty screw to go over the trim of the headlamp. This additional trim covers the stock trim and the two lamp adjustment screws. I know this is what Porsche sells as the correct part if you want a painted trim on the headlamp. But it just seems to be not necessary if you can paint the trim that comes with the headlamp.

So, I went with installing the chrome headlamp and have installed two crimped plastic coated stranded wires on each headlamp. if it does come loose again it will just bounce around a little but won't be able to fly off.

Now, I have to make a decision, do I keep the chrome ring and buy a replacement chrome ring for the other side or do I sandblast the chrome off and prime/paint it the color of the car.

[Larrybrook]

and now I'm worried about MY headlights...

Secondly, I would say since there isn't any chrome elsewhere on you car, I would be inclined to find a way to match the paint on the drivers side.

my two cents.

[targa80]

I have the sandblaster booth and some left over primer and two stage paint. I repainted the car myself so it would not be difficult to do. It is just one more thing that I wish I didn't have to deal with. As I said, I was pretty upset about what happened when I think of all of the time and effort that I put into the car and to have this happen.

[wildthing]

Interesting.

I too had an accident in 2012 that required replacing the right front fender, and in the process, I also upgraded to H4s.

Mine is still on though, and I hope they stay on. I guess YMMV. Just don't ask me how it was installed because it was done at the body shop.

[Cipotifoso]

Then again, you could stay with the David Bowie asymmetric look (two different eye colors). It would look rather unique and be a conversation starter.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by wildthing

Interesting.

I too had an accident in 2012 that required replacing the right front fender, and in the process, I also upgraded to H4s.

Mine is still on though, and I hope they stay on. I guess YMMV. Just don't ask me how it was installed because it was done at the body shop.

Don't ruin a perfectly good chrome ring. Advertise in th PP clssified for a used paintable ring.

[rubenpadron]

Wow, sorry to hear about the lamp! Would you mind posting pics of how you atached the wires?

Also, my vote: body color!

Cheers!

Ruben

[spuggy]

Sorry to hear about your H4. If there's nothing wrong with the screw thread, I'm guessing it must have come off the tab on the top.

Which seems weird; mine are a 20 minute curse fest to get on or off every time. And I don't dare replace the rubber trim, as that's known to make it more difficult, until they compress...

Originally Posted by targa80

This additional trim covers the stock trim and the two lamp adjustment screws. I know this is what Porsche sells as the correct part if you want a painted trim on the headlamp. But it just seems to be not necessary if you can paint the trim that comes with the headlamp.

Black car, 20 ft paint, bought black ring H4's in 2006 to replace H5's.

The ring had a thick, uneven coat of what looked like a matte primer. You could have wet-sanded it to painted body color - to do it right you'd have to disassemble completely, IMO. Kind of a pain. It looked nothing like the mocha brown H4 you show above.

Held out for 6 weeks before I bought the cover trim rings and got them painted; which as a bonus prevent water ingress through the screw adjusters... I also came to the conclusion in the interim that the side profile just didn't look right without the external trim ring.

IMHO, YMMV, etc.

[NY65912]

The trick is to NOT use new gaskets, they are too thick. The old ones have been crushed from years of pressure and work the best.

[will hung]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Don't ruin a perfectly good chrome ring. Advertise in th PP clssified for a used paintable ring.

I second this. You'll be able to find a painted one quickly.

[JTL]

I though upgrading to h4s were a major improvement in looks and lighting. Mine have never come off but I found it incredible that they attach only with 1 screw?!

[javadog]

Originally Posted by targa80

The screw that holds the headlamp in place was also completely gone.

How is that possible?

JR

[tobluforu]

Same side as mine. Bought H-4's but for the life of me I could not get a good seal. If I move it just a tad, if would pop off the top. I followed someone else's advice and from the inside of the headlight bucket I attached a heavy duty zip tie. Attached zip tie to h4 and from inside the fender pulled like heck, tight as can be. Done with that nonsense.

[targa80]

Originally Posted by Cipotifoso

Then again, you could stay with the David Bowie asymmetric look (two different eye colors). It would look rather unique and be a conversation starter.

This is one conversation I don't want to have in the future. I posted my problem here just to raise a flag for others who may consider the conversion to the Euro H4 headlights.

[targa80]

Originally Posted by rubenpadron

Wow, sorry to hear about the lamp! Would you mind posting pics of how you atached the wires?

Also, my vote: body color!

Cheers!

Ruben

I will take a pic of it when I remove it to do the blasting and repaint.

[creaturecat]

The Bosch lens is available, new, on E-bay Germany.

[targa80]

Originally Posted by javadog

How is that possible?

JR

Beats the crap out of me. I consider my repair skill level to be very high since I take on tasks that most people will shy away from. I thought that I must have striped the welded nut in the housing but that is not the case. the new screw went in without any issues. After a drive to the auto parts store to buy a small driving light for the new headlamp I removed the screw and could not release the headlamp from the fender. I had to use a padded screw driver to pop the ring loose. This ring is fitting much tighter than the one I lost. The only other condition I can think of is the screw thread had been stripped during installation and was able to back out of the welded nut. Since I did go on a long drive it may have popped off of the tab at the top then vibrated the screw loose. The right side headlamp ring is just barely visible from the drivers side seat which made it impossible to notice while driving.

[javadog]

You sure you didn't forget to install a screw on that side? I've used these lights for over 30 years and can't see one ever vibrating out. Even if it popped out at the top first, I can't see it coming loose without you hearing something, if it was still holding on by that screw. And since your threads in the bucket weren't damaged, either...

JR

[Soterik]

Been here a longtime, but also started being a vendor to Pelican about 4 years ago.

I make the chrome trim ring that Pelican is selling as a replacement, if you decide to go that route. It's made out of brass then chrome plated, just like OEM, and has every bit of hardware you need to do a rebuild on your headlights, including the original OEM type screw that nobody has.

I've seen your headlight disappearance act happen many times, including personally and also on a buddy's car on an autocross course.

A combination of 3 different items is possible here, and has been mentioned already, but here's a repeat:

The screw that mounts the headlight is made of brass and then chrome plated (if it's oem), and the threads are obviously softer than the metal tab that it screws into and obviously can wear over time and possibly strip out.

The current offering of the rubber seal from most of the big vendors (here as well) is the thick one that doesn't allow enough compression and thereby the top lip catch isn't firm enough. Suggest getting a seal from International Mercantile a San Diego vintage Porsche rubber supplier... OR, get a seal for the pre 68 VW beetle as that seal is thinner.

When mounting the headlight, don't just place the headlight in the bucket and attach the screw... push down on the top of the headlight ring to allow the ring to catch the tab firmly while screwing in the attachment screw (maybe have a friend push down on the ring while you install the screw).

A final note, check that none of the spring clips that hold the reflector assembly "in" interfere with the lip catching the top of the headlight bucket.

I'm not sure if our host has just the attachment screw up online yet, but I have it available (27mm on thread and chrome plated brass, with the rubber bushing).

E

[Targalid]

For what it is worth I have caught myself, more than once, installing the screw slightly off target. It is easy to have the retaining ring look vertical but be slightly to the side of the threaded tab, one way or the other, then run in the screw, tug on the ring and have it feel secure only to find the screw falling out because I missed the tab. I always, since I learned i was missing the tab, use a bright flashlight to insure that the threaded tab is in line with the screw hole in the retaining ring. More often than not, I am off target and have to rotate the ring one way or the other to line up the fixtures.