Finally moved to LED headlights

[GH85Carrera]

Ok, first off, I am a 27 year owner of my 85 911. I love it, and love the way it looks. I smile just seeing it in the garage when I go out to the garage for something unrelated to my 911.

I like the factory "sugar scoop" headlights. many people love the later look headlights and covers, you are welcome to your opinion but I figure you are wrong. My car will stay as is with no tail, and no ugly later style headlights.

So with that said a few months back I happened to notice the driver side headlight looked darker just sitting in the garage. It still worked just fine, but I knew it was not long for this world.

So I went to Pelican Parts and looked to see what they offer for a LED replacement. I wanted something that looked like an old school sealed beam headlight. Most of the LED bulbs looks like something from a Ricer's Honda and just not what would ever be on my car.


It was pretty obvious whay the headlight had a dark appearance, the sealed beam was no longer sealed.


Getting off the ring that hold the bulb into the holder was a challenge. Especially on the passenger side. I honestly don't thing it has ever been removed. In the 27 years I owned the car I sure don't remember replacing the headlights.


I had not noticed the rock chip on the passenger side headlight.



Anyway this is the final result. I have not yet driven it at night. I will do that real soon, and see how the alignment is, and adjust as necessary. They are much whiter and not the warm color of the old headlights.

So after driving my 911 in 41 states, and Canada, and recently turning 186,000 miles the headlights are replaced. The old Sealed beam headlight was USA DOT made in USA headlights. The sure don't make things like that anymore.

[rokemester]

They look great. Tell us more about the install. Other threads seem to proclaim this a PITA.

[GH85Carrera]

It was not that bad. One screw to remove the painted headlight cover.

Three screws to hold in the chrome ring that holds the actual bulb. Those were the screws that gave me issues on both sides. After 37 years in place they were really stuck. I just removed the 4 screws that hold the entire frame for the bulb holder, and the entire mechanism came out. I took it to my workbench and put some pressure on the screws and a good new screwdriver to get them to back out. They were pretty beat up after all that so the ones on the driver side were replaced. I did use antisieze on the them when I put them back in. The passenger side screws came out easier. It is possible the driver's side was worked on before I bought the car. I don't often get to blame the previous owner for much after all the years.

The bulbs just plug right in, same three prong connector as the old headlights had. Then do some cleanup, and reassemble.



The four screws that hold the adjustment bucket that hold the headlight had just four identical screws like the photo, even with the lock rings.

The LED bulbs are indeed a direct replacement for the old sealed beams.

Pelican sells them as part number CLWH-SMD6V12VT and they were $375 so not cheap, but indeed simple.

[WPOZZZ]

You didn't want to try the H4 drop ins with an LED bulb?

[77Targa0912]

Unfortunately that’s not going to do you any better than a set of Euro Hella ECE 7” replacements with a good high wattage bulb. Wish you hadn’t wasted the $200 that could have saved you.

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by 77Targa0912

Unfortunately that’s not going to do you any better than a set of Euro Hella ECE 7” replacements with a good high wattage bulb. Wish you hadn’t wasted the $200 that could have saved you.

Yup , i have 3 set of headlight,one of them Hella with LED bulb in it with sugar scoops..or yellow with sugar scoops and the H5 type...
ivan
1st is H5 and H4 on car

[GH85Carrera]

I was not trying to get the brightest headlight possible to blind every oncoming vehicle. I was OK with the halogen sealed beams for the last 27 years. I replaced them only because one seal failed.

I sure don't want some headlight that requires a cooling fan and complicated wiring. This was plug and play, done. It is certainly brighter than the old halogen bulbs. And the current draw will be far less to boot, compared to the halogens that came out.

[Cairo94507]

I realize your goal was not to get the brightest bulbs. But for anyone else, I installed the Vintage Car LED 7" H4 lens headlights in my '71 914-6 and they look 100% stock and the light pattern is great and bright. I have not had one on-coming car flash me at night yet. I am very pleased with their plug 'n play lights. Mine had a separate small power module which fit nicely into the headlight bucket and I secured it with some tip-ties. They recently released an improved version which no longer requires the separate power module- they are on my list for a future upgrade.
Cheers,
Michael

https://vintagecarleds.com/shop/7-inch/vc4000-ultimate-kit/

[darrin]

Glen -- glad you're enjoying your new headlights (and realizing how compromising the light output of your old-school sealed beam halogen headlights were). The key to these new headlights (vs the sealed beams you replaced) is how well the lenses can aim (focus and limit) the light generated by the bulbs. Thus, STRONGLY suggest that, before you start driving with these headlights, that you take the time to get them each properly aimed and focused. I was shocked by how much this step mattered when I switched out my sugar scoops' old sealed beams for e-code headlights. Lighting guru Daniel Stern has a good writeup on this -- see Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply. Speaking of which, while I'm sure the LED lights you purchased will treat you well, if others are also considering upgrading their vintage sealed beam headlights in the future, here's a link to a VERY nice deal on the Japanese Koito sealed beam headlights that Daniel Stern's recommending -- less than 1/2 the price listed on Mr. stern's site https://www.busdepot.com/h6024 -- I ran the Cibie headlights that Mr. Stern previously sold/recommended and if these Koitos are anywhere as nice as the Cibie brand, they'll also be a HUGE upgrade over original sealed beams.

Finally, if you haven't done so already, strongly recommend adding headlight relays (even though the LEDs draw less power than halogen), the high beam switch in the turn signal stalk is still going to be a weak point and still (imo) best to reduce current flowing through the stalk to the minimal amount necessary. Enjoy your new-found night lighting

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I was not trying to get the brightest headlight possible to blind every oncoming vehicle. I was OK with the halogen sealed beams for the last 27 years. I replaced them only because one seal failed.

I sure don't want some headlight that requires a cooling fan and complicated wiring. This was plug and play, done. It is certainly brighter than the old halogen bulbs. And the current draw will be far less to boot, compared to the halogens that came out.

Glen, i think 77Targa meant that the euro H4 headlight unit fit to the sugar scoop just like the pic i posted ,there you can use variety of light bulbs..
btw, there i no complicated wiring at all it is all plug in a install;-)
Ivan

[hannu_911]

These Philips ultinon pro6000 H4 leds are direct replacement for the H4 bulb
http://www.philips.de/c-e/au/autolampen/scheinwerfer/ultinon-pro6000-led.html
Led elements on these are exactly the same size and place as in the original H4.
Done 5000km with them and no-one is flashing their lights at me.
These are street legal on 2011-16 Beetle in central Europe, close enough to my Porsche 911SC

[hannu_911]

[proporsche]

my H4 Hella pattern looks like this...

[creaturecat]

fwiw. re: the Philips h4 led bulbs:

"Safe road-legal H4-LED on the market worldwide

Approval of the Philips Ultinon Pro6000 H4-LED type by the German federal authorities means that drivers across the country can now legally upgrade their headlight bulbs from halogen to Philips LED lighting.

These premium Philips LED bulbs improve safety by boosting visibility and delivering a perfect beam pattern that illuminates the road ahead without dazzling other road users".

....seems like a valid upgrade!

[AG81]

I have yet to be flashed by an on coming car with the LED Conversion I did on my 88. They are bright and I expected some negative impact...... I am flashed daily in my 2020 modern Porsche with the Dynamic Lighting package.

[Mr. Merk]

Originally Posted by darrin

The key to these new headlights (vs the sealed beams you replaced) is how well the lenses can aim (focus and limit) the light generated by the bulbs. Thus, STRONGLY suggest that, before you start driving with these headlights, that you take the time to get them each properly aimed and focused. Lighting guru Daniel Stern has a good writeup on this -- see Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply. Speaking of which, if others are also considering upgrading their vintage sealed beam headlights in the future, here's a link to a VERY nice deal on the Japanese Koito sealed beam headlights that Daniel Stern's recommending https://www.busdepot.com/h6024

This is the best advice in this thread. Those Koito lamps are the best 7" halogen lamp on the market, even better than the Cibies that I've also used in the past.

I'll only add that the 60/55W Tungsram +120 bulbs are the best H4 bulbs available (halogen and LED included) and he can also provide them without a blue band if you want to retain the look of the original warm light.

We recently did this exact conversion and followed the aiming instructions on a 74 911 and it worked great.

See more here

[GH85Carrera]

Well, as an update to this thread.

I boxed up those headlights and sent them back to Pelican. The seem to have only low beam, and a round beam at that. Trying to change from high to low does nothing but turn off the headlights in high beam mode. Evidently they are designed to go in a 356, and not a 911.

I talked to Daniel Stern, and I have a set of his headlights and H4 bulbs on the way.
Koito HO 7'' H4 headlamps and the Tungsram H4 +120 bulbs.

He actually is not fond of the LED bulbs as yet. I figure I will listen to a vendor and the guy that has the web site everyone goes to to learn about aiming headlights, and uses as the standard to compare other headlight against.

I put back in the old Sealed Beam headlights and high and low beams work as they should. Now I await the new headlights.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Well, as an update to this thread.

I boxed up those headlights and sent them back to Pelican. The seem to have only low beam, and a round beam at that. Trying to change from high to low does nothing but turn off the headlights in high beam mode. Evidently they are designed to go in a 356, and not a 911.

I talked to Daniel Stern, and I have a set of his headlights and H4 bulbs on the way.
Koito HO 7'' H4 headlamps and the Tungsram H4 +120 bulbs.

He actually is not fond of the LED bulbs as yet. I figure I will listen to a vendor and the guy that has the web site everyone goes to to learn about aiming headlights, and uses as the standard to compare other headlight against.

I put back in the old Sealed Beam headlights and high and low beams work as they should. Now I await the new headlights.

GH85carrera, thanks for the update -- think you'll really like the new nighttime confidence the halogen h4s provide (and just in time )

[Mike Andrew]

Glen:
Thanks for staying on this and keeping us updated.

One of my winter projects on the white board.

[proporsche]

Good for you Glen..
Ivan