High Quality H4 Headlights for 12v Cars (Cheap!!)

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 minute ago, Sam Buchanan said:

That was quite the sermon.   

sermon .....nah........truth....yes.....but I got little issue with E codes lamps other than saying you are on your own for risk of use and feel it needs be pointed as this is a forum,  but, those that install LEDs in non-compliant housings.....I am not the police, don't want to be, further, others definitely would not want me to be.  

[Sweetx99]

https://p15-d24.com/profile/11625-sam-buchanan/ 

Great info, thanks! Question, as I rebuild my 1950 P19 2 door, would these work since I'm upgrading to 12 volt? As in the light fitting the original space? Thanks

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, Sweetx99 said:

https://p15-d24.com/profile/11625-sam-buchanan/ 

Great info, thanks! Question, as I rebuild my 1950 P19 2 door, would these work since I'm upgrading to 12 volt? As in the light fitting the original space? Thanks

 

No problem with 12v, the light kit comes with 12v bulbs and relays.

 

This is a standard size reflector for cars with 7" 6012 sealed beams. As I pointed out the shape of the lens is different from the sealed beam but they fit in my '48 P15. I did open up the hole in the back of the shell a little so the very nice rubber boots will fit properly.

 

 

[Sniper]

Darn it, all this pontificating and I wasn't the pontificator, lol.  I think Plymouthy is just trying to give a heads up to the unwanted issues you might run into.  But I will say this, last inspection I had did not include the required road test, inspector couldn't drive a three on the tree, lol.  Furthermore, it would take a really sharp cop, these days, to notice the headlight pattern and pull you over for it. 

 

That said, years ago I had a second shift ob that left me driving thru about 40 miles of dark, two lane country highway going home.  My hi/lo headlamps were E codes and my hi only head lamps were aviation landing lights, 87 Diplomat 4 rectangular headlight setup. That sufficed unto the day, lol.  Legal?  Nope.  Useful, oh yes,

 

I have a thing about stupid laws and mandating DOT spec lights is one of them.  Now my 51 does have DOT compliant LED headlamps, true, designed ones, not a retrofit.  Not cheap either. 

 

But one issue I do have with all this commentary is that many of our cars were built well before the DOT put it's two cents in and never came with DOT compliant lights.  Not sure the law applies to them.  Kinda like seat belts.

[Bob Riding]

You guys got me curious with all this talk of DOT regs. Being from the "Golden State", I was wondering how DOT rules intersect with CA DMV regs and rules. Here's what I found:

 

How bright can your headlights be in California?
The maximum brightness of headlights allowed in California is 2,513 lumens each.

Are aftermarket LED headlights legal in California?
Aftermarket headlights – those that you purchase separately for your vehicle – are legal in California. LED headlights are also legal as long as they are white, have amber turn signals, and are within the 2,513-lumen limit.

What light bulbs are banned in California?
Per the statutes described above, California bans headlight bulbs exceeding 2,513 lumens and lights outside the white or yellow color spectrum. Though sometimes added as accessories, blue, purple, or red lights are illegal as headlights in California.

Are HID lights legal in California?
There is no wording in the California Vehicle Code that explicitly bans high-intensity (HID) headlights. However, the California Highway Patrol is strict in enforcing the white-yellow color law and the brightness limit law. There’s a wide variety of aftermarket HID lights, and many of them – especially the colored ones – would be illegal under California’s headlight restrictions. 

 

No mention of DOT. Anybody know how many lumens the H4s put out? Also- are CHIPs officers really using light meters to gauge brightness?

 

[Sniper]

50 minutes ago, Bob Riding said:

No mention of DOT. Anybody know how many lumens the H4s put out? Also- are CHIPs officers really using light meters to gauge brightness?

 

I doubt it unless it's a cherry on top citation.

 

DOT regs are federal, they apply regardless of what California may allow.

[kencombs]

I am so glad that OK dropped the vehicle inspection law years ago.    It served very little purpose as it only proved that one day per year a car/truck met the rules.   

And, the mandated inspection process was almost never followed due to the requirement to remove brake parts to determine wear and other similar steps. .     No shop could afford to do that for the specified charge, so if it was done it often led to unwarranted repairs in order for the shop to make a decent wage.

 

And failing for no good cause, like a gravel chip in the upper right corner was a technical fail.  Overlooking that could cause the inspector to lose his inspection license.  Many did and it led to haphazard enforcement and general disregard for the whole law.

 

My Dad had a salvage for 30 years.   Thousands of wrecked cars passed through there and I helped part them out.   Not one wreck we saw could be blamed on a defective vehicle.   Defective people, yes, machine, no. 

 

Ops, got on my soap box and forgot the reason for the post.   The state inspection never included any check of headlights except both work, brights and dims.

 

Now, no inspections but a trooper spotting a lighting failure will get you a ticket.   As it should. 

 

 

[Sam Buchanan]

On 9/12/2024 at 9:44 AM, Plymouthy Adams said:

European road signs are required to be lighted as I read it, thus the design of the bulbs is more concentrated center beam instead of the DOT need of the lights to project right and up to light road signs. 

 

Some clarification is in order in regard to low beam pattern of the Toyota lights we have been discussing. The quoted statement is not born out by my comparison of the Toyota and a DOT sealed beam and has the comparison backwards. Please look again at the photo I posted earlier comparing a Sylvania DOT sealed beam bulb on the left and Toyota (Koito) H4 on the right.

 

 

The Toyota light definitely is throwing more light up the right side of the road which would make signs more readable. At the same time there is sharp pattern cutoff in the center and to the left which prevents blinding oncoming motorists. All this while putting a lot of light on the pavement in front and to the left of our car. This is a similar pattern to what modern DOT projection headlights provide.

 

The poor ol' DOT sealed beam just throws out a fuzzy circular yellowish pattern that does little for illuminating the side of the road and also scatters more light in the direction of oncoming motorist. In other words......the DOT bulb is bringing a dull knife to a gunfight..... 

 

I overlooked taking a photo of high-beam comparison because we aren't as concerned about on-coming traffic on high-beam. But the difference between the two bulbs is significant with the Toyota lights throwing out an impressive amount of useful and safe illumination.

 

Keep in mind these are 6v halogen bulbs, the 12v bulbs are even more impressive. Photos taken with 6v alternator idling, approximately 7v delivered to the bulbs via fused relays.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GNTZ9SA?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Edited September 15 by Sam Buchanan

[Loren]

Sam,

In the packaging there are instructions which seem to be printed for round, rectangular and small 4 lamp systems.

I could really use a set of rectangular lamps for my 1980 Scout ll.

However there are no part numbers for the other lamps.

Do you think they can be bought on the same deal?

[Sam Buchanan]

I haven’t seen any mention of any lights other than these 7” round reflectors. These were available as an upgrade for the Land Cruisers.

[Loren]

Thanks Sam I looked too.

One thing I am going to do is use the harness & relays for the Scout. They have the creepy GM headlight switch that is so common and burns up the connector plug when you use halogen lights. One of the IH parts suppliers has a “bright lights kit” that puts relays in the system and takes the load off the switch. For the price of their kit you could buy between 5 & 10 Toyota kits!

My Plymouths are 6 volt and I plan on keeping them that way. 12 volt wiring is not approved for my 6 volt cars so I am going to roll my own for them. I have German made 6 volt “Bosch” type relays ( they aren’t Bosch however ) that should be perfect and ceramic headlamp plugs.