| Author |
Message |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Intermediate Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 1281
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 3:41 pm: | |
I would go with the wiring harness (relays) and H4 bulbs with higher wattage. This is, without question, the biggest ROI you can do for your Ferrari. I mean it. There is nothing you will do to that car that costs so little but gives the biggest improvement. Period.
I have done this upgrade with all my cars for years (all my cars are pre-87).
The harness costs about 40 bucks and take 10 minutes to plug up. There is NO CUTTING OR SPLICING, it just plugs in. If you don't like the thing or your car is in a concourse just unplug it. No big deal.
The harness does two important things:
1. Provides power to the bulbs straight off the battery. No switches, etc. to pass thru. Just this will improve things dramatically even with the 55w sealed beams. If you doubt this, just plug in one side compare the difference.
2. The harness provides the relays needed to control the increase in juice off the battery when you plug up 90/110 watt bulbs. Without the relay you can melt the headlight switch. With this improved setup the switch just switches the relay on and off.
I ran a long post with all the details about this last March. I cannot tell you how HUGE the difference is with my 308. It has better lighting then any new car you can buy today. You can bounce my highbeams off the moon.
Aim them properly and you will have no problem with oncoming traffic. I have not had a single driver flash me since I installed it. As a matter of fact, my Scirocco has had the same system since about 1988 and no one has ever reacted to it either. Just aim them and you'll be fine.
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Barry Wolinsky (308gtb)
Member
Username: 308gtb
Post Number: 665
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 3:31 pm: | |
You'll like the beam patters on the E-code Hellas, Anthony. You can also "stay Italian" and get E-code Carellos (Magneti-Marelli).
Try Daniel Stern Lighting for Carellos at:
http://lighting.mbz.org/home.html
Barry |
Lashdeep Singh (Lashss)
New member
Username: Lashss
Post Number: 17
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 2:44 pm: | |
Anthony, for a simple, yet modern replacement, check out the Sylvania sealed beam OEM replacement series.
They have a few models out that will be an improvement over stock for the TR. The best news is that you can get all four from Wal Mart for about $30.
LS |
Anthony Cheng (Acheng)
New member
Username: Acheng
Post Number: 10
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 1:46 pm: | |
Again, a most sincere "thank you" to all of you for your help. Especially to Dave and Steve for the indepth explaination on the different type of lights. Also, for those of you that may wonder, I had called and checked on the Sylvania website, 1991 Testarossa does not exist in their catalog. Looks like it will be Hella's for me then. Good day to all. |
dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member
Username: Davehanda
Post Number: 1784
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 06, 2003 - 10:04 am: | |
Steve,
Is, once again, correct here. The "xenon" bulbs I am describing are actually "halogen" bulbs with a bit of xenon gas added to the gas mixture. The xenon helps to raise the color temperature of the bulb. Standard halogen bulbs are around 3200 Kelvin (color temperature scale), the ones with the xenon gas added are generally around 3500 to 3700k, meaning they are running away from the red/yellow spectrum and more toward the blue spectrum (they appear more white). The funny looking "bluish" bulbs that all the ricers use are the "super whites" and these run around 4000 to 4200k and are distinctly blue appearing. They also have xenon gas, but usually have an added blue tint or blue lens to give it that distinctly blue color. The arguement is that the tint is probably causing you to lose more light than whatever gains you might be getting from the higher color temperature. But if you like the look.... |
Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member
Username: 91tr
Post Number: 2088
Registered: 1-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 06, 2003 - 8:28 am: | |
Henry -- The confusion comes from some Xenon systems using a true arc lamp style bulb (where you need to add a special power supply that "starts" that arc lamp with a very high voltage and then drops the current once the arc is established inside the lamp -- i.e, the current to the lamp is controlled by the power supply not just by the impedance of the bulb) while other cheaper Xenon lamp systems are just filament style bulbs that claim to have Xenon gas inside the bulb (similar to a Halogen H4 bulb where the current to the lamp is still simply controlled by the impedance of the bulb and the voltage applied is held constant). So the key is knowing which type of bulb is used in a particular "Xenon" system:
arc lamp = needs special power supply + rewire
filament lamp = drop-in compatible (if you don't go crazy on the power rating) |
Henryk (Henryk)
Intermediate Member
Username: Henryk
Post Number: 1158
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, September 06, 2003 - 8:11 am: | |
I thought that upgrading to xenon lights was NOT a simple matter of just replacing bulbs. I was told that it involved a complete replacement of wires, fuses, and possible relays, etc......due to the fact that xenon bulbs work at different voltages than normal.
Is this true?
Thanks |
Mike Florio (Mike_in_nevada)
New member
Username: Mike_in_nevada
Post Number: 32
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 8:39 pm: | |
If you are going to go for a reflector/bulb combo, you might want to look into Sylvania SilverSTARs. I just put a set of 9006s into my BMW and They are great, and cheap - only $35/pair on EBay. H1's will be out around Christmas, and I'll swap the halogen Cibies my 308 then. |
dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member
Username: Davehanda
Post Number: 1778
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 7:30 pm: | |
If they are the standard 5.75" sealed beam headlights, then by all means ditch them for some Euro code halogen replacements. Go to http://catalog.com/susq/hella/hdlmpprc.htm#5 and look at the options. The Hella brand are great (there are others, such as Cibie, from other sources). Note he has many options on bulbs, and will package a deal for you with four headlights and the bulb of your choice, just email him what you want. I prefer the +50% xenon/halogen bulb as it has a bit whiter output, without the silly blue look. He also offers the Hella Optilux xenon white 100% bulbs, but I think those may have just a touch of blue to them...just personal preference. These are the standard wattage bulbs, which is recommended so you don't stress out any of your electrical system. There are wiring harness upgrades, which you can combine with 90w/100 bulbs, but I would leave well enough alone. The big performace improvement comes from the Hella headlight lense design, not the bulb so much...so even the stock halogen 55w/60 bulbs work fine. |
Anthony Cheng (Acheng)
New member
Username: Acheng
Post Number: 9
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 4:23 pm: | |
Hi Dave
They are of dual light sets, one for high beam and the other for low beam. I believe they are seal beam type of lights, or at least they looks like it. They are roughly 6" in diameter. I will try to post some pictures later.
PS:A sincere "thank you" for everyone that answered my post. |
dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member
Username: Davehanda
Post Number: 1777
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 11:53 pm: | |
Anthony,
What size are the headlights? Can you post a picture? |
Steven R. Rochlin (Enjoythemusic)
Member
Username: Enjoythemusic
Post Number: 723
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 11:34 pm: | |
Anthony,
While not a TR, the 308 here has been uprated to Xenon and they are great! It would be the way i'd go.
Enjoy the Drive,
Steven R. Rochlin
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Barry Wolinsky (308gtb)
Member
Username: 308gtb
Post Number: 655
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 6:53 pm: | |
Anthony,
If you don't want to re-wire, consider the E-code Hella dual headlight sets readily available. Stay with the same wattage H-4 bulbs that match your sealed beam units.
Barry |
billy zissis (89tr)
Member
Username: 89tr
Post Number: 262
Registered: 4-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 12:24 am: | |
I have installed Xenons in mine and all I can say is WOW. Major improvement. I am using the Phillips sealed unit. But I have heard that they are now illegal. |
Anthony Cheng (Acheng)
New member
Username: Acheng
Post Number: 8
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 12:22 am: | |
I still have OEM lights on the car, and they are really not that great, especially by today's standards. What are my options? It would be best if I don't have to re-wire anything in the car. If not, has anyone upgrade to Xenon lights? TIA |