HID head lights

[oasis]

I'm replying here rather than the "Has anyone thought of this?" thread which really is the catalyst for my ponderings. I didn't want to send that thread on a wayward tangent as I am interested in that continuing saga as well.

I apologize in advance for length this will probably be even though my question is somewhat basic. My searching on the Internet yielded a lot advertisements with the accompanying propaganda. Some useful information filtered through as well.

I, too (as in the other thread), have been thinking long and hard about what to do with a Super Beetle (1303) with regards to headlights. I don't want to end up with something that may look like an updated version of the Mulholland Look. That, however, is a matter of style.

My inquiry now is a matter of function. Unfortunately, it involves a series of what-is-it's and what's-better.

I assume the Super has a stock headlight like my '85 Vanagon did. (I'll stick with US-names for simplicity.) And I assume stock headlights are different from halogen headlights which my '81 Pickup and '86 Jetta had.

That said, what are the headlights offered as replacements which come as "clear" and "crystal cut"?

They seem to use Xenon bulbs such as 9004's. I know they are not HID kits or projection units. Are they better?

I never gave headlights a lot of thought until we bought our '02 Cabrio and '02 Golf. By comparison, out '93 EuroVan didn't put out squat for light. This was my first venture into searching for information on headlights. The cost of converting the EuroVan was prohibitive considering how long we wanted to keep it, how old it already was then, and where we -- actually, I -- wanted to spend my disposable income.

The result for EuroVan was I purchased some Xenon bulbs off of eBay. They bulbs were a significant improvement but they were still a weak sister compared to the two Golfs.

So, then, what do my Golfs have? They obviously are not projection headlights. I doubt they are HID's. But they are better than what's currently in my EuroVan.

(I was told if I converted my EuroVan to an HID kit, I would lose my high beams with the 9004.)

Okay, getting back to Super Beetle -- where do all of the options stand up to each other as far as which is better? If possible, can it be quantified as to how much better? I assume the options are (a) regular headlights, (b) clear/crystal headlights, (c) whatever my Golfs have, (d) an HID kit complete with ballasts, and (e) projection headlamps.

(Also, are (b) and (c) above the same? And, is (e) a subset of (d)?)

If I want an HID/projection system, do I need to go to a Mercedes/Mini/Porsche/other system and have it custom fitted (or is it "cussed 'em fitted")? I may want to do that, but do I need to do it? Can I convert to clear/crystal, and then convert to an HID kit?

And finally, do I need separate lamps for high beams and fog lights?

Thanks for reading this far and thanks in advance to anyone who will inform me.

[BigPhattyVW]

Hey Pete!

How much amps does the HID ballast take. And how much power does it use, meaning does you Alternator light glow a little when you turn on your headlights?

[njv]

hi
clear or crystal as you call them have a clear front lense the refraction of the light to the side of the road dependant on what country you liuve in is done by the reflecter bowl by flutes within it look at my avtar they are clear lights.

i have legal bulbs in there 55w60w and they are so much better than any normal aircooled headlight the pair i took of where brand new uk spec hellas they are never gonna put out as much light when they got frosted glass mind are they !

i have the hella catalouge here and in there you can get the hid sets in variuos different sizes seem to slowly be comeing down in price a little only problem with hid lights is where to put the control box !! hid lights are in like two parts a sort of quite large relay box and then what you would normally call the bulb is actually a burner! it looks like a bulb mind.

[ydeardorff]

I scored a set of HID halo projector beams online for 150 bucks. These are designed to go in a 1991 civic. I am taking them apart and cutting them down to fit in my car. Should look very nice when completed

[Steve C]

Hi

Ive been looking at putting HID or projector lights in my new project bug. I will be using Aero guards again, these use an early Beetle/Porsche headlight bucket. What Ive been thinking of doing is is buy some Hella lights from rally lights and mount them under early beetle headlights with clear lenses. Found this tech article on fiting them to a ricer.

http://home.comcast.net/~c.tangonan/..._Tutorial.html http://www.rallylights.com/

Steve C

[kra710]

see my post in germanlook

[petevw]

i have the the "H4" HID's in the super. it draws crazy amps to fire them(20amps). once they are on and "warmed up", they don't draw very many amps.

i'm continuing with Alex's project. currently working on making a adapter plate to mount the Bi-Xenon projectors in the headlight buckets. i have made a template for them, out of lexan, and might machine it out of aluminum. even though they are short, i think they might stick out of the inner fender a little. i have to mount the fender, and mock it up.

later,
pete

[Steve C]

Hi

I bought a Hella A3 Audi Xenon headlight conversion kit for my new 1303. Im going to remove the light modules and fit them behind some clear early bug headlight lenses. They even have an ECU to level the headlights.

Steve

[craigt-from-atl]

While I think the HIDs would be awesome, is there any thought/concern about how they will function?

By no means am I a lighting expert, but the HIDs are designed to function with a certain lens. If you just transplant them into another lens, they might cause some wicked glare. I was looking very seriously into retrofitting them into my golf, but gave up when I learned that it would probably blind everyone on the road.

Just wondering if you guys were considering this. . . .

[BigPhattyVW]

Here's a question

I was looking at a website for HID kits and they had the regular ones and ones that were called "Bi-Xenon" which it stated it as haveing hi and low beams. My question is to all of you who have HID's allready is that do the regular H4 HID kits come with Hi and Low beams or do I need to order the special Bi-Xenon ones? Thanks

Clint

[Kataplun]

i finally got the pics for you guys, thease are my H4 lamps

http://www.cardomain.com/id/dominicanvolks

my gauges are oil preasure, tach and generation

[GRMNLK]

Originally Posted by BigPhattyVW

Here's a question

I was looking at a website for HID kits and they had the regular ones and ones that were called "Bi-Xenon" which it stated it as haveing hi and low beams. My question is to all of you who have HID's allready is that do the regular H4 HID kits come with Hi and Low beams or do I need to order the special Bi-Xenon ones? Thanks

Clint

Most H4 HID kits come as a low beam only. Now...like you said...they have bi-xenon which reflects the light so it is a high and low beam in one.

BTW, I have the Xenarc X6024 kit...awesome!!!

[beetle1303]

Its about time to bring back an old issue...
I know how HID systems work but i cant figure out if they will work correctly with the stock (seales beam) or with the clear lense headlights on a 1973 super, because of the small cap both headlamps have (where the tip of the bulb sits behind). Factory HID as the Audi A3 the headlamp has a small lense.

Can anybody explain the difference??? Im really confused on the headlamp technology and Im getting pissed off.
Can I fit an upgrade kit (single or Bi-xenon) to a normal headlamp or i will have to retrofit parts of an A3 headlamp unit for example into an original super headlamp?

Chris

[coffinator]

OASIS,
The lights in your Golf are HID's

Mike,

[oasis]

Originally Posted by coffinator

OASIS, The lights in your Golf are HID's

Really? I thought they were H4s for the regular head lamps, H3s for the fog lights (Cabrio only), and something else for the high beams. Very interesting.