LED Headlights

Wow!  Those vintage headlights look great!  I'm eager to see them in person one day soon.  My headlights are really dim, and I have been thinking of LED upgrades myself.

Jethro

the ones in the picture are the ones the car came with.  I was trying to show the big gap between the assembly and body.   I should get the ones from VintageCarLED next week some time.  Here is the link to model I ordered: 

https://vintagecarleds.com/sho.../vc3500-classic-kit/         

I highly recommend adding one of these under your engine grill near the top.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/UPD-39685

Also, this is illegal in my state, but IDGAF and advise adding this to it.

https://www.superbrightleds.co...robe-module/195/845/

There is no doubt when I'm braking now.
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Tom Blankinship posted:

I highly recommend adding one of these under your engine grill near the top.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/UPD-39685

Also, this is illegal in my state, but IDGAF and advise adding this to it.

https://www.superbrightleds.co...robe-module/195/845/

There is no doubt when I'm braking now.
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@Tom Blankinship Your first link went to an error page.

Hmm. It works for me. Try copying it to your browser.
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Robert M posted:

Tom Blankinship posted:

I highly recommend adding one of these under your engine grill near the top.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/UPD-39685

Also, this is illegal in my state, but IDGAF and advise adding this to it.

https://www.superbrightleds.co...robe-module/195/845/

There is no doubt when I'm braking now.
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>

@Tom Blankinship Your first link went to an error page.

FIRST LINK ERROR: me also

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https://www.summitracing.com/parts/upd-39685b

Hey Tom

Do you have a photo of your car with the third light you recommended?

What about for the two tail lights?  What have you guys used for an LED upgrade?

From another thread..

melted-beehive-need-led

 

Just took this one.




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Thanks Tom.

Regarding LED taillights for teardrops, I bought a set from Jim Franzen of culayer.com about 3 years ago.  He's a midwestern-based engineer that developed and makes LED lights for our cars.  He provided great service, and his product works as intended.  Thumbs up!

If you want a simple inexpensive way to utilize LEDs in your tear-drop or bee-hive tail/brake lights, refer to my Musbjim post by clicking here ... 

... if you want to over-think & complicate utilizing LEDs, spend more money than you need to, solder in equalizers or resisters (or whatever) and wait for shipping...then DO NOT CLICK ON THAT LINK! 

FWIW - I also bought a license plate frame from Summit that has a bright LED to illuminate your license plate at night (shine-up or shine-down license lights are very dim). The license plate frame also incorporates a third brakelight.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/crg-45042

I don't have a pic of my current VS with this, but here is one of my previous VS with this lighted license plate frame.

Tom,

Any of those SOC "welcome to the madness" badges still available?

IMWTK

Thanks,

John

The badges were designed and created by @Richatd Drewek a few years ago. They were a limited run.

To my knowledge, there are none available, nor is there a plan to make
more.
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Thanks Tom,

I’m too late to that party.

They appear to be very nicely done, at least yours looks great.

John

John Nickerson
johnnickusa@gmail.com



> On Jul 29, 2017, at 2:58 AM, SpeedsterOwners.com <**************> wrote:
>

I see them come up for resale every so often.  Carl's stash (auction) had at least a solid gold ("unobtainium" metal) limited edition new one.  There were 2 earlier ones (the controversial corpse and 356 one.

 

 

Wolfgang,

Do you have a link to Carl’s Stash? Google isn’t much help on this.

Thanks

> On Jul 29, 2017, at 10:32 AM, SpeedsterOwners.com <**************> wrote:
>
> Carl's stash (auction)

John - sent you PM

Has anyone in here retrofitted golf mk1 headlights inside pre 67 beetle buckets and smooth lenses? We do it this side of the globe all the time and it allows for a sealed beam headlight, but with a vintage exterior look and the quality is way better than any vintage beetle set up. 

Got the new VintageCarLed headlights installed.  They seem much brighter.  I haven't had a chance to run them at night yet.  I also  installed the below LEDs for the brake and tail lights.  They are very much brighter.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bobby D posted:

Got the new VintageCarLed headlights installed.  They seem much brighter.  I haven't had a chance to run them at night yet.  I also  installed the below LEDs for the brake and tail lights.  They are very much brighter.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is that just plug-n-play? How long did it take to do that? I haven't yet had the pleasure of replacing my bulbs for brighter/safer ones. I do like the vintage look though, and seasonally I'm driving in the dark less often, but I like the idea of these.

Gary:  Most of the time all I hear about is the typical H4 replacement set-up over here, rather than the Golf Mk I conversion.  I got mine (Hellas) a loooooong time ago (Mid-1990's).  They replace the entire bulb assembly and they have more of a flat lens like on the 911.  Mine also seem to be able to take the heat of 110 watt high beams (so far) without melt-down, so that's good.

BUT!  You may be talking about the metal assembly that holds the headlight bulb in place within the bucket, so, no........   I haven't heard of anyone over this side doing that conversion (although the VW Cal-Look crowd might be doing that, I dunno.

EMPI H4 kits are not DOT approved, not that I care a whit. I've got a set, and some Sylvania Silver lamps. All in, WAY under $100.

Ryan

everything was just plug and play.  Very easy to install.

Pictures of installed headlights, please.

Bill

Below are pictures of the new headlights.   Its 8:25 am here so I don't have a picture of them at night.

 

They look great!

@Bobby D where did you purchase the headlight? Looks white?  Any night pictures?

thanks

calmotion posted:

@Bobby D where did you purchase the headlight? Looks white?  Any night pictures?

thanks

Bobby D posted:

Got the new VintageCarLed headlights installed.  They seem much brighter.  I haven't had a chance to run them at night yet.  I also  installed the below LEDs for the brake and tail lights.  They are very much brighter.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

He replaced the standard H4 or 17 watt incandescents with LEDs.

Is it the v3500 for $189?

calmotion posted:

Is it the v3500 for $189?

My apologies. I see the links I included were strictly for the back of the car.

@Bobby D Which LEDs did you get for the front of the car?

Any night picture and would like to know if viability is improved and not just looks. Thanks

Just saw this on sale .....

 

http://www.busdepot.com/0301600118

Hella  H4 conversion

Hella bulb has link for watts you want

 

calmotion posted:

Just saw this on sale .....

 

http://www.busdepot.com/0301600118

Hella  H4 conversion

Hella bulb has link for watts you want

 

Be careful going to big/bright on the H4 Halogens. They generate a lot of heat and can melt your wires and/or the plastic plug for the bulb. I know. If you're going to convert to halogens consider wiring in relays for the headlights.

This is something else the new owner of Vintage Speedsters needs to consider. A real fuse box and relays for the headlights, horn, and ignition. @Justin@Vintage

My buggaboo was the shallowness of the headlight buckets.  They're just not very deep front-to-back (but this may just be a CMC/FF thing).  The only socket for the back of the headlight that fits has the leads coming off at right angles, not straight out the back or it won't fit.