Xenon headlights for IM cars

Has anyone installed Xenon lights in an IM car?
If so, where did you find them?

Thanks

Dave

J.C Whitey, Hella, or The Real Sourse Vw Cat.

Thanks Barry -

How do you like them?

I don.t know, I did not buy them. They are over $500,oo reguard less of where I shopped.

What's wrong with H4 quartz-halogen headlights? The H4 bulbs in my headlights really light up the night; you could probably walk 150 yards down the road and read a newspaper by them.

Heya George and Dave,

What I think we got here George, and this is speculation on my part, but I think Dave is looking for that 'cool blue' white, as opposed to the 'ole yeller' white light for his headlamps.

I have a HID system on my '53 pan, due to the fact that the stock system for lighting is too much for the charging system on my scooter. I went with the HID due to the fact that it is a far better system for the application I used it for. This is for a non-halogen stuff.

Like Barry stated man, these things things are NOT cheap for start up or maintenance. You are gonna get awful p*ssed when you lose a light from road debris, ya dig? A 'true' HID system is like the florescent tubes in most offices. You have a glass enclosure with the gas inner that is excited via a high voltage ballast. So in essence you are getting a ballast and lights to make that pretty blue light happen.

Here are a few places to look, even if you don't like the improved halogen ones out there:

www.hidkits.com

www.eautoworks.com/html/lbu-Light~bulbs-Heliolite.htm

www.powerbulbs.com

www.lightlens.net/bulbs.htm

Another bit to think about, there are cheap bulbs that say they are Xenon, but they are not HID, so beware of that. In order to have the right ones, you'll have to buy a ballast to run the real deal. The others are aftermarket junk that say they plug into your exsisting vehicles lighting system. Most of the time, they are not DOT approved and have no true reference point and are marginal at best for focus and clarity.

Be careful for the 'too good to be true' and you'll come out on top.

-Charlie

PIAA has a replacement bulb that has a whiter light and improves lighting by about 25%. I had a set on my SUV and I will be putting a set in my IM. Cost around $80.

I decided to wait and see what pops up in the the local auto salvage yards . If you grab the ballist, bulb plugs and conecters, Reverse engineering should be a simple task to get going..

Charlie,

You're right, I'm looking for the "cool blue" white look -
I don't think I prepared to spend $500 on lights at this point.
I kind of like Barry's idea of checking out the salvage yards.

Barry I hope you keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks

Dave

THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU ORDER ANYTHING FRAGILE FROM THE REAL SOURCE. I GOT ONE HEADLIGHT LENSE BROKEN IN HALF, CALLED THEM FOR ANOTHER AND IT WAS BROKEN IN ABOUT EIGHT PIECES. THIS WAS A PACKAGING PROBLEM, NOT A COURIER PROBLEM.

I am trying a pair of the new Sylvania "Silverstar" bulbs in the Trans-Am right now. They are supposed to be close in looks to HID.
I really did notice a difference the first night I used them. The color of the lights was "bluer" (Sort of threw me at first).

I don't get it. Isn't the reason one buys different lights is to improve night-driving vision? Who cares if they look like HD's.

Isn't this all about looks and beauty? We're creating Silhouette cars based on a shape we visually love. If we didn't care about what the car looked like we could do the same thing with a VW convertible for less money.

The Xenon lites on my bride's Bimmer REALLY light up the road. They also have a very sharp cutoff to keep the intense lite out of oncoming traffic. No one has flashed me yet and the flash me all the time in my pickup
ed

Yelp :that, to me is the only reason to add HID ,,TO SEE BETTER AT NIGHT!!!,, they do offer bulb in a more white shade now. If I understand correctly so they don't have to be blue or amber ,

Unless that's what floats your boat.

found on the guys site who has done a suby conversion and had an alpha engine as well in his speedster.... richolaf

I was DROOLING when I saw it... I WANT THEM!

Nic

I wonder if the new beetle light might be able to be retrofitted...

I have to admit that until I bought my IM I had never driven at night with anything special like halogen lights........my H4's make the IM the preferred night time vehical.

Mr. Hudson:
I would not recommend that you get a hid assy from the junk yard. If you install a true hid bulb in a reflector bucket designed for a filament bulb it will not work well. And you will blind oncoming traffic. The reason for this is a hid bulb is a glowing ball of gas called plasma. And is refered to as a fuzzy light source. And that would need a reflector made for this type of bulb. And of course a filiment is a hot wire and is a pinpoint light source.

I installed the Sylvania Silver Stars, as I have them in other cars and have been pleased with their performance. They give a 'whiter' light. In addition, I built a relay panel and used 10 & 12 g wire, & 3 separate circuts/relays (low/hi/drivers). The panel sits in battery compartment, and was assembled on plastic sheet from Tap & cut to fit nicely on the left side of the battery compartment. Between these 2 upgrades I can see clearly now........

Thanks Jerry,
That is precisely what I did.
my plain was to use a 2002 Jeep Liberty lens units , but with the one peace HID's .Unlike a sealed beam the lens is clear, like the old german stuff

If Im not pleased with the look, I can try changeing the clear outer bezels for flutted bezels. also like the old german type

Nic

Unique look!
Do you have any add'l pix of the headlight conversion or a source?

Fred, the new Beetle assembly is angled too much................

....Every time I see a new Mini that headlight assembly looks to be almost a bolt in!

richolaf's website somewhere... i cant find it again but i know its there.