'75 Carrera headlights might as well be candles ​🕯️​​🤨​​🕯️​

[Kerry]

Yep. I haven't driven at night for a while, and maybe the headlight globes have a expiry date, but jeez 💀! 

I've looked at Pelican Parts, and although I'd give my first born's rear teeth for a Singer, I just can't get those flashy new headlights for the old boy. I've asked a couple of professionals to confirm exactly which ones I need... who haven't exactly come back with any info... and then I remembered    🤔    forum

Can someone who has done this swop out please just tell me what I need, is it a DYI, is PP the place or is there somewhere local to support the aussies without paying x2?

🍻

 

(aussie delivered/rhd/1975/carrera)

[epilot]

On the '75 do the headlights take their power through the ignition switch ?

On pre '73 cars fitting a headlight relay by passing the ignition switch transforms the standard headlights.

https://www.jwestengineering.com/911-Headlight-Relay-Kit-74-89_p_14.html

[Philbee]

I felt same awhile ago and swapped in led globes…. Hated them. Looked awful, not period looking, way too bright… but visibility was awesome. Then swapped back to new halogen globes but the advice I got was don’t increase the power too much as it may strain the old  wiring.

Just went to the local repco shop or auto barn and picked up same, 120% I think.… trying to find a pic of the packet I bought, still looking….

[Peter M]

37 minutes ago, epilot said:

On the '75 do the headlights take their power through the ignition switch ?

On pre '73 cars fitting a headlight relay by passing the ignition switch transforms the standard headlights.

https://www.jwestengineering.com/911-Headlight-Relay-Kit-74-89_p_14.html

Craig is spot on.  This should be your first modification before even considering those hideous modern luminaires!

[Joz]

Along time ago I used to use rally globes. Ok different cars but.

H4s, 90/140 H/Low beams.  Would light up the forest.

[Kerry]

Many thanks gents. I’m seeing a common thread here. Is the relay kit and replacement globes something an amateur with 3.5/10 mechanical skills capable of? I’m much better with mech’ than with electrics. Do I need to know how to use a multi-meter?! 🤔 Will I be pushing …. up hill?

[Joz]

Not sure about relays but swapping globes is Uber easy.

[Lucky Phil]

Globes are easy as.  If they are H4 just try the Repco 130 to see how they go.  Good value to @ $18 each.  Just remember only handle globes via the chrome mount end.  If you do happen to touch the glass end wipe the globe with a tissue and metho.  Oils from skin cause the globes to instantly blow.  Globe replacement as mentioned above is easy as pie.  They usually have a squeeze wire clamp to hold the globe in place.  There are 3 pins so just observe how the 3 pins are located when you pull off the connector.  The side without a pin is usually at the bottom. The globe will only go in one way via the chrome lugs.

[OZ930]

 I had a 68 911S that had lights so bad that I had to to get out with a torch to see whether they were on.

130’s will draw close to 11 amps (10.8A) each in a car with prehistoric wiring when the brightest light bulbs were 60 watts drawing 5 amps each.

Instal a relay.  Fairly simple job.  Any auto sparky will be able to do it if you don’t want to do it yourself.

 

[OZ930]

4 hours ago, mrar said:

https://www.philips.com.au/c-p/12342RVS2/racingvision-car-headlight-bulb

https://www.repco.com.au/en/globes-batteries-electrical/globes-lighting/globes-bulbs/repco-halogen-globe-h4-12v-60-55w-130-bl-rh4p130bl2/p/A5440643

55/60w

plug and play.

 

Sorry, I read it as watts, not percentage for the same wattage.

I still think in the old globe type marking/packaging.

🤔

 

[Peter M]

14 hours ago, Kerry said:

Many thanks gents. I’m seeing a common thread here. Is the relay kit and replacement globes something an amateur with 3.5/10 mechanical skills capable of? I’m much better with mech’ than with electrics. Do I need to know how to use a multi-meter?! 🤔 Will I be pushing …. up hill?

The globes are not the problem, it's the feeble power supply to the headlights.  For some reason they run all the current through the tiny contacts in the dipper switch via metres and metres of thin wire contrary to normal automotive practice. Installing relays is the only solution to this design deficiency.

The instructions that come with the JWest kit are very explicit and step by step (and there is about a million threads on Pelican explaining how to make your own relay upgrade if you want to go that way).  From memory, there is no cutting or splicing, it just a couple of connections to the fuse box via the screw clamp connector on the fuses themselves so I am very confident that you'll be successful.

You don't need to be a multimeter expert, a test lamp will do! 😁

Instructions attached:

1) (jwestengineering.com)

[Kerry]

Thanks heaps guys for your time. This project will be my start of prepping for summer 911 fun. I’ll be sure to give you a run down as it comes to be 😊😉🍻

[Bugs77]

You should do what I did. I made some adapter rings so you can swap out the standard H4 reflectors and globes for Aussie made Stedi LED units, driving at night is now something I look forward to. You can tailor the look too from classic to resto mod and at a fraction of the cost of what is normally on offer and I would say probably work better too and Stedi's lights are DOT legal. You get a great daytime parker halo light also in the bargain. You utilize your stock H4 housing so all goes back in the car to factory fit.

[Kerry]

6 hours ago, Bugs77 said:

You should do what I did. I made some adapter rings so you can swap out the standard H4 reflectors and globes for Aussie made Stedi LED units, driving at night is now something I look forward to. You can tailor the look too from classic to resto mod and at a fraction of the cost of what is normally on offer and I would say probably work better too and Stedi's lights are DOT legal. You get a great daytime parker halo light also in the bargain. You utilize your stock H4 housing so all goes back in the car to factory fit.

Thanks Bugs, yours look pretty cool but a little too futuristic for my old boy. I think I need to keep him looking like he came out of the factory, just able to see the kangaroo before I actually hit it! (Which I have done - only a kiss luckily 😘🙄😂)

🍻

[Bugs77]

11 hours ago, Kerry said:

Thanks Bugs, yours look pretty cool but a little too futuristic for my old boy. I think I need to keep him looking like he came out of the factory, just able to see the kangaroo before I actually hit it! (Which I have done - only a kiss luckily 😘🙄😂)

🍻

You can keep the lights looking completely stock if you retain the stock frosted silver housings, paint the adapter rings to match and choose chrome look lights from Stedi's range and refit the H4 lenses, you wouldn't know there where LED units in there until you turned them on.
My car is hotrodded to some degree so went for the resto mod stealth look by choosing the Carbon Black units, painted the housings and adapter rings satin black and fitted early clear 356/VW Beetle lenses to have the units on display. It's the fluted H4 Lenses that really hide whats in there. Tested with both the H4 and clear lenses and both are perfect.