Want to Replace Miniquad stock bulbs, but...

[BRZN]

Oh, I'll roll my eyes

You're quoting from a seven year old article. The Silver Star Ultra's do not have a blue coating and are rated at 4100k, 4100k is bright white light. The OEM's, when new, were 3100, damn near yellow. These new bulbs are rated for 12.8 volts: 55 watt lows and 65 watt highs, so they don't tax the 18 year old wiring to them. Silver Star Ultra's, I don't believe, were even available seven years ago. I'll state it again: in my experience there is long life to these bulbs, they're relatively cheap and readily available at your local National Automotive chain store. They are perfect for my application.

Rather than quote from an artice I don't believe you thoroughly read or comprehended tell me your real life experiences with automotive lighting, then we'll talk.

If you've nothing constructive to add to the thread: don't bother.

[BRZN]

Awesome. Would you be able to post a picture of how good the light is now, from the drivers point of view at night? I think I may do this once my car is good to go, since I could hardly see where I was even going, lol.

Here you go Fraschy:

Fogs:
Fogs.jpg
Right needs aimed better, the adjuster is rusted tight and will deal with it in the spring.

Highs:
High.jpg

Lows:
Low.jpg
Looks like I may need to bring the driver's side down a tad.

[AL]

Wow, thats looks damn good

[pwmin]

I'm glad you dismiss a fact as being untrue because it's 7 years old And I was constructive. I complemented you and then told you that you could do better by getting better bulbs. What do you mean they're not coated? You're telling me there's no blue tint to the bulb itself? I also do have experience because I've ran different bulbs before, including SilverStar, which were available 7 years ago. The Ultras are almost the same bulb. They are still overdriven to compensate for the lack of light output due to the blue coating on the bulbs. Even the newest SilverStars (zXe) have a blue coating.

[Fraschy]

WOW those new headlights look AWESOME! Thanks for posting those pictures! This is a great thread. And I don't see any blue in the light, looks pretty darn white to me.

[Fraschy]

I'm glad you dismiss a fact as being untrue because it's 7 years old And I was constructive. I complemented you and then told you that you could do better by getting better bulbs. What do you mean they're not coated? You're telling me there's no blue tint to the bulb itself? I also do have experience because I've ran different bulbs before, including SilverStar, which were available 7 years ago. The Ultras are almost the same bulb. They are still overdriven to compensate for the lack of light output due to the blue coating on the bulbs. Even the newest SilverStars (zXe) have a blue coating.

Then what bulbs would you consider better?

[white4d96]

For extreme halogen brightness, you would be best served with HIR's:
http://store.candlepower.com/hirlighting.html

Otherwise you could consider HID's, though I wouldn't recommend those for your high-beams.

Also, you can boost your halogen bulbs with Catz Zeta ballasts. They bump the voltage from your stock headlight harness up a big and make your bulbs burn brighter. Those can be found on ebay.

[Fraschy]

http://store.candlepower.com/9011.html

So those, they will plug right in and fit inside? I know just about nothing when it comes to headlights..even after researching, it confuses me still.

Catz Zeta ballasts..searched those on ebay and got nothing. Do those also drain more power from your battery?

[WhatTheFehl]

Fraschy, make it easy on yourself. Get the Eurolamps camaro kit (same bulbs as the miniquads, I had the Eurolamps kit on my old 95), some Phillips CrystalVision bulbs and be done with it.

[94 olds vert]

I got the Euro lamps as well, but i stuck HIDs in mine.

[GnatGoSplat]

I've never understood why people buy the Eurolamp kits myself. 5-minutes of effort gets you the same thing and saves $70.

[WhatTheFehl]

The Eurolamps kit isn't that expensive if you just get the housings and no bulbs, it takes 2 seconds to change bulbs from then on, I didn't have to jury rig and have any hacked together garbage on my car, and future serviceability is much much better.

[GnatGoSplat]

How expensive is, "not that expensive"?
Not a whole lot to jury rig or hack. It sounds like you've never actually tried it and seen how well standard bulbs fit into stock lamp housings. Once you remove the extra junk to where standard bulbs fit, replacing them is as simple as pulling out the old, pushing in the new. It's a tight pressure fit, so silicone isn't even necessary, but it's simple enough to silicone for extra insurance if desired. Even with the extra silicone step, probably doesn't take any more than 2-seconds to change the bulb.

[WhatTheFehl]

I see no point in hacking and risk breaking a stock $40 sealed beam bulb when an easier alternative exists .

[GnatGoSplat]

Well, I'm going by the assumption that the car came with a set of lights in it already hence cost of mod would be $0.
Every car I've ever bought already came headlights pre-installed.