OK, I'm new at this game so I apologize in advance for my clumsiness. I've noticed some interest in converting the factory sealed beam headlight setup over to HID lights. First, the good news: as the old sealed beam and halogen lights that followed were 55W and HIDs are 35W so you do not need relays or such to protect your stock wiring harness. Now the bad news: you will have to convert your headlights over to H4 (high/low beam) and H1 (high only) headlamps. This isn't cheap. But it is necessary. I have used Hella headlamps with great success (Cibies also). As HIDs put out 3 to 4 times the light of a halogen bulb it pays for you and the people on the road to get a good quality headlamp with a sharp focus. I recommend that you use H4 BiXenon (high/low) HIDs in the H4 headlamp with a color temperature between 4100K and 6000K. You do NOT want the H4 HID setup that uses Xenon lows coupled with halogen highs in the H4 assembly. It is disastrous. As the HID capsule takes time to "warm up" to operating brightness when you return to low beams from the halogen highs in the H4 setup you are effectively blind for several seconds! In the H4 BiXenon setup the high/low function is enabled through a solenoid (moves capsule or shroud) so the capule is always on. Now that's it for the H4 high/low setup except that you MUST reaim the lights or you will blind oncoming traffic. Please, take the time to do so. As for the H1 or high beam only setup, that's your choice as to whether or not you even feel they are necessary after installing the H4 HID setup. Remember that the HID capsule takes some time to reach operating output so that HID high beams may actually be a drawback for many driving situations. I have not found them necessary. The H1 Cibie headlamp is a pencil beam focus (Hella should be similar). I use a good H1 halogen bulb (halogens have a color temperature of 3200K) and have great high beam coverage. The halogen pencils coupled with the H4 BiXenon HIDs are amazing. Also quite satisfactory are halogen high beam sealed beam headlights with H4 HIDs. So there is no need to buy the H1 headlamp unless you desire the pencil beam focus. All of this was achieved with stock wiring and I have experience NO problems whatsoever. Currently the 4 Hella headlamps look as though they sell for about $145 and the H4 HID BiXenon kits go for between $110 to $175. A note about color temperature: color temperature has little or nothing to do with light output. All H4 Bixenon HID kits that I know of use 35W. Thus almost all kits will put out the same light regardless of color temperature (below 6000K - after that there gets to be some fall off in light output). BTW, almost all factory HIDs are low beam only and are around 4100K. There's a lot more to say but in the desire to make this of reasonable length I'll say: enjoy!
They vary depending on what color temperature you order (most factory HIDs are 4100 degK). The color temperature is that of "an equivalent black body radiator" (isn't physics grand?). If you want a blusih tint I would suggest 6000 degK. Much above that it gets beyond your eye's color receptors and you actually see less...
I already have the rest of the lights LED's Side Markers, Brake, Turn signals Dash, but where would you suggest purchasing the bluish looking one's with the better technology? Oh yea how many Watts to figure the amperage? Thanks
HIDs are typically 35W so the amperage is less than a halogen. I got mine here: http://www.xenongate.com/ and selected the H4 Bi-Xenon 5000 degK color temp. They've treated me well on service and warranty.
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<center>Looks like these might work in size, (Bottom second pic) but not sure of the prongs in the back. Mine has two on one, and three on the other (One side) Thanks NEW HEAD LIGHT LINK: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Hell...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item5ad816ba73 <img src="http://images.scottfisher.multiply.com/image/49/photos/3/1200x1200/3/Gran-Sport-21.jpg?et=aUFIvlmC3b0wr8IEzewi5g&nmid=128721847width="900" align="center"> <img src="http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/hla-002850871_w.jpg" width="643" align="center"> <img src="http://images.scottfisher.multiply.com/image/1/photos/7/600x600/8/sm-kfog-logo.gif?et=84gz1rx2ncocx1NNKxH8jg&nmid=135078519width="900" align="center"></center><URL] <center><A href="http://www.v8buick.com/"><IMG height=130 alt="V8Buick.com - Your Online Tool Box!" src="http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/v8buick.gif" width=130 border=1></A><URL]</center><BR>
The link to the H4 Hella headlamp is the correct one for the High/Low (3 prong) outboard headlights. These are what I have on my 68 Wildcat and 70 GS455. They replace whatever you currently have. Then you have to purchase an H4 BiXenon HID conversion kit (and PLEASE reaim the headlamps or you will blind folks!) and install it. The two prong (inboard) lights are high beam only. I do NOT recommend HID lights for the high beam only application as they take several seconds to "warm up" properly and can thereby make high beam application a pain. This is NOT the case with the H4 setup as the light capsule is NOT reignited; instead a solenoidal action moves a hood over the capsule so the beam change is instantaneous.
so, Hella Vision Plus headlamps with the xeongate bulbs will convert our cars to a hid light? so what about the regualr lights? what about the other set of buick lights? is there an hid lowbeam only light or do we run 4 sets of xeongate bulbs with 4 hella vision headlamps?
OK, I can see that the whole concept of a HID conversion is being misunderstood. FIRST, HIDs are NOT bulbs. They are a discharge gas capsule not unlike a flourescent light in your house. Therefore they require a capsule (bulb if you wish), a ballast, and igniter per headlamp assembly. There is NO such thing as simply replacing a "bulb". You must have all 3 elements (capsule, igniter, and ballast - typically the ballast and igniter are housed in the same physical unit). SECOND, because the H4 (high/low) kit has two modes of operation (high and low) a controller (that operates the solenoidal shield that causes high and low beam operation) is also required. THIRD, the ONLY reason you have to buy the Hella (or Cibie) H4 headlamp is to be able to install the capsule. Now, I hope that answers your first question. If not: please reread my initial posting and do some research on the typical HID wiring diagrams (search on the web). As for the regular lights: the HID kit in conjunction with the H4 headlamp assembly replaces them so I do not understand the question. As for the other set of Buick lights: again I do not understand the Q. Do you mean the high beam (inboard) lights? If so I refer you to my original posting. If you mean something else I do not understand. As for the last Q: the H4 HID setup is BOTH a high and low beam setup (that's the "bi" in BiXenon). So for the H4 (outboard) high/low HID kit you will have 2 capules in the 2 H4 headlamps, 2 igniter/ballast assemblies mounted to your radiator core support connected to the H4 capsules, and one controller mounted on the radiator core support. The controller is "fed" its power directly from the battery and gets its information (lights on/off and high or low beam) by plugging into the wiring harness. Typically the controller has a fusable link and the only load coming through the factory wiring harness is a low, low amperage signal to drive the controller. The high beam only setup (if you choose to install it - and as I have said repeatedly I do NOT recommend it because of the delays inherent in HID capsule ignition) has no need for a controller. Thus it only requires a Hella (or Cibie) high beam only headlamp (inboard) per side, 2 H1 capules and 2 igniter/ballast assemblies. As these lights have NO controller (beyond the foot operated high/low beam switch in the car) the factory wiring harness will now carry the load for the inboard lights as it currently does. As these lights require only about 65% of the amperage of a typical halogen light it is NOT a problem. I have not installed H1 HIDs on my car as I feel they are not necessary. On my Wildcat I have ordinary old Sylvania sealed beam like halogens and on the GS I have Cibie H1 (pencil beam) halogens. These when coupled to the HIDS are most satisfactory.
i'm just saying we have 4 headlamps one pair of stock hi-beams and one pair of low-beams'. now, a pair of the hella headlamps with a pair of the xeongate "capsules)" will convert our stock hibeam headlamp....so that leaves our lowbeams stock halogen...so how can we convert them to hid and have for HID lights? this was my question....use the hi-beam only(warmup-time wouldnt matter much I guess as the other pair is hi/low) hids or another set of the hi/low capsules
You don't convert the high beams (inside lights), only the high/lows (outside) to HID. Leave the high beams (inside) alone with stock lights. I won't even try to go into a conversion to European code quartz halogen's... Go back and re-read all GS455Coupe's posts in this thread. ou:
gotcha, myfault for just skimming through the post if I actually read it, I would have understood the first time
How about a parts list and any wiring/rewiring that may be needed for the less than tech savvy out there? It would be nice to just order a kit if there is one available? Thanks
If you search for hid or headlamp conversion someone else listed a quick step by step guide how they switched to hid lights. I would personally stick with 4-6k and not go any higher or lower on the temperature color. Anything other than a white color will really detract from the classic look of the car and look more like a ricer if anything. H4 hid kit that comes with wiring harness, ballasts, and screws to mount ballasts. Hella h4 headlamps Wire cutters Electrical tape Should be it? Question I have is, what fitting is on the back of the hella headlamp, the h4 prongs? Are those the same as the female wiring harness that comes stock with the car? I'm not sure what thread he bought but if you search for hid on the forum some other guy converted his car to hid and it seemed like he was doing all kinds of cutting. I'm on my phone so I guess I will have to check later
