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Cibié lights and other fun electrical stuff

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LastDeadLast

LastDeadLast

Jedi Knight
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Hello everyone,

While my interior and gearbox are out (replacing a bad rear seal) I decided to install a pair of Cibié headlights and wiring upgrade stuff that I purchased from Advance Autowire (Dan Masters). Most of my stock harness remained intact, however anything having to do with the headlights got jerked. I started with a plastic mounting board that I installed the Advance Autowire relays to. The board is mounted above the passengers foot well. I'm running my headlights, driving lights, electric fan, and an accessory port off the setup; all on separate relays. So far the headlights and driving lamps are wired up and working, tomorrow the fan will be up and going.

The verdict: Those Cibié lights are just amazing. They're easily as bright as my 2006 Ford F-150 and they put the old Sylvania Silver Stars to shame. I highly recommend this upgrade. The big advantage to upgrading my headlight harness is that it takes the high amperage off the weak Lucas headlight switch and puts it on a heavy duty relay where it belongs.

As soon as I get the old girl back on the road, I'll be snapping pics of the finished product and posting them.
 
Shannon- don't make me cry, I was installing a pair of Cibie lights that I have had since the mid 70"s. They are not made anymore and are amazing. I plugged it in and turned around to look for the trim ring and I heard a crash. I was crushed, my light had fallen off the plug and landed on my garage floor. Now to find 1 of these lights to match the other!
 
Have to agree with Shannon. I have had Cibie Z-Beams in my TR6 with H4 halogen bulbs for years. Plan on putting them into the TR8 at some point too. They are bright, do not have hot spots (they throw a very even flood of light) and have a very defined and very visible cutoff. Certainly are not cheap though. When I bought them I paid $60 just for the lenses. The bulbs were only $10. The standard bulbs are a 55 watt low beam and a 60 watt high beam. They provide plenty of light too. The cut of the glass lens does all the hard work.
 
Shannon,first thing,put those 55/60 in hiding and buy 55/100's
 
I agree on the Cibie headlights. I installed mine a few years ago and the cut of the soda glass lenses on these things makes for a brilliant light, especially on high beam. For those that might not know, Cibie only makes the headlight assembly, not bulbs. I use standard H4 halogen bulbs in my Cibie lights with stock harness. IMO, there is enough meat in the stock wires to handle the extra, if any, electrical pull of halogen bulbs. That said, the Delco-style alternator (66 amp) upgrade helped my headlight brightness quite a bit.

Because of the size of our cars and the lack of respect that they seem to get from things like cross traffic, I tend to run with my headlights on day or night. I also have Cibie Airport amber fog lights under the bumper, tilted slightly down; you can see me coming.

An aside, soda glass lenses do not like rocks! I have a set of rock guards over the headlights (helps a bit, not legal in every state) and some really thick 3M lense coatings over the fogs.
 
Cibié lights were in all my cars from the early '70's. Best 'upgrade' you can make. Now gone to Hella's as Cibié lamps are hen's teeth. I ran mine on the standard harness/switch for YEARS with no discernable problems (the 'frozen snot' Lotus cars have the ground wires built into the harness, BTW). And DNK's 55/100 suggestion is 'seconded'. Nothing beats NOT out-driving your headlights on a dark country road... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Not exactly 'legal' but as long as you don't blind a cop.... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Has any one used the brand "PIAA" lamps in their vehicles? I was in front of a PIAA equipt harley on the weekend and was quite impressed
 
DNK said:
Shannon,first thing,put those 55/60 in hiding and buy 55/100's
Click to expand...

If you have a lot of open road and flat land driving I could agree. Most of my night driving is either where I can't use brights (too much traffic) or in the canyons where the extra distance and power of the 100's don't mean much. The loud exhaust scatters critters better than bright lights. Except for cows. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

Other wise, the cut of the glass really makes the 60 watt high beam much more effective than you might think. Though, since Shannon already has the relays... and its only a bulb change... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Thank you Shannon!

...a bit shocked to learn my Oscars would be $150 each to replace, tho.
 
Thank You to LastDeadLast for the link to the Daniel Stern site very well written articles on quality of light and the basic pricipals of lighting
Well Worth The Read!
 
Don't ask Dan what he thinks of Daniel . Have a difference of opinions on subjects

THERE IS NO SUBSITUTE FOR CANDLEPOWER!!!
 
Kinda noticed that from the "scrap the 55/60's and go for the 55/100's" remark /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Doc- new you must be old school if you knew what Oscars were. Had them on an IMSA car in the 70's Could land a 747 with those things
 
There are Oscars and then there are Super Oscars. Now those are some landing lights!
 
Only reason I don't have Supers is they wouldn't FIT in the opening of the Elan... the Oscars even get a bit of a cut-off at the top.

But they're plenty mean enough. I can shut down the headlamps and just run with the one fog Oscar if I'm out alone in the country. If all the lights are on, headlamps on high beam, I figger I can melt th' bumpers off'n Chevys at 10 feet. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

I know the maroons who don't DIP their high beams when oncoming get the message. I even give 'em a first warning by just 'tipping' the highbeams. No reaction gets 'em the full monte, just as they're close enuff to get the full effect. I've seen brakelights in the mirrors but I don't think it had anything to do with wanting to chase me...
well, mebbe after th' snow blindness passes... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
Yeah, I've read about the Dan - Daniel thing. However when I told Daniel that I was using a Dan Masters harness, he said that he made a good product. I think they differ on the use of fuses or something like that.

I'm using the little Tango driving lamp; plenty bright for me. Heck the low/high beams will be so much better than what I had I won't know what to do with myself.
 
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