Headlight Upgrades
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- Endoman
- Posts: 620
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- TIPEC membership: 6602
- Location: Bolton U.K.
Headlight Upgrades
Done the wiring upgrade, bulb upgrade and now LED bulbs. All steps imroved the light output but I'm dissapointed with the beam pattern of the leds, poor cut off and plenty of scatter. Anyone tried the extremly expensive options as used by Land Rover Defender from Nolden, Trucklite or JW Speaker?
Porsche 944 S2 Coupe Guards Red
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
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Waylander
- Posts: 2736
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- Location: West Essex
Re: Headlight Upgrades
plenty of choice for 7 inch Sealed beam units LED
http://www.bowerspartsonline.co.uk/ligh ... htheadlamp
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headlights-Tur ... 1S8XE1451B
http://farcorners.co.uk/product/7-inch- ... dlamp-rhd/
these even have the E10 approval
https://pbautoelectrics.co.uk/shop/led- ... m-hluk175/
shame we are not in the USA.....
https://www.pro-vision-lighting.com/led/led-headlights
They are available in Australia, and they drive on the same side as us
you can have wifi controlled colour changing ones,
http://www.bowerspartsonline.co.uk/ligh ... htheadlamp
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Headlights-Tur ... 1S8XE1451B
http://farcorners.co.uk/product/7-inch- ... dlamp-rhd/
these even have the E10 approval
https://pbautoelectrics.co.uk/shop/led- ... m-hluk175/
shame we are not in the USA.....
https://www.pro-vision-lighting.com/led/led-headlights
They are available in Australia, and they drive on the same side as us
you can have wifi controlled colour changing ones,
1992 968 Coupe Cobalt Blue
1985 Honda VF1000 F2 Bol D'or In Silver
2013 A4 177 TDI Quattro Ibis White
2013 Volvo XC60 D5 brilliant car
1985 Honda VF1000 F2 Bol D'or In Silver
2013 A4 177 TDI Quattro Ibis White
2013 Volvo XC60 D5 brilliant car
- Endoman
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 10:03 am
- TIPEC membership: 6602
- Location: Bolton U.K.
Re: Headlight Upgrades
The S2 seems to have unique and relatively expensive headlamp units compared to earlier 944s without the levelling system. So I intend to swap it so that I can fit universal 7" units. She's getting a lot of use this winter as the other half's far more modern Alfa has proved to be totally unreliable (electric power steering failed) and these old Porkers just go on and on.
Porsche 944 S2 Coupe Guards Red
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
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karozza
- Posts: 376
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 7:22 pm
- TIPEC membership: 0
Re: Headlight Upgrades
I would love to do this upgrade but really like a simple design with projector lens; just like on the Singer!
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caprixpack
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:29 pm
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- Location: Whitehaven
Re: Headlight Upgrades
I ran leds in my 924 for a year until one of the fans packed in and it cooked a it's self. Initially I found them to be better but they didn't last. I'm back on nightbreakers now.
1984 924 2.0 n/a crystal Green - The daily
2005 VW Passat tdi 130 Highline, now 170bhp & 290ft/lb
2000 Peugeot 406 2.0 hdi - stood for 4 years, fresh mot and mostly working.
2005 VW Passat tdi 130 Highline, now 170bhp & 290ft/lb
2000 Peugeot 406 2.0 hdi - stood for 4 years, fresh mot and mostly working.
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JW590
- Posts: 1091
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- Location: Pickmere
Re: Headlight Upgrades
John.
1991 944S2, 222000 miles.
2007 Audi A4 Avant Tdi 140 S-Line
2014 Mercedes SLK 250 AMG
1995 Triumph TR6
1991 944S2, 222000 miles.
2007 Audi A4 Avant Tdi 140 S-Line
2014 Mercedes SLK 250 AMG
1995 Triumph TR6
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944 Man
- Posts: 1955
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- Location: Sheffield: Rome of the North!
Re: Headlight Upgrades
It isn't S2s, it is all 1988> 944s, which gained electrical adjustment.
Simon On The Edge..... In The Hedge!
1988 944 Turbo - the Pink Pig
1989 944 2.7
1985 944 It's alive!
1986 944 Automatic
1988 944 Turbo - the Pink Pig
1989 944 2.7
1985 944 It's alive!
1986 944 Automatic
- vince924
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:22 pm
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- Location: Norfolk
Re: Headlight Upgrades
If you have poor cut off and plenty of scatter, the problem is with the headlight lens, not the bulb. Over the years, the headlight lenses take a lot of abuse from grit and dirt from the road which really micropits the glass and causes the light scatter and loss of focus. Also the mirroring gets tarnished over time and this doesn't help.Endoman wrote:Done the wiring upgrade, bulb upgrade and now LED bulbs. All steps imroved the light output but I'm dissapointed with the beam pattern of the leds, poor cut off and plenty of scatter. Anyone tried the extremly expensive options as used by Land Rover Defender from Nolden, Trucklite or JW Speaker?
I replaced the sealed beam units on my 924 but kept the same bulbs and was amazed at the difference - they were brighter and with a really sharp cut off. Obviously you can change the bulbs too.
"I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth." Steve McQueen
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sam
- Posts: 4904
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- Location: Emsworth Hants
Re: Headlight Upgrades
Yes there is a case for lens replacement when they become pitted and "shot blasted"and is a matter in it's own right, however this discussion is mainly concerned with the light source, many of us are upgrading our outdated driving lamps with a variety of different products, including LED, and several of us, despite considerable investment are suffering cut off and scattering, which is a feature of many LED's.vince924 wrote:If you have poor cut off and plenty of scatter, the problem is with the headlight lens, not the bulb. Over the years, the headlight lenses take a lot of abuse from grit and dirt from the road which really micropits the glass and causes the light scatter and loss of focus. Also the mirroring gets tarnished over time and this doesn't help.Endoman wrote:Done the wiring upgrade, bulb upgrade and now LED bulbs. All steps imroved the light output but I'm dissapointed with the beam pattern of the leds, poor cut off and plenty of scatter. Anyone tried the extremly expensive options as used by Land Rover Defender from Nolden, Trucklite or JW Speaker?
I replaced the sealed beam units on my 924 but kept the same bulbs and was amazed at the difference - they were brighter and with a really sharp cut off. Obviously you can change the bulbs too.
- vince924
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:22 pm
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- Location: Norfolk
Re: Headlight Upgrades
Just that the OP didn't mention changing the lens . . .sam wrote:
Yes there is a case for lens replacement when they become pitted and "shot blasted"and is a matter in it's own right, however this discussion is mainly concerned with the light source, many of us are upgrading our outdated driving lamps with a variety of different products, including LED, and several of us, despite considerable investment are suffering cut off and scattering, which is a feature of many LED's.
Other scatter and cut off issues can be caused the bulb focal point being incorrect to the headlight unit.
"I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth." Steve McQueen
- Endoman
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 10:03 am
- TIPEC membership: 6602
- Location: Bolton U.K.
Re: Headlight Upgrades
Yes it is a problem with the leds the light ouput is good but dipped cutoff isn't really there. I recently fitted Morimoto Bi-xenon projectors to my 993 and it's a great mod. There are a few posts on Rennlist from people who have done this, looks very tricky so I've ordered the bits and I'm going to give it a try. Biggest problem is clearance at the back and it seems the bar has to be chopped, got spares so not a biggie.
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-944 ... r-mod.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-944 ... r-mod.html
Porsche 944 S2 Coupe Guards Red
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
Porsche 993 Coupe Guards Red
Ducati 998 FE Red oc
- tr7v8
- Moderator

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Re: Headlight Upgrades
It's worth having a conversation with Steve Jones (a TIPEC member) about LEDs. He has been using these for a long while now.
http://woodypeck.com/
http://woodypeck.com/
Jim
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2019 Abarth 595C
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2010 Mazda MX5 Mk3.5 SOLD
2000 Porsche Boxster S SOLD
1987 Porsche 944 SOLD
- white944
- Posts: 242
- Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 1:06 pm
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Re: Headlight Upgrades
LED or HiD bulbs in a lamp designed for conventional incandescent bulbs are now an MoT failure. Best options are purpose made 7 inch LED lamp assemblies or nice condition original units with NightBreaker or similar good quality uprated bulbs.
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- Carrera RSR
- Posts: 838
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- Location: Somerset
Re: Headlight Upgrades
No issues with halogen lighting here


Steve
1980 924 Turbo Series 1 - Alpine White & Guards Red
Omega forged pistons, Piper cam, K27/26 hybrid turbo, 951 ducted FMIC, custom intake, Mittelmotor/123ignition, Hayward & Scott, GAZ Golds, Fuch'ed, Quaife LSD
1980 924 Turbo Series 1 - Alpine White & Guards Red
Omega forged pistons, Piper cam, K27/26 hybrid turbo, 951 ducted FMIC, custom intake, Mittelmotor/123ignition, Hayward & Scott, GAZ Golds, Fuch'ed, Quaife LSD
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Timinchorley
- Posts: 108
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Re: Headlight Upgrades
Does it go backwards when you light up?
Tim.
968 Coupé Guards Red - repainted May '17.
Repainted again June 18...!
New Civic 3cyl 988cc.
Fazer1000.
Repainted again June 18...!
New Civic 3cyl 988cc.
Fazer1000.