Can you just put HID bulbs in the Z06? Is there an adapter or kit? I had the double Xenons on my 996 Turbo and I could see at night... I'm pretty used to the Z06 lighting but would like to do something better if it isn't "too" expensive.
Zed
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Chicks and Cars... what more do I need to say!
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Ebay is probably the way to go. I saw a few hella ballast with D2S bulbs and the 9006 adapter for just 280 bucks. I am going to get HIDs, since the Acura has HIDs and I finally saw the light. I'll probably wait until summer, when I start driving the Vette more often than I do now.
Coming back to the point. HIDs are kits that consist in two electrical ballasts and two HID bulbs, some of the bulbs are made to fit a particular number, like 9006, but others use a standard D2S with adapters to fit on most applications.
Price range, well, I guess its just a matter of looking around, but for about 400-600 bucks you can buy one of those from an internet store. Price ranges between 280-1200 bucks, depending on what you get.
I just installed Phillips 9006 HIDs in my low beams, just take apart the head light, remove normal 9006 bulbs, insert 9006 HID bulbs, connect bulbs to ballasts, connect ballasts to headlight harness, and velcro the ballasts down.
The one thing in my setup is that the low wattage draw of the HIDs causes the car to think the low beams are off, so the lights won't retract. However, if i flick the light stalk to high beam, they retract just fine. I just turn off my lights, and give the light stalk a quick flick, and they retract.
Otherwise its an excellent upgrade for $450 that i spent.
Originally posted by TZL I just installed Phillips 9006 HIDs in my low beams, just take apart the head light, remove normal 9006 bulbs, insert 9006 HID bulbs, connect bulbs to ballasts, connect ballasts to headlight harness, and velcro the ballasts down.
The one thing in my setup is that the low wattage draw of the HIDs causes the car to think the low beams are off, so the lights won't retract. However, if i flick the light stalk to high beam, they retract just fine. I just turn off my lights, and give the light stalk a quick flick, and they retract.
Otherwise its an excellent upgrade for $450 that i spent.
Ok... that sounds pretty easy... are your low beams now brighter than your high beams?
I highly recommend that you change to the Euro spec lenses because they are glass and handle the heat better than the original plastic. The glass also has a definite horizontal cut offpoint to control the light. The plastic lenses will blind oncoming drivers because or the crappy plastic lens. I used to dream about HID as the ultimate solution however I have converted to the Euro lenses and the high watt PIAA bulbs (90/135 H4) and absolutely don't think the HID is justifiable. Before you spend almost $500 find someone with the setup I just described. I think you will be staisfied. http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.m...ct_Code=VT1003
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Ed Gibson 2001 Black Z06 64 & 68 Corvette verts
1985 BMW K100 m/c 2005 Custom Mustang
Originally posted by panzer I highlyt recommend that you change to the Euro spec lenses becasue they are glass and handle the heat better than the original plastic. The glass also has a definite horizontal cut offpoint to control the light. The plastic lenses will blind oncoming drivers because the crappy plastic lens. I used to dream about HID as the ultimate solution however I have converted to the Euro lenses and the high watt PIAA bulbs (90/135 H4) and absolutely don't think the HID is justifiable. Before you spedn almost $500 find someone with the setup I just described. I think you will be staisfied. http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.m...ct_Code=VT1003
that looks nice, soo soo tempting
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2004 Z16 #1003 or 2025 (not sure why that matters but what the hell)
Mods: First day I got the car HID lights and I love them
**GONE** 2001 TR, carbon fiber air intake k$n filter w/cut stock air box,Ripper shifter 351 HP 352 Torque
If anyone is interested a good place to deal with for HID kits is
Xenondepot.com
Frank knows his stuff and a couple of people I know bought kits and they work awesome.
Panzer, I am not going to get in an argument about this. All I'll can tell you is that the 135 watt high beams I've tried on my Vette cannot outshine the low beams of my Acura TL. The low beams and the high beams on the TL are the same, except that the high beams remove the low beam cutoff line (bi-xenons).
Just work the math. Oh, 90 watts per bulb is increasing the electrical system's load by a factor of two over what it was designed for. I just prefer not too push it.
The problem with the Vette is not the reflector with fresnel lenses. Yes, going to euro reflector is going to give a better cutoff line and better pattern and all that, if you will, but the main problem is that 1100 lumens aren't just lumens enough to light up the road.
For 300 you have Euros, for 350 you can get HIDs, yes, with the crappy OEM reflectors. To fix most of the blinding traffic problem, you need to put a plastic cap from a pen or a similar cap, in front of the HID bulb. Doing that should take care of direct light from the bulb.
BTW, HID bulbs run cooler than the stock 55watt halogens that come with the Vette. So, you don't need Euro assemblies to install HIDs.
G.
Quote:
Originally posted by panzer I highly recommend that you change to the Euro spec lenses because they are glass and handle the heat better than the original plastic. The glass also has a definite horizontal cut offpoint to control the light. The plastic lenses will blind oncoming drivers because or the crappy plastic lens. I used to dream about HID as the ultimate solution however I have converted to the Euro lenses and the high watt PIAA bulbs (90/135 H4) and absolutely don't think the HID is justifiable. Before you spend almost $500 find someone with the setup I just described. I think you will be staisfied. http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.m...ct_Code=VT1003
Originally posted by Manteuffel Panzer, I am not going to get in an argument about this. All I'll can tell you is that the 135 watt high beams I've tried on my Vette cannot outshine the low beams of my Acura TL. The low beams and the high beams on the TL are the same, except that the high beams remove the low beam cutoff line (bi-xenons).
Just work the math. Oh, 90 watts per bulb is increasing the electrical system's load by a factor of two over what it was designed for. I just prefer not too push it.
The problem with the Vette is not the reflector with fresnel lenses. Yes, going to euro reflector is going to give a better cutoff line and better pattern and all that, if you will, but the main problem is that 1100 lumens aren't just lumens enough to light up the road.
For 300 you have Euros, for 350 you can get HIDs, yes, with the crappy OEM reflectors. To fix most of the blinding traffic problem, you need to put a plastic cap from a pen or a similar cap, in front of the HID bulb. Doing that should take care of direct light from the bulb.
BTW, HID bulbs run cooler than the stock 55watt halogens that come with the Vette. So, you don't need Euro assemblies to install HIDs.
G.
Nice response. I am happy you are happy like FoxNews we can let the individual decide. One detail is wrong, the Eurolenses with the stock wattage is only $200, for the $300 you get the euro lenses and the 90/135 watt bulbs and new wiriring harness. I see no strain on my electrical system.
Eurolenses alone aren't going to fix the problem. So, you need both, bulbs and assemblies, if you're going to do it your way.
I've seen 6000K HID kits on ebay for as low as 250 bucks.
Eurolenses alone I don't think are a bad thing. However, installing 135 watt high beams and 90 low beams is just sweeping the problem under the carpet. Yes, they are brighter and all that, but then the only reason why you need the euro assembly is because its the only that can hold the heat from 90/135 watt bulbs.
In short: using 90 watt bulbs w/o autoleveling is going to blind oncoming traffic on bumpy roads, wether you want it or not, so why no go all the way?
What nghtmre has purchased is quite nice, indeed. That will solve the problem completely. However, with Euros you will loose the high beams, unless you go with the H4 halogens. I've seen some crazy H4 bi-xenon bulbs, but I am pretty sure those are outrageously expensive.
Stock reflector has a cutoff line too, yes, its less defined, but has one after all.
Anyways, glad you're happy with your 90watt halogens. To each his own.
The stock headlamp optics are not designed for HID retrofit kits, with or without shields. The hid's in halogen optics usually has lots of stray light even though properly aimed, and can be blinding to approaching traffic. HID bulbs are designed for HID optics.
Some of the other GM vehicles have poor halogen lights too. One is the H2. Probably by far the worst stock headlamps I have ever seen. I did the HID retrofit conversion twice, once with the stock halogen optics and once with E code optics. Neither worked. I finally settled on e codes with H4 bulbs. The lighting is not HID 4100 deree, but it's not bad.
Daniel Stern has some good info on lighting and may answer some questions. He's the lighting guru.
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