Update on my car...and a Q re: headlights

[Steve W]

Well, it's been quite awhile since I've been here. Funny how life sneaks up on you and time just flies on by!  Car is still running strong!
But, I had a radiator leak and it always ran a little warm. I lived with it for quite awhile, but after replacing the fan clutch, water pump, T-stat, etc. it was getting worse.  I started shopping radiators. The more I researched, the more I realized I didn't want a replacement radiator, I wanted mine FIXED! Luckily, I found an old-school guy in Burbank and he was AMAZING! Re-cored my radiator, flushed the entire cooling system, replaced the bottom hose (the only one I didn't get around to) and even painted the radiator tanks! Looks like a new radiator. And did it in a day! And VERY REASONABLE pricing! Good quality work! My gauge never goes much over the 1/4 mark now...even in rush-hour with the AC on full-blast and its 102 outside (that was on the day I picked it up from the shop...the 'shakedown cruise'!) He kept the old core for me to look at...wow, I was surprised it worked at all! All gunked up!

My trans was leaking pretty badly too, so the radiator guy referred me to a transmission guy in Burbank...about 2 blocks away, actually! Went there and the guy gave me a great rate on a full transmission service (the first since I've owned the car!)...dropping the pan, cleaning the screen, cleaning the pan, fixing a couple of leaks, fresh gasket and he even trued the pan...and not a single drop has leaked since!

So now my question about headlights. Mine work OK. Well. OK for a 1968 Caddy. I was wondering...are there any good quality brighter headlights that just pop in as replacements? I don't want to do all the xenon stuff, or blind drivers with HID...just want a better headlight than I have now.  Been reading up on relays, but I haven't seen specific instructions of exactly HOW to DIY.

What do you 4 headlight guys do...especially like the stacked headlights on my 68?

[savemy67]

Hello Steve,

I have a '67 Sedan DeVille which has yet to see any night driving.  I plan on keeping the T3 headlamps in my car.  In urban areas such as mine (Baltimore) and yours (Los Angeles), I am not convinced that brighter headlamps are useful.  As you said in your post, you would like to avoid blinding other drivers, which is often what happens when conversion bulbs are installed.  The few conversion bulbs I have looked at, all seem to drastically increase the brightness (and the cost).  If you had a regular nighttime commute in a rural area, brighter bulbs might be useful.  The high beams on my '67's T3 bulbs seem to be reasonably effective when tested under daylight conditions.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter

[chrisntam]

Just buy halogens, they are readily available, I get them from Rock Auto.  Direct replacement, they work great.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

No matter what lights you use, if they are properly adjusted, you won't be dazzling anyone.

I used Halogen lights in my '72 Eldo, and in my '60 CDV, I used Aircraft Landing Lights in the High Beam, as back then, brighter lights weren't readily available.

As has been stated, for normal driving in built-up areas, where High Beams are not used, basic lights are good, but in country driving, it is imperative to have good lights.

Any car with ez-eye glass, the original low beam lights are marginal at best.

Installing Relays will increase the illumination, as the lights are receiving full 12 volts, instead of the power going via the headlight switch.

Bruce.

[Steve W]

Halogens are better/brighter than the stock sealed beam units in my car now? ( I think I even have a Guide T3 as one of the 4)
Are the old ones incandescent?

Shows you how much I know about headlights! LOL!

Do halogens require a special bulb or whatever? I just want to unplug the old ones and plug in the new ones...but have them be brighter, that's all.  No muss/no fuss. Or I'll just stay with what I have.

[chrisntam]

Halogens are direct replacements for the standard headlight bulbs.  Just take out the old ones, put in the new ones, just plug & play.

The glass will say "Halogen" on the outside of the bulb.

[Scot Minesinger]

Yes, plus one on Halogens from Rock Auto.  They work great, I drive at night all the time.  I can see fine and no one ever flashes their bright beams at me.  I drive with low beams because in DC area traffic is heavy and I hate constantly dimming lights (lots of hills my auto-dimming option is unreliable).

I work on classic Cadillacs at night and after finishing a repair have to test drive at night briefly (do a long drive during day for final tests).  Anyway, I find that 90% of the cars I work on have terrible adjustment of the lights and usually part of my work is to adjust the headlights.