I did the relay mod before I started messing with my bulbs. It alone made a huge improvement. I made my first setup with relays and plugs bough separately. Later I just started using the headlight relay wiring kits off Amazon for $15-20. You just need to be sure to grab the ones with the heavier gauge wire.
Next I dug into what sealed beams were available. I wasn’t finding any of the available options interesting so I grabbed a cheap set of eBay H4 conversion lenses. They were junk so they went back. Opted for the Hella H4 conversion set from Amazon. That was a quality set for $75 or so. Made a huge improvement even considering the rather standard bulbs they include. Well worth the $$. Only negative is if you’re a purist and need the convex front on the lens/housing. The Hella’s are basically flat. I figured the trade off was well worth it. Flat lenses and my car in one piece, vs convex OE looking lenses and mg car in a ditch or in pieces from a deer.
I have a few sets of Cibie H4 lenses now which are supposed to be the best. Been acquiring them over the past few years when they’d pop up on eBay really cheap. Personally I feel like the perceived (by me at least) light output is the same as the Hella’s, you’re just paying a premium for the convex appearance. I believe Valeo is the name Cibie went with in more recent years. I have sets of both… they’re identical.
Hope that info might help someone trying to do the same some day. Took me a while to sort it all out a few years back. The difference in light output is phenomenal. No way I’d ever feel confident with a set of old (or new) sealed beams without relays!
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