[Dick Boneske]

Are the current T3 headlight repros brighter than the originals?

If not, what are some choices that would be brighter--with or without relays.

I've looked, but can't find threads newer than 2011 on this.

[Jack Gifford]

If you haven't already, I'd try relays. If the load circuit is kept as short (and 'fat', say #12) as possible (put relays in the shortest path between headlights and alternator BAT terminal), most vehicles see quite an improvement. Assuming ground path is really good.

[rexs73gto]

Just about any NEW bulb that you put in your car will be brighter just because of the new teq. of the way they make the bulbs. I sold my original Power Beams from my 73 about 1 month ago & put in some 7" bulbs that I had on the shelf as back ups. They were some much brighter then what i had in there I could now see at night. Also there are a lot of bulbs out that will go right in place of your T-3's that are much brighter then what you have as the new bulbs are made different. Figure about $ 10.00 a bulb for then & that will be very good bulbs for your replacements. You will be surprised at how much better you can see at night with them over the OLD T-3's. They will be more like the ones in your new car.

[cuz68]

Has anyone tried these new bulbs that rex is talking about?

[Jeff Hamlin]

In an attempt to stay as close to oem & not wanting to modify anything, I just cleaned all connection points & Ground points and added the Repro T3's from LL and the difference was like night & day I have been running these for years and wouldn't hesitate to use them.
http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm

[chrisp]

Sylvania Halogens are bright & white .

[TedRamAirII]

New lights. http://www.ss396.com/cars/june5-2015/

[DOC]

Cleaning the lighting wiring harness grounds is very important. I also run the Sylvania halogens with very bright lights on both the 78 and 69 without any issues.

[Josue]

Not to hijack, but along these lines still....

Are all you guys using factory wiring still while achieving these brighter results? I have a mystery short in my '68 Firebird that causes the battery to drain over the course of a few days if I don't use the quick disconnect I installed on the neg. terminal as a temporary fix. I plan on rewiring the car front to back to fix this, since new kits are rather inexpensive and it wouldn't hurt to have fresh wiring.....

Will this aid in brighter headlights? Or will I still have to take other measures; like relays, new bulbs, etc?

[Dick Boneske]

Anyone try these yet? Price is not bad.

http://www.ss396.com/chevelle/LHT-T3-HI.html

Regarding wiring, the most common problem is a poor ground connection at the core support on which the headlights are mounted. Cleaning the contacts on the headlight connectors also helps reduce voltage drop. A small amount of dielectric grease helps stop future corrosion on the plug contacts.

The voltage drop with a factory harness in good condition and good ground connections is minimal. I don't understand the need some people argue for relays and rewiring.

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by Josue

Not to hijack, but along these lines still....

Are all you guys using factory wiring still while achieving these brighter results? I have a mystery short in my '68 Firebird that causes the battery to drain over the course of a few days if I don't use the quick disconnect I installed on the neg. terminal as a temporary fix. I plan on rewiring the car front to back to fix this, since new kits are rather inexpensive and it wouldn't hurt to have fresh wiring.....

Will this aid in brighter headlights? Or will I still have to take other measures; like relays, new bulbs, etc?

New kits may be "inexpensive" but a PITA to install. Wiring is the first thing installed when building the car.
Your short may not be a "wiring" issue. I would put a small light bulb inline (test light) between the Neg cable and the battery terminal. Open the door and press in or disconnect the dome light switch. the testing light should be lit. Now start pulling fuses until the light goes off, when the light goes off, that fuse is powering your short. Then you need to find out what items are on that circuit and put your fuse back in and disconnect the items that the fuse powers, until the light goes off. There's your sign. Don't forget that the large wire on the Alternator can drain your battery too. You may even start there, pull the large wire off and see if the light goes off, if so the Alternator is bad or at least has bad diodes. One trick is to connect your battery and wait a few hours, then use your hand to find out what is warm.
As for headlights, check the grounds first. If you can, put a meter between the ground terminal of the headlight bulb and the core support. If you get a voltage reading, the ground is not good.

[Josue]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

New kits may be "inexpensive" but a PITA to install. Wiring is the first thing installed when building the car.
Your short may not be a "wiring" issue. I would put a small light bulb inline (test light) between the Neg cable and the battery terminal. Open the door and press in or disconnect the dome light switch. the testing light should be lit. Now start pulling fuses until the light goes off, when the light goes off, that fuse is powering your short. Then you need to find out what items are on that circuit and put your fuse back in and disconnect the items that the fuse powers, until the light goes off. There's your sign. Don't forget that the large wire on the Alternator can drain your battery too. You may even start there, pull the large wire off and see if the light goes off, if so the Alternator is bad or at least has bad diodes. One trick is to connect your battery and wait a few hours, then use your hand to find out what is warm.
As for headlights, check the grounds first. If you can, put a meter between the ground terminal of the headlight bulb and the core support. If you get a voltage reading, the ground is not good.

I'll be sure to start there, thanks!!

[rexs73gto]

The bulbs I used , there isn't anything special with them they were just a new or newer bulb with newer style stuff in them . Just a bulb like you would go to AutoZone & buy. Just new. But it made a big difference over the 40 year old bulb in the right side & a bulb that was 30 years old in the left. If they are like mine & old just putting in a new bulb in your car will make a big improvement. Bulbs do get dim as they get old but it takes a long time & you are getting use to it as you drive, then when you put new ones in they look a lot brighter.

[HWYSTR455]

The connections/grounds are a good place to start, and replacing the bulbs with new ones. The glass on the old bulbs get hazy, foggy, and reduce the light considerably.

$100 for just bulbs is expensive imo though. Half of that you can go to H4s.

If you're not concerned with originality, going the H4 route with relays is the hot ticket, and best value.

You can check this thread, I posted part numbers and links to do an H4 conversion, the results speak for themselves.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...hlight=autopal

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[rexs73gto]

If you just replace the bulbs that you have now with new Halogen bulbs you'll have twice the lights you have now. Plus there only about $10.00 a piece & you don't have to install any relays in your car. Just plug them in & go drive it.

[propuckstopper]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

If you just replace the bulbs that you have now with new Halogen bulbs you'll have twice the lights you have now. Plus there only about $10.00 a piece & you don't have to install any relays in your car. Just plug them in & go drive it.

That is exactly what I did. Found some sealed beam (maybe Sylvania?) halogen bulbs and the difference is night and day. They bolted right in. Of course, these newer halogen bulbs lack the "T3" insignia, but I could care less for local-type car shows.

For the times I do drive the cars at night, I feel a ton safer. Better to lack the T3 insignia and not hit a deer...

[rexs73gto]

Thats the way I felt , I sold the original Power Beam lamps in my car which paid for the new head lamps plus. But now I can see if i drive it at night.

[aldbeir]

for relays I didn't modify the original harness. I used the headlight wiring off a donor. put the relays up front and used the original headlight wiring to activate the relays. then just a large power wire to the relays from a buss on the firewall that I used to replace the splice in the alternator wire. it is easier to attach accessories to a buss than the splice in the alternator wire.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

If you're not concerned with originality, going the H4 route with relays is the hot ticket, and best value.

You can check this thread, I posted part numbers and links to do an H4 conversion, the results speak for themselves.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...hlight=autopal

.

I did that - DOT legal lows, Baja offroad level highs

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by aldbeir

for relays I didn't modify the original harness. I used the headlight wiring off a donor. put the relays up front and used the original headlight wiring to activate the relays. then just a large power wire to the relays from a buss on the firewall that I used to replace the splice in the alternator wire. it is easier to attach accessories to a buss than the splice in the alternator wire.

Exactly what I did, but not sure if in the original post I mentioned switching to 70a fuses and the .375 terminals. The 30/40a relay terminals can get pretty hot, the .375 terminals and 70a relays did the trick.

The M.A.D. link for the headlight wiring is in that thread too.

Scarebird - you're not kidding about Baja off road level! Daylight.

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