Modern Headlights for my '73 Charger?

[Triple Black 73]

My build is getting very close to being completed. Thank you everyone for helping me.

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/73-charger-build-log.112504/

One of the thing I would like to address is the poor illumination of the factory style headlights. I see there's a lot of 5" style retro fit systems using modern day H4 bulbs all over the net, but I also know there's a wide gap between a cheap system and good systems.

Can anyone recommend a good retro fit headlight system for my classic Mopar? Thanks!

 

[bm02tj]

www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

He carries all the good stuff

 

[Lionized]

Search for member: Crackedback
He builds relay kits for our cars and does great work. I have one installed in my Super Bee.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I simply upgraded to halogen sealed beams and relays into the cab ( previuslly upgraded alt and it's wiring up to ammeter ) and done...

 

[rrTor-Red]

Search for member: Crackedback
He builds relay kits for our cars and does great work. I have one installed in my Super Bee.

His relay kits are awesome and he makes a wrap around (as he calls it) for the alternator and can make cables coming off the starter. I'd consider one of his kits and then worry about headlights. The option is wide for headlights. Keep us posted

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Sourcing anything from starter relay is the same tha source from batt, will give you false reading at ammeter, allong unnecesary stress there ( and bulkhead terminals )

 

[Crackedback]

Yes, I make relay kits and thanks for the recommendation. You might be suprised how well a relay kit and a set of sealed beam halogens can perform without spending a ton of money on lights. Those fancy lights don't work great when they aren't getting the voltage they require, likely requiring a relay kit anyways to perform up to their potential.

My Wire around takes the load off the bulkhead/ammeter and makes that worthless gauge, IMHO, read inaccurate. Better to place a voltmeter in the car. There are plug in voltmeters using the cigarette lighter that can keep things very stealthy.

Doing the wire around you can pull power from the starter relay. Otherwise, I suggest pulling power for the headlights directly from the alternator charge stud.

 

[hangn0ut]

Way back when I used a relay for my headlights. Power from the alternator battery stud. When I would start the car(63 440 dodge wagon) and hit the lights the lights would blow. I would have to wait til the charge rate went down. Then it was fine. I figured it was the high rate of charge. Maybe it was the halogens back then just were too delicate?

 

[bm02tj]

When you first start your car the alternator goes to full output and the lights took the hit before the battery absorbed the high voltage and the regulator could cut it back

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Something weird there... Amperage won't blow anything, just voltage! Amperage is sucked by the devices, not simply given by the alt. Alt just provides the required amperage by the devices.

If amperage would blow something, you couldn't charge your Cell phone from the wall outlet.

It can be a faulty regulator, or short/ground into alt what makes a fail on regulator reading.

I got once one of the alt vent vanes getting a small friction with one of the stator leads to the diodes bank. That gave me a 18 to 24 volts reading but a discharge reading untill I revved up the engine. Disasembled, adjusted the stator lead position and done. At first though everybody will say it was the reg, but was not. Of course took me maybe an hour to get the conclusion it was not the reg

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I have halogens, and 100 amps alt ( well thats what the box says LOL ), sourced from alt side, althought at ammeter stud and I can turn them on anytime!

In fact, with a fully discharged batt and high amperage alts what will give you a full charge reading ( not healthy for the charging system ), turn on the lights being sourced from alt, will help on get out the stress from the charging system ( bulkhead and ammeter ) untill get the batt partially charged, then you can turn them off. So actually will help.

 

[Slantsixdan]

Careful with your parts selection; there's an awful lot of unsafe, illegitimate junk on the market, all of it put forth as an "upgrade". What's best for a car with one 7" round headlamp on each side doesn't necessarily translate to what's best on a car with two 5.75" rounds on each side. And it's not just a matter of grabbing for the big wattage numbers, either. Feel free to shoot me a PM or an email if you'd like help picking out parts.

 

[furryfrog]

I have been thinking about upgrading the headlights on my 74 clonerunner as well. Good idea about wiring in relays, I may try that.