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Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:20 am Post subject: Hella H4 Headlights |
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Installed a set of Hella H4 E-Code headlights...wow, what a difference! I got them from busdepot.com; they're German made, with glass lenses and a metal housing. I thought my originals weren't too bad, but the difference is night and day (pun intended).
The lenses are of course flatter than regular sealed-beam lamps, so it gives a different look. Some of you I'm sure have already made the conversion, but for those who haven't, I think this is the best $78 you can spend on your Type 3, if you do a lot of night driving (which I do).
A front view:
Closeup:
Side views:
I did have to adjust them up per the Bentley chart, as they were shining too low after installation. These are a direct replacement when used with the 55/60W bulbs, but you can use stronger bulbs with a relay. Here's the product link:
http://www.busdepot.com/0301600118
And the 55/60W bulbs I used:
http://www.busdepot.com/78155 _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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squaretobehip Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 3668 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Right on, I just did this conversion as well.
_________________ 1963 Notchback - Ruby Red
1963 Squareback - Pearl White
1965 Squareback - Baltic Blue
Follow ISP West on:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/ispwest
Instagram - @ispwest - www.instagram.com/ispwest |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33875 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:42 am Post subject: |
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I've run those since they were hard to find back the late '70s. Good grounds and tight contacts, and these things are far better than any sealed beam, but use common, fairly cheap bulbs. |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17962 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:47 am Post subject: |
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The flat Hella in the red '67 just say DOT on them, but I still want to install them on my '69. _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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Danwvw Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2012 Posts: 8892 Location: Oregon Coast
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:55 am Post subject: |
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I went with a pair of Auto-Pal E-11 H4 head lights and they are great on High beam but the Low beams shine down too much! How are the Hella E code's that way? Can you see out in front of you well enough on low beam? _________________ 1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths! |
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Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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The low beams were too low when I installed the lights, so I had to raise the beams by turning in the upper adjusting screw (labeled "B" here):
I used tape to mark the wall for beam adjustment like in the diagram.
These beams have a very distinct upper edge, which I placed right at the "H" line in the diagram. Nobody's been flashing their lights at me, so all is well. _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33875 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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E-code lamps have a pattern more like this:
The sharp low beam cutoff means less glare to oncoming drivers, and light on the ground to guide you. Aim them carefully and you'll find they work better than the "foggy blob" sealed beam pattern.
The adjusting screws of the conversion H4 lamps at the top of the thread use the US adjuster locations, but the pattern should be like the European manual above.
Late model headlamps may have different measurements than the Euro diagram, but go by the text and find the lamp centers. Ride height will change this value anyway. Be sure your tires are inflated correctly first. |
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Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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Correct. My lights needed no horizontal adjustment, but it's no problem to check once you've got your marks set. _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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Stuartzickefoose Samba Post Whore
Joined: February 07, 2008 Posts: 10350 Location: SoCal for now...
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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ive heard and experienced the high and low being so far apart its annoying before. i got over it and just drive around with the high beams on in my westy jk...but it hasnt been a big enough issue for me to switch back...to useful! _________________ Stuart Zickefoose
2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual
206-841-7324
[email protected] |
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Danwvw Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2012 Posts: 8892 Location: Oregon Coast
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah mine are defiantly too far apart, I wound up just setting them so the high beams can stay on all the time but I still get an occasional flash and when I do I go to low beams but if going down a dark road in the rain I don't feel very safe at 55mph. Those lows have a pretty pretty sharp cut off about 200 feet out can't see a dear in the road with them until it's too late if going 55 mph. _________________ 1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths! |
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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22416 Location: Escondido CA
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Stuartzickefoose Samba Post Whore
Joined: February 07, 2008 Posts: 10350 Location: SoCal for now...
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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notchboy wrote: |
Yeah? This is a very straight forward swap to a superior part. Thanks for sharing. |
having a hot flash there jason?
_________________ Stuart Zickefoose
2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual
206-841-7324
[email protected] |
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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22416 Location: Escondido CA
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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Stuartzickefoose wrote: |
notchboy wrote: |
Yeah? This is a very straight forward swap to a superior part. Thanks for sharing. |
having a hot flash there jason?
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That flash done happened back in 2001. _________________
t3kg wrote: |
OK, this thread is over. You win. |
Jason "notchboy" Weigel
1964 1500 S
1964 T34 S Convertible
1977 Westfalia Camper pop-top |
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Busdepot Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004 Posts: 1306
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the positive review, Donnie! The Hellas are one of my post popular items. I have to buy a shitload of them to get this price but it's worth it. Switching to E-codes is probably the single biggest improvement you can make to your VW for well under $100 and ten minutes work.
I'd like to make one point here, which is that not all H4's are the same. While all of them use H4 bulbs (which themselves can vary greatly in quality i.e. German vs. Chinese), the lens is what separates a good H4 headlight from a bad one. Hella (except for the VisionPlus, which is not really an H4), Bosch, and Cibie are all safe bets, no matter where you buy them. They are true E-Code headlights, meaning that they meet strict European Union standards for beam pattern and performance. Most generics, however, do not. I've compared many and they are a total crapshoot. Some are halfway decent, others blind oncoming traffic or shoot the beam too low. The worst of them are designed for the Japanese or Indian market and therefore intended for left-hand-drive vehicles, so they shoot the light to the wrong side of the road entirely (and do a crappy job of that). I do sell a $35 generic pair - http://www.busdepot.com/nl910ch4/ that is the best generic I've found (they're basically Cibie knockoffs and actually legitimate E-codes), but the $69 Hellas Donnie referenced in the first post still outperform them. My point here is "buyer beware." A good pair of E-codes is a huge improvement for almost no money. A crappy pair is no improvement at all. _________________ - Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
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Yabbadubbadoo Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2012 Posts: 914
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone bought quality right hand drive ones? Where? _________________ Sydney, Australia.
66 Type 3 Fastback |
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Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 3:45 am Post subject: |
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You're welcome Ron, and thank you for making them available to us at such a great price. With German lenses and German bulbs, I feel like you can't go wrong! _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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tjet Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2014 Posts: 3528 Location: CA & NM
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Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:43 am Post subject: Re: Hella H4 Headlights |
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Is there a date code on these Hella H4 7" conversion lamps?
The reason I'm asking is because I bought a set of used ones for my project, and they look vintage.
The backside of the headlights has a grey finish, not the typical dark copper color on current Hella's, & the dust boots are red (my other hella's are grey).
Hella part no is: 111 603. They do not have the "306" preceding as the above lamps do.
There is also some other minor differences. They do not have the string of #'s under the H4, and the "HCR" is in a box [HCR]
Thanks |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 246 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:04 pm Post subject: Re: Hella H4 Headlights |
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tjet wrote: |
Is there a date code on these Hella H4 7" conversion lamps?
The reason I'm asking is because I bought a set of used ones for my project, and they look vintage.
The backside of the headlights has a grey finish, not the typical dark copper color on current Hella's, & the dust boots are red (my other hella's are grey).
Hella part no is: 111 603. They do not have the "306" preceding as the above lamps do.
There is also some other minor differences. They do not have the string of #'s under the H4, and the "HCR" is in a box [HCR]
Thanks |
Do you have images? |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 246 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: Hella H4 Headlights |
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Just did the conversation on a original set of euro headlights, but they are not ad bright as my SB12s..... am I using the wrong bulb for illumination?
Right side is SB12, left side is Euro H4.
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pitargue Samba Member
Joined: December 24, 2006 Posts: 232
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:29 pm Post subject: Re: Hella H4 Headlights |
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I think you'd want to install an H4 bulb than that round one you have. |
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