Restoration-Mini

Technical Forums => Maintenance and Modifications => Topic started by: BruceK on January 14, 2022, 04:39:16 PM

Title: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: BruceK on January 14, 2022, 04:39:16 PM
If you want headlights with the latest LED lighting technology for your Mini but you don't want some goofy modern headlights that look like robot's eyes, you now have a new option.

Holley has developed a round 7" LED headlight that looks like old-fashioned (aka period-correct) headlights.  It's the best of both worlds.  They are not cheap at $400 a pair, but the LED lighting technology should be a vast improvement over halogen lights.

https://www.headlightrevolution.com/Sealed-Beam-Holley-RetroBright-LED-Headlights-7-Round

(https://www.headlightrevolution.com/images/Item%20Images/83151.010.jpg?resizeid=117&resizeh=768&resizew=768)
Title: Re: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: MiniDave on January 14, 2022, 07:07:42 PM
Spendy, but at least you can see at night!  77.gif
Title: Re: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: MPlayle on January 14, 2022, 07:13:27 PM
I have had these bookmarked for some time.  Not as spendy as the Holley ones Bruce posted.  They come in different grades and different lens styles (although the 'economy' and the 'Hella' ones tend to often be backordered).

https://vintagecarleds.com/shop/7-inch/vc3500-classic-kit/ (https://vintagecarleds.com/shop/7-inch/vc3500-classic-kit/)

Title: Re: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: BruceK on January 14, 2022, 08:15:37 PM
Michael, I am running a setup like that: Wipac 7" lamp units with high-quality LED lights in the H4 style.  So plug and play. They work very well.  So about $100 for the lamp Wipac units and then about $150 for the highly-rated LED bulbs I used (below).

https://www.headlightrevolution.com/headlight-revolution-perfectfit-led-headlights-h4-bulbs-PF1.H4_2

So $250 in.  While my setup works well, the completely engineered from scratch LED solution from Holley might be worth the extra money.
Title: Re: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: cstudep on January 14, 2022, 08:42:57 PM
The biggest issue I have seen in regards to the "drop in" non specific engineered LED lights is the beam pattern. Not necessarily for the guy behind the wheel but for oncoming traffic. They generally don't end up with the cutoff in the correct place......if they have any sort of cut off at all, and that can be a problem for oncoming traffic.

I learned a lot more about it than I intended to when looking into options for my 3rd gen 4runner. The headlights on it are absolutely horrible, as in way worse than my 1960 mini and also a lot worse than the old square headlights in my sons 94 YJ jeep. I was looking at LED, HID, etc.. and the beam pattern was far and away the biggest issue with nearly all of the drop in LED solutions. Could be different with the classic mini stuff so maybe they just work better, always good to have lots of options.
Title: Re: New Period-correct looking LED headlights
Post by: MPlayle on January 15, 2022, 07:06:21 AM
Bruce,

I have the page for the LED bulbs you used bookmarked as well.

The full kits do not accommodate having the park light in the headlight as some Minis have - such as my current green one.  My current green Mini uses H4 bulbs, so I would be considering the ones like Bruce linked.

If the park lights are in the turn signals, then the full kits are a good choice.

The beam pattern and cut-off is usually determined by lens and/or reflector in standard and halogen bulbs.  The HID (projector) and many LED bulbs are direct forward facing lights and thus rely on the bulb for the beam pattern and cut-off.

The bulbs Bruce linked and the ones I linked rely on the lens and/or reflector of the housing to determin the beam pattern and cut-off.