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I'm considering converting to fixed GTS-style headlights and I'm hoping to gather some experiences here. There are three suppliers I'm aware of - Deutsche Nine, GT Racing, and Vintage Exotics. The D9 kit looks the nicest aesthetically but I haven't heard great things about customer service and quality. I'm not 100% sure GT Racing is still producing their kits, and I have also heard some issues with them. The Vintage Exotics kit is nice in that is uses Hella light modules and so probably has improved light output over stock, but it's a race part and frankly looks kind of unfinished.
Are there any other sources? I'd like at least comparable output to stock headlights and a factory appearance. I'm retiring my 944S from DD status soon and it will be garaged when not in use so I'm not too concerned about scratching/hazing issues.
D9 is a dead company...and even if they were alive, I wouldn't buy from them based on reputation.
Never heard of Vintage Exotics, but first glance shows that the light kit + the Hella projectors is $579...
And their own photos show that the fitment is pretty bad.
Main complaint with this style lights is that they don't actually light the road up, due to the little leg of the badge panel blocking the "downward" light beam but those mostly come from people using sealed beam or H4 "square" bulbs.
Gotta say the GT Racing kit is truly a "kit" as is most of their parts. I've had one for a number of years and haven't installed it just because I know it's going to be a LOT of trial and error to put it in.
I have the GT buckets and covers. But have custom projectors and signals mounted in them (haven't had issues will night vision). The buckets do take a bit of adjustment to get right. There is a lot of excess room in there after pulling all the pop up light stuff out. If you can I'd definitely form my own covers out of poly-carbonate. GT charges a pretty penny for theirs and after time they fade and cloud over. I'll actually be making my own covers to replace the ones I have. I can take some pics of the set up later and post them up so you can see what you'd be looking at on an install.
I have the GT buckets and covers. But have custom projectors and signals mounted in them (haven't had issues will night vision). The buckets do take a bit of adjustment to get right. There is a lot of excess room in there after pulling all the pop up light stuff out. If you can I'd definitely form my own covers out of poly-carbonate. GT charges a pretty penny for theirs and after time they fade and cloud over. I'll actually be making my own covers to replace the ones I have. I can take some pics of the set up later and post them up so you can see what you'd be looking at on an install.
I'm considering converting to fixed GTS-style headlights and I'm hoping to gather some experiences here. There are three suppliers I'm aware of - Deutsche Nine, GT Racing, and Vintage Exotics. The D9 kit looks the nicest aesthetically but I haven't heard great things about customer service and quality. I'm not 100% sure GT Racing is still producing their kits, and I have also heard some issues with them. The Vintage Exotics kit is nice in that is uses Hella light modules and so probably has improved light output over stock, but it's a race part and frankly looks kind of unfinished.
Are there any other sources? I'd like at least comparable output to stock headlights and a factory appearance. I'm retiring my 944S from DD status soon and it will be garaged when not in use so I'm not too concerned about scratching/hazing issues.
Mines a D9 kit, the lenses supplied were poor quality (Scratched and the outer border aerosol black paint was patchy) so I got them to send me another pair, the fitting instructions and tubes looked a right faff so I got a local Race shop to fit them for me and they made their own brackets... and they fit ok, but not brilliant with the shut lines, but then this is because the front panel and bonnet are Fibreglass and I was aware and ok that they were all fitted for speed (Lightweight) and not Cosmetic ( Looks)
They use H4 Hella Lamps and they are nothing like modern cars as far as visibility goes! but they are not too bad and I don't do that much driving at night.
So to summarise if it's just for looks your considering fitting them? there will be some difficulties and compromises compared to the stock lights.
Mines a D9 kit, the lenses supplied were poor quality (Scratched and the outer border aerosol black paint was patchy) so I got them to send me another pair, the fitting instructions and tubes looked a right faff so I got a local Race shop to fit them for me and they made their own brackets... and they fit ok, but not brilliant with the shut lines, but then this is because the front panel and bonnet are Fibreglass and I was aware and ok that they were all fitted for speed (Lightweight) and not Cosmetic ( Looks)
They use H4 Hella Lamps and they are nothing like modern cars as far as visibility goes! but they are not too bad and I don't do that much driving at night.
So to summarise if it's just for looks your considering fitting them? there will be some difficulties and compromises compared to the stock lights.
From this distance they look ok
R
Thanks for the feedback. I'm considering them for the same reason you fit them, to reduce weight and improve performance. I don't do a lot of night driving either but hate to lose performance in any area if I can help it. It seems like using projector modules probably would result better output, so if I do build my own, I will probably go in that direction.
Thanks, sent him a message on the 924 board. His light buckets look quite a bit better than the Vintage Exotics ones, and it would be nice to help support a hobbyist enthusiast if I can.
Claude's kits are the best of the bunch. Highly recommend. Have them in my Club Sport project, and have two more sets queued up for a couple of other projects.
I think the complaints about light projection are bogus. With a proper high output alternator, clean grounds, and H4 bulbs, the beam pattern is as good as standard H4s in the pop up buckets. The smoked lenses on the Club Sport do attenuate output a little, but I just use the Euro driving lights to supplement.
For the record, I measured a weight savings of 14# as compared with the OEM pop-up lights.
Claude's kits are the best of the bunch. Highly recommend. Have them in my Club Sport project, and have two more sets queued up for a couple of other projects.
I think the complaints about light projection are bogus. With a proper high output alternator, clean grounds, and H4 bulbs, the beam pattern is as good as standard H4s in the pop up buckets. The smoked lenses on the Club Sport do attenuate output a little, but I just use the Euro driving lights to supplement.
For the record, I measured a weight savings of 14# as compared with the OEM pop-up lights.
Those do look nice, thanks for the photos. I have a set reserved from him with clear lenses, but now I am thinking smoked lenses might look even better!
10-20-2016, 09:52 AM
Experiences with GTS-style headlight kits?
