911Jetta

I got a call the other day from some local Porsche buddies..."we're working a HID light and would love to see how they work on a 964, no modifications are necessary...they work great on our cars, it should take just a couple minutes to install." I think I say YES, YES, YES twenty times on the phone.

These guys are absolute Phorschephiles; they are very passionate about these and super creative. It's always a good time around these guys.

So the next day my car is sitting amongst their toys getting new eyes. Within minutes the lights were installed and there was light! They functioned perfectly...when the high beams were on. For now, only one light works on low beam. As will all projects, there's still a little work to do but I'm sure these guys will have that solved in short order.

I impatiently waited five hours for it to start getting dark...as dusk approached I hit the road. At first I thought the lights weren't working, as I didn't see the usual warm glow of my H5s (with upgraded Silverstar bulbs). That warm glow that says, "yes your lights are on but don't expect much more than this when it gets really dark." Then I noticed every street sign was lit up and shinning back at me in all its reflective glory. So I drove and drove until it got dark enough (thought job I know). As evening took hold the full effect of these lights soon became evident, I could comfortably see a lot further down the road. I had to adjust to the "whiter" color of the lights, but there was no question the light pattern was dramatically improved, not just distance but also the shoulder of the road.

I live in an area with a lot of deer...this is the first time I felt I had a chance to see them before they were 50 feet in front of me.

I took some pictures of the light pattern, and hope to replicate the same pictures when I reinstall my H5s for comparison benefits. I don't have any technical specs, but I can honestly say I felt much more comfortable taking the car out on our local twisty roads at night. My H5 rings don't work with the light bucket (H1s and/912 buckets), so you'll notice the chrome rings (a nod to MrBerveryHills).

Since the only one light was working while using the low beams, my friends adjusted the lights to be acceptable to oncoming traffic while driving on high the whole time. In fifty plus miles of testing, I was never "flashed" and didn't attract the attention of the police cars that passed... Of course I had to test the low beans also. The pattern looked very similar (to the point that I kept looking to see if both lights were now on), except for the cut off at the top and of course not as far (but almost) down the road.

Sorry for the long winded write up, it was one of those Porsche weekends that just lifts your spirits, so had to share a little bit of the fun with you guys...you know I love pictures….

911Jetta

My buddies installed the lights so fast that we had time to go for a "spirited" drive in the hills North of town. I drove the RSR rep pictured below and another friend showed up in his newly acquired Stale Grey 993! Wow that car was beautiful.

The RSR rep was a true, true driver's car. Oh the steering, oh the sound! I was completely surprised (actually shocked) at how good the car was. This really was a go-kart with RSR fenders and a duck. I'm going to have to rethink things down the road...once the kids are grown and don't need the daily aspects of the 964. I've driven a couple torsion bar cars, but this car danced. We were flying in minutes, I shouldn't have felt this comfortable in this car. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 964, but this car was a one of those cars that had some kind of unexplainable magic.

I was worried that the "race car livery" would attrach a lot of negative attention? Nope, we just got lots of thumbs up out on the road as we screamed past.

sturm

Are those similar to to this guys project?: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...han-400-a.html



'93rsa 3.8

Laker

Very nice Jetta!
You had a great weekend- I would be very interested in those HIDs. Do you know how many watts they draw? Car is looking great and seeing better too!

tbennett017

The chrome rings look cool too, esp. on a gray car.

You may want to read up on Daniel Stern's website about lighting, just as a background read. It might help you evaluate what you are seeing.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

Vandit

When it comes to HID retrofits, projector is the way to go. These units remind me of what is on the Singer 911s.

I'd be interested in seeing the light cutoff w/ the car parked a bit further back from the wall.

Do you know what type of projector they are using (i.e. made for a D2S HID bulb)? What are their plans as far as selling these kits?

Goughary

+1 on the chrome rings...

FeralComprehension

Where do we sign up?

911Jetta

Thanks for the comments above. I'm going to finally have to learn how to multi- quote???!!!

I tried to keep it as non tech as possible for fear of incorrectly stating something or possible misleading about the project in some way. They are still working on the low beam issue (only on 964s), but everything else is tantalizingly close.

No. That looks like a nice project, and I would have to reserve judgement until I saw the projector/lens combo in person, but those lights really change the look of an older 911, these don't. I ran into a couple P-car buddies in town and asked them if these lights looked odd or stood out on a 911. Everyone loved the look of these lights.

Thanks Tom. I had been to that site in the past but didn't spend too much time on it as I thought HID and 964s wouldn't meet for a long time, because of both effort and $$$. Well it looks like that time is closer than I thought. I need to read up...thanks.


Laker,
I'll find out. All I asked is if it would set my car on fire? They laughed, say maybe and then I said OK, let's install the suckers.

Vandit,
The lights definitely have that Singer look to them, in that they look like great lights on there own and also happen to look great on an old Porsche also. I'll ask them what bulb/project style they are using?

I'll take more pictures of the light pattern. What's the best configeration to display the pattern? 40 feet from a wall??


It does work, at least on a grey car.

By buddies said that these lights will slot right into cars with H1s and H4s. You can use your old headlight ring. Cars with H5s lights need the older headlight rings. Have you prices those recently? I think they are all gold plated or something...

Black930

911jetta you always have cool ideas. Looks great. Man I would love to tear up the streets in that rsr rep. Lucky you. Keep us posted.

warmfuzzies

Are they self levelling? just interested as its a UK MOT requirement.

Thanks

Kevin

Silvertarga

I put HIDs in my H5s, low beams are excellent, High beams are terrible, look brown..kept them in as the low beams are so good I dont need high beams, I am going to try installing a relay to the high beams and see if that helps

RicardoD

This would be a way cool upgrade. Definitely interested.

ChaseN

Just read through that guys website - kinda sounds like he has an ax to grind against HIDs. Of note, HID projector conversion, as discussed in this thread, is a totally different animal than "drop-in" HID kits - which in my experience do produce poor results - as discussed on Mr. Stern's website (which also sells halogen bulbs...)

I'm no lighting expert, but comparing the H4s on my 964 to the OEM HIDs on my '06 330i, there's no comparison in light output. This is based on my ability to see deer and other wildlife in the distance on the wooded, rural back roads around which I live, work, and play. I don't have any quantitative measuring ability, but I KNOW I can see obstructions in the road much sooner.

Not to say that you couldn't replicate the brightness of my BMW's HIDs with halogens, but I know you sure couldn't do it on the minimal power draw that HIDs do it on, and I doubt you could do it with as sharp a cut off either, which allows the lights to be aimed a bit higher without blinding on comers.

Just one guy's rambling opinion, worth as much as you paid for it, YMMV, yada yada yada

GeorgeK

This seems very promising, however would be a total waste unless there is some form of pattern to the light emitted.
You will get stopped if you blind other motorists, and in some countries you will never pass tech inspection if the pattern does not meet certain criteria.

Putting out a ton of light is a great idea, as long as it is properly aimed/adjustable.