E-code headlamps
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Martensville, SK
E-code headlamps
My friend just acquired a 1993 that arrived with (no surprise) DOT headlamps. During the ride home, he realized quickly that the lighting is no where up to the car's performance.
I have advised him that we need some e-code lense/reflectors and then will install bi-zenon bulbs in place of H4.
Problem is, I have been away from Porsche for so long (I thought he had a 993!?!?!) that I have no idea where to get something to replace the 964 headlight assemblies - preferrably sourced in Canada, but US is OK. Are there dedicated e-codes or is it back to a 7" Hella with bezel to fit?
Pat
I have advised him that we need some e-code lense/reflectors and then will install bi-zenon bulbs in place of H4.
Problem is, I have been away from Porsche for so long (I thought he had a 993!?!?!) that I have no idea where to get something to replace the 964 headlight assemblies - preferrably sourced in Canada, but US is OK. Are there dedicated e-codes or is it back to a 7" Hella with bezel to fit?
Pat
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Martensville, SK
Is replying to oneself the same as speaking with oneself? I guess that none of you actually has to drive at night on open roads. One of the replies I recieved from a west coast suppier's "expert" simply asked what an e-code might be. Hmmm...........
I spent a fair bit of time and trouble chasing this stuff down, finding that I could get the correct euro headlamps from Automobile Atlanta for a reasonable price ($300 something US a pair). These appear to be the parts for a pre-964, since they mount to the trim ring rather than the four mounting lugs in the headlamp bucket, and they could be had in chrome as well as primer finish. They are NOT 7" Hella conversions, but Bosch lamps specifically for this car (look like the H5 without the DOT glass). These are legal in Canada, but I don't think in the US (although I doubt many law enforcement agents would know the difference). They mount on the bottom trim ring screw, using the old fastener, not the long one supplied with the lights.
To get a bi-zenon bulb, I used the ones from hidkits in Texas. They make their own base with solenoid-moved light capsules (Silvania I think) that duck under a fixed shield for low beam ($700 USD plus shipping). The pattern is nearly like a regular incandescent H4 bulb (i.e. focus is correct), but there seems to be a tiny bit more spill into the upper "dark" side of the pattern. The bulb is too long to fit in the headlight bucket, so I had to hole saw a 1 1/2" cavity in the back of the bucket, and pulled the wires back so that the connections could be made in the inner fender area. They supply a "plug and play" harness for H4 conversion, so the H5 connector has to be cut off and 1/4" push on conncetors (insulated)installed on the car's wire harness. I wrapped the ballasts in 1/2" foam and tie wrapped them above the RHS condensor and beside the LHS one (yeah, an air car, but I'll remove that junk during the winter). It was an opportune time to shorten the ballast power in harness to make it tuck up neatly with the other two bundles. This was a really nice, easy installation that cost about $1,100 US and took about 2 1/2 hours to do.
There is another possible source of H4 bulbs, a company called katz, but I have no first-hand experience with them, so I will just leave it as a footnote. Also, for those with a really large amount of ambition, Hella will be offering a 90mm projector module that is both bi-zenon AND SAE. These are the raw hardware, so you would have to make up a clear lens and trim ring, or wait until the aftermarket catches up. It too would be far too deep for the parabolic lamp's bucket, and would take some sheet metal surgurey. It will be available under new part number 008934001 (learned about it at the SEMA show, but forgot to get a price - sorry).
Pat
I spent a fair bit of time and trouble chasing this stuff down, finding that I could get the correct euro headlamps from Automobile Atlanta for a reasonable price ($300 something US a pair). These appear to be the parts for a pre-964, since they mount to the trim ring rather than the four mounting lugs in the headlamp bucket, and they could be had in chrome as well as primer finish. They are NOT 7" Hella conversions, but Bosch lamps specifically for this car (look like the H5 without the DOT glass). These are legal in Canada, but I don't think in the US (although I doubt many law enforcement agents would know the difference). They mount on the bottom trim ring screw, using the old fastener, not the long one supplied with the lights.
To get a bi-zenon bulb, I used the ones from hidkits in Texas. They make their own base with solenoid-moved light capsules (Silvania I think) that duck under a fixed shield for low beam ($700 USD plus shipping). The pattern is nearly like a regular incandescent H4 bulb (i.e. focus is correct), but there seems to be a tiny bit more spill into the upper "dark" side of the pattern. The bulb is too long to fit in the headlight bucket, so I had to hole saw a 1 1/2" cavity in the back of the bucket, and pulled the wires back so that the connections could be made in the inner fender area. They supply a "plug and play" harness for H4 conversion, so the H5 connector has to be cut off and 1/4" push on conncetors (insulated)installed on the car's wire harness. I wrapped the ballasts in 1/2" foam and tie wrapped them above the RHS condensor and beside the LHS one (yeah, an air car, but I'll remove that junk during the winter). It was an opportune time to shorten the ballast power in harness to make it tuck up neatly with the other two bundles. This was a really nice, easy installation that cost about $1,100 US and took about 2 1/2 hours to do.
There is another possible source of H4 bulbs, a company called katz, but I have no first-hand experience with them, so I will just leave it as a footnote. Also, for those with a really large amount of ambition, Hella will be offering a 90mm projector module that is both bi-zenon AND SAE. These are the raw hardware, so you would have to make up a clear lens and trim ring, or wait until the aftermarket catches up. It too would be far too deep for the parabolic lamp's bucket, and would take some sheet metal surgurey. It will be available under new part number 008934001 (learned about it at the SEMA show, but forgot to get a price - sorry).
Pat
