Fiat 7 inch headlight discussion X 1/9 850 Cool Upgrades

[jjay911]

So I see a lot of different headlights for modern cars that also fit Vintage ones. I am sure Bob Brown has some opinion on this but I really dig some of the new designs. But I am also aware it might take away from my car. Any one have a favorite If so please share. I kind of like these..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WHITE-LED-H...ke:Fiat|Model:850&hash=item33a04da41d&vxp=mtr

and these are different.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-Xenon-Dua...ke:Fiat|Model:850&hash=item2591fd7b4f&vxp=mtr

These have integrated turn signals...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FIAT-124-SP...ke:Fiat|Model:850&hash=item4183106090&vxp=mtr

 

[Karfrik]

Bling Bling!!!....imp::

 

[myronx19]

My personal opinion is that they bling out a vintage car, it's not my thing.. that's for sure. When I see these, I think "cheap Chinese ebay lights".

I have E-code Hella H4 headlights, they're probably 30 years old and still look great. And they're still available!

Some of the X1/9 owners around me have used these ebay ones, and they aren't lasting long - meaning, they're falling apart. Plating coming off the reflectors, and horrible light spread as compared to my Hella (with my own version of the headlight relay). I've even seen a 308 owner with them, he's not overly happy with his purchase.

 

[Jim McKenzie]

somewhat agree

I think the first and third items that you show are just god-awful...and don't belong on a vintage car...but remember JJ I am an old fart...not anywhere near Tony-land ( ) but still a fossil! Actually I would very much like to hear Tony Natoli's take on these modified lights, since he is a good champion for the Fiat-ness of our vintage rides, and a hot-rodder to boot...Tony? Bob Brown, any comment?

Saying that I seriously like the integrated turn signals one...I think especially for an 850 with the below-bumper hung rectangular turn signals, this option presents a much cleaner front end. I am seriously considering doing this with my 850 Spider, which is now basically ready for the road.

If Bob Brown made the wiring harness for the 850, it would already be purchase and installed. Not sure I trust the quality of the Chinese eBay sellers, but that might be racism on my part.

 

[bbrown]

I think the first and third items that you show are just god-awful...and don't belong on a vintage car...but remember JJ I am an old fart...not anywhere near Tony-land ( ) but still a fossil! Actually I would very much like to hear Tony Natoli's take on these modified lights, since he is a good champion for the Fiat-ness of our vintage rides, and a hot-rodder to boot...Tony? Bob Brown, any comment?

I like the integrated turn signal headlights, but I think these were designed for the early Street Rod'ers that don't normally have directionals on their (say) 35 Hudsons and the like.
Hooking these up from a stock harness is an easy task.
I thought about putting a set on an X, but there are already so many stock options available for the X that IMO look better.

Hey Jim, if you need your Spider re-wired, make an appointment with me sometime later this summer. Gotta make room...

 

[zonker]

The lights that I like best on a vintage X1/9 is the Carello housings, but since they seem to go for more than I think they are worth (thank you Ferrari people), I have a set of Indian made Hella knockoffs.

Now... if price were no object and I was after the best lights and the highest cool factor, I'd get a set of the military grade 7" LED headlamps. These are without a doubt the best 7" lamp money can buy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Jeep-Wr...und-/171380288112?hash=item27e70faa70&vxp=mtr

vid: https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KIo9jOUT5VcGIA.4n7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTExZTM3N2o0BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDVklEMDMEZ3BvcwMyOQ--?p=truck+lite+led+headlight&vid=3faaa02fb7e770fe009eb857f4a6f60e&l=5%3A19&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.Pa%252fAbXkkhAlcFWgHMSIcPA%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F84985729&tit=Truck-Lite+Volvo+LED+Headlamp&c=28&sigr=10pd4a3kn&sigt=10th0ou51&sigi=121sqngcs&age=1390595388&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&&tt=b

 

[Black-Tooth]

WOW Jim... Its like you really KNOW me...

Those are my thoughts exactly!



I tried to install a set of those 7" bulbs with the directionals included but was unable to refit the bulbs into these old buckets. The retaining ring would not fit either.

This shot was shortly after the car returned home after a 46 year hiatus... and the parts are truly 60's vintage. I have external directionals BELOW these buckets but one day will probably upgrade to the internal ones if I can find some that are still "vintage" and will work.

Your words concerning my thoughts are exactly right on...

As for the X1/9... I find the pop-ups to be ugly, funny, but necessary and I only use them when I have to as they are essentially AIR BRAKES and DESTROY the LOOK as well. Lastly, HRM's are necessary no matter WHAT lamp you use and since our doors are usually down and not seen... then any of the ones JJ posted would actually work well in my book.

 

[Jim McKenzie]

I like the integrated turn signal headlights, but I think these were designed for the early Street Rod'ers that don't normally have directionals on their (say) 35 Hudsons and the like.
Hooking these up from a stock harness is an easy task.
I thought about putting a set on an X, but there are already so many stock options available for the X that IMO look better.

Hey Jim, if you need your Spider re-wired, make an appointment with me sometime later this summer. Gotta make room...

Sounds great Bob, though if I am considering a drive from Cape Cod to NH in an 850 Spider, I may have to leave a couple of weeks early However, your offer is a wonderful idea.

 

[jvandyke]

As for the X1/9... I find the pop-ups to be ugly, funny, but necessary and I only use them when I have to as they are essentially AIR BRAKES and DESTROY the LOOK as well. Lastly, HRM's are necessary no matter WHAT lamp you use and since our doors are usually down and not seen... then any of the ones JJ posted would actually work well in my book.

Ditto
Pop ups are kinda cool but like most cars that have them, they look better when down. I too have them down unless I need headlights (have a switch to disable them for running lights). They should have been rectangular too. The Prototipo treatment.

Bugeye sprites being an exception, they were supposed to be retractable but cost too much so were made fixed and became so endearing.

Opel pulled it off a little look passable when up, barely.

 

[zonker]

Personally, I am a big fan of retractable headlamps - I like the way they look on the X both up and down.



Besides the two running X's, my cars include a '94 Vette Convert, and a '94 Capri XR2, all of which have pop-ups. Those two cars have rectangular lights under their lids, and IMO I think the X looks WAY better with the rounds than those do with the rectangulars.

 

[avusblue98]

Marchal Amplilux

My 74 had a pair of Marchal Amplilux, which I loved; so for my project I picked up a NOS pair for................$600. Which is less than a lot of auctions have gone for. Made the buy in a parking lot, with that kind of money, felt like a drug deal.

 

[Coupefan]

So true. The Hella rip offs I picked up on eBay don't have the best light pattern. There's an annoying band of light that cuts up and out at a 45 degree angle. Luckily, after around 10 feet, it's way up in the air out of other people eyesight. And they barely fit under the retaining ring.