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    LED Headlights

    My CS Wagon will be delivered soon and as we have entered the Dark Time here in the Northwest I have been pondering headlights. I've done relay setups on previous vehicles and it makes a huge improvement, I know the Hella conversions for H4s are also great. But with modern LED headlights I could get those benefits without having to add relays (ugly under the hood) because the LEDs only draw 1-2 amps.
    Does anyone know of an LED sealed beam conversion that doesn't look like it came out of fast and furious? I want something that looks like a Sealed Beam or Halogen replacement.
    Has anyone put LED bulbs in the Hella conversion housings?




    Thanks!
    1986 Country Squire
    1969 Mercury Cougar
    1960 Land Rover Series II 88"

    #2
    I used these eBay lights. Nice bright pattern at night. Has a white halo that switchbacks to amber if you hook them up to your turn signals. You'll need to get a set H3 plugs for your center brights as the center lights only have 2 wires from stock. Just piggy back them to the outer low beam wires. So all 4 will come on at low beam and all 4 will get brighter when you turn on the high beams. I'll ad more pics / video along with a small write up a bit later. I think the lights cost 120 for all 4.https://www.ebay.com/c/5017550822#oid223222867632

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      #3
      These I used for comers / front turn signals. I love them. ebay.com/itm/Error-Free-White-Amber-1157-LED-DRL-Switchback-Turn-Signal-Parking-Light-Bulbs/192294354199?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid =p2057872.m2749.l2649

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        #4
        Have a look at JW Speaker.

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          #5
          Click image for larger version

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            #6
            Originally posted by Mr Bean View Post
            Have a look at JW Speaker.
            JW Speakers are great. My brother has some on his Harley. If you have the cash JW is your best bet.

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              #7
              I appreciate the reccommendations guys, but I am looking for something that retains the appearance of the stock sealed beams or a halogen replacement
              1986 Country Squire
              1969 Mercury Cougar
              1960 Land Rover Series II 88"

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                #8
                You won't find LED lights that retains appearance of sealed beam. The 2 use different optics so it's impossible to make LED lamp look same as sealed beam.

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                  #9
                  If you want to retain a stock look with something brighter, proper E-Code lights would work. They use an H4 bulb. A relay harness is required for the lights though (however a relay harness also helps sealed beams a good amount too).


                  My Cars:
                  -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                  -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                  -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                  -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

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                    #10
                    If you want the look of stock sealed beams, stock sealed beams will do that right handily. Whatever you do, use a relay harness. It gets more out of even lowly old glass lamps. Aim them correctly to, that makes more difference than you'd probably believe. If I hadn't seen it myself I'd call BS too. I've done the brick wall aim thing plenty of times, but an actual headlamp aimer gives a better job in less time. I only own one because I found it at a flea market for 20 bucks.
                    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                    Originally posted by phayzer5
                    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                      If you want the look of stock sealed beams, stock sealed beams will do that right handily. Whatever you do, use a relay harness. It gets more out of even lowly old glass lamps. Aim them correctly to, that makes more difference than you'd probably believe. If I hadn't seen it myself I'd call BS too. I've done the brick wall aim thing plenty of times, but an actual headlamp aimer gives a better job in less time. I only own one because I found it at a flea market for 20 bucks.
                      I'll attest to this from my "barge" stand point. I used to bitch I could never see at night. My '78's lamps are new and positioned correctly and are fine to see with at night. Recently I've fixed my CVs as well with new regular lamps and positioned them right and it's honestly not too bad. Also, the difference between the stock sealed beams being old and worn out and newer can also be a big difference. That reflective coating on the back tends to wear out and half the lighting ends up just illuminating under the hood and is wasted.

                      '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

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                        #12
                        I ask, because I had seen these for trucks https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-87-che...5mm-headlights and they are LED, but look closer to a halogen/sealed beam than the projector lenses on most LED units.
                        The other option would be to use the Hella H4 conversion housing and an LED conversion bulb for H4's as that would be set up to use an H4 reflector.

                        Thanks
                        1986 Country Squire
                        1969 Mercury Cougar
                        1960 Land Rover Series II 88"

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Those LMC units would work since they’re the same size our cars use. No idea about the beam pattern or glare though. Never been a fan of HID/LED in a halogen housing, so I’d err against using one of those lights in a H4 housing.


                          My Cars:
                          -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                          -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                          -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                          -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

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                            #14
                            I'm actually looking at conversion kits from Dapper Lighting (https://www.dapperlighting.com/) for both the 4x6 lamps in my Marquis, and the 5.75 round lights on my LTD. You can get them with a chrome-like "reflector" around the projector lens and they look pretty nice. Kind of expensive, though. And if you want to go fancy, they can come with halo lights, too.
                            1978 Ford LTD wagon, 351M
                            1979 Mercury Marquis, 351W
                            1987 Ford F-250 HD 4x4, 460, 4-speed, reg cab full bed
                            2003 Mercury Marauder, 4.6L DOHC, JLT CAI, 4.10 gears, J-mod, custom tune

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