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    Front Headlight Upgrades

    Hello again Grand Marquis guys and gals.

    I wanted to ask the community if anyone has upgraded their factory style front headlights with some newer style LED lights.

    By just doing a google search on "85 Grand Marquis headlights" I came across a few different options on a website called topgearautosport.com, don't know if anyone has dealt with that provider before.

    Also, has anyone done LED bulbs in the taillights, and if so which ones would I need?

    Thanks everyone.
    1985 2-Door: CFI, K&N Filter, Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake, E7 Heads, BBK Shorty Headers, Summit H-pipe, Hooker Max Flow Mufflers, E-Fan, 3G Alternator, ASP Underdrive Crank Pulley, Bilstein Rear Shocks, Rear Lowering Springs, KYB Front Shocks, Front Lowering Springs, FTI 2400 Stall Converter, PA Performance Valve Body, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear, Eaton LSD Differential - I own the fastest CFI powered box to the 1/8th mile: 9.658@70.74mph
    1991 4-Door (Dad's Car): Pro-M EFI, 306ci, Forged Pistons, Ford Racing Aluminum Heads, COMP XE264HR cam, Cobra 1.7 Rockers, Edelbrock Performer RPM 2 Intake, 30lb. Injectors, Custom 65mm TB/EGR Spacer, Pro-M 75mm MAF, BBK Ceramic Shorties, Custom Summit H-pipe, Walker Mufflers, Jegs Built AOD, Roadrunner 3000 Stall Converter, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear - Best 1/8th mile time: 9.76@72.03

    #2
    Can't say I've done anything with LED headlights, just the tails.

    Small anecdote, but I usually recommend a relay upgrade first and make sure the lamps are actually aimed where they belong. I've found many sealed beam cars with lights aimed in no useful direction, which implies and LED will just be as lousy. Well aimed lamps make a world of difference.

    And one last step before swapping to LED, E-Code lamps with the fluting on the face (not on the back of the reflector housing) are also pretty decent. They use an H4 lamp, you just have to change the pins on the connector a little to get the Hi/Lo feeds correct.

    Obviously, the choice is yours. Hopefully someone familiar with them chimes in.


    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

    Comment


      #3
      I changed mine to Led headlights on my 88 Lincoln Town Car. I love them, bright as hell. I paid about 210 CDN for them. I got them from Amazon.

      Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
      1995 Lincoln Town Car Executive Series: "Albert" my daily driver
      1988 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series: "Don Vito Corleone" my Summer Cruise
      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2004 Grand Marquis LS: "The Boss" with floor shifter (loved it) - R.I.P.
      1997 Crown Victoria: "Victoria, the Armadillo" R.I.P.
      2003 Lincoln Town Car: "Nikkatello" - R.I.P. (Miss you the most)
      1995 Grand Marquis: "Gustavo Gonzales, the dirty Mexican" - R.I.P.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Kodachrome Wolf View Post
        Can't say I've done anything with LED headlights, just the tails.
        Could you point me towards what type of bulbs you used for the rear taillights?
        1985 2-Door: CFI, K&N Filter, Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake, E7 Heads, BBK Shorty Headers, Summit H-pipe, Hooker Max Flow Mufflers, E-Fan, 3G Alternator, ASP Underdrive Crank Pulley, Bilstein Rear Shocks, Rear Lowering Springs, KYB Front Shocks, Front Lowering Springs, FTI 2400 Stall Converter, PA Performance Valve Body, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear, Eaton LSD Differential - I own the fastest CFI powered box to the 1/8th mile: 9.658@70.74mph
        1991 4-Door (Dad's Car): Pro-M EFI, 306ci, Forged Pistons, Ford Racing Aluminum Heads, COMP XE264HR cam, Cobra 1.7 Rockers, Edelbrock Performer RPM 2 Intake, 30lb. Injectors, Custom 65mm TB/EGR Spacer, Pro-M 75mm MAF, BBK Ceramic Shorties, Custom Summit H-pipe, Walker Mufflers, Jegs Built AOD, Roadrunner 3000 Stall Converter, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear - Best 1/8th mile time: 9.76@72.03

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Shayenne View Post
          I changed mine to Led headlights on my 88 Lincoln Town Car. I love them, bright as hell. I paid about 210 CDN for them. I got them from Amazon.

          Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
          Nice upgrade there Shayenne, that is kind of what I was thinking of doing on my 85 except maybe a chrome housing. The black looks sharp on the black Town Car though. Were those headlights a simple remove and replace ordeal or did they require any special relay upgrade like Kodrachrome Wolf mentioned?
          1985 2-Door: CFI, K&N Filter, Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake, E7 Heads, BBK Shorty Headers, Summit H-pipe, Hooker Max Flow Mufflers, E-Fan, 3G Alternator, ASP Underdrive Crank Pulley, Bilstein Rear Shocks, Rear Lowering Springs, KYB Front Shocks, Front Lowering Springs, FTI 2400 Stall Converter, PA Performance Valve Body, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear, Eaton LSD Differential - I own the fastest CFI powered box to the 1/8th mile: 9.658@70.74mph
          1991 4-Door (Dad's Car): Pro-M EFI, 306ci, Forged Pistons, Ford Racing Aluminum Heads, COMP XE264HR cam, Cobra 1.7 Rockers, Edelbrock Performer RPM 2 Intake, 30lb. Injectors, Custom 65mm TB/EGR Spacer, Pro-M 75mm MAF, BBK Ceramic Shorties, Custom Summit H-pipe, Walker Mufflers, Jegs Built AOD, Roadrunner 3000 Stall Converter, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear - Best 1/8th mile time: 9.76@72.03

          Comment


            #6
            LEDs generally should draw less power than the stock lights. It's probably still a good idea to do the relay, but I've switched to LEDs on my car without and it's worked out so far.

            It's important to be aware of the beam pattern and aim of your headlights when switching to something much brighter. Sealed beams and I believe most DOT conversion reflector housings throw a lot of light up high, which is one thing when you're using a halogen, but could be a hazard to other drivers when it's an LED. The custom units like what Shayenne posted ought to have a good cutoff since they were designed for LEDs. For more stock-looking headlights, the E-code/ECE housings have a much better cutoff than DOT. Although with any housing designed for an incandescent or halogen filament, the relatively thicker LED bulb will produce a somewhat compromised beam pattern since the light source isn't exactly where the housing expects it to come from.

            I'm using Bosch ECE housings from eBay. With the headlights off they look stock, unless you're really looking and spot the LED bulbs.



            As I mentioned before, beam pattern isn't perfect, but I believe I got it to a point where oncoming drivers aren't blinded while my own visibility has improved dramatically.





            If you do go the conversion housing route and not some all-in-one replacement, picking the right LED bulbs is another challenge. I found www.bulbfacts.com to be a great resource. They have charts for all headlight types, and the LED chart breaks down things like quality of beam pattern, color temperature, noise (which is something you wouldn't think of), etc. I think I went with Techmax bulbs, which I felt were the best bang for my buck, but there are probably better products out now at all price points.
            1987 Lincoln Town Car - Signature, "Prudence"

            Comment


              #7
              I didn't use a converter or anything like that. Pretty much plug and play, but there is a small change you gotta do to make the low beams work. It is just switching a wire out on the plug. No biggie. Don't ask me which one though (I forgot) it will be in the installation description.
              And I did have to use the grinder and cut off some "nipples" [emoji23] from the back of the housing on the Led headlight to make it fit into the housing.

              Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
              1995 Lincoln Town Car Executive Series: "Albert" my daily driver
              1988 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series: "Don Vito Corleone" my Summer Cruise
              -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              2004 Grand Marquis LS: "The Boss" with floor shifter (loved it) - R.I.P.
              1997 Crown Victoria: "Victoria, the Armadillo" R.I.P.
              2003 Lincoln Town Car: "Nikkatello" - R.I.P. (Miss you the most)
              1995 Grand Marquis: "Gustavo Gonzales, the dirty Mexican" - R.I.P.

              Comment


                #8
                Alignment and beam pattern are key with bright lights. What I like to do is drive another car towards my upgraded vehicle to see just how good/bad they new bulbs are after I set the alignment. You will expect some additional brightness but the beam should certainly not hit an oncoming driver in the eyes.
                Last edited by jaywish; 01-18-2022, 01:43 PM.
                03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by sluggish91 View Post
                  Could you point me towards what type of bulbs you used for the rear taillights?
                  Essentially these: Amazon Link

                  I’m running a similar style set in my ‘97 and they’ve been working good for a long time. Only thing you might have to do is change your turn signal flasher if you’re using an original 323 or 325 flasher. The lack of load from the LED won’t cycle it.


                  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

                  Comment


                    #10
                    You will likely need an electronic flasher. There are many types available. Some require a 3rd wire and some have adjustable speed and some click louder than others. I can't put my finger on the one I used in the Marauder right now as it is away for the winter but I think it is this one. It needs any ground for the pigtail iirc. I needed this because I changed all exterior bulbs to led with the exception of the CHMSL which I left incan as the cruise control uses the resistance of these bulbs to function properly. They can be replaced with leds that have resistors but I did not bother.

                    https://www.ebay.com/itm/141586901963 This may be what I used for Marauder.
                    Last edited by jaywish; 01-18-2022, 02:36 PM.
                    03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                    02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                    08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                    12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Kodachrome Wolf View Post
                      Essentially these: Amazon Link

                      I’m running a similar style set in my ‘97 and they’ve been working good for a long time. Only thing you might have to do is change your turn signal flasher if you’re using an original 323 or 325 flasher. The lack of load from the LED won’t cycle it.
                      Which flasher do you recommend?
                      What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
                      What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

                      Comment


                        #12
                        EL12 flasher is what I used in my cars. Fits fords no issue and no third wire. You may need to clearance the cover a bit as it's taller than the stock one, but I think it fits in boxes no problem.

                        You WILL need to use a resistor to get it to flash properly.

                        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                        Originally posted by gadget73
                        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                        Originally posted by dmccaig
                        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I am pretty sure that for no resistor you use the one with the added ground. I don't believe the Marader had a cover fitment issue.
                          03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                          02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                          08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                          12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Lutrova View Post
                            LEDs generally should draw less power than the stock lights. It's probably still a good idea to do the relay, but I've switched to LEDs on my car without and it's worked out so far.

                            It's important to be aware of the beam pattern and aim of your headlights when switching to something much brighter. Sealed beams and I believe most DOT conversion reflector housings throw a lot of light up high, which is one thing when you're using a halogen, but could be a hazard to other drivers when it's an LED. The custom units like what Shayenne posted ought to have a good cutoff since they were designed for LEDs. For more stock-looking headlights, the E-code/ECE housings have a much better cutoff than DOT. Although with any housing designed for an incandescent or halogen filament, the relatively thicker LED bulb will produce a somewhat compromised beam pattern since the light source isn't exactly where the housing expects it to come from.

                            I'm using Bosch ECE housings from eBay. With the headlights off they look stock, unless you're really looking and spot the LED bulbs.



                            As I mentioned before, beam pattern isn't perfect, but I believe I got it to a point where oncoming drivers aren't blinded while my own visibility has improved dramatically.





                            If you do go the conversion housing route and not some all-in-one replacement, picking the right LED bulbs is another challenge. I found www.bulbfacts.com to be a great resource. They have charts for all headlight types, and the LED chart breaks down things like quality of beam pattern, color temperature, noise (which is something you wouldn't think of), etc. I think I went with Techmax bulbs, which I felt were the best bang for my buck, but there are probably better products out now at all price points.
                            I like these headlights too. I think I will end up going with something like this, something simple that still looks factory but updated from the old yellowish lights. Are these the ones with the H4 lamps?
                            1985 2-Door: CFI, K&N Filter, Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake, E7 Heads, BBK Shorty Headers, Summit H-pipe, Hooker Max Flow Mufflers, E-Fan, 3G Alternator, ASP Underdrive Crank Pulley, Bilstein Rear Shocks, Rear Lowering Springs, KYB Front Shocks, Front Lowering Springs, FTI 2400 Stall Converter, PA Performance Valve Body, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear, Eaton LSD Differential - I own the fastest CFI powered box to the 1/8th mile: 9.658@70.74mph
                            1991 4-Door (Dad's Car): Pro-M EFI, 306ci, Forged Pistons, Ford Racing Aluminum Heads, COMP XE264HR cam, Cobra 1.7 Rockers, Edelbrock Performer RPM 2 Intake, 30lb. Injectors, Custom 65mm TB/EGR Spacer, Pro-M 75mm MAF, BBK Ceramic Shorties, Custom Summit H-pipe, Walker Mufflers, Jegs Built AOD, Roadrunner 3000 Stall Converter, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear - Best 1/8th mile time: 9.76@72.03

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Kodachrome Wolf View Post
                              Essentially these: Amazon Link

                              I’m running a similar style set in my ‘97 and they’ve been working good for a long time. Only thing you might have to do is change your turn signal flasher if you’re using an original 323 or 325 flasher. The lack of load from the LED won’t cycle it.
                              Thanks for the link on these, I'm going to give these a try.

                              Originally posted by jaywish View Post
                              You will likely need an electronic flasher. There are many types available. Some require a 3rd wire and some have adjustable speed and some click louder than others. I can't put my finger on the one I used in the Marauder right now as it is away for the winter but I think it is this one. It needs any ground for the pigtail iirc. I needed this because I changed all exterior bulbs to led with the exception of the CHMSL which I left incan as the cruise control uses the resistance of these bulbs to function properly. They can be replaced with leds that have resistors but I did not bother.

                              https://www.ebay.com/itm/141586901963 This may be what I used for Marauder.
                              Thanks for the link on the flasher. I'll end up using this flasher once I install the rear LED's Kodrachrome Wolf suggested.
                              1985 2-Door: CFI, K&N Filter, Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake, E7 Heads, BBK Shorty Headers, Summit H-pipe, Hooker Max Flow Mufflers, E-Fan, 3G Alternator, ASP Underdrive Crank Pulley, Bilstein Rear Shocks, Rear Lowering Springs, KYB Front Shocks, Front Lowering Springs, FTI 2400 Stall Converter, PA Performance Valve Body, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear, Eaton LSD Differential - I own the fastest CFI powered box to the 1/8th mile: 9.658@70.74mph
                              1991 4-Door (Dad's Car): Pro-M EFI, 306ci, Forged Pistons, Ford Racing Aluminum Heads, COMP XE264HR cam, Cobra 1.7 Rockers, Edelbrock Performer RPM 2 Intake, 30lb. Injectors, Custom 65mm TB/EGR Spacer, Pro-M 75mm MAF, BBK Ceramic Shorties, Custom Summit H-pipe, Walker Mufflers, Jegs Built AOD, Roadrunner 3000 Stall Converter, Ford Racing 4.10 Gear - Best 1/8th mile time: 9.76@72.03

                              Comment

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