Cloudy Headlamps

[Nathan in MI]

Don't drill holes in the bottoms of the housings...sure, it'll let the water drain out, but it'll also expose the reflector to the air, which will cause it to oxidize. But oh, wait, you expose the reflector to the air every time you replace the bulb, don't you? Yeah, composite head lamps are sooo much better than sealed beams...

There's a reason that they started using sealed beam headlights back in the '40s...with a sealed beam, every time you replace the lamp, you replace the reflector as well, so it doesn't get all oxidized and quit reflecting like it should. These stupid composite units are nothing more than a step backwards in technology.

[88Vic]

My dad taught me about sealed beam headlights, and that made sense in my mind, since everything is replaced and the light would be more effective since the reflector is new also. But there must be a reason for healights to be composite units, otherwise why would automakers use them(unless they're dumber than we thought...)?

[P72Ford]

They need to upgrade the quality (bulb, projection, and thus longevity) of sealed beams. I'm trying an H4 conversion, and the difference in light that the H4 bulbs throw is incredible. The high beams make it look like day time.

[Nathan in MI]

But there must be a reason for healights to be composite units, otherwise why would automakers use them(unless they're dumber than we thought...)?

Styling. Having the headlamps be "frenched in" is in vogue these days, and it seems that they've forgotten about the existence of sealed beams altogether. Even on vehicles that have headlamps the same size and shape as the old sealed beams (think Jeep Wrangler), they still use composite units.

[86GmLsCoupe]

I think the Mark VII was the first American car with composites if I remember correctly. I also heard the ones on the Mark VIII were so bad that they began offering the HID as an option. They would be great if they improved the quality/formula of the plastic they use, but its not cost effective. I know that late 80's early 90's Buick Park Avenue's and Riviera's have molded glass housings and they hold up very well, so they definitely can mold the glass to the same shapes as these cheap plastic ones. I would never change out my sealed beams, though they like to leak some, so I always caulk the spot on the back.

[drock96marquis]

Glass lenses are heavier and more expensive to produce.

Composite lenses are cheaper and light, and are also more resilient to rock chips.



You'll find some of the euro-spec vehicles (not panthers, I mean cars in general) will use glass lenses for auxiliary and headlamps, yet US spec cars will use composite since the DOT lighting requirements are less stringent than Europe's.

[Nathan in MI]

Box Panthers don't have sealed beams...in a sealed beam, the whole body of the lamp is the actual light bulb, so if they get a hole in the front (like from a stone chip) they burn out immediately. The ones on our cars have a bulb built into the large glass housing, and when they get a hole in 'em, they keep right on working, but the reflector goes to pot.

[Mr. Land Yacht]

I'm so glad I got glass.
Rubbing compund helped on my buddy's Aero...but he hit a deer eventually, so he had to get new ones anyway...

[Nathan in MI]

Odd thing that's slightly related to this thread...I've had my CV for over a year and a half now, and I just noticed today that the high beams on the car are plastic. Weird...

[Mr. Land Yacht]

that is a little strange...hmm...

[gabegt90]

I can shed a little lite on ow why the high beams are plastic our cars came stock with Sylvania halogen sealed beams they were plastic. people changes the low beams over time its rear for people to change the high beams. cause they still work. I had to change my high beams the got wrecked in the accident

[Nathan in MI]

Interesting, Gabe...I didn't know that. I think I'll put glass hi beams in, though; the plastic ones are getting a little foggy.