Moparts

Headlights and racing

Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Headlights and racing - 03/02/15 07:29 PM

***warning this is a post about a non-mopar racecar***
Our next Chump race will be at night. So we will need some headlights. These will be non-factory so I'm open for most options. The car is an 84 Trans-am (as pictured. Probably going to put them in the factory location or in the lower valance, can be round square...whatever. I was actually thinking about using a plastic housing off another car and running one of those uber-bright halogen bulbs.... any suggestions?

Attached picture 8446395-WP_20140620_003.jpg
Posted By: Consulier

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/02/15 07:57 PM

I'll start by saying, if you need another driver for Chump events, shoot me a PM. I've rented before and enjoy doing that much more than building my own car. Plenty of enduro experience, day and night, wet and dry.

You can get something like this and use the 100/80 bulb, there is a kit on Amazon.

Hella 7" Round

I usually just go for the HID and be done with it. Get's pricey if you start breaking them though.

Hella HID

I haven't tried the LED light bars yet, but they look promising and also pricey.

Rigid Industries

I have the Hella kit above for the Dart, but I started with some take off Jeep Wrangler lights that were fairly cheap.

Jeep Wrangler
Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/02/15 08:57 PM

yeah those Hella's are nice but WAY too much. I was looking at some 5" Deep Creek lights. Pretty much your basic 5" 100w using a H3 bulb. Some of the guys use the bar attach to the hood for night and remove it for day racing. Ours will also be removed during the day I'm sure. I have some pretty bright fog lights... but I don't think they'll be good enough. Probably just use them in the lower valance.
We race the east coast stuff, mainly NJMSP, VIR and Summit Point. Although next year I want to do Daytona. And it is fun... I'm in the planning stages of building a 68 coronet for next season....
Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/03/15 12:02 AM

Anything lighting go to this guy and I believe he is a Moparts member

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/
Posted By: dangina

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/03/15 05:19 AM

Just as a suggestion, i know freightliner semi use 5 3/4" h4 housings and they are cheap. Like less than $20 cheap. exact housings I use for my roadrunner
Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/03/15 03:43 PM

Quote:

Just as a suggestion, i know freightliner semi use 5 3/4" h4 housings and they are cheap. Like less than $20 cheap. exact housings I use for my roadrunner



How would I mount them?
Posted By: dangina

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/03/15 08:05 PM

^lol no idea...I'm not very helpful
Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/04/15 04:10 PM

Quote:

^lol no idea...I'm not very helpful



Oh don't think I didn't see some like that and try to work it out in my head...
Posted By: 375inStroke

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/04/15 07:57 PM

Read the rules. They keep changing. The HID lights we had were banned the next year. Don't go for the farthest high beams you can. You need a wide pattern. Coming up on a turn at 150, and not seeing into the turn is scary. I think the majority of the wrecks in a 24 hour race are in the first half hour of darkness. Have at least two wide beams, and point them towards the sides a bit.

Here's what it looks like going down the front straightaway at Spokane at night. No track lights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbgsAe-t6Tw
Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/05/15 04:29 AM

Quote:

Read the rules. They keep changing. The HID lights we had were banned the next year. Don't go for the farthest high beams you can. You need a wide pattern. Coming up on a turn at 150, and not seeing into the turn is scary. I think the majority of the wrecks in a 24 hour race are in the first half hour of darkness. Have at least two wide beams, and point them towards the sides a bit.

Here's what it looks like going down the front straightaway at Spokane at night. No track lights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbgsAe-t6Tw



ouch, hope you didn't hurt the car much. I was gong to get a set of deep creek 5" but they were 100w and H3, limit is 60w w/ H3's.
Posted By: 72Swinger

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/05/15 05:37 AM

So are HID's banned then? 35W HID's are nice. Any light you choose you can get an HID conversion kit for in 35 or 55W for around $45.
Posted By: 73MagDuster

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/05/15 06:16 PM

Kevin,

Do the JK headlights drop in or did you have to modify the housings/buckets/retaining rings?
Thanks - PJ
Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/05/15 11:01 PM

Quote:

So are HID's banned then? 35W HID's are nice. Any light you choose you can get an HID conversion kit for in 35 or 55W for around $45.


As I understand it, you can use HID only if the car came w/ them. and they have to be 35w or less. And I don't believe you can put a HID bilb in a non-HID housing.
Posted By: Consulier

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/06/15 12:02 AM

Quote:

Kevin,

Do the JK headlights drop in or did you have to modify the housings/buckets/retaining rings?
Thanks - PJ


Minor modifications to the bucket is all that was required from my understanding. When I get the car back I will get details.

I know the Hella's dropped in without any mods.
Posted By: Sneke_Eyez

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/13/15 03:58 PM

Quote:

Just as a suggestion, i know freightliner semi use 5 3/4" h4 housings and they are cheap. Like less than $20 cheap. exact housings I use for my roadrunner



Where'd you find them?
That sounds like a good in between solution for my Satellite while I build a projector retrofitted set for it.
Posted By: dangina

Re: Headlights and racing - 03/14/15 12:56 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Just as a suggestion, i know freightliner semi use 5 3/4" h4 housings and they are cheap. Like less than $20 cheap. exact housings I use for my roadrunner



Where'd you find them?
That sounds like a good in between solution for my Satellite while I build a projector retrofitted set for it.



at your local freightliner trucks parts store

http://www.freightlinertrucks.com/Dealers/
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