The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Better headlights for my original 1937 Chevy Truck

I am using the original headlights converted to 12 volts and late last year I could not find 12 volt bulbs so I got LED bulbs,I finally was able to drive it at night and yes the LED bulbs are brighter but do not put out a beam like the original bulbs and not really impressed. What else can I do with the original system or is it time to go to sealed beams.

Are you using relays, or relying on the original circuit through the dimmer switch and headlight switch? Running a heavy wire from the battery cable connection at the starter to a pair of relays at the core support and using the dimmer switch circuit to turn them on and off will eliminate a lot of voltage drop in the original circuit- - - - -more voltage- - - -brighter lights!

How about these bulbs?

www.ebay.com/itm/205940091235?
Jerry

Eight years ago when we moved to the country and I found out that the white tail deer think they have the right-of-way at night I put a set of Hella conversion enclosures on my '52 GMC. They take the same H4 bulbs that both our Toyotas use. The front of the enclosures are slightly flatter than standard T3 type lamps, but otherwise look stock. As Jerry said, I put in a waterproof 2 relay system running off of the original headlight switch and upgraded to modern 12 gauge wiring and lamp sockets. Works well.

Here is a set.

I use standard H4 bulbs (60w/55w), but there are higher output bulbs available in both halogen and LED.

Your LED bulbs with a proper lens (bulb enclosure) should be superior to both sealed beams and halogens. They don't need relays as the current draw is low. My LED bulbs are a direct replacement for H4 halogen bulbs. There are existing threads about LED and/or Halogen conversions that you can read.

I use halogen sealed beam headlights on all my vehicles. They shine as far and are as bright as modern vehicle headlights.

I prefer Sylvania lamps (in the purple box, not the blue box). I've used Philips and Wagner as well and am happy with their performance but Sylvania gets the edge.

One problem I've found with people complaining about not getting enough light from sealed beam headlights is that they usually turn out to be aimed incorrectly.

Follow the headlight aiming procedure in whatever FSM you're using and you won't be disappointed.

I installed 6v halogens on Ol' Roy a couple years back and they shine far and bright with no danger of over-driving the beam

Jeff - Perhaps these "2320" series 12V incandescent higher candlepower rated lamps (50/32 vs original 32/21 candlepower output) would provide the extra light you seek in conjunction with your original non-sealed beam headlight units?

Perhaps these lamps provide the same kind of original "beam"that the LED's couldn't match?

I restored my '37 with a new wiring harness, re-silvered the reflectors, etc and found the original lights, as depicted by Dan in the post above, to be fairly bright. As long as you are travelling down a straight road, the light is pretty good. As soon as you turn into a driveway or side street, you are met with absolute darkness.

The beam produced by the original set up does not spread horizontally at all. I believe sealed beam bulbs are better but nowhere near as good as modern systems. If sealed beam were so great, why did Cadillac come up with the side lights that lit up when you used a turn signal?

I would give Dan's suggestion a try and if you are not happy convert to sealed beams. Me? I am sticking with the original system and consider this another example of the "charm" of driving an old truck.

Kent

I second the suggestion using Hella housings. They direct the light so it doesn’t blind oncoming traffic, but can put out a lot of light. Then Sylvania silver star bulbs in all my sealed beam vehicles. In my Tahoe just the silver stars, which cut thru inclement weather very well. It was my winter tower, and search and rescue aid(when I was physically able to do that). And yes, wire in a relay system. Even newer vehicles usually run small gauge wire. My 91 gmc made a huge difference with the relays and Hella housings.

They sell complete relay setups if you don’t think you can build it yourself. Plug and play on the H4 housings, ground and battery wire.

I wired it into my 51 hiding the relays in an aluminum box placed inside the drivers side fender.

I like your Cadillac air cleaner, Chip O

Since I got my 37 on the road I have been using 12 volt bulbs in it but late last year a bulb went out and non of the usual suppliers had any so I went with the LED. Yes the LED bulbs are brighter right in front of the truck but it seems like those bulbs do not put out a better beam of light.

I was looking for something that was close to start of v8 era and would hide the Holley Sniper FI at the same time. Having Corvette full suspension, trans and engine converted to old school v belt. Have it look old and stock but function like newer.

I don’t think the bulb can make much difference. LEDs are a weird animal that I can’t seem to get to work. The lens and reflector are the reason I have gone to glass Hellas with good H4 bulbs. I’ve tried LEDs on my 4 wheelers housings and can see the random light spread( can’t source the stock bulbs anymore. darn you Bombardier). Disappointed with my experiences with LED replacement bulbs in factory housings.

I’d rather put in an effort into modifying it to use H4 bulbs , which means updated housings for light spread and output. Find something that looks stock. My father did for his 36 Buick hotrod using the stock buckets. But if you look close you can see turn signal bulbs incorporated in the reflectors.

I took it on its longest night ride yesterday and definately do not like the LED bulbs,yes they are brighter in front of the truck but could use another 15 feel further to be happy. I can still out drive those bulbs so it will get something different,should have known those LEDs would not have been better as I can not stand flash lights with them as they do not put out much of a beam of light.

Sealed beams do the trick.

It’s tricky to get the focal point from LEDs in housings that weren’t designed for anything other than incandescent. Each manufacturer can be a bit off. Have to measure from mount of old bulb to the filament, then find something that is close. I made mounts on the back of the reflectors for my 4 wheeler to replace burned out original obsolete bulbs to accept newer low current LEDs. They look funny, but it got the focal point close to what it should be. A little mud under the fenders and no one will notice.

Looks like I will be on the hunt for a sealed beam conversion kit,might see if I can get another 12 volt bulb and go back to them for now. Those 12 volt bulbs were unavailable last fall but might be in stock now.