1973 Headlights

HB Chris

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If you get the Hella H1 low beam with city light I can tell you how to modify two wires in your stalk to enable both low and high when on high, otherwise the US stalk will not turn on the low beam when high is selected.
 

pickman

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If you get the Hella H1 low beam with city light I can tell you how to modify two wires in your stalk to enable both low and high when on high, otherwise the US stalk will not turn on the low beam when high is selected.
Chris,
It looks like the consensus is for the H1 and H4 Hella H/L. Not sure what you mean by "city light" perhaps you can explain and I would most likely want modify as you suggest. I see some of them on Amazon. Please advise.
 

HB Chris

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The city light is a 4w bulb in the H4 low beam. In Europe the turn signal lense has no parking light bulb/filament like in the US, it is in the headlight itself. Daniel Stern Lighting sells these euro H4s.
 

adawil2002

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Yes, city light is in the low beam. Looks like this at dusk with the H1 fog lights on.

City and Fog Lights.jpg
 

pickman

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The city light is a 4w bulb in the H4 low beam. In Europe the turn signal lense has no parking light bulb/filament like in the US, it is in the headlight itself. Daniel Stern Lighting sells these euro H4s.
Would you buy only the H4 form Stern or both?
 

Mo Brighta

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^^ ditto - Stern is a great source. Been working with him for decades.

I bought Cibié CSR lights from Daniel twelve years ago. Two highs, two lows, but wait - CSRs are NLA...
Hella BiFocals became the best after the CSR went NLA, H1 lamp and stays on all the time, properly wired;
but wait - BiFocals are now NLA! AAAUGGHHH!!!

I am searching for the best available H1 low beam, and yes, modern Halogen Reflector lights are BETTER
than the original lights, and NO do not use a 100W lamp, use a 100% BRIGHTER Lamp that draws 55 W.

And who uses the 'original' tires and engine oil that came in their coupe? NOBODY, that's who.
Headlights are a replacement item, like tires, windshields, and brake pads. Better performance with original
appearance is not wrong. Sealed Beams ARE WRONG.

My tuppence worth.
 

billpatterson

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Yes, they fit right in, held by the chrome trim rings. Just need to clip the wires to the high beam since only two wires.

Hi there HB Chris,

I will be installing the Hella low + hi/low kit (from https://classicgarage.com/53hehekit.html#_ga=2.92954909.1429040323.1619063589-408342018.1619062667) in my bavaria. What do you mean by 'clip the wires to the high beam since only two wires'? As I recall the low/hi lamp has 3 wires and the hi lamp has 2 wires (already).

THX

Bill
 

HB Chris

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I think my comment related to using the euro configuration which is H1 lo and H1 high. If you are using H4 lo and H1 high they are plug and play. The H1 lo would only have two wires as there is not a second filament as there is in an H4 lo.
 

billpatterson

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I think my comment related to using the euro configuration which is H1 lo and H1 high. If you are using H4 lo and H1 high they are plug and play. The H1 lo would only have two wires as there is not a second filament as there is in an H4 lo.

Thank you!

I think I may have a relay issue. I will check the circuit as it worked before resto began. However, is their a more current relay that works in place of the original cylindrical relay? https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=4532-USA-03-1973-E3-BMW-30SBav&diagId=61_1187

Regards,
Bill
 

Ohmess

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As to the H1 v H4 low beam, US cars switched to a less powerful filament when the high beams are switched on so as to meet US light output limits. I forget the numbers, but if the limit was 180 watts; your low beam is 100 and your high beam is 100, this would violate the US limit. The solution to this was to switch the low beam to an 80 watt filament when the high beam goes on. Europe, I believe, allows both 100 watt beams to operate simultaneously.

You can use a wide variety of modern Bosch relays in place of the can relays. When testing the circuits in my car, I installed a relay from my e39, for example. Most of us really prefer the look of the can relays, but I carry a modern relay as a spare in case a relay goes while I am traveling. I just grabbed it from my tool box; it is a Tyco relay with BMW part number 61 36 8 373 700. Note this relay has an 87a terminal on it so it can be used as a substitute for relays with switching on the 87 terminal. They are cheap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2730693372...46f48d8c3ea67b777dca|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2334524
 

bavbob

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I preface this by saying I know little about lighting but again silly of our DOT to put restrictions on output without considering other variables like parabolic lens focus. I get blinded by current DOT approved lighting every day.
 

Ohmess

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I preface this by saying I know little about lighting but again silly of our DOT to put restrictions on output without considering other variables like parabolic lens focus. I get blinded by current DOT approved lighting every day.

As "small" trucks and SUVs get bigger, and as the imlplementation of "pedestrian safety" standards result in hoods that are far higher off the ground, vehicle designers are moving headlights higher and higher in an attempt to keep the headlights centered in the space between the hood and the bottom of the front bumper. This, in turn, places the headlights closer and closer to eye level on those of us who drive sportier, lower sedans and coupes. We get headlights directly in our eyes when passing these high headlight vehicles on a divided highway, and when they approach from behind a large part of their light output is directed into our eyes by our rear view mirrors.
 

Mo Brighta

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Thank you!
I think I may have a relay issue. I will check the circuit as it worked before resto began. However, is there a more current relay that works in place of the original cylindrical relay?
Regards,
Bill
Bill - Yes, there are more current (recently made) relays that handle more CURRENT (higher amps capacity), so the answer to both is YES, and generally they are square (cubical) in shape, not that it matters what the shape is... the key is the terminal wiring. The small numbers on the bottom or side show how to wire them for the desired operation. 30, 85, 86, 87/87a, etc. all have specfic meaning the DIN world of wiring designation.

If you want, I'd be glad to help you figure this all out with a minimum of fuss and rewiring, if you like. Relays and I go way back. I do my headlight and tail light modifications with relays as they are intended to work, with the low-current side that switches the relay coil - terminals 85 and 86 (on the order or 25-40 milliamps), and let the relays do the heavy lifting with the power side (up to 20 or 30 AMPS) - terminals 30 to 87 (or 87a). These terminal numbers apply to a basic headlight relay.

H4 lights have low and high beam filaments in one bulb, so a relay with terminals 30, 87 and 87a is usually involved. H1 lights have a single filament, low OR high beam, based on the reflector and lens design. These lights usually have relays with 30 and 87, but no 87a.

Most agree the H1 low beams are better because they're 100% Low Beam, no compromises. The CSR and BiFocal H1 low beam headlights are this type. Sadly, they are also NLA... gone the way of the Dodo bird. But I digress, since it sounds like an H1 low is not in the picture.

By the way, nice fleet in the garage! I'd love to help lighting-wise with any of these. Maybe with the exception of the Land Rover, I've never looked at them. I have been working on a lot of 1973 E3 Bavarias lately, I guess it's the season?

Happy Earth Day, everybody!
 

Arde

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Yep, especially on my left side mirror. I wish side electric mirrors had a "return to sender" button that angles the mirror to reflect the light back to the face of the driver in the car behind me. Better yet, a light amplifier and then reflect it back.

...and when they approach from behind a large part of their light output is directed into our eyes by our rear view mirrors.
 

bavbob

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A caveat wrt pedestrian safety. The number of 2 way stops that have been converted to 4 way stops is astronomical. I have seen no data as to justification and in those near me, I have not heard of or read of any issues ( in 30 years) nor seen any debris suggesting an accident. While we scream to be green, I wonder if anyone has estimated the effects on emissions and brake dust from this.
 

billpatterson

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Thank you for the info and offer! Very nice!!

This is kinda funny yet supports Occam's razor (AKA law of parsimony) approach to things. I thought I had a relay issue as the headlamps were not switching to high beam. I went down the rabbit hole/the complex theories of relays etc. However, when poking around, replacing relays, blah blah blah, I noticed the ground connector was pushed out of the plastic connector that you plug the relay into. Sheesh. I ensured the ground connector was appropriately installed and voila!

A scientific and philosophical rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily; interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex theories

A few pics and a video.

Regards,

Bill

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Mo Brighta

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Well, this is an "All's well that ends well" resolution. Good work, and thanks for sharing the solution.

BTW, if anyone ever needs that special terminal that normally holds itself inside a connenctor body, I have a bunch of them - from Hella. BMW uses them ALL OVER the place on many many models. I can mail it in a letter, without Customs interference (for Canadian members). If that tiny little tang breaks off, you'll want to kick yourself... but don't, just replace the terminal with a new one.

Andy
 
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