Re: .... The fairest of them all....

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-01-07 20:14:22 EST, you write:

<< When I use the "Euro" designation, I'm referring to H4/H1 combinations.
 I've 
 not tried the others.>>>>>
And that is available for the euro ur-q...  Finding that for the 200 is a
different story, and in the US, next to impossible..
 
 > 2)  Running higher than stock wattages in the outside bulbs is a further 
 > compromise to proper light dispersion...  The problem with an H4 is that
it 
 > is designed to be both a low and a high beam, not really effective at the 
 > latter....  
 
 Although I seem to dispute just about everthing you say, I'm beginning to
agree 
 with this one point.  In fact, I'm trialing 130/100s against my 170/100s,
and 
 hoping even to try 100/100s.  The dipped beam pattern is _excellent_ in all 
 weathers, excluding the thickest of fogs.  The high beam is too diffuse and
 scatters too much to the upper centre of the field of view.
>>>>  OK....   100/100 is prolly the best of above, tho I wouldn't exceed 80
on the low beam, you start getting reflectance off the high beam lense
pattern, not giving you pattern, but lumens....
 
 Another odd issue is that the headlight washers (jet only) are inadequate to
 deal with such warm glass.  Anyone tried fitting wipers to Cibies?
>>>>  I'd forget the washers, you will crack the lenses in proper conditions
(high humidity, low ambient temp, and long on high beam activation)...  I
found that touching the glass with 100w wasn't just warm to touch, that won't
work well in low temp conditions...  most of the time you will get the crack
right up the dip angle.....
 
 > 3)  Euro beam pattern is not well suited for the US of A....  It has a
sharp 
 > cutoff for about 1/2 the beam spread, then angles up to the right, the
object 
 > of this is to give a longer throw of beam down the right side of the car 
 > without blinding oncoming traffic (yes UK patterns are the opposite) ....
 
 True.  The onside light illuminates a swathe along the roadside.  Large,
highly 
 reflective roadsigns become _very_ noticable.  So do pedestrians (people
without
 cars - strange European concept) and cyclists.
 
 > It is also meant to be turned OFF when running fogs in the really thick 
 > stuff, few states here allow this as a rule....
 
 Technically, that's the law here.  Fogs only.  No one observes it.
>>>>  And technically, the LAWS here are switched with Low Beam, again, now
one observes it....>>>>
  
 > The reflectance from that angle up beam is prolly worse than the US low 
 > beam pattern.....
 
 In fact, I've recently been considering removing and blanking the fogs.  H4
 dipped is a vast improvement.  The fogs are just weight.
>>>>  I would reconsider the mount for the fogs first....  if they are below
the bumper, prolly best to blank them...  Don't forget the factory fogs in
the euro bumpers are technically driving/fogs, not true fogs....  Get the H2
fog that fits the same opening phil you will be better off...
 
 > 3)  As phil has posted before, you "properly" aim a set of euros, your
eyes 
 > deceive you, cuz proper aiming actually (USA) aims the left side lite
towards 
 > the right, clipping the immediate LF quadrant of beam spread....
 
 We use a lightbox contraption placed in front of the car - it has the
patterns
 etched on the back of a translucent screen.  I then set the outers down
about
 2 degrees, and the high-beam only inners inwards about the same amount.
 
 > 4)  A quad headlite system will outperform the euros, uglyness (got those
 posts guys) aside, price, alot less, expense:vanity.
 I have a quad setup in the Coupe GT.  It's garbage.
  >>
Quad euros or quad z-beams?  The light pattern from a set of euro or zbeams
are better controlled than the euro conversion...   Cibie sells both on your
side of the pond phil....  I would suggest you do the quad conversion to
zbeam in the GT and compare the two....  Garbage it ain't, done properly....
 And run a nice 100w high beam in the inner, that hi beam is better than the
euros....

You want to improve what you have, phil?....  Swap the left side with a right
side (LHD car) with your euros, it's a quick and better light given what you
already have....  Now both the beam angles up to the forward quadrant lowbeam
on the outside, doing you some good, and you can lower the wattage of the
dips even more, offsetting your lumens for pattern, a much better idea, and
doubt the oncoming traffic will be any more affected...



Scott