W427 Driving Lights

[Wonky]

As some of you know I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to get hold of a W427 front bar which is now fitted. However, it didn't come with the driving lights, so I'm now trying to work out whether to try to get hold of the proper ones with their mounting brackets or trying to fit something else. Getting the proper ones (if I can) will be by far the easiest solution of course because they'll just fit straight in.

However, I've always been a "lighting freak" - even going back almost 40 years ago now my cars got halogen headlight upgrades and driving lights and now my recent cars have all had HID conversions. :D It seems pointless to me to spend the $ on the HSV lights if they're not very good, even though I aim to do a HID conversion.

I've contacted two people I know with W427s but neither of them have even used the driving lights. :( Is there anyone out there with a W427 or who has been in one at night to see the difference putting the driving lights on makes please? What I'm really looking for is a long distance pencil beam light to give extra reach over what the HID high beams give me, but looking at the size of the W427 lights I doubt they'll give me that.

[Thunderbird-1]

I reckon your instincts are prob right wonky, if the w427 driving lights are anything like other Holden standard driving lights they'd be rubbish. Time to retrofit a nice hid driving light! :idea:

[Roonstain]

Yeah gaz, don't buy the HSV lights
Start off with the sorta light you want - don't spend money twice!

Good luck with it all

Can't wait to see the car in the flesh!

[Thunderbird-1]

Maybe a little big???!!!!!!

http://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/extreme

[Wonky]

Maybe a little big???!!!!!!

http://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/extreme

Just a little! :lol: The 71810s look like they'd be OK size wise. Would probably need to have bars welded onto the front crash bar to mount them from. That's the problem with going non standard - messy........ :(

[Thunderbird-1]

Just a little! :lol: The 71810s look like they'd be OK size wise. Would probably need to have bars welded onto the front crash bar to mount them from. That's the problem with going non standard - messy........ :(

By the looks of it you have quite a few handy people around you as well as yourself going by your ute.. Maybe you should just put some led strip lighting to make it "look" like e2 daytime running lamps.. Seen a few Hyundai xcel's around with that mod... Looks sick :lmao:

with some narva hid's you wouldn't need to put your headlights on hehe

[steve_t]

Hey Wonky, aren't the cops gonna consider those lights as 'fog lights' and not 'driving lights'?

[Wonky]

I was always tempted to try to change my SSV fog lights to driving lights as have never used them - always want to see as far down the road as possible!

With whatever spot lights I end up using I always intended to have them wired up to come on with high beam only, as I've done on previous cars. I was under the impression that spotties technically had to have a separate on/off switch to be legal so they could be turned off and only high beam operate but just had email from someone with a W427 who said the push/pull on the headlight switch had no effect on the spotties, which automatically come on with high beam. Makes sense because fog light and spot light requirements electronically are totally different.

However, it now begs the question - what happens on HSV E1 series which I'm led to believe have both foggies and spots? Assuming the headlight push/pull switch operates the foggies, is there a switch for the spots too or do they also automatically come on with high beam? :confused:

[1BEAST2NV]

Can you not use the lights out of the VE series 1 clubby??? or are they too small??

Bottom one more light up the sides of the road more, driving light/fog light ,come on when you pull out the light switch, top ones come on with high beam.

http://www.jhp.com.au/g8partsdirect/CustomerGallery/gk4.jpg

[rgmast]

I was always tempted to try to change my SSV fog lights to driving lights as have never used them - always want to see as far down the road as possible!

With whatever spot lights I end up using I always intended to have them wired up to come on with high beam only, as I've done on previous cars. I was under the impression that spotties technically had to have a separate on/off switch to be legal so they could be turned off and only high beam operate but just had email from someone with a W427 who said the push/pull on the headlight switch had no effect on the spotties, which automatically come on with high beam. Makes sense because fog light and spot light requirements electronically are totally different.

However, it now begs the question - what happens on HSV E1 series which I'm led to believe have both foggies and spots? Assuming the headlight push/pull switch operates the foggies, is there a switch for the spots too or do they also automatically come on with high beam? :confused:

Hey Gaz

the E1s foggies come on with the push/pull and the driving lights come on automatically with the high beam

Rob

[Wonky]

Thanks Beast and Rob! :thumbsup: Answers my question re E1 series - I guess my understanding that spotties had to legally have a separate switch was wrong...........

No point me using E1 lights as they're a different part number and the mounting brackets are different. It's either genuine W427 spotties (which surprisingly aren't too badly priced at around $150 ea, which also tells me they're probably not very good given HSV pricing :eek:) or aftermarket.

The advantage of genuine is straight fit and even E1 spotties would involve mucking around. Of course I'd be prepared to give them a go if someone gave them to me! :lmao:

[moconn20]

would e1 driving lights fit into ssv foggies?

[hsv-105]

By the looks of it you have quite a few handy people around you as well as yourself going by your ute.. Maybe you should just put some led strip lighting to make it "look" like e2 daytime running lamps.. Seen a few Hyundai xcel's around with that mod... Looks sick :lmao:

with some narva hid's you wouldn't need to put your headlights on hehe

At least the Daytime running lights would suit the Hyundia :rolleyes:


I'll go for a drive after dark Gary and get back to you mate.

[Wonky]

would e1 driving lights fit into ssv foggies?

Don't know - would have got around to trying it out if I hadn't got the new bar.

[Wonky]

I'll go for a drive after dark Gary and get back to you mate.

Thanks very much Mark :goodjob: though it now seems they come on automatically with high beam which makes it difficult to tell how much light they add.......... :(

[1BEAST2NV]

can always aim the car down the road, turn the high beams on and cover each driving light with your hands (use a friend if need be :)), then just remove your hands and see how much light the spotties add :D, , ya laughing :)

[moconn20]

anyone with an E1 wanna measure the diameter of their driving lights?

[1BEAST2NV]

more info :)

which one???

top or bottom??

from inside the plastic trim or what??

[moconn20]

the driving lights that come on with highbeams, so presumably from what previous posts have described... the top one. just the diameter of the actual light fitting itself would be good.

[VX-300]

anyone with an E1 wanna measure the diameter of their driving lights? 90mm actually measured.

[Roonstain]

And the small lights are 45mm


If the hole on the 427 bar is the same as the 90mm hole on the E1 bar, I know for a fact you can buy a narva 100mm light and push it in from the front, as the body of the light is 90mm and only the lens is 100mm

Push in from the front - can sikaflex it in or make a bracket behind (which i did easily, and i am a DIY spastic!)

[Wonky]

A fellow forum member sent me some pics last night which make it seem that due to the shape of the bar and hole for the light it really needs the genuine item, else there would be a big gap - see pic.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/gcovo/Misc/W427spot3mod.jpg

However, one good thing is they do look to throw a pretty focussed beam, so converting them to HID should bring them up to scratch (I hope).
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/gcovo/Misc/W427spot2.jpg

[Roonstain]

I think it may be a bit of an optical illusion Wonks - I think that the light will still be round, and the hole becomes oval
Hard to say without having a bar infront of me though

[Alex81]

good to see you got some pics wonky, if you need some on the road let me no, i'll get the old boy out :)

[NeishaVESS]

i think youll be better off getting the proper lights and brackets unless you have someone too fibreglass bits on for you too make up proper mounts for aftermarket lights. In the end it may come too roughly the same price and any lense in the same diameter will only do so much anyways, I think the HSV light being a spot light designed too come on with the highbeams will be your best and easy way too do it.

On another note what is that little hole under the driving light on the W427 bar? is it needed

[VX-300]

On another note what is that little hole under the driving light on the W427 bar? is it needed

Access to the aiming screw perhaps.

[blu ute]

Hey wonks. The old vw bettle and kombis have oval head lights. You could try one of them.:lmao: might have to up grade the original 6 volt.:hmmm:
I love That Bar:drool:
cheers
Damo<<:weirdo:

[Wonky]

Access to the aiming screw perhaps.

Yep, that's what I was told, though I assume it can only be for up/down adjustment.