LocostUSA.com

I'm looking for smaller rectangular type extremely bright headlights. I don't really care if that's LED, HID, halogen, or whatever else. Lightweight is the goal here.

Can anybody recommend something they have experience with?

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Plans: Single Rotor turbo sub 1000lb machine!

Something like this maybe?

https://www.amazon.com/Offroad-Driving- ... 7G0PBVKCHS


I don't really know what type of wattage or how many lumens to look for...?

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Plans: Single Rotor turbo sub 1000lb machine!

Are these for road or off-road use? That distinction will widen or narrow the field a great deal....

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/

Road use.

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Plans: Single Rotor turbo sub 1000lb machine!

For DOT-approved stuff, I’d look at single point emitter (single “bulb”) lamps. Some of the latest version LED’s are INCREDIBLY bright. I suspect you won’t find any “LED array” lights that are remotely road legal.

If you have to pass a test, I’d suggest starting with a DOT-approved rectangular halogen H-4 lamp, and retrofit LED replacement emitters afterward, as I don’t believe there are any aftermarket LED’s that are approved for road use.

On my Locost, I’m using 7” round chrome light buckets, with DOT-approved Hella H4 lamps. After testing, I’ll be fitting a pair of LED bulbs (which I already have), providing high- and low-beams. The LED’s are WAY brighter than the high-end halogens in the Hellas.

I also replaced the H4 bulbs in my GoldWing GL1500 motorcycle with the same LED bulbs. I did a test, halogen vs. the new LED’s. Long, dark road, speed of 60 mp/h. With the halogens, I had 3 1/2 seconds to spot a hazard at the roadside. With the LED’s, identical conditions, that time stretched to over 12 seconds. A HUGE improvement. In my area, having deer leap onto the road in the dark is a daily occurrence - on a motorcycle that can be a death sentence. The extra 9 seconds of warning is important.

Anyway, it should be possible to do the same thing with rectangular lamps as I did on my Locost.

I bought my LED’s on Amazon.ca. They’re of “offshore” manufacture (i.e. China), but quality has proven to be excellent.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/

I've had good luck with these as high beams in the RX-8, which has reflector housings.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MA5WYZR

The beam pattern isn't 360°, but for high beam it works out ok.
Insane amount of light for the price, and I justified the price by (hopefully) not having to ever buy another silverstar high beam bulb again.
Been going on 4 months total driving, with storage over the winter.

If they were in a projector housing and properly aimed, you could likely use them for low beams too.

For "slap in and be done", these seem to be ok: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JD5XH1Q

Reference for the above rectangular lights being used: http://www.etotheipiplusone.net/?p=4313

As always, this site never disappoints. Thank you for the suggestions.

Another question would be as to placement. Preferably as low as possible. Here in Florida, there is no vehicle inspection. In true Floridian fashion, it's kind of a run-what-ya-brung for street cars. lol

But what would be the lowest these type of headlights could be mounted and still be functional?

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Plans: Single Rotor turbo sub 1000lb machine!

Technically the headlights should be pointed down so as not to blind oncoming drivers. With the lights aimed at a wall 25 feet in front of the car, the brightest part of the beam should be at bulb level, with the majority of the light extending downwards from there. If you mount your headlights low and point them down, they might work on a flat road, but as soon as the road turns into an incline, the light ends and you can't see up the incline. So you aim your headlights upwards a bit so you get good distance across all terrain, but now you're blinding oncoming drivers (and cops) with your headlights, which isn't the kind of attention you want your car to get. Most states have a minimum height of 22-24 inches

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Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

The reason headlights are placed fairly high on vehicles is because of the physics of light. The greatest amount of illumination from a light source occurs when the light strikes an object at 90*. In other words, in a vehicle, when the light points straight down at the road. The greater the angle away from 90*, the more the light reflects, and the less illumination there is. Of course, the pattern of light is important too. A light pointing straight down would illuminate only a tiny area, although very brightly. One pointing a far distance down the road will illuminate a very large area, but dimly. Ideally, there's an angle where the compromise gives reasonable illumination, and reasonable area illuminated.

The headlight height placement of standard cars pretty much defines the most efficient angle to compromise between these two.

The type of light makes a difference too, although not much.

To maximize your lighting, if you're going to use LED's, for example, the best way IMHO would be to find a recent-production car that uses LED headlights (or even several different models) & measure the height above ground to the center of the light. I'd use that as your goalpost. As for aiming, use a blank wall to check the center "hot spot" of the headlights of any factory car at some measured distance from the wall. Masking tape is great for this. Then, adjust your new headlights using the exact same wall, distance, etc. That should set you up at an efficient height & aim, giving maximum lighting while not blinding other drivers.

At least, that would be my suggestion. I've done this before, and it worked great - never any need to adjust after that.

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/