Technical Headlamp upgrades .what have you done ?

[Barchetta Bloke 440]

When driving in unlit areas i found main beam on my 1992 car to be very little difference to low beam.

What can be done to make a better high beam ? I don't want any expensive HID illegal upgrades .

I have read the handbook which states that only to replace with same bulbs ,the 45watt ,but is it okay to fit 55/60 watt bulbs ?
Does the fuse blow , will the wiring melt or catch fire .is this a complete no no ?

Or shall i just buy some so called uprated bulbs ,Osram for instance ?

Any advice much appreciated , I might not be able to reply to this for a while as my internet has failed and this comes to you from the local public library computer which I can only access in office hours .

thanks for any replies

 

[porta]

There are lots of options on ‘alternate’ gas bulbs and higher wattage, but, from experience, if the headlamp is rubbish (aim, scatter, focus etc) then the bulbs make very little difference other than to blind.
I found Halfords 55/60s were better, there’s lots of cheap ones out there but quality over quantity, my mate went for HiD and swapped back as an expensive mistake
Decent low front fogs help enormously

 

[AndyRKett]

Osram night breakers always had a good reputation, I ran some on an older fiat punto and they worked very well and didn’t blow as long as I owned the car.

The problem is not your headlights but every other car on the road. 7 years ago my golf was new I used to get flashed for having bright headlights (normal bulbs not hid) now no one would flash me, instead I can barely see my own headlights in a wash of ultrabright LED headlights, laser headlights a matrix lights. So it’s likely your perspective is being distorted.

If this is the case there really isn’t much you can do. A new set of bulbs might help a little, maybe get a headlamp restoring kit to remove any clouding from the lenses of the lights as this can have a big impact on how effective they are.

 

[Barchetta Bloke 440]

Thanks for the 2 replies so far , I should have just kept the 2 Cibie super Oscars that I had on a MK3 Escort about 15 years ago . They would look wicked on a MK2 Panda . I don't thin my headlights have deteriorated at all as the car has been garaged for much of it's life and not been affected my UV light .

 

[porta]

Thanks for the 2 replies so far , I should have just kept the 2 Cibie super Oscars that I had on a MK3 Escort about 15 years ago . They would look wicked on a MK2 Panda . I don't thin my headlights have deteriorated at all as the car has been garaged for much of it's life and not been affected my UV light .

Sorry, I automatically thought ‘barcetta’, (instead of Panda), which were terrible headlights! Panda will be fine with bigger wattage bulbs, there was a company doing ‘crystal glass’ replacements, and they’re a lot better on my Jeep, but unfortunately they were left hooker only

 

[AndyRKett]

Thanks for the 2 replies so far , I should have just kept the 2 Cibie super Oscars that I had on a MK3 Escort about 15 years ago . They would look wicked on a MK2 Panda . I don't thin my headlights have deteriorated at all as the car has been garaged for much of it's life and not been affected my UV light .

1992 Panda, thinking about it I assume they are Glass rather than plastic lenses ?

do they have any sort of insert in them? some glass headlights had a plastic insert between the bulb and the lens to help define the beam pattern, after 30 years this can deteriorate just from the heat of the bulb, become brittle and yellow. (never had any dealings with old panda's.

after 30 years taking the lights apart and giving the insides a good clean might help, the reflectors and the inside of the lenses can be dirty. The coating that makes up the reflector can also deteriorate and fall apart which isn't always obvious looking at it from the outside.

Sorry, I automatically thought ‘barcetta’, (instead of Panda)

I have to confess I did too, but then questioned that they didn't make the Barrachetta in 1992. but hadn't put 2+2 together for the older panda having older headlights, I'e not plastic.

 

[Barchetta Bloke 440]

Sorry, I automatically thought ‘barcetta’, (instead of Panda), which were terrible headlights! Panda will be fine with bigger wattage bulbs, there was a company doing ‘crystal glass’ replacements, and they’re a lot better on my Jeep, but unfortunately they were left hooker only

Yep ,the Barchetta headlamps were appallingly weak , the H1 bulbs and plastic covers that peeled off was just not good at all .

I forgot to mention that I just happen to have a box full of 55/60 watt bulbs that I could use .

 

[porta]

Yep ,the Barchetta headlamps were appallingly weak , the H1 bulbs and plastic covers that peeled off was just not good at all .

I forgot to mention that I just happen to have a box full of 55/60 watt bulbs that I could use .

Result