Will HDJ80 square headlights fit FJ80?

[Tools R Us]

Kids I guess it's a matter of perspective. I have owned/driven a bunch of 6 volt VW's, compared to them, the '80 lights are light sabers!

Most of the problem is DOT specs, the low beams are heavily restricted in pattern to avoid glare to oncoming traffic, making them basically marker lights. Until about 1990 the only "approved" lights were sealed beams, a couple of round sizes and a couple of rectangular. After that they started bringing us out of the dark ages, allowing some of the bigger molded type lights, that the rest of the world ran.

If you took aftermarket housings for all of the old school lights and used the same bulb in all of them, the big (7.5"?) round will put out the most usable light and have the best pattern. The small rectangular lights were the worst. The only one worse than the ones your talking about were the really small ones in some chevy trucks, etc.

If you just want to look different, carry on. If your goal is good lighting, hookup with a buddy with a FJ62, go to a dark area and compare. My guess is the '80 lights will blow them away in both pattern and usable output.

 

[Eicca]

Just spoke to Sheldon...he's still at work, but he thinks he has a couple of sets...one new and one used. They take H1 and H4 bulbs, so you will need to make an adapter for your factory plugs meant for the 9006/9005 bulbs. These are simple enough to make.

Sounds like at any time, you can just buy the Hella kits/lenses and they will fit into this housing. I guess the only thing left is what $$ you were thinking in your head about these parts. They are rare, so I imagine they won't be inexpensive.

The used ones will work fine for me. Wiring harnesses aren't a problem either.

Hope Sheldon gets my email soon...

 

[70sguy]

My guess would be less usable light, possibly much less. Bulbs being equal the biggest factor in light output is reflector size and shape. Round = better, bigger reflector = better. Those smaller old school rectangular lights were known to produce poor output.

I have John Deere bulbs in my stock lights, nice improvement.

I think it's hard to make general statements about which lamps are best.. rectangle vs globe.
Depends so much on how it's wired (slee harness etc) and what bulbs are in there.
I have HIR lamps and stock harness in my 97 80 and it's pretty good, way better than stock bulbs.. but
I still think the 4 rectangle lamps in my old HJ61 had better light output. Should have taken a look to
see what the lamp and harness set up was b4 I sold it.

Emailed you about the GX headlamps Eicca

 

[mot]

I hate when someone tells me this but this topic has been covered extensively in the past with Sheldon posting diagrams and the PN's for most, if not all, of the required parts.

I've tried to aqcuire parts before leaving Japan and am still contemplating whether I want to go this route or do the bi-xenon projector conversion thingy.

I did/could not bring them, but they should be here in a couple of weeks, I hope! You can take a look at it in person if you want, Eicca, because I am only a couple of hours away from you right now.

But I think Sheldon can get the parts even if he's not willing to give up the set that Stone mentioned.

BTW, the corner markers are required because the US-spec (and the JDM) ones are too wide/thick for the quad, rectangular lights.

Good luck!

 

[Eicca]

Whoever gives me the best price on a set will get my cash (or paypal)

I'll dig up the diagrams and harness conversion parts later, right now I just want to acquire the parts. I don't anticipate much difficulty anyway. Wiring is kind of my stronger point...

Thanks for all the input you guys!

 

[Stone]

In addition to what Sheldon has said...there has to be some advantage in going from an old 9005/9006 design to a more efficient H1 and H4 bulbs. The lenses and reflectors on these new swuare lights are superior to any previous sealed beams, I would bet...even though on the outside they may look similar.

 

[mot]

Eicca,

Sorry, I did not imply that you should wait until you see mine and possibly buy mine, instead of getting a set from Sheldon.

As of now, my set is not for sale and I simply mentioned that you could take a look at mine and decide if you wanted to go that way or not (Maybe you already have made up your mind! )

Sheldon is a good dude and you would be happy with the products and services that he offers!

I could PM you and let you know when I get my set if you want to check them out though.

 

[Eicca]

Eicca,

Sorry, I did not imply that you should wait until you see mine and possibly buy mine, instead of getting a set from Sheldon.

As of now, my set is not for sale and I simply mentioned that you could take a look at mine and decide if you wanted to go that way or not (Maybe you already have made up your mind! )

Sheldon is a good dude and you would be happy with the products and services that he offers!

I could PM you and let you know when I get my set if you want to check them out though.

Haha whoops. Gotcha. Whatever works then! I do really want some

 

[Tapage]

honetly I thought you can make 'em work ..

low beam

hi beam ..

 

[Eicca]

Niiiiiice. You've got the square headlights I imagine?

honetly I thought you can make 'em work ..

low beam

hi beam ..

 

[Tapage]

Niiiiiice. You've got the square headlights I imagine?

yes Sr.

 

[Eicca]

yes Sr.

That is a SWEET rig!

 

[Stone]

Tapage has some nice rigs...with some nice toys in them to boot!

 

[Tapage]

That is a SWEET rig!

Tapage has some nice rigs...with some nice toys in them to boot!

thanks guys .. it's just pure Cruiser love ..

 

[Novae]

Tapage, looks like your running both sets @ low beam? Have you replaced the H1 reflectors with H4 or just thrown a H4 bulb in the original H1 housing and modified the wiring?

I've been thinking about doing this on my truck but am not sure on the legality of running dual low beams in Australia.

 

[Tapage]

I replace all 4 with H4 reflectors .. actually pic 2 hella and 2 bosh to determinate the difference anc light quality .. and make a new wirring to allow all 4 run low beam and hi .. that give to me twice as light as factory is .. and running 100/90 bosh bulbs in all ..

 

[70sguy]

Wow! some impressive lights.. makes me want to get on with swapping mine out to the brand new GX 4 rectangles I have sitting in a box.

With regard to the extra used set I have. I pulled em out of storage and took some shots on the weekend.
They are in perfect condition. The lamps are cut for RHD so factor on replacing with your favorite brand of
H4/ H1 lamps. Talk to MOT about setting you up with the correct corner parking lamps.
$300 firm on the lamp set. EDIT SOLD!!!

 

[cary]

A few points about converting from the aero lamps to the old style H4/H1 setup.

1) You will have to do a full rewire with relays and diodes, not just change the connectors. The stock 9006 low beam is a single filament bulb that stays on with the high beam. The H4 low beam is a dual filament bulb and the low beam bulb switches off and the other filament comes on with the high beams.

2) E-code 4x6 and 5 1/4" lamps were great lamps, in the 1980s. Remember these are lamps that have not changed since being designed in the late 1960s. There is a reason that they have not been used as standard lamps in Europe for nearly 30 years, lamps have improved. They have no efficiency advantage over the stock US toyota lens, both are glass lenses with a parabolic reflector and have an efficiency in the 30-40% range. The Toyota reflector is large which equals more light output of the front for a given bulb input.

3) The stock H4 bulb (55watt) puts out 1000 lumens, same as a standard 9006. A 9012 HIR bulb puts out 1800 lumens, to get that out of an H4, you have to step up to a 100 watt low beam.

4) Has the original poster properly adjusted his headlamps, installed HIR's and put in a wiring harness? The stock 80 low beams are very good when the above is done. No, they aren't E codes, the pattern is pretty good.

5) If you want to go through the time, trouble, and expense of swaping out headlamps, why not do a projector swap like others have done. Instead of moving to the quality lamp, or even backwards, you will get a lamp with a nice pattern, more output (the new projectors are nearly 50% efficient) and the option to install HID's if you want (I personally don't like HID's and hardly ever drive our audi that has them, poor color rendering, flat looking light). Notice that there has been a shift back from HID's, even on high end cars to better housings with incadecent bulbs. The new trend in high end cars are multiple arrays of LED's, which offer a better color rendering index. With some of the new LED's approaching 1000 lumens in output, this is the way things are going.

 

[Ebag333]

4) Has the original poster properly adjusted his headlamps, installed HIR's and put in a wiring harness? The stock 80 low beams are very good when the above is done. No, they aren't E codes, the pattern is pretty good.

I haven't put in a wiring harness, but from what I've read that's often unnecessary, with little to no change. I have adjusted my headlights and put in the John Deere bulbs. Which are a huge improvement.

The lows still suck.

The new trend in high end cars are multiple arrays of LED's, which offer a better color rendering index. With some of the new LED's approaching 1000 lumens in output, this is the way things are going.

Now you're talking. Figure out a way to retrofit LED's in, and you would be golden. The cool thing about LED's is that they are already directional, just point them in the right direction.

 

[Stone]

The stock 9006 low beam is a single filament bulb that stays on with the high beam. The H4 low beam is a dual filament bulb and the low beam bulb switches off and the other filament comes on with the high beams.

Ah! Good point...still wouldn't be too difficult to do if one would really like to do the conversion.

Your point about the H4 low beam, 9006, and HIR bulbs is well taken. I've converted my stock setup to all HIR bulbs and don't have any complaints about the light output at all. In fact, the very first time I had them on, I was thoroughly impressed and forgot about how much those HIR bulbs cost.