1971 Pontiac Firebird Headlight

FAQ

Installing new headlights on your vehicle can result in fitment issues if they are improperly installed. Many times an alignment post is not inserted correctly, or a bracket is not tightened to the correct torque. In other cases, the incorrect part is being installed. We want to know if you have any installation issues with your new parts as soon as possible, so that we can help you figure out exactly what is wrong. Please contact us so we can help you save time with any questions you might have if something does not appear to fit correctly.

Replacing stock Halogen headlights with HIDs would require some modifications, especially where the wiring is concerned. While the lamp can sometimes fit into the opening on the front of the vehicle, your stock lamps will use different bulbs, sockets, fuses, relays, and wiring than most HID bulbs. You may want to check with your local mechanic for advice if you have never attempted this type of conversion before.

You may well have to adjust the headlights after installation. If it's possible, when you take the old assembly out, you should match up the new adjusters with the old ones. Adjust the new light as close to that on the old units as you can. That way, any adjustments you have to make on the car once they are installed will be minimal. Our headlight assemblies have the same or improved adjusters as the stock units, and there are many videos on Youtube on how to adjust lighting. Check your owners manual too, since not all vehicles are adjusted the same way. Finally, when adjusting, make sure your car is level, with a full tank of gas.

HID stands for "High Intensity Discharge". These bulbs use an electric arc rather than the glowing filament in a Halogen bulb. HID headlamp bulbs do not run on low-voltage DC current like a Halogen Bulb, so they require a ballast, which controls and regulates the flow of current. This ballast will require an ignitor to light the bulb. This is either integrated directly into the bulb or as a separate unit which is occasionally part of the ballast, similar to fluorescent bulbs in your home. In a vehicle, HID bulbs tend to be much more expensive to replace than a Halogen bulb.

These types of lights used to be more popular on most European vehicles, but are becoming common on other makes and models. Projector lights are lights that have a filament located at one focus of a reflector, and a round glass or heavy duty plastic condenser lens at the front of the lamp. These lenses in front of the light bulb distribute the light evenly across the front of the vehicle, and can give a larger range of visibility for the driver. The bulbs themselves are usually common Halogen bulbs that can easily be changed.

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