Technical Halogen sealed-beam suggestion for B-L-C 682-J buckets

Are you running Halogen sealed-beams in your B-L-C buckets? What brand?

I pulled the original 12V sealed beams out of my B-L-C 682-J headlight buckets, thinking I'd replace them with brighter, Halogen sealed-beam lamps. If you're familiar with these headlamps, they have three tabs cast into the glass to help position the bulb in the bucket. The bucket has three slots that accept these tabs.

I bought pair of Sylvania Halogens and the tabs are way too big for the slots. I always assumed Halogens and standard sealed-beams are directly interchangeable. Is the problem the Sylvania brand? Did you have success with another manufacturer?

I'm hoping I can find a drop-in headlight before I start grinding on these nice buckets.

Thanks

 

If your Sylvania lights have metal reflectors, you could file them to fit.

 

I must be a "correctness snob". Years ago I bought a case of NOS 12V sealed beam inserts so I'd never run out when the rest of the world went to halogen.

Maybe you can sell your good incandescent bulbs to recoup the cost of your halogens?

 

No, can't do it, the tabs are cast into the glass -- and it would take some considerable reshaping.

My incandescents are 6V.... and you're right. The 12V incandescents are now getting hard to find. Unless I find a Halogen with old-style tabs, I'll go back to incandescents.

 

I put these in Mother in Law's 1973 Nova many years ago when she had one light burn out.
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-Standard-Automotive-Replacement/dp/B000BYPF7I

 

Try to find another set of lights. When the car manufacturers went to seal beams in 1940, it standardized the 7" round seal beam for the next 40 years. Back when I worked at the auto wreckers, I would "harvest" halogen lights for my various cars and they always fit. The ones presently on my T coupe, are Bosch units from second hand shop. I find the ones with a metal reflector and glue on a lens from a vintage metal reflector seal beam for a more correct era look.

 

I got these at NAPA. They fit my Guide 682-C just fine.

 

I think I have Wagners in mine

 

Sylvania Silver Stars (H6024) fit in my 682 J buckets, but the brighter the light, the shorter the time. I looked at the side of the box when 1 of them went out just under a year (warrantied) and it was something short like 150 hours........regular bulbs where like 300 hours.

 

Get a diamond wheel for your angle grinder and trim the glass nubs until they fit.

 

I have the same headlights and the Napa replacement went in without issue.

 

i fitted cibie units to my 38 truck went straight in without an issue i was very pleased.quality lens will allow you to use bigger bulbs without melting or cracking.c

 

I’ve used lamps from Cibie, Marchal and Hella. All worked without modifying lamps or housings. Use relays if you go this route. 55/100 watt bulbs are available too.

 

the brighter the better

 

Until you blind the oncoming driver.
The weird thing about this, is when people get blinded, they drive right towards the light that blinding them. The insurance industry has never figured out why either.
Oh ya, once the insurance agent finds out you modified the lighting system on your car guess what.

You learn a lot of cool things driving a tow truck.

 

@Detonator , lots of suggestions. Have you been able to find a 7" halogen for your headlight buckets?

 

My 7" Halogen sealed beams came from Kragen's. (That's 20 F100 years ago!)

 

It is called target fixation. People focus so intently on the object they are looking at, they steer toward it.

 

I did a thread on upgrading original to halogen. Mine was for 5-3/4 lights but the same ideas should apply. After the job is done you just replace the small bulb and not the whole light and you get to keep the sealed beam glass fronts.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ogen-t3-lenses-on-hella-h1-h4-lights.1209713/

 

thats not necessarily so here we drive on the left ,our lights dim to the left down and away from the oncoming drivers.so brighter doesnt mean dazzling once they are aimed correct .it just means i can see more of the edge of the road.esp when driving into modern suv s with led lights high up and with extra driving lights on 24/7.im the one being dazzled and gotta upgrade with brighter lights similar to what im facing into.with the winter coming and heading into wet night time driving upgrades are needed brighter upgrades .

and any issues with insurance and light upgrades at least ill be alive to tell the tale.i upgraded the lighting on my 38 with CIBIE lens,halogen bulbs front . and rear led indicators added stop/tail lights to the original lights with glass lens.reflectors.planning reverse lights and a rear fog.all traditional looking with led internals .
while i dont intend driving my rod during the winter nights you never know when a short trip out could end up being delayed and i intend to be prepared.