Hello, I just posted a story about adding a simple pop in headlight bulb(s) into the 1965 El Camino. Back then, the normal stock high beams were controlled separately and when we were always going on very dark empty dirt desert roads to the early morning race event. The roads were empty, but darker than most streets due to no light poles anywhere. So, the high beams came on constantly. After several runs in the absolute dark desert roads, I decided to get a set of super high beam bulbs advertised as “lights up at least 2 miles down the road…” or something like that. So, I bought a pair and it was a simple pop out and pop in installation. The lights looked cool and they were bright. Very bright. When I tried it in the two car garage, it lit up the whole garage that did not have any lights on at the time. Yellow lights of any kind were and are illegal unless switched separately. So, for the next few years, there were no dark roads leading 50 to 100 miles away to any event deep in the So Cal desert areas. We even used it deep into the dark roads of Baja Mexico to success in seeing bumps ahead and washed out roads prior to falling in the cracks. Jnaki So, I was happy that I had solved a major problem of “not being able to see ahead in the dark…” I was able to go anywhere, including up the steep roads leading to the higher elevation mountain roads without any light poles in the dark. At night, it was easy to see the oncoming traffic, so I could shut off the high beams with a switch as normal. One day, I was driving home from a daytime photo shoot and interview. I happen to be almost home and I was caught in a CHP auto checkpoint stopping area. The CHP guy actually waved me through, but as I got to him, he said he wanted to check something out on my 65 El Camino. I was pulled over in the special section and all he wanted to do was have me turn on the headlights. So, I did and he gave the thumbs up. Now, he asked me to turn on the bright high beams. He was close to the high beam lights and as soon as I pushed the ****on, he jumped back instantly. Then he rubbed his eyes and came back to the window. He asked me to turn those off and turn them on again. So, I did as asked. Now, he came back and told me that he was going to write me a fix-it ticket for those high beam lights. They were not stock and needed to get replaced. He asked me where I got those and I told him a store that sells auto parts in Westminster, CA. a couple of miles away. He said the filament is not legal and the light is too bright for normal high beam uses on the street. I told him I don’t use high beams on the street and only out in the desert dirt roads with no light poles or directions. Explaining the late night drives to the desert motorcycle races. He said that was no excuse and said all it requires is to replace the stock high beam bulb back in and have a police/chp person sign off on the fix-it ticket. So, I did. But, a week later, we had to drive the fartherst out in the Mojave Desert to a far away area near the el mirage dry lakes for a 50 mile course one way and another 50 mile course on a different area. But, it was dark driving to the pits area prior to the early morning start times. So, I used the high beam headlights again. Note: The CHP officer told me I could use the lights if they were wired separately from the stock high beam light switch. That way, it was an off road extra light, similar to those light bars on top of jeeps and trucks, which are separate switches. But, I sold them to a neighbor who was going to add a couple of more lights to his brush guard above the headlights, connected to a special housing and different toggle switch… all legal. YRMV
When I was young, yellow lights were mandatory on cars in France. I always thought they were awful looking back then. It's a different look nowadays though.
When i first took ownership of my Chevy it came fitted with a set of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26764963...MI7eSSpOCklAMVX5RQBh0f6yqUEAQYASABEgJkiPD_BwE You can kinda see them in my Avatar, not a bad look but the attachment elastic is pretty tired so I took them off. I believe they were made as a retrofittable accessory for European driving back in the day.
Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Any idea what they are? Ultimately, I got a pair of the 4412A lights. I had to make a cut to the headlight bucket to make them fit because the tabs that are cast into the light would not line up with the cutouts in the bucket. Turned out nice though. I'll eventually do this treatment to the wagon when I freshen up the front end. I have a nicer grille I want to install.
In the mid 80's I had a 67 Chevelle that I raced on the street a bit and I used the spot light bulbs out of cop cars that were in a salvage yard in place of the high beams they fit I cant recall if they have the nubs but they fit well enough . A cop asked what deal was with the smooth head light . I replied there European out of a Volvo. he said I never seen them before I just smiled and said they were in a junk car . I also had a multiple terminal switch that cut all the rear lights off . I used it at the track when bracket racing so guys could not tell I was slowing down at the end and to not be seen on the street disappearing . One night I got pulled over for no tail lights and realized I had the switch in the wrong position . I told the cop a fuse was out but I had a spare and made a big show of getting under the dash to fix it and then flipped the switch back on LOL . The stuff I did when I was young and dumb Seems I have seen amber spot light bulbs in police or fire vehicles.
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