91' e30 with sealed beams?

[Nick_S]

My 91 came with sealed beams. Bought some second hand ellips and wired em up in 15 min.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Like what?

All i know of is elips, smiley & smoked hellas

Oh you ill informed soul...

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

just to get you started. He mostly has only Cibie stuff, but there's also Hella from other suppliers

There are so many brighter and more efficient options once you get away from the stock configurations. You'll be amazed at the performance over old headlights

[keefy6]

My H4s are considerably brighter than many late-model automobiles equipped with HID technology that I've driven.

That aside, my preference is a simple OEM look that is accomplished with the H4s. I like the smiley, but they would have to be original/Hella/sparkling brand-new OEM stock.

[Stanley Rockafella]

My H4s are considerably brighter than many late-model automobiles equipped with HID technology that I've driven.

That aside, my preference is a simple OEM look that is accomplished with the H4s. I like the smiley, but they would have to be original/Hella/sparkling brand-new OEM stock.

:woowoo:

any pics?

[mr.vang]

All 88 and 89 came with ellipsoid headlight. Not a single 88 or 89 I have seen in the past came with seal headlights.

[reelizmpro]

All 88 and 89 came with ellipsoid headlight. Not a single 88 or 89 I have seen in the past came with seal headlights.

The cutoff is 09/1987 - 06/1989 so early 88 M3's had sealed beams but this may be the exception since although they were built as early as 1/87, BMW sold them as 88's.

[kts]

My 91 came with sealed beams. Bought some second hand ellips and wired em up in 15 min.

+1 my 91 also has sealed beams and I quickly swapped them out for some euro smilies. Pretty sure this was the guide I used, it was quick and easy: http://bmw.e30tuner.com/articles_eurolight.php

[bimmer630]

My '89 had ellipsoids and I swapped them into my '90 after I scrapped the '89.
Now I need a replacement lens for my drivers lowbeam (the tab where the adjuster screw clips in snapped off) and they are really hard to find.
went to a pull a part yard this weekend because they had an '88 there.... someone already yanked the lights from it

Does anyone have a spare drivers lowbeam Ellipsoid they'd part with?

[Vincent Brick]

So while we are on the subject, is it normal for US Elipsoids to completely suck ass? No matter what I do the light output is shit, to the point I am quite uncomfortable with it. My brights, however, light up the whole world.

Will the Cibie stuff on the site mentioned above fit into either of the E30 headlight brackerts? One would need to switch to the steel style, right, not the plastic? I'm still new to the old school headlight thing.

[Kershaw]

Your bulbs suck, maybe. HIDs are plug and play into your ellipsoids. Get them from ddmtuning or Amazon.

[nando]

they're almost 30 years old. the reflectors are probably oxidized, the lenses get pitted, and the projector is probably cloudy.

[agent]

Your bulbs suck, maybe. HIDs are plug and play into your ellipsoids. Get them from Halston.

Fixed.

[Vincent Brick]

Bulbs are brand new Silverstars, which I have been very happy with in other applications. Lenses only have minor pitting, no more than the hi-beams which work fantastic. Oxidized reflector is a possibility as one side seems to be worse then the other. I don't see myself going HID, not a fan of the look, and feel it would take away from my car's old school vibe.

[Vincent Brick]

Bulbs are brand new Silverstars, which I have been very happy with in other applications. Lenses only have minor pitting, no more than the hi-beams which work fantastic. Oxidized reflector is a possibility as one side seems to be worse then the other. I don't see myself going HID, not a fan of the look, and feel it would take away from my car's old school vibe.

[Vincent Brick]

Bulbs are brand new Silverstars, which I have been very happy with in other applications. Lenses only have minor pitting, no more than the hi-beams which work fantastic. Oxidized reflector is a possibility as one side seems to be worse then the other.

Fixed.

Wait.... so you can get HIDs that don't look all crazy blue and modern? I would normally never consider HIDs as I feel it would look too modern for my car's vibe, and because the shitty ballasts that always die are just one more thing to go wrong. Is it actual plug and play, like no additional power wiring or anything? If so that may be something I would consider, though honestly I think I would be happy if my light output as as good as the halogen examples in that post.