91' e30 with sealed beams?

[nando]

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

[Kershaw]

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

[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.

[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?

[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

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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]

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

[Nick_S]

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

[Kevinl]

by now most or the original lenses would be pitted and / or cracked, the reflectors oxidized and basically not that great anymore. There are plenty of better lighting options these days than a worn out set of lights from 1988, it's not a big deal..

Like what?

All i know of is elips, smiley & smoked hellas

[Red46]

The wiring harness would really tell you which type were originally installed.

Definitely.
The sealed beam "low beam" is dual filament so there would be three wires (ground, low, high) going to the low beam. When the high beams are turned on the low beam illuminates the high beam filament in the low beam bulb.
Ellipsoid low beams are single filament so they only have two wires (ground, low). They just stay on when the high beam is activated.

[ELVA164]

Hmm...
I have an 88 seta that came to me with sealed beams. My thought is that they were replaced at some point but I've since changed them out for elips.
My 87 has stock sealed beams as well.

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The wiring harness would really tell you which type were originally installed.

[Savagefurai]

Hmm...
I have an 88 seta that came to me with sealed beams. My thought is that they were replaced at some point but I've since changed them out for elips.
My 87 has stock sealed beams as well.

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