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Driving Lights

scouk

By scouk
in Scottish Scoobies

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scouk

scouk

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi guys,

Surely some of you have had experience with these..

I'm considering swapping out my bugeye fog lamps for a nice set of driving lights for the winter.. Driving to work in the pitch black on twisty country roads would be much better, and safer, with a decent set of lights! (Even better if they vapourise the deer en-route :rotfl:

Question is, will any fog light fit as a straight swap or do you need to get the proper PIAA kit from subaru? (would rather not pay full RRP for this if i can do it cheaper :lol: )

Also ideally I'd like to get HiD ones so they are as bright as possible :rotfl:

(edited to add: if it wasn't so expensive I'd be tempted by a full rally style spotlight pod for the bonnet just to take the p***!) :rotfl:

Thanks,

Edited by ScoUK
iainc

iainc

Posted
Posted

I had a set of PIAAs on the front of my old classic (plus Morettes 'cos the std lights were crap). Made quite a difference, although the main problem was always that it made the dipped beam look even worse IYKWIM.

Don't know about the fitment of other types... would imagine that it would probably be possible to fit other kinds as well, but mounting other types might be a PITA if they don't use the same holes as the fog lights (not sure if the bugeye is the same as the classics for that).

scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
can you not just fit lower watt bulbs?

in previous cars i have taken out the fog bulbs and replaced them with driving bulbs

Sadly not that easy.. If anythign I want them brighter... but also fog lights are designed to give a close range wide angle.. where as driving/spot lights are designed for bright, long distance at a narrow angle.. Two compeltely different units as the light reflector is a different shape to give a diffeent angle.. chances are the bulbs are interchangable..

Edited by ScoUK
scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I had a set of PIAAs on the front of my old classic (plus Morettes 'cos the std lights were crap). Made quite a difference, although the main problem was always that it made the dipped beam look even worse IYKWIM.

yeah understandable... same reason i wanted the STi headlights to replace the WRX ones which were crap at full beam. STi ones are much better all round both dipped and full beam, but need more distance :rotfl:

iainc

iainc

Posted
Posted
yeah understandable... same reason i wanted the STi headlights to replace the WRX ones which were crap at full beam. STi ones are much better all round both dipped and full beam, but need more distance :rotfl:

As mentioned, the PIAA ones are well worth it then... made a HUGE difference over the Morettes (which were a huge improvement over the std 94 lights).

ur.a.bus

ur.a.bus

Posted
Posted
Sadly not that easy.. If anythign I want them brighter... but also fog lights are designed to give a close range wide angle.. where as driving/spot lights are designed for bright, long distance at a narrow angle.. Two compeltely different units as the light reflector is a different shape to give a diffeent angle.. chances are the bulbs are interchangable..

i learn something new every day (mainly thanks to this site) :rotfl:

scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I've just done myself out a sale for a new set. :mellow:

Davy

Cheers mate! Although may still need the wiring/relay for it.. Got bits lying around but maybe not enough... Would want to wire it in so they can be disabled if necesary.. i.e. "flashing" doesn't blind people during the day <_< Or maybe I do want that :lol:

iainc

iainc

Posted
Posted
Cheers mate! Although may still need the wiring/relay for it.. Got bits lying around but maybe not enough... Would want to wire it in so they can be disabled if necesary.. i.e. "flashing" doesn't blind people during the day <_< Or maybe I do want that :mellow:

I just had mine wired directly into the main beam the whole time... ran with the covers on unless I was going out in the dark so it never blinded people.

scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
Mine had a on/off switch to the right of the steering column and only worked with full beam on .

Yeah that's was kinda the switch I was thinking of....

Although got a slightly different idea for lights.... Not sure how much it woudl affect air getting to the lower part of the radiator though..... :thumbup:

spots_1.jpg

spots_2.jpg

With bespoke covers!

spots_2_covered.jpg

Definately makes the car look more agressive though ;)

Edited by ScoUK
scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks for the feedback mate :thumbup:

Starting to go a bit mad with the idea now... Trying to avoid round lamps because they wont fit snugly anywhere.. By that I mean they stick out a bit when looking fromt eh side... The rectangle ones woudl fit nicely in teh lower grille..

But.....:

spots_mix1.jpg

Does look a bit mad! ;)

Feedback welcome...

Edited by ScoUK
Smiler AS

Smiler AS

Posted
Posted

No. 2 for me, I like the idea of the driving lights at the upper front grill (even if they do stick out a bit), just says your set to drive - no matter the weather or time of day! :thumbup:

Plus I used to like them on my folks old xr3i's.

The rectangluar ones just dont look right to me.

  • 5 weeks later...
scouk

scouk

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Great minds and all that, fitted mine today...wiring tomorrow

LOL! Nice one Does look quite smart there!

I've decided to go with replacign the fogs down teh bottom.. Wasn't too sure about the aerodynamics, into the scoop, wasn't 100% certain I coudl get a solid fixing...

I've got he wiring sorted so the fogs only come on with full high beam but can be disabled using the fog switch so they never come on. That's all done, put new connectors on the fog light loom so the lights are quicly interchangable, just need to make up the bracket for them now.. And it's peein with rain :P

Fired them up yesterday after fitting the new connectors and even in daylight you could see it was lighting up stuff a few metres away! Just got some Philips BlueVision (xenon) bulbs in the post this morning as well to cut away some of the OEM yellowish colour and gain a bit more distance. :D

Will definately post piccies when finished.

bigvern

bigvern

Posted
Posted

I had some 'flutter' but thats pretty much gone now with a bit of fettling and the roads are real tooth chippers round here. But the benefit at night is well worth it. My 'off-road' bulbs arrived last night so the future is looking bright!

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