08-22-2018, 02:22 PM
Richard upgraded his headlights and we compared them one night, I was sold. Since I do a fair amount of nighttime driving it seemed like a good idea. Like most of my good ideas, they turn out to be huge undertakings and consume untold hours and many cocktails. During the last Bella Terra gathering, Ron Gripon told me about a vendor that stocked the 90mm Xenon. I ordered two. It was supposed to be swap and go (kinda like plug & play only harder), this is where the fun started. Ron's coach is a 2003, mine is a 2000. The 2003 models have 90mm fixtures (I'm led to believe) however, the 2000 models used 120mm fixtures.
I measure the tube cast into the front cover and the opening is 98.8mm plus the steel mounting brackets are much larger as well. This precipitated a bracket adapter that would fit to the 90mm fixture and mate to the existing steel brackets. As you can see in the next picture, there are two pieces of 1/4" aluminum that serve as temporary look alike steel brackets so the new 90mm brackets will mate. The rings for the 90mm didn't come with the fixture so I had to order them elsewhere and they are flat, not like the 120mm style. you can see the adapters attacghed to the 90mm fixtures.
So far so good except there is a disparity between 90mm and 98.9mm. I ordered up a bar of Teflon (didn't have to be teflon but it is all the supplier had in stock around 4"). I made some bushings to fill the void. They had to be cut to 72 degrees on the inside to mate to the 90mm taper.
I fitted the whole works into the front cap and it fits remarkably well although I wish the Teflon had been black.
The ballast is mounted to the same steel bracket on the front cap. The electrical connection is a variation of Packard Delco and I could not find any reference to a PD part number in all my catalogs or online. So, I had to order them from Hella. They sell them in lots of 20 (for $100), I used two. If anybody needs a replacement, I have 18 left over!!
The light output is amazing when compared to the halogens, thanks Richard.
I measure the tube cast into the front cover and the opening is 98.8mm plus the steel mounting brackets are much larger as well. This precipitated a bracket adapter that would fit to the 90mm fixture and mate to the existing steel brackets. As you can see in the next picture, there are two pieces of 1/4" aluminum that serve as temporary look alike steel brackets so the new 90mm brackets will mate. The rings for the 90mm didn't come with the fixture so I had to order them elsewhere and they are flat, not like the 120mm style. you can see the adapters attacghed to the 90mm fixtures.
So far so good except there is a disparity between 90mm and 98.9mm. I ordered up a bar of Teflon (didn't have to be teflon but it is all the supplier had in stock around 4"). I made some bushings to fill the void. They had to be cut to 72 degrees on the inside to mate to the 90mm taper.
I fitted the whole works into the front cap and it fits remarkably well although I wish the Teflon had been black.
The ballast is mounted to the same steel bracket on the front cap. The electrical connection is a variation of Packard Delco and I could not find any reference to a PD part number in all my catalogs or online. So, I had to order them from Hella. They sell them in lots of 20 (for $100), I used two. If anybody needs a replacement, I have 18 left over!!
The light output is amazing when compared to the halogens, thanks Richard.
Gordon Jones
2000-45'-2slide-#567
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