Headlight Hotness: Upgrading an Old Mercedes to LED Bulbs
The first project for any old car should be the safety of better vision.
The boys over at Hooniverse have a new project car, one that we’ll all love here at MBWorld headquarters. It’s a gorgeous 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280 sedan, and as with any new project car, you’ve got to dive in on something small while you’re excited about it. In this case, resident Hooner Jeff decided to upgrade his car’s headlamps for improved night vision. Forward vision at night is one of the major problems with old cars, and a new set of Sylvania’s Zenos LED 7″ round headlamps (manufactured by Petersen Lighting here in the U.S.) will help make this car much safer.
We recently installed a set of these headlamps on one of our own project cars ahead of a long road trip, and we could not be any happier with them. The installation is just as simple as any other 7″ headlamp installation would be, but you’re provided with a brilliant and gorgeously sharp headlight beam. It’s a huge step forward for old-car vision, but there are a couple downsides.
CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Visionary Project
The biggest downside is the aesthetic design of the bulb. The plastic cover for this headlamp protrudes farther than a standard glass bulb would, and the front of the housing is completely flat, with a 90-degree edge all the way around. Compared to a beveled glass light that meets the sheet metal of your car flush, it just doesn’t look quite right. Additionally, the sharp cut of the bulb makes for a very modern looking light going down the road, which is incongruous with the car they’re installed in.
If you can get over those minor aesthetic changes, this is an inexpensive and important change that any old car with 7″ round bulbs can receive. We’re really happy with ours, and it seems Jeff likes his new lights, as well.
Are you going to LED your old Benz? Let us know how you feel about them in the forums.
Via [Hooniverse]
