Products!
Lots of lights, bulbs, and prices below. But first:
How do I buy?
Where's the shopping
cart...?
There isn't one. Send me an email and I'll be happy to get your needs handled. Ordering isn't hard; I accept all major credit cards.
Why do I do it this way? Because choosing automotive lighting devices and bulbs is a good bit more complex than it might seem, and a great deal more complex than some vendors would have you believe. Prewrap, one-for-all offerings generally don't give results as satisfactory as solutions specifically put together for your needs on your vehicles under your driving conditions. Often, the products you want because you've seen them, heard or read about them, are in fact not the ones that'll do the best job of accomplishing your actual lighting goals.
So, I've opted to carry on
providing personal consultation for each and every order.
Old-fashioned and a little
slower? Yep, especially if you're
knowledgeable already. I appreciate that, and I really feel the
reputation I've built up this way for customer
satisfaction is worth it. So please feel free to
send me an email
(
dastern@torque.net )
and tell me how I may help you; I'll be happy to get your
needs handled.
• Legality: All products are sold and intended only for lawful, appropriate applications. Anybody selling headlamps who doesn't tell you this (and answer your questions about it) is not being honest.
• Shipping: Almost all items ship from Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, or Georgia, USA. I use the Postal Service or UPS for most shipments within the US. I use the Postal Service for shipments outside the US, including Canada. If you wish other shipping arrangements, please ask and I'll do my best to accommodate you. Tracking numbers will be provided once they go live.
• Returns are accepted within 30 days of merchandise delivery only with prior approval, and only on unused, uninstalled items in original packaging. A restocking fee (20% within 20 days; 30% within 30 days) will usually apply, unless the return is due to an error on our part, or in the case of an exchange, or under unusual circumstances. Most special orders are non-returnable. Bulbs cannot be returned. If an item is received in damaged or faulty condition, please keep hold of all packaging and alert us immediately; I will work with you and the shipping carrier to make it right. Items returned as defective may be replaced or the appropriate refund may be issued, at our option.
• North America, like many other places, has right-hand traffic (RHT): all vehicles travel on the right-hand side of the road, no matter whether they are the usual left-hand drive (LHD, driver sits on the left side of the car) or right-hand drive (RHD, driver sits on the right side of the car). All low beam headlamps offered on this page are appropriate for use in right-hand traffic. Left-traffic headlamps are available by special order, for use in countries (and motorsports) where they are appropriate.
• Click a picture on this page to see a larger version in a new browser tab or window.
Headlamps
Where did the Cibié headlamps go?
Cibié H4 and H1 headlamps were in production for many years, and the tooling (for the large and small round H4 lamps, in particular) was allowed to grow decrepit. Once the tooling wore out so completely that a plausible proportion of these lamps couldn't be squeaked past conformity-of-production testing, they were discontinued. It's a bit of a sad end to a storied brand, but don't fret: compared to the Cibiés even before their downward skid, the Koito large and small round H4/H1 lamps on this page are superior. The Koitos are more efficient (more light on the road), better focused (more useful distribution of light), and better-built (sturdier glass and metal materials, more careful build quality). The Cibié small rectangular H4 lamp is still the champion in that size and type, and will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. You'll find more detail below.
Koito
H4 headlamps
7 inch (ø 180mm)
round
H4 high/low beam:
$179/pair
Safety certification: U.N. (ECE) type-approved
Koito H4
headlamps
200mm
× 142mm (7.9” ×
5.5”) large rectangular
H4 high/low beam:
$179/pair
Safety certification: U.N. (ECE) type-approved
Koito H4 & H1
headlamps
5.75” (ø146 mm)
round
H4 high/low beam:
$169/pair
Safety certification: U.N. (ECE) type-approved
Koito H1 high beam
(wider beam
coverage): $169/pair
Safety certification: JIS type-approved
Koito H1 high beam
(longer beam
reach): $169/pair
Safety certification: U.N. (ECE) type-approved
Cibié and Koito
H4 and H1 headlamps
165 × 100 mm (6½” ×
4”)
Small Rectangular
Cibié H4 high/low
beam: $189/pair
With inbuilt
parking light—the best replaceable-bulb headlamp ever made in this
size (yes,
they are in stock!)
Safety certifications: U.N. (ECE) type-approved; SAE M certified
Koito H1 high beam
(wider beam
coverage): $179/pair
Safety certification: JIS type-approved
Koito H1 high beam
(longer beam
reach—highest peak intensity of any current-production high beam in this size): $198/pair
Safety certification: U.N. (ECE) type-approved
Relay Installation
Kits
and harnesses
for headlamps
and auxiliary
lamps
Thin
factory wiring starves
bulbs!
Click here
for more
information.
These
parts packs and
custom-built harnesses help you feed
full power to the
headlamps for maximum nighttime seeing. Kits include
high-grade parts to
accept your own 10-12ga
wire: 30-amp relays with
dual output terminals,
relay brackets and
terminal blocks,
terminals, extra-tough
fused fuseholders and
high-heat headlamp
sockets. In almost all cases,
the vehicle's factory
wiring remains uncut.
Wire itself is not included with the parts kits. A wide selection of colours and lengths can easily be had from wire suppliers (or your local reputable-brand auto parts store); it's the hardware in these kits that is so hard to find in quality worth having.
Custom-built relay harnesses are built to order by a skilled master electrician using the same kinds of high-grade parts as supplied in the kits. The harnesses arrive ready to install on your specific vehicle, no assembly required. Harness prices listed here are for most vehicles; a harness will cost somewhat more for a large heavy-duty truck or other vehicle that requires extra-long wire lengths; details on inquiry.
Headlamp Relay Installation
Kits and harnesses
Don't see
what you need?
Special
kits
and harnesses are
no problem to provide for any
legitimate lighting setup.
Just send me an
email, dastern@torque.net
- RIK-2
Parts kit for two
sealed beam or H4 lamps: $92
- HARN-TK2
Universal harness—works on any vehicle with a
feed-switched headlamp circuit (ask me if you're not sure). Extremely nice quality at a super price: $99
- HARN-2
Custom-built harness: $199
- HARN-2T
Custom-built harness for Toyota-built vehicles: $209
- RIK-4
Parts kit for four
sealed beam or H4/H1 lamps: $149
- HARN-4
Custom-built harness: $209
- HARN-4T
Custom-built harness for Toyota-built
vehicles: $222
- RIK-RAM
parts kit to properly
install improved Ram
Sport
twin-bulb headlamps in
place of standard
one-bulb
lamps in 1994-1999 Dodge Ram pickup trucks: $169
- HARN-RAM
Custom-built harness for 1994-1998.5 trucks: $229
- HARN-RAM-G
Custom-built harness for 1999 trucks: $229
- 2000-2002 trucks present certain issues; send me an email.
- RIK-H1H1
parts kit for 2- or 4-headlamp systems
with four single-filament bulbs
(Porsche 911 H1/H1 lamps, Cibié Biode, Marchal Amplilux, Hella
BiFocal H1 low beam
+ parabolic H1 high beam, Cibié CSR, etc.):
$129
- HARN-H1H1
custom-built harness: $199
- RIK-HB1
Parts kit for two 9004 lamps: $159
- HARN-HB1 Custom-built harness: $209
- RIK-HB34
Parts kit
for systems with 9005 high beam and 9006 low beam bulbs:
$161
- HARN-HB34
Custom-built harness: $219
- RIK-HB34H
Parts kit for 9005-9006 systems as above
except this one safely keeps low beams lit
when high beams are on, for systems not originally so
configured: $173
- HARN-HB34H
Custom-built harness: $229
- RIK-HB33
Parts kit for systems with 9005 bulbs for low
and high beams
(Lincoln Mark
VIII, GMC
Yukon Denali, etc.): $161
- HARN-HB33
Custom-built
harness: $219
- RIK-HB33H
Parts kit as
above
except this one
safely keeps low beams lit when high beams are on, for systems not
originally so wired: $173
- RIK-HB33H
Custom-built
harness: $229
- RIK-HB5
Parts kit for two
9007 lamps: $159
- HARN-HB5
Custom-built harness: $209
- RIK-H4R
Parts kit to properly
install H4 or 9003 headlamps
in place of 9004 or
9007 headlamps: $159
- HARN-H4R
Custom-built harness: $209
Nothing,
including this kit or harness, lets you use
H4 bulbs in lamps designed to
accept 9004 or 9007 bulbs. That just doesn't (can't, won't) work.
- RIK-1
Parts kit for one
sealed beam or H4 lamp
(Motorcycle): $79
Don't see
what you need?
Special
kits
and harnesses are
no problem to provide for any
legitimate lighting setup.
Just send me an
email, dastern@torque.net
Parts kit for two sealed beam or H4 lamps: $92
Universal harness—works on any vehicle with a feed-switched headlamp circuit (ask me if you're not sure). Extremely nice quality at a super price: $99
Custom-built harness: $199
Custom-built harness for Toyota-built vehicles: $209
Parts kit for four sealed beam or H4/H1 lamps: $149
Custom-built harness: $209
Custom-built harness for Toyota-built vehicles: $222
parts kit to properly install improved Ram Sport
twin-bulb headlamps in place of standard one-bulb lamps in 1994-1999 Dodge Ram pickup trucks: $169
Custom-built harness for 1994-1998.5 trucks: $229
Custom-built harness for 1999 trucks: $229
parts kit for 2- or 4-headlamp systems with four single-filament bulbs (Porsche 911 H1/H1 lamps, Cibié Biode, Marchal Amplilux, Hella BiFocal H1 low beam + parabolic H1 high beam, Cibié CSR, etc.): $129
custom-built harness: $199
Parts kit for two 9004 lamps: $159
Parts kit for systems with 9005 high beam and 9006 low beam bulbs: $161
Custom-built harness: $219
Parts kit for 9005-9006 systems as above except this one safely keeps low beams lit when high beams are on, for systems not originally so configured: $173
Custom-built harness: $229
Parts kit for systems with 9005 bulbs for low and high beams (Lincoln Mark VIII, GMC Yukon Denali, etc.): $161
Custom-built harness: $219
Parts kit as above except this one safely keeps low beams lit when high beams are on, for systems not originally so wired: $173
Custom-built harness: $229
Parts kit for two 9007 lamps: $159
Custom-built harness: $209
Parts kit to properly install H4 or 9003 headlamps in place of 9004 or 9007 headlamps: $159
Custom-built harness: $209
Nothing, including this kit or harness, lets you use H4 bulbs in lamps designed to accept 9004 or 9007 bulbs. That just doesn't (can't, won't) work.
Parts kit for one sealed beam or H4 lamp (Motorcycle): $79
Don't see
what you need?
Custom kits
and harnesses are
no problem. Just send me an
email, dastern@torque.net .
Auxiliary Lamp Harnesses and Relay Installation Kits
- RIK-AUX Relay kit for custom installation of two fog or driving lamps, $69.
- H87199 Universal heavy-duty relay harness for two fog or driving lamps. Very fine quality, includes illuminated toggle switch: $79.
Top-quality bulbs
For headlamps and auxiliary
lamps.
Bulbs listed are
for 12-volt systems.
6v
and 24v bulbs are
available, as are selective-yellow
types—please enquire.
First, a Note
About
"Plus" Bulbs:
Most original-equipment headlight bulbs are a long-life type; automakers
like these because reduce outage complaints under the new-vehicle
warranty. But the filament configuration of a long-life bulb tends to
reduce the output, luminance, and beam focus, which shortens seeing
distance and makes the light browner. The opposite filament changes are
made to create high-luminance bulbs: lifespan is shorter, but luminance
and output are higher and the beam focus is better so seeing distance is
longer and beam coverage is wider. The light is whiter; less
brown.
And the lifespan difference is less than it might seem:
long-life bulbs not only start out dimmer, but also stay 'alive' (I.e.,
they light up) long enough to lose significant amounts of their
original output—that is, they grow dimmer and dimmer and dimmer.
The higher-performing bulbs burn out before they drop much of any
intensity.
This
page from a Hella
technical paper goes into some detail on the performance difference
between a standard bulb and a higher-luminance bulb. It was written in
1997, when the state of the art was young, so this is a comparison
between a new standard bulb and a new "+30" bulb with modestly increased
luminance. The difference is bigger when comparing old
long-life/low-luminance bulbs, and even bigger than that because
additional research and development has brought progressively
higher-luminance bulbs.
So: "Plus+" bulbs (+80, +110, +190, etc) are standard-wattage items with
higher filament luminance and tighter filament focus. They have totally
or mostly colourless clear glass so all the filament's light reaches the
road (some of these have a thin blue band near the tip; because of its
placement, it does not reduce light reaching the road because of its
placement). A bulb with a bigger plus-number isn't necessarily better
than one with a smaller plus-number; the small number of reputable
makers in the world differ a little in how they test and label their
bulbs; some of the plus-claims are sturdier than others, and depending
on the bulb type there may be a reason to prefer one over another; I am
constantly testing bulbs to keep on top of (and keep stock of) the best
ones.
H1 bulbs
These single-filament bulbs are for low-beam headlamps, high-beam headlamps, auxiliary fog and driving lamps. Fun facts: The H1 was the world's first-ever halogen automotive bulb, and may well be the most widely used type worldwide. It was introduced in Europe in 1962, and immediately revolutionized car lighting and roadway safety with its compact size and high output. It was finally legalized in the US...in 1997, three and a half decades later!
- 55W Tungsram
Plus+120 $38.18/pair
- 55W selective
yellow: $46.90/pair
- 100W Narva, Vosla, or
Flösser: $39.18/pair
H2 bulbs
These single-filament bulbs are primarily found in auxiliary fog and driving lamps, though there have been a few low-beam and a few high-beam headlamps over the years that used them.
- 55W Narva, Vosla, or
Flösser: $23.18/pair
- 100W Narva or Flösser: $39.18/pair
H3 bulbs
These single-filament bulbs are primarily used in auxiliary fog and driving lamps, but they've also been used in some headlamps, such as certain variants of the Marchal Amplilux. Fun Facts: The H3 was the world's first transverse-filament halogen car bulb, introduced in 1966. The transverse filament and short focal length facilitated the design of certain kinds of lamps that were difficult or impossible to make with axial-filament bulbs. H3 was legalized in the US in 1997, thirty-one years after its European introduction.
- 55W Narva, Vosla, or
Flösser: $23.18/pair
- 55W Flösser Plus+90: $39.18/pair
- 55W Flösser Plus+90 selective
yellow: $57.52/pair
- 100W Narva, Vosla, or Flösser: $39.18/pair
H4 bulbs (9003 bulbs, HB2 bulbs)
These 2-filament bulbs with P43t base are for high/low beam headlamps and Cibie BiOscar fog/drive beam lamps. Fun facts: The H4 was the world's first 2-filament halogen automotive bulb. It was introduced in Europe in 1971, and was used in many millions of European and Japanese headlamps starting in that year, but wasn't legalized in the US (where it was designated HB2 or 9003) until over two decades later, in 1992!
- 60/55W Vosla +190
(easily the world's best H4 / HB2 / 9003 bulb; made exclusively per DSL specs to closely approximate the briefly-made, legendary Osram 64205):
$24.59/each
- 100/55W
Narva, Vosla, or Flösser or Philips Rallye:
$37.18/pair
- 100/90W
Narva, Vosla, or Flösser or Philips Rallye: $41.18/pair
- 130/100W
Narva, Vosla, or Flösser or Philips Rallye: $51.18/pair
- 6-Volt 60/55W Narva, Vosla, or Flösser for classic cars: $42.18/pair
H4 halogen bulbs on P45t base
Upgrade your vintage European headlamps to modern-car light levels! These updated halogen bulbs (above left) fit and work correctly in all 1950's through 1980's European high/low beam headlamps originally equipped with tungsten R2 bulbs (above right). Light output is much higher, life is much longer.
- 60/55W Narva, Vosla, or
Flösser: $36.18/pair
- 100/90W
Narva,
Vosla, or
Flösser: $43.18/pair
- 130/100W Narva, Vosla, or Flösser: $49.18/pair
H7 bulbs
These single-filament bulbs are found in the low beams, high beams and fog lamps of many European and Japanese vehicles made since the 1990s. Fun Fact: The H7, introduced in 1993, was the first new halogen headlamp bulb design type-approved to Europe's Regulation 37 in twenty years. It touched off a wave of research and development that saw a dozen new halogen bulb types introduced over the next 15 years.
- 65-watt
· 2,100-lumen
Ultra High Output Vosla (H9 burner on H7 base,
for special service applications: $28.76/ea
(or $25.45/ea for 12+ at a time)
Exact replacement for the Osram 64217, which was
discontinued several years ago. After a great deal of work, I have
secured new availability of first-quality, German-made 65w - 2100 lumen H7
bulbs.
Send me an email to buy them.
H11 bulbs
This single-filament bulb is an evolution of the H7. For some years now, it has been the bulb type most widely used in halogen low beams. The standard version of it gives between 1,100 and 1,400 lumens.
- 65-watt ·
2,100-lumen
Ultra High Output Vosla (black-tipped H9 burner on H11 base, for special service applications: $28.76/ea
(or $25.45/ea for 12+ at a time).
Just like the much-loved 65-watt H7, now in H11
fitment. Top-quality, German-made bulbs.
Send me an email to buy them.
Toshiba HIR1 bulbs (9011)
There are other HIR1 bulbs on the market, but the Toshiba 9011 bulb (HIR1) gives consistently the highest performance. It has a globo-tubular bulb capsule with a multilayer dichroic infrared-reflective coating, which reflects some of the filament's heat back onto the filament, increasing its luminance and output beyond the level attainable by just running electricity through the filament. Every regulated bulb type has a nominal output and an allowable tolerance, and the 9005/HB3 range (1,496 to 1,904) tops out just below the bottom of the 9011/HIR1 tolerance range (1,955 to 2,645). The 9005 and 9011 are physically almost identical (one of the 9011's base tabs is double-wide versus the 9005 tab), and many other 9011 bulbs are just barely better than a 9005; the Toshiba HIR1 consistently performs in the upper half of the allowable range. This is the one to pick.
- 65-watt ·
2,300-lumen
Toshiba HIR1 (9011): $25.45/ea
Vosla HIR2 bulbs (9012)
There are other HIR2 bulbs on the market, but the Vosla 9012 +120 bulb (HIR2) gives consistently the highest performance. It has a small-diameter tubular bulb capsule with a multilayer dichroic infrared-reflective coating, which reflects some of the filament's heat back onto the filament, increasing its luminance and output beyond the level attainable by just running electricity through the filament. That, added to the very high luminance and output of the +120 filament assembly, makes astonishingly bright, white light from this bulb. It is significantly brighter than the earlier +30 version of this bulb used as a factory-approved fix for widespread customer complaints of weak headlamps in several high-volume pickup truck models. And now there's a DSL-exclusive black-tipped version, for glare-free use in lamps without a built-in bulb shield.
Vosla HIR2 (9012) +120: $25.45/ea
- Black-tipped version
(for lamps without a bulb shield): $28.76/ea
Centre High-Mount
3rd Brake
Lamps
CHMSLs For Retrofitting
While they last! First-quality
Hella LED
Center 3rd Brake Lamp Kits
for retrofit or
replacement:
These new CHMSL
retrokits, made by Hella
New Zealand, are of vastly
higher quality than the
common 3rd-world junk that
floods the market.
These units self-adhere to
the inside surface of your
vehicle's backglass.
Instant-on LED technology
gives a full-intensity red
signal 200 milliseconds
faster than bulb-type
units, giving the drivers
behind you 20' more
reaction time (at 60 mph)
for optimal safety. Lens
is colorless when not
illuminated. Kit comes
complete with installation
kit and instructions.
Regulatory Approvals: ECE
S3 (European E-code), US
DOT, ADR. Three different
models are available; pick
the one that most closely
matches the angle of your
vehicle's backglass,
considering horizontal to
be 0°.
$139 including install kit
According to three of Hella's
notifications
in August-September 2023, these are no longer
manufactured—Hella's other three notifications in that same
timeframe said they're just backordered. Either way, supply is limited
to stock on hand.
Model 37: For backglass angles of 20° to 36° — Most fastbacks & coupés
Model 38: For backglass angles of 37° to 56° — Most sedans, some hatchbacks & wagons:
Model 39: For backglass angles of 57° to 80° — Most vans & wagons, some sedans:
Auxiliary Lamps
Fog, Driving, and Cornering Beams
Please contact me to discuss good options for auxiliary lamps.
Daniel Stern Lighting (Daniel J. Stern, Proprietor)
Copyright © Daniel J. Stern. Latest updates November 2023. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form without express permission of author. Permission to quote is granted for the purposes of communication with the author.