15 replies to this topic

[Mini-Hazel-Nut]

Hello all. Can one of you up-to-date types explain to me what Angel Eyes headlamps are and are they any better than say halogen?

 

                                             Thanks in advance

[Maccmike8]

Also known as halo. Deeply unattractive, especially on older cars.

[Cooperman]

The best headlights for light performance are the Cibie version. Also Hella are good, if you can find them. With 100/80W halogen bulbs they are both excellent. 

The current Wipad Quadoptics are good too, although the earlier version was only average.

Still almost anything is better then the OE sealed beam 'electric candles' as fited by Rover/ARG/BLMC.

Just make sure the wiring is of top quality and ideally use relays.

[Midas Mk1]

Matter of opinion, some of us aren't stuck in the 20th century. 

[Mini Manannán]

Depends what you mean by 'better'.

[MiniCarJack]

Halos/angel eyes can look pretty good on the right car in my opinion, ie you probably wouldn't fit them to an otherwise bog standard Mk1 as they'd look out of place, but with a combination of other styling mods they can certainly look the part. I recall a friend of mine fitting a set to his Mk1 Ford Escort a few years ago and it actually looked really smart, he'd also done some other bits like flared arches and it all tied in nicely.

 

A quick google search found this mini which is far from "traditional" but I think it really works with those lights:

 

 

While I'm personally going for more of a '70s/'80s retro vibe with my own mini and wouldn't fit halos/angel eyes myself, I think they look awesome on the car above! All comes down to the overall look you're going for really.

 

As to whether they'd functionally work better in terms of lighting the road, they are much more modern in terms of technology and no doubt could offer much better illumination, especially compared to standard mini lamps which are pretty poor. However one thing to be wary of is the cheaper halos/angel eyes available online, having seen a lot of feedback and discussion around these they can be of much poorer quality than their expensive counterparts, and are likely not MOT compliant as they don't have the correct beam pattern etc.

 

If it's simply better lighting you're after and not necessarily the look that the halos offer, some of the halogen upgrades suggested above are a good option along with decent bulbs, there are even companies making modern LED replacement bulbs to fit in these standard housings. Personally I've just got the latest version of the Wipac Quadoptic kit as sold by Minispares using the standard supplied bulbs, and they're perfectly decent enough for daily driving, although I may well upgrade the bulbs at some point once I get round to wiring in some relays to cope with the additional current draw.

[RustyAutoCityE]

Each to their own, if you like the look go for it, if not don't fit them.

I must admit that to me, they make it look like the Mini's pupils have dilated...

[Cooperman]

Regarding what are the best lights in terms of light power, I had a set of Autopal lights a few years ago. They were very good and better than the then current Wipac ones, although the new-type Quadoptices are excellent. I cheated at one point and fitted 130w main beam bulbs. "Like who turned the darkness off"!

My BMW has 'halo' headlights and with the Zenon filaments it is good, but I don't think Zenon can be fitted to older cars. 

Regarding the sarcastic and unnecessary comment above regarding some not being stuck in the 20th century, we all must be or we wouldn't be driving 60+year-old designed cars when modern 21st century ones would be cheaper, faster, more comfortable, safer and more reliable. One might guess that we drive these old relics because we like the 'retro-driving' which old classic cars provide. I know I do and they are FUN compared to modern cars. I often drive my wife's 2015 Ford Fiesta. It is just such a complete package for a small car (by modern standards). Cruise at 70 to 80 all day at c.60 mpg, good acceleration and a top speed of well over 100 mph. It's all so easy, but is it FUN? Not in the same way as an old and slow Mini it isn't.

It it is dry tomorrow, I might take my 1964 Cooper 'S' out for a blast after it gets dark and I can enjoy the Cibie headlights and twin Cibie Super Oscar driving lights.

[Maccmike8]

Ha yes it is a silly comment considering the forum we are on 

I hope you get your dry day tomorrow.

[imack]

I've got some old flat lens Lucas h4s that I fitted in the late 80's that were original equipment in jaguar xj6's.
I've run them since the 80's with 100/140watt halogen bulbs, they give superb light output on dipped and main beam, excellent spread of even light and excellent range.
A couple of years ago I replaced the bulbs with Philip's ZES chipped led's
Beam image was perfect and the light very bright but there were bright spots and darker patches in the light spread which I found annoying and the leds couldn't match the high power halogens on main beam for distance or even spread of light. Also the white led light just didn't seem right in a classic car.
I refitted the 100/140 halogens and I much prefer them to the led's. They don't have the instant on/off when you flick between dipped and main beam that the leds had and they run very hot, you cant touch the head lamp lens when they're on.

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Edited by imack, 10 November 2020 - 08:54 PM.

[Cooperman]

I wonder if you can still get those Jag lights. I seem to remember the XJ6C I had in 1978 had those headlights and they were very good even at high speeds at night.

I have a set of the Hells flat lenses with 100/80 halogen bulbs and they seem good, but maybe not quite so good as the Cibie ones.

[Chris1992]

I don't think Midas Mk1's comment was uncalled for, as he was simply pointing out that labelling angel eyes as 'deeply unattractive' straight off the bat is a bit brash... Yes, we know that Minis are old, slow, and uncomfortable, but something many members need to realise is that there is a huge modified scene within the younger part of the Mini community, due to how fun and stylish these cars still are.

 

It is amongst this scene that LED and angel eye headlights are popular, and they do tend to suit a Mini which has been modified. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please be wary of how you express it; you wouldn't go up to someone at a show and tell them that their choice of wheels or paint colour were ugly, and this is the same principal.

 

I personally am not a fan of angel eyes either, but if you've seen my car then you know I'm not one to judge other peoples mods. Not trying to cause drama, just saying keep an open mind. 

Edited by Chris1992, 11 November 2020 - 09:00 AM.

[imack]

I wonder if you can still get those Jag lights. I seem to remember the XJ6C I had in 1978 had those headlights and they were very good even at high speeds at night.
I have a set of the Hells flat lenses with 100/80 halogen bulbs and they seem good, but maybe not quite so good as the Cibie ones.

They were fitted to the XJ6'S that had headlamp wipers, hence the flat lens.
They do crop up NOS on ebay every so often but you have to be careful as some have been for left hand drive and the seller hasn't advertised as such.
I've picked up 3 NOS replacements over the last couple if years. Two to replace my originals which were corroding slightly and one spare.

[Cooperman]

From memory, and it's a long time ago, I think my XJ6C had headlight washers. However, it was such an unreliable car, despite it only being 8 months old when I bought it, that I soon traded it in for a new BMW 732i which was super-reliable, quicker than the Jag and used less fuel.

 

It is interesting that this thread asked what angel-eye lights are and whether they are better than halogen ones. It was not about how they looked, just were they better, presumably better for what they were to be used for, i.e. putting light down the road. That has surely been answered.

Edited by Cooperman, 11 November 2020 - 02:03 PM.

[Midas Mk1]

I don't think Midas Mk1's comment was uncalled for, as he was simply pointing out that labelling angel eyes as 'deeply unattractive' straight off the bat is a bit brash... Yes, we know that Minis are old, slow, and uncomfortable, but something many members need to realise is that there is a huge modified scene within the younger part of the Mini community, due to how fun and stylish these cars still are.

It is amongst this scene that LED and angel eye headlights are popular, and they do tend to suit a Mini which has been modified. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please be wary of how you express it; you wouldn't go up to someone at a show and tell them that their choice of wheels or paint colour were ugly, and this is the same principal.

I personally am not a fan of angel eyes either, but if you've seen my car then you know I'm not one to judge other peoples mods. Not trying to cause drama, just saying keep an open mind.

This.

Simples.

Edited by Midas Mk1, 11 November 2020 - 03:56 PM.