FIA headlights: Opinions

I don't usually ask others opinions about things I want to do, but in this case I will.

I am considering going to the fixed FIA style headlights.

Pros:
-Delete a f**king complicated vacuum circuit.
-Ability to quickly flash my lights when needed.
-Remove 25+ pounds of weight from the car.
-Delete another f**king vacuum circuit.
-Simplify the car.
-"They look badass"
-Clean up airflow, both into the engine bay and around the front end.
-Delete another f**king vacuum circuit.
-I can feel the difference in handling when I pop them up at (ahem) high speed.
-They are simple and clean and aerodynamic.
-Delete a f**king vacuum circuit.

Cons:
-Gotta remember to turn them off.....
-I don't want to look Ricky Racer (--if it looks "racer" it better be able to back up the look. My car runs well, but it ain't no genuine Le Mans road racer. It's a f**king street car.)
-I will have to drill holes in the body to mount them.
-Even though they look really cool at a distance, the up close details are not so pretty.
-I have come to appreciate the stock appearance of the car. I don't really want to f**k with it for a 'trendy' or 'custom' look. I like a totally stock looking car that can raise eyebrows at how well it runs.
-They make an electric pop up kit now.
-The appearance of the stock pop up C3 headlights at night is kind of cool, I must admit.
-Is the turbulence I think I feel late at night at high speed on the highway when they are up real, or is it just my imagination? Does it really matter?
-I wonder how they shine close to the car, like for canyon cornering or slow speed maneuvering (like coming down the dark narrow alley at 3 MPH and turning into my garage). It looks like they wouldn't cast light close to the front, only out farther, due to the shelf in front of them from how they sit farther back.

Yeah, they now make an electric conversion kit, which is also very strongly on my mind. But then, while deleting a vacuum circuit, I add an electric circuit plus they are still messing with the aerodynamics of the car, such as it is.


(Reading this over, I think my main concern is about the wanna-be racer look. For purity of function there is little doubt that is the way to go. But I would rather sacrifice a little bit of function than look like a poser.)

Thoughts?

I really liked the Eckler's flush mount kit years ago. Especially on high speed night runs. Lost all that annoying thump-thump from the headlamps on the roof.
Now with LEDs and HID opportunities - I think you'd get all the canyon lighting you'd need.
So, why not mount lamps in the grill and leave the stock headlamps in situ - for the "legal" requirement - but disconnect - or add a separate switch for the grill lights?

Mine were the totally flush version - not the FIA version. The FIA version looks bad-ass especially when on a Le Mans paint scheme. (But be careful for the Cops!) IMHO - Your car is not owned/driven by a "Poser."

Cheers - Jim

I don't know what you mean by FIA style headlights....same round bulb in the stock fixture....?? maybe from aircraft??

Due to a series of accidents, a deer into both stock headlights at night back in '98 wiped out all the aluminum....so to Eckler's sugar scoops and the taller square headlights.....then some years later, a Verizon truck backed into the left front and wiped out the install, so to fix that and really have to patch the paint yet again.....but this time I already had the custom grill in front, all the way across, one piece...so that was fixed and the holes from the OEM install were decreased in size by 50% fore/aft keeping the same curves, and putting in later Camaro 2.5" tall, rectangular lights, moved forward about 50% on the sugar scoops on my own mounts, using Camaro parts for all the hardware...junkyard pulls on a nice Florida day.....I also used relays for keeping the power up on the lights, no more voltage drop, the lo beams were blown out, and I noticed the bulbs themselves were not molded into the glass, but glued in so removed them and replaced with much brighter bulbs, same connectors and all.....

I feel the car is much sleeker looking and certainly simpler, hell of a way to arrive at this solution though.....:crutches:

I have never driven a car with those lights but your observation that "the shelf in front of them from how they sit farther back" would keep them from lighting directly in front of the car might be a deal breaker for me.

Buy smaller bulbs and use flat Lexan covers and save some $$$. Lots of photos around of others who've done that mod.

It takes a lot of weight off the nose.

https://goo.gl/images/GifEsC

i like them thou am a fan of the old flush mount set up too... I have sylvania halogens but the hot set up these days is LED bulbs + HID

and some more...

and today.. putting new gas springs in for the rear hatch... cause the damn thing wouldn't stay open so i can sawsall the holes in the back...

this is a H body hatch in fiberglass so I had to go 60LB springs instead of 120 LB stockers $17 each from uncle lou made in USA....


Regading the FIA lights its your car do what you want.... they are only original once... :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

84, do they illuminate immediately in front of the car or is it shadowed?

I don't really care for the square lights with flush cover. They are simple & clean, but I just don't like them. I'll either leave the stock ones or do the FIA ones.

it depends on how you set them up and how your car chassis is set and your seat height... but the short answer that I notice no real blind spot low in front of the car after we set them up at the shop... Low beam is just low bulbs and Hi beams are high plus low... i was thinking of changing to 4 dual element bulbs when I rewire the car

JPhil said:

84, do they illuminate immediately in front of the car or is it shadowed?

I don't really care for the square lights with flush cover. They are simple & clean, but I just don't like them. I'll either leave the stock ones or do the FIA ones.

Click to expand...

I've thought that I'd vacuum mold my own FIA covers before I'd pay what people are asking for them. I think one form is all you need, just trim it for left and right.

I installed the electric mod buying the brackets and wiring from a guy on Vetmods. I love the stock look powered by electric. The only other one I seen was a black vette that the lights were removed and installed under the bumper. I don't think that's legal though. Looks smooth...

SRountree said:

I installed the electric mod buying the brackets and wiring from a guy on Vetmods. I love the stock look powered by electric. The only other one I seen was a black vette that the lights were removed and installed under the bumper. I don't think that's legal though. Looks smooth...

Click to expand...

A neighbor friend with a chrome shark had the lights in the grill area, nicely done....BUT his car was not subject to Maryland 'safety' inspection....here in Florida NO car inspections at all, ever.....nice.....he was going to move up the road to Pa. or NJ never heard how he made out....AS I RECALL min height to center of beam was 18" :twitch:

I have those FIA things,
You can fit them without drilling new holes in the body. The clear covers can be held in different manners still without drilling the body, this was my aim about it just in case I want to go original again.
The lights will sit lower and deeper in the body, thus cutting some Lumens or power. Some racers notched the bottom of the opening to compensate, and had the outside right light looking left ,and the outside left looking right ! Le Mans style
The covers are handed.
I know that you have checked Google for Corvette FIA lights pictures, so many ways how to fit and trim them.
But if you are not about the racing look, I would go for an electric set up. Better choice now than 2 or 3 years ago.