Changing the headlights to duals

[Dino]

I've been toying with this idea for a while now, and since I'm redoing the grille and frame now would be the time to do it or forget about it.

Instead of having the outer lights be low/high beam and the inner only high beam I'm thinking of changing the inners to low/high beam as well.  So in effect all four lamps would light up with either setting as opposed to high beam only.

Has anyone done this?  Good idea or bad?  I'm running halogen lamps with the headlight relay mod by the way.  I would simple adapt the wiring at the lights by adding low beam wiring to the inner lamps which will then need to be replaced of course.

What are your thoughts?

[c00nhunterjoe]

I havnt seen anyone do it on the standard bulbs but when they swap to the plastic style lenses with the 9006 or h serues bulbs it is common. Since you are already utilizing relays, you are good to go and it is as simple as a trigger wire from your high beam feed to the current low beam relay

[MoparRocks]

Yep. Did this with my HID swap. Super simple. I picked up another set of H4 plugs from auto zone and just spliced the low beam trigger wire in to the one from the other light on each side. Light output difference is amazing. Especially with 4 6k HIDs

[Dino]

Great!  I'm going to do this mod and upgrade the headlights, probably to the 9006 bulbs.  I'm running sealed beams now.  Now all I need to finish the whole grille part is find the plastic headlight surrounds without getting a loan.   

Thanks gents.   

[Dino]

Just out of curiosity...would there be anything wrong doing this mod with the sealed beam halogens?

I was just ging to buy the 3 prong connectors to replace the 2 prong high beam connectors and run the extra wire straight to the low beam connector.  Is that alright or should I take another route?

[cdr]

it would still help a lot  with  the sealed beams, that is how i am going to do it, the light buckets have notches in different locations for low & high beam bulbs, so some mods will have to be done to make them fit, also i thought only 68 had the plastic around the headlights ?

[Dino]

The buckets are different?  So the outisde light doesn't fit the inside spot and vice versa?  I have spare buckets so maybe I can just screw the outside buckets in place of the high beam buckets?

True, the surroubds were a 68 only thing, but it makes the 69 grille look so much better so I want them.  

[ACUDANUT]

What about people thinking you have too many lights on and flashing you their high beams ?

[Dino]

That would be a valid concern, but as long as each light is properly angled and adjusted, it should not be an issue.  I'll have a shop do the final tweaking.  I just line the car up in front of my white garage door and get the lights lined up as best as I can.  If even one of the lights is too far up and/or to the left, people will be flashing me.   

[WHITE AND RED 69]

The buckets are the same. I have the same size headlight housings in all 4 spots, just 2 different bulbs.

[cdr]

The buckets are the same. I have the same size headlight housings in all 4 spots, just 2 different bulbs.

they are the same size,but have line up notches in different locations.  

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,2636.msg32507.html#msg32507

[WHITE AND RED 69]

   I guess I need to do some checking on mine then. They are adjusted perfectly so maybe I just got lucky.

[A383Wing]

correct, the metal dog dish bowls that the headlights sit in are specific for low & high beam bulbs....you will need to modify the high beam bucket, or find another set of low beam buckets

[MoparRocks]

What about people thinking you have too many lights on and flashing you their high beams ?

Hasn't happened to me yet. And with the 6k HIDs, if it's gonna happen to anyone it would be me. It's all in getting them aimed properly. You can't just toss the lights in and go. Especially when going to a bulb with such a high light output as an HID.

[HeavyFuel]

Great!  I'm going to do this mod and upgrade the headlights, probably to the 9006 bulbs.  I'm running sealed beams now.  Now all I need to finish the whole grille part is find the plastic headlight surrounds without getting a loan.   

Thanks gents.   

OK...I'm dumb.     

How do you change from the sealed beam headlight (basically a big, round light bulb) to a headlight housing that accepts a 9006?      Not the wiring...I got that.   

[Dino]

I'm not sure.  Except for the part where you buy the new headlights and bulbs.  I'm not sure if you need to keep the buckets or not or if it's a direct bolt in.  I decided to stick with the sealed beams though.  They work absolutely fine.  I have plenty light now out here on the pitch black country roads, I just wanted to activate all 4 lights for the look.

I looked in my spare parts bin and I only have one extra low beam bucket.  So I'm comparing it to the high beam bucket and I see no difference at all.  Maybe it's a really minute difference?    

[cdr]

they have notches in them on the outside edge.

[Dino]

Yeah I just discovered it.  I saw the notches and thought they were the same size, they're not.  I found my other bucket so I'm good to go.   

[maxwellwedge]

So - I'm guessing you all do a lot of night driving....   

[Dino]

Actually yes, but I still wouldn't need the extra lights.  I'm just showing off.   

[HeavyFuel]

The baskets are color coded.   I've got pics..... I'll post them later.

[Dino]

I was wondering about that.  Mine are pretty faded and one of them is brown all over.   

I just ordered a pair of headlights and I rewired everything for dual lights.  By the time I have this car back together I will probably have forgotten I did this so it'll be a fun surprise.   

[HeavyFuel]

I've got many pics of the grill area disassembled.   Mine is '68, but a lot should be the same.  

(note that the baskets in the top two pics are not rotated exactly as they would be when installed.   They were just laid back in place for the pic)

[Dino]

I see the colors.  Very interesting, I learned something new.   

I have the wiring harness back in place, adapted to run duals, and I have 4 low/high beam headlights in the frame.  It'll be a long time before it'a back in the car though so I may just hook it up to the battery for the heck of it.