Vantage Optics headlight swap.

PDXDave · 01-13-2024, 11:40 AM

Hi, my name is Dave and I'm a lighting addict...

I've been a light geek since the early eighties, swapping Hella and Cibie E codes into virtually every car or truck I've ever owned. It's literally the first thing I do to a new ride that I'm keeping...
The 06 Sportsmobile is DYING for modern technology headlights (actually every lamp on the truck can benefit from a LED swap) as we've become SOO accustomed to modern headlights.
My wife's Jeep Gladiator's factory LED's are the functional equivalent to any big wattage H4 I would have installed thirty years ago, and the Trucklite 4x6 "sealed beams" that I swapped into my non US spec 80 series Landcruiser front end are a quantum leap from anything else that would fit that hole, not to mention having a razor sharp cut off and DOT legal...
Now, compare that to the candles that reside in the front of the E series.

Needles to say, the easiest option was make a call and have Vantage Optics whip me up a set of the newest version of his E series retrofits.
Fitted with big projectors, Morimotos latest LED goodness in the hottest output, and some spiffy "Panamera" style shrouds with LEDs as well, it should drag the old Ford kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
The weather is a little cold, being a balmy 15 degrees, for me to tackle the install today, but stay tuned for an update....

Twoxentrix · 01-13-2024, 02:33 PM

Pretty sure you'll be amazed by Scotts LED headlights! The cutoff is razor sharp...took a little time playing with the housings to get the break on the 2 to line up (that's how precise they are).

PDXDave · 01-13-2024, 02:52 PM

Yeah, I can't wait...
I brought her home from the shop where the galley was being rebuilt and it was a typical Portland evening.
Dark, wet and nasty.
If not fit the Diode Dynamics fogs in the bumper, I'd have been driving by braille.
Looking forward to some proper headlights, then comes some serious drivers in the form of a pair of Baja Design LP9 Pros replacing the vintage Hella Rallye 4000's

Twoxentrix · 01-13-2024, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDXDave

Yeah, I can't wait...
Looking forward to some proper headlights, then comes some serious drivers in the form of a pair of Baja Design LP9 Pros replacing the vintage Hella Rallye 4000's

I've seen those Baja LP9 Pro's in action (the driving/combo pattern) - they live up to all the claims... very impressive!

Big_ern_101 · 01-15-2024, 11:25 AM

Is there a difference between buying the Vantage Optics lights and getting a set of Morimotos and tossing them in an Ebay set of black housings? To me that seems the easy button and could save dozens of doll hairs in the process.

I am torn between the HID and the LEDs. Seems all the new stuff is going LED, but from reading a few tech articles they state the lighting from LED is more suitable to reflector housings (but LED-specific reflectors) whereas HIDs lend themselves better to projectors. So an LED Projector is not the ideal use case.

Twoxentrix · 01-15-2024, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_ern_101

I am torn between the HID and the LEDs.

I initially had Scotts HID (past 6 years) and they are very impressive. The only reason I recently changed over to his LED version was (I know this may sound ridiculous to many) I wanted to try them.
My main motivation was the 'color' rating around 6,ooo compared to the 5,000 for HID's. After having the LED's installed, I can only say they exceeded my expectations.
An unplanned benefit is I won't/don't need to replace HID bulbs every 3 or so years.
For many considering moving up, You don't need any ballast's for the LED's, so the installation is streamlined (not that I did them myself, guys at the shop said it was a simple install).

Either way, NO disappointments in either choice.

mikracer · 01-15-2024, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_ern_101

Is there a difference between buying the Vantage Optics lights and getting a set of Morimotos and tossing them in an Ebay set of black housings? To me that seems the easy button and could save dozens of doll hairs in the process.

You can definitely buy a set of housings on ebay or Amazon and do the swap yourself. I did. However after going through the process, if I ever need another set, I will probably buy a set from Scott. The savings by doing it yourself isn't enough (in my opinion) to deal with the headaches of this install. Maybe mine was more difficult because I bought the ACME set instead of the real Morimotos.

Big_ern_101 · 01-16-2024, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

I initially had Scotts HID (past 6 years) and they are very impressive. The only reason I recently changed over to his LED version was (I know this may sound ridiculous to many) I wanted to try them.
My main motivation was the 'color' rating around 6,ooo compared to the 5,000 for HID's. After having the LED's installed, I can only say they exceeded my expectations.
An unplanned benefit is I won't/don't need to replace HID bulbs every 3 or so years.
For many considering moving up, You don't need any ballast's for the LED's, so the installation is streamlined (not that I did them myself, guys at the shop said it was a simple install).

Either way, NO disappointments in either choice.

So thats something I don't understand. My Land Cruiser was on its original HIDs from 2015, no issues, didn't need bulb replacements. Seemed as bright as the day it rolled out of the factory. I ran Chinabay HIDs in my C5 Corvette and old F250 for a few years and never had bulbs die. Are the Morimoto HIDs somehow more prone to a frequent death?

The LEDs in my 2021 F150 are good lights but this recent snow in the midwest really showed their weakness when the lenses froze over with snow. As I recall that didn't happen on my Land Cruiser with HIDs.

Regarding pricing its about a $500 swing to "roll your own" vs buy the top shelf Morimotos with all the boxes checked from Vantage.

Ramjet · 01-18-2024, 09:54 AM

Got a link to the Vantage E350 product?

moorefc · 01-18-2024, 10:15 AM

I believe Scott tweaks his projectors for the E350, you can ask him. I have Hellas and other driving lights, used to use them all the time, but after installing his HIDs I hardly touch the driving lights....

For a link try https://www.vantageoptics.com/

The price is more than the knock off ebay china stuff, but the final product is super impressive...

All HIDs fade over time, as it is a chemical reaction, but takes 1000s of hours (see the vantage comment). I haven't noticed any change since 2016, but don't drive a lot at night. Here is an article https://undergroundlighting.com/blog...fade-over-time
Updated :And at Vantage website they comment after 200hrs there is a 17% drop in Morimoto HID output...That said I probably am at less than 100hrs of nite driving and haven't noticed a change....