Hella European Headlamps for 75 450SL?

[domchang]

Has anyone replaced the stock 5 1/4 sealed beam headlamps on their W107 SL with the ones made by Hella?

Tried to find them online at Fastlane with no luck. Did find them at a different site's paper catalog and they look like the stock headlights that came with the US model of the w107 SLs. Looks like an easy replacement but would like to hear from others who've actually switched them out with these to hear whether they were easy to switch out and whether their halogen performance was indeed much better than the stock headlights. (this should not be hard)

The one note that makes me leery is that there's fine print in the catalog saying: "may not be legal in some states. sold for offroad use only". I understand this is their CYA statement of course but I am located in Colorado so would specially like to hear from SL owners who live in same state who've switched to these headlamps.

thanks in advance

dom

[ericdee]

dom,

Here is a link that may answer your question.

http://lighting.mbz.org/faq/

[domchang]

thanks!

it sure answered the "legality of use" question, that should not be an issue if I switch.

still, I hope some SL owner will have already preceded me in trying out the Hella headlamps I mentioned so he can comment on ease of the switchover.

dom

[ebennz]

hello dom,
the h4 round lights you are looking for are available at

www.************************

if you can do it the real r107 euro lights are the sweetest.
sometimes they are on ebay,also there are places you can find "used ones".

do a "search" here at mercedes shop on "euro lights", you'll get plenty of info.

peter

[domchang]

thanks ebennz, that's exactly where I saw a pic of them which motivated me to post the initial message.

am pretty sure now that switching them out would be easy enough, just wondering if they're really that much brighter to make it worthwhile in terms of time and cost.

[ebennz]

hi domchang,

in your last post were you refering to the round lights or the true euro spec ones [1 piece]?

the basic light pattern is pretty much the same. i'm going to try to attach a picture of a r107 euro light.

the light has a definite pattern to it,unlike most u.s. dot spec lights. the off road only is a cya staement.
the lights throw more of a "blanket of light". it is a much more usable pattern.

have you checked the archives [at mercedes shop] and or been to the daniel stern lighting website yet? go to the link that ericdee posted.

if you decide to do it, it [imho] would be one of the nicest looking and practical upgrades you can do to your car.

peter

[domchang]

hi Ebennz

sorry I was not clear, no I am at this time planning to replace my round headlamps with the euro headlamps...not in the budget.

was seeking headlamps that perhaps would give bright illumination than the standard headlamps that came with the car, that's all. The ones at the link you posted look like the stock headlamps.

besides, I kinda like the look of the round headlights, they were on the first 450SL I ever saw when I was younger and which made me want one ever since. : )

yes, I went to the stern site, very informative and its where I also determined the "offroad" statement is indeed just cya.