If you're looking for crazy-cool modern headlight options, don't get your hopes up. The first thing about these cars is they are POP-UP style headlights. The second thing about these cars is they aren't well supported by aftermarket manufacturers. Where other pop-up style cars might have ready-to-go conversion kits, the S12 doesn't get such nice things. If you want your S12's headlight setup to look different than an S12 headlight setup, then you either need money/skills, or you need to buy another car that looks different than an S12. Most of us actually like the pop-up lights, so we're usually pretty satisfied with the options that are available to them.
Pictured below are the dimensions of the sealed beam headlights, as well as a set of H4 bulbs for use in composite housings.
Our pop-up headlight housings use sealed-beam style headlights. This means the bulb is non-removable. It is part of the reflector and lens -- one complete part. There are some options for brighter versions from companies like Sylvania, but nothing worth mentioning.
So what options do we have?
Well first let's tackle what works... There are indeed replacement options for the sealed beam headlights. These are composite housings, and use more modern H-series bulbs, in this case, H4 bulbs, which is a dual-filament headlight bulb... has both high and low beam functions.
The composite housings bolt right in -- direct swap. Some will fit a little better than others, depending on the manufacturer, but all will work. They're sold in a number of places, sometimes even your local auto parts store will carry them. But the best source for these kinds of things will always be Ebay. Below are some of the varieties you can find there:
Projector-style inner lens, for those who want that projector cutoff-line:
Pilot makes a set of unshrouded composite housings...
... and their newest ones have light ring illumination:
Once you have composite housings, you can run the H4 bulbs, which also gives you a wide range of choices in both color and intensity. You can also run an H4 HID conversion kit for extreme headlight output in a variety of light temp ranges (colors)...
That covers "what works". But what about "what takes work". You can modify your pop-up assembly a couple ways.
Sleepy Eyes
The first way is the simplest. It's a Japanese trend called "sleepy-eyes". Lots of S13's, RX-7 FC's, and other cars have done it, and you can do it, too. It's easy to do. On your dash, to the left of your steering wheel, you will find a switch that controls the headlight motors. Turning on this switch normally pops up the lights without turning them on. Cutting the brown wire on the back of this switch will allow you to leave the lights up partially, but will let them pop up all the way like normal, when you need your headlights. Once you cut the brown wire, you can flick the switch back and forth until you get the lights to the "sleepy eyes" look you want. Then leave the switch alone, and simply use the headlight control stick.
Projector headlight Conversion
Some of you might want to try your hand at something more custom, you can midify the popups with projector lenses. First you will need to pick out a set of projector assemblies. You'll need a pair for the low beams, and if you want to run them, a second pair for the high beams. Projectors are always separate units for high vs. low. You will have to custom-mount them at the angle you want.
You're probably going to want the pop-ups to only open enough to expose the projector lens. In stock form, the light assemblies will open up too high. The way you change this is to modify the length of the actuator arm. This is the arm that lifts up and brings down the pop-ups.
Normally, the length is adjustable with a set nut, which you can loosen. Removing the arm end, you can rotate it and change the length. Cutting the arm down much shorter will force the lights to only open a little bit. The easiest thing to do is to cut and shorten the arm in the middle, so you still have the adjustment at the threaded end.
Once this is done, you can mount your projectors to point out in the right direction. The better projector assemblies have adjustable lenses, so you can fine-tune the aim of your lights.
Done right, they look pretty good.
Fixed headlight Conversions
Fixed headlights are a highly-custom job. You'd better be prepared to cut, weld, bolt, shape, and repeat, over and over, until you get them to work. The results are mixed. Some people have played with headlight housings from S13 Silvias, but the results are sloppy at best. Other people have worked with sealed-beam light styles from other cars, such as 90's Camaros. And one full-race car has fabricated fixed lights in a plexiglas shroud. Below are two examples of *successful* fixed light conversions, although few others have managed as well.
It's best to understand what you're working with, so below are pictures of the pop-up headlight assembly (again), and pictures of where it sits on the radiator core support:
For most people, the composite housings with good H4 bulbs works well and gives a much nicer view, both looking at the car, and looking at the road at night. Going beyond that, it's entirely up to the individual, but skill and lots of tools are essential if you're going to try to customize your headlight setup.
So "what doesn't work"? Pretty much anything for another car will NOT just bolt in, or even go in with little work. Pop-up conversion kits for S13's do not work, because the overall dimensions of the S13 pop-up assemblies are very different. S13 light options only share the composite housings with S12.
Jul 28, 2009, 1:36 pm · #1
