Replace Parking Lights with Hella 550 Fog Lamps on an '87 R10?

[semperfido]

Hello Fellow Square Body Owners. I'm new to the forum and I own a 1987 Chevy R10 (long bed, fleetside) with the stock 305 TBI... just 82,000 original miles.

Last weekend, I installed my headlight relay wiring harness. My stock single sealed beam hi/lo headlights (H6054 lamps) are MUCH brighter and now I've taken the load off the headlight switch. I bought an inexpensive wiring harness with cheap relays off fleabay for just $8 (shipped) and then I replaced the relays with two Bosch part number 0332209150 components for just $5 each (shipped). I spent a total of $18 and it took me all of 20 minutes to install. I am SUPER happy with the result.

I also have two H4 halogen conversion headlamps (AUTOPAL part number HL-109 HB2, street legal, DOT approved) that I purchased for about $45 (shipped). These conversion headlamps are similar to the Hella E-codes or Cibies with a sharp cutoff and a highly desirable beam pattern. I plan to install them next weekend... should be "plug and play." I expect even better performance out of my headlights.

Now I'm debating about changing the look of the stock parking lamps (GM2520122, located directly under the headlights). I'm not thrilled with GM's solution... plastic lenses that just look cheap to me. On my truck, they are crazed and hazy with age. I could replace them... but the aftermarket replacements are costly for what they are (and again, I don't like the look of the ugly plastic parking light lenses right under my sharp glass headlights). These parking lamp lenses measure about 7-1/4" x 3-3/8". They also sit nearly flush with the backside of headlamp door/bezel/surround (GM2512182 and GM2513182). The parking light opening in the headlamp doors measures about 7-5/8" x 3-3/4" (or 194mm x 95mm). I'm thinking about running the square parking/directional lamps behind the grill in the lower corners... just like the trucks with four headlights (separate hi and lo beams) and swapping fog lights in place of the original parking lamps located under the headlights.

Has anybody tried to install the Hella 550 fog lights in place of the stock GM parking lamps in a truck ('83-'91) with two headlamps? Of course, I would install a relay to power the Hella H3 Halogen fog light bulbs directly from the battery with heavier wiring, like the headlamps. The Hella 550 lenses are glass and they measure 195mm x 96mm... they look like an ideal fit (on paper). I could even tap the fog light relay signal from the parking lamp wire harness... just pull out the headlamp switch to the first "detent" and there you go, fog lights.

Any comments or suggestions? I would really like to know if anybody has done this already.

 

[semperfido]

I just ran across this video... fellow looks like he did something similar to his R10 (except that I think he went with DRLs instead of fog lights).

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[semperfido]

Found the custom parking lamp from that video in the LMC catalog... it's part number 37-4593. It's NOT a DRL; it's a custom parking lamp with a "crystal clear" lens. I've got a call into LMC to find out if it's a glass lens or plastic. If it turns out to be glass, my concern will be addressed to my satisfaction. Primarily, I want to do away with the ugly plastic parking lenses under my attractive glass headlights. I'll post a reply when I get a reply from LMC's research department.

 

[bucket]

Ok, so I'm really wondering... what cars and trucks have been made with parking light housings that aren't plastic? It seems as though you think plastic light housings are rediculous?

I'm in to see what lights you pick though. Not sure I've seen anyone do that before with the park lights.

 

[bucket]

And the LMC lights are plastic.

 

[semperfido]

Well, going back to the days before plastic, all signal light lenses were glass (including some made of borosilicate [Pyrex] glass). My complaint is simply that the stock park light lenses are ugly (especially directly below the headlamps) and the plastic is crazed and hazy/foggy on mine. The aftermarket replacements (mostly made in Asia) look cheap and they're overpriced for what you get. I just hoped to find a quality glass lens to fit. Unsuccessful in my search, my line of thought diverted to fog lights (moving to the Seattle area) and I dug up the specs on the Hella 550 fog lights. The Hella glass lenses will fit nicely behind the headlamp doors... the issue might be the mounting fixture/tab on the bottom of the Hella housing as it might not fit nicely in the stock GM park light space. (I'd have to purchase a set of Hella 550 fog lights to try them.)

 

[semperfido]

and no, I don't necessarily think that plastic park light lenses are "ridiculous" ...just unattractive (and overpriced) in this case.

 

[Craig 85]

I never had a 2 headlamp 81 & up truck, but I love 550 fog lamps. They have a great beam pattern. I used them on my last truck and removed them before selling so I can put them on my '85. My is a 4WD with a lift, so I plan on making a custom bracket that will mount near the sway bar mounts under the bumper.

This is about the best photo I found of the 550 brackets. You can mount them where the brackets are 90 degrees to the light and still have adjustment. I did this on my Ram 2500. It is a ball and cup design. There are serrated teeth that hold it once you tighten the horizontal bolt. You may be able to bolt them through the core support on a squarebody and have it sit correctly in the headlight bezel. The lens can be rotated 180 degrees in the housing so you can have the mounting point on top of the light as an option.

You could use a small motorcycle dual filament or LED turn signal behind the grill.

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[semperfido]

Thanks! That's very helpful. I found a brand new Hella 550 set/kit with amber lenses, including the wiring harness with relay for just $65. I like that they're made in Germany and not somewhere in Asia ;0)

I am very tempted to try them. I planned to bolt them through the core support... hopefully, they would sit at the correct position in the headlight door. Maybe we'll see.

 

[semperfido]

A couple considerations about fog lamps... they're not legal everywhere. In Washington state, statutes stipulate that fog lamps must "Be mounted ...so the inner edge of the lens retaining ring is no closer than four inches to the optical center of the front turn signal lamp to provide illumination in front of the vehicle under conditions of rain, snow, dust or fog." Also, "Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than twelve inches nor more than thirty inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands..." and "Lighted fog lamps ...may be used with lower head lamp beams."). In my case, the Hella 550 fog lamps would be located at a height about 24" to the bottom of the lens (I measured). The Washington State statutes also allow for white or amber fog lamp lenses. Additionally, it's important to aim them correctly. Fog lights should only cast a beam a relatively short distance (in a low, wide pattern) when compared to headlights. I'd probably "play it safe" by running 35W H3 fog lamp bulbs in the Hella 550 fog lamp housings (instead of 55W bulbs) too.

 

[Charlie]

 

[semperfido]

Thanks Charlie!

 

[Craig 85]

Mine are white and work great. Inside the housing, there is a vertical cut off over the bulb, so light stays on the ground. There is a definite horizontal line on the upper side of the projected light. I don't think I would use 35W bulbs especially with amber lenses. The color will reduce the light out put.

Back in the early 80's I had the cheapo 50W chrome rimmed fog lights. I had both clear and amber lenses. I installed the clear in the summer. There was a big difference in light output.

California also only lets you have one set of fog lights and you can only have one set of auxiliary light on at a time (fog or driving). We have similar height requirements, but not the restriction about how close to the turn indicator.

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[highdesertrange]

speaking of turn indicator lights what do you plan to do about that? seeing as how the parking lamps and turn signal are in the same housing. in fact the same bulb, dual filament. highdesertranger

 

[Frankenchevy]

speaking of turn indicator lights what do you plan to do about that? seeing as how the parking lamps and turn signal are in the same housing. in fact the same bulb, dual filament. highdesertranger

This is what I was wondering...