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A couple of things to interject here: What's the problem with your original headlight housings? Faded/crazed and yellow? If so, it's an easy and cheap job to clean them up so they look and work like new.
You can use some RUBBING or POLISHING COMPOUND to scrub through the haze until they are clear again. Follow up with a good rubbing of cleaner wax, and end with some UV protectant like ArmorAll or Aerospace 303.
Whether you use the new H4 housings or the stock ones, I'd recommend you upgrade the headlight bulbs themselves. In the 1960's and early 1970's all cars used a standard 'sealed beam' headlight with a tungsten filament, like a household light bulb. In the 1970's you could get the latest thing - HALOGEN headlights! And now, 30 years later, most cars on the road are still using Halogen bulbs, which are now very outdated. It's hard to get people to change!
I have a friend who will NOT install Halogen headlights on his car becasue 'they give too much light.' He says that the reflection from road signs blinds him. I think he needs to adjust his lights!
ANYWAY, in the mid-1990's European cars began using High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights. You could tell them from Halogen lights because they are so white as to appear blue in comparison with Halogen.
In about 2001, companies started selling a cheaper alternative to the HID lights but which gave the same bebfits of whiter light, MORE light, and also used LESS POWER than Halogen.
These bulbs are Xenon Gas bulbs, and are available in all the same sizes as the older Halogen bulbs. I installed them on my PV544. The housings I had to buy (7" round) came with Halogen bulbs, but I went to my favorite supplier on eBay and ordered a set of H4 size Xenon bulbs for about $25.
I can see at least 100 feet further than with the Halogen bulbs, the white light makes things stand out better (my tired old eyes can se all the help I can give them!) and actually they use significantly less electrical power than Halogen. My high beams now use 85 watts vs. 100 watts for Halogen, and the low beams use 65 watts vs. the 85 watts for Halogen!
Although you can find 'ExtraVision' and whatever Phillips Co. calls their version of the Xenon bulbs, I have tried many different brands and I like the Toucan Eurolite Xenon Gas bulbs the best.
Beware of 'special' bulbs that just use a blue glass tint to give off a blue light. Make sure you're getting Xenon Gas.
Welcome to the 21st Century! ;-)
Steve
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