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Nongan
EFI Slant 6
Joined: 03 Dec 2010
Posts: 468
Location: Oregon
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Post subject:
(Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:01 am)
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I would really enjoy upgrading the wiring harness for upgraded performance, I find that the lighting on my car to be below par for its usage as a daily driver. And the price is right through Dan to do it the right way so might as well do it right the first time, right?_________________ Annabelle: 1970 Dodge Dart Hardtop
1991 Nissan 240sx (sileighty) Lots of mods
1974 Dodge Dart *Wrecked*
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supton
EFI Slant 6
Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 259
Location: NH
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Post subject:
(Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:43 am)
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| Have you tried doing a panic stop in the car yet? I don't think you have to drive at 9/10's and learn what it's going to do under all circumstances; but I have to wonder if a panic stop or two would reveal any issues. For instance, how soon does the rear lock up before the front? Maybe an adjustable proportioning valve is in order. Have you tried a panic stop in the wet? I'm going to guess that in the event of a real panic stop it's going to be very difficult to remember to pump the brake, instead of standing on it.
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Tim Keith
Board Sponsor
Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 676
Location: San Antonio, Texas
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Post subject:
(Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:23 pm)
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Upgraded tires and brakes, improved head lights are a good idea.
Defensive driving, or as we Metro owners say, paranoid driving,
is the best rule.
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exoJjL
Turbo Slant 6
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
Posts: 684
Location: Issaquah, WA
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Post subject:
(Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:31 am)
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| supton wrote: | | pump the brake, instead of standing on it. |
Don't stand on the gas pedal either.  _________________ '73 Scamp (the girlfriend): 225ci super/6 2BBL conversion (Almost done!)
'90 Subaru, wagon (the wife): H4-cyl 2.2L
1977 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 5cyl diesel(For sale!)
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Ross
EFI Slant 6
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 421
Location: Gresham, OR
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Post subject:
(Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:11 pm)
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Ive upgraded my head lights to some sylvania silverstars and might i say, they are bright!  No need for driving lights anymore. And since you have an auto, you will be able to transmit power to the wheels smoother opposed to having a manual. Manual+ice last year= no fun at stop lights. Maybe keep an ice scraper in your glove box and a blanket. scraper for ice on the window, kind of a duh. Blanket in case you get stranded somewhere with no gas or heater. I keep those two things, a quart of oil, a jug of coolant and some warm gloves in my truck for just in case. You can never be too prepared, especially as cold as its getting right now._________________ Prerunner build: 82 Ram D150 Custom, 225, 4 speed manual. 2.5" exhaust. Hei ignition. Partially blacked out. Many mods
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SlantSixDan
Board Sponsor & Contributor
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 21883
Location: North America
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Post subject:
(Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:39 pm)
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| Ross wrote: | | Ive upgraded my head lights to some sylvania silverstars and might i say, they are bright! No need for driving lights anymore. |
Oops...large error. Sylvania Silverstars are a heavily-hyped scam. They are not brighter than regular headlamps, they are in fact dimmer. They create the illusion of "brighter" light by means of a blue glass inner bulb that tints the light "whiter". It's a good scam, rakes in a bunch of money for Sylvania, but you really ought to get those out of there immediately -- yes, even though yours are brand new; yes, I am being serious, they really are that much of a safety downgrade. And no, this is not me trying to sell you a pair of expensive headlights. Put in GE Night Hawk sealed beams instead of the Sylvanias and you will immediately and literally see what I mean. All of Sylvania's sealed beams and all of Wagners (and GE's except for the Night Hawks) are unsafe junk that barely meets minimum DOT standards. The Night Hawks are the only sealed beams worth buying -- by a very large margin.
Please take this seriously; this is my professional field and I'm not talking opinions, I'm talking facts. You've put yourself in a dangerous situation by installing headlamps that make you feel safer than you actually are, while at the same time making your actual safety less than it was before even with rotten regular headlamps. Double whammy!
(Put in relays and good wiring and even inexpensive sealed beams will work a lot better)_________________ 一期一会
By birth & parentage: US citizen, 2nd class
By choice: Canadian citizen, 1st class
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Ross
EFI Slant 6
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 421
Location: Gresham, OR
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Post subject:
(Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:53 am)
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Well Dan I really wanted to get some of your lights but the driver side light (the one that's been dim since I got it) finally went out. They do work better than my original ones but I do notice when on a back road that is not lit at all, that they aren't extremely bright like I'd want them. Ice already done the headlight relays and wiring._________________ Prerunner build: 82 Ram D150 Custom, 225, 4 speed manual. 2.5" exhaust. Hei ignition. Partially blacked out. Many mods
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SlantSixDan
Board Sponsor & Contributor
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 21883
Location: North America
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Post subject:
(Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:57 am)
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| Ross wrote: | | Well Dan I really wanted to get some of your lights |
That's cool and stuff, but -- again -- I wasn't making a sales pitch. I don't sell the GE Night Hawks. The link goes to amazon.com . Those Sylvania Silver Star sealed beams you think are brighter, are actually dimmer._________________ 一期一会
By birth & parentage: US citizen, 2nd class
By choice: Canadian citizen, 1st class
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slantzilla
Board Sponsor & Moderator
Joined: 17 Oct 2002
Posts: 9357
Location: Park Forest, Illinoisy
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Post subject:
(Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:37 pm)
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One thing you really need to do on an A body is crawl around under it with a hammer and solidly tap on the subframe horns to see if they are rusting from the inside out.
Worst places are in the curves under the firewall, and the rear spring hangers.
_________________
Proud supporter of Mike Jeffrey Racing Engines since 1999.
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slantvaliant
Turbo EFI
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
Posts: 2231
Location: Lubbock, Texas
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Post subject:
(Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:14 pm)
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FWIW, I couldn't find GE Nighthawks stocked in the usual local car parts stores. They were hiding in places that cater to trucks. Think NAPA-type stores near truck stops, close to interstates._________________ "When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss
1964 Valiant V200, 225/904 PB
BBS, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO |
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Reed
Supercharged
Joined: 03 Nov 2002
Posts: 8508
Location: Fircrest, WA
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Post subject:
(Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:51 pm)
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| Ross wrote: | | Well Dan I really wanted to get some of your lights but the driver side light (the one that's been dim since I got it) finally went out. They do work better than my original ones but I do notice when on a back road that is not lit at all, that they aren't extremely bright like I'd want them. Ice already done the headlight relays and wiring. |
I heartily second Dan's recommendation for the GE Night Hawk headlamps. I put a set in one of my vans and the improvement over the old halogen sealed beams is truly amazing both in terms of beam pattern and visibility. My low-beam headlights now clearly light up reflective surface two or three times farther down the road than my old headlamps did, and I didn't even put relays in the headlamp circuit (it is on my to-do list, though).
I found my Night Hawks at my local full-size Fred Meyer store for around $15 a pop. I bought a set for my other van off of Amazon.com a while back for $12 each, but I haven't installed them yet. I need to get a different headlamp wiring socket because the headlamps are actually for a different application than my van and are a sneaky upgrade to the watt rating. 
If you still have a headlight that is dim after upgrading the wiring and adding relays, I would start looking for corrosion around a ground or a terminal in the headlamp circuit. |
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Nongan
EFI Slant 6
Joined: 03 Dec 2010
Posts: 468
Location: Oregon
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Post subject:
(Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:46 pm)
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I have to bring this thread up since I just got in the crash. I am surprised with how well the car took the hit, the car really did what it was supposed to and the new seat belts did their job too. The roof held up under the event of a roll over also, and the car sustained mostly cosmetic damage only, I am very pleased with how it did in the event of a major crash._________________ Annabelle: 1970 Dodge Dart Hardtop
1991 Nissan 240sx (sileighty) Lots of mods
1974 Dodge Dart *Wrecked*
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Reed
Supercharged
Joined: 03 Nov 2002
Posts: 8508
Location: Fircrest, WA
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Post subject:
(Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:43 pm)
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A bodies- they're boxy, but they're good!
Sorry to hear about the rollover, happy to hear you are OK and the car will drive again. |
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