improve polo lights?

[Mk2Adam]

hi ppl, i've got the old style lamps in my mk2 (the 1's which look like a 60w household bulb), when my sister's b/f tried to replace it he had tons of trouble tracking a replacement down......and i was looking at the things that steve O has been doing wiv polo lights wiv the uprated looms and phillips vison plus bulbs (mk3 section and porka), is there a way that i could replace the lights for halogen so i could do this e.g. just swapping the lights for a polo wiv the H4 system? or is it not that simple? or are the old style lamps not as bad as it sounds? (i've still not driven my car ) .....and if it is possible, is it simple.

[GroovyCarrot]

You've got a few options for improving the lighting. Firstly you could find some H4 conversion bulbs, I used to have these in my old type headlamps and they do the job just as well as the normal H4 bulbs. Secondly, to make it a bit easier to get replacement bulbs as I think the conversion bulbs are being phased out now, you can just get a pair of later headlamps from a scrappy, they bolt in and plug in just like the old type.
Then you can get uprated bulbs ie phillips silvervision etc. If you do this you'll have to convert to the later H4 headlamps first, as they don't do conversion bulbs.
Finally, the uprated wiring loom that Steve O is making looks like it makes a very considerable difference, so it might be worth taking the oppurtunity to get one. I'm thinking about it myself, just depends on funds really, which are as stretched as ever..

I have to say, I find the standard H4 lights perfectly alright. I've never used the old filament type as mine already had the conversion bulbs in when I bought it, but I hear it's a very worthwhile upgrade to go to H4.. but from there it's certainly not essential to keep uprating things. Look at it as a nice optional extra if time and funds permit, but don't worry about it if there are other more urgent things that need doing.

[steveo3002]

i used the h4 conversion bulbs and made up a relay to power the headlights and spots, its made a very good improovement

the relays can be made very cheap if you shop around, i made mine from leftovers for nothing

[The G Man]

Try your local Halfords. I got a set of H4 bulbs with the same fitting as the original 40w round headlight bulbs from there. They are a big improvement in the sense that I can now see the road at night!!!!

[Steve_O]

I'll be ordering the parts for the first batch of wiring looms some time early next week - so all being well they should be available in the next couple of weeks.

Check my sticky in the Mk3 section