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Euro Headlights the real ones

14K views 80 replies 15 participants last post by  01silber 
#1 ·
Finally talked someone into ordering them for me:) best of all they are cheap enough where I can sell mine and actually break even:) One was already in the usa and the other side had 300 of them in germany, hopefully its sent without any problems :thumbup:
I will be adding the vertical aim control that I have been wanting to do for awhile, Like Daniel said I could have used my factory ones for this mod, and I know he is right but the deal I'm getting on the euros is to good to pass up on. I will be ordering the motors and switches and such as soon as I have them in my hands
Will post pics and info on this project as it goes on
 
#2 ·
01silber said:
I will be adding the vertical aim control that I have been wanting to do for awhile
Most people who have cars with the headlight range adjustment have never had a need to use it. Are you sure you might not find a more useful control to mount in the trim control panel position? I figured your Z3 would be short of switch positions by now, but maybe that is because I know Ron and some of his projects. :D

Feel free to write me with any questions if you go ahead with the project. I will see if I can answer them based on the homoligation of my car for the TÜV.
 
#3 ·
Let's say I didn't want the leveling adjustment, would the Euro-spec headlight assemblies be a direct plug-n-play replacement for the US-spec ones? Also what's different about the Euro-spec ones, beam pattern?

Thanks.
 
#4 ·
johnf said:
Most people who have cars with the headlight range adjustment have never had a need to use it. Are you sure you might not find a more useful control to mount in the trim control panel position? I figured your Z3 would be short of switch positions by now, but maybe that is because I know Ron and some of his projects. :D

Feel free to write me with any questions if you go ahead with the project. I will see if I can answer them based on the homoligation of my car for the TÜV.
John, yeah I know you are right, this is a thing where the car has a place for it so I want it:)
 
#5 ·
Actually I think the headlights are pretty much the same other then the euro ones are ready to accept a few things that the usa ones are not but can be. im really not sure if beam patern is any different.
I was saving for a hardtop but now am thinking the money would be better used on more smaller mods, Talking with daniel and ron there is not a short supply of mods to do:)
my car is always garaged and I hardly ever drive in bad or cold weather so as bad as I want a hardtop i would rather have all this other stuff:)
Like JohnF said, I doubt i will use it at all, but the space in the dash that was made for it will be filled with the correct switch now:):)
anal? ; I think so
 
#6 ·
01silber said:
John, yeah I know you are right, this is a thing where the car has a place for it so I want it:)
I know how that goes!

I once helped a guy replace the outside temperature display in his 316i coupe with an OBC. He felt the A/C with its digital controls made the temperature display look like it was missing buttons and created visual holes in the center console. Now he is as happy as a clam with a nice, uniform stack of glowing buttons. :)

We haven't yet figured out what to do about his rear drum brakes (with ABS!). He thinks they add a comical inbalance to the car. I say that because I once suggested he might paint them. His reaction suggested that might not be so helpful. :D
 
#7 ·
///M Rakete said:
Let's say I didn't want the leveling adjustment, would the Euro-spec headlight assemblies be a direct plug-n-play replacement for the US-spec ones? Also what's different about the Euro-spec ones, beam pattern?
What is stamped on the lens? The Z3 units I have seen have had both European and DOT/SAE approval marks. These have had the characteristic 15 degree beam rise off to the right. The European mark is a circled capital E with a country number. A headlight submitted for approval from Germany, for example, would have a circled "E1" on it.
 
#9 ·
Alex Baumann said:
Forgive my ignorance, I came across this a few times here on the Z forum, but what's the difference between the Euro Headlights and the US (?) ones ?
US-bound BMWs changed to a free-form headlight in advance of Europe that lacked a sharp cutoff and 15 degree rise to the right. In the early-90s, the EC/EU relaxed the allowed amount of forward vertical light scatter which allowed BMW to use a common headlight for both Europe and the U.S. I think the E36 compact and Z3 were the first models to get a headlight approved for both markets, at least German ones did! I believe nowadays everyone gets the same headlights (and for that matter, radios).
 
#10 ·
johnf said:
US-bound BMWs changed to a free-form headlight in advance of Europe that lacked a sharp cutoff and 15 degree rise to the right. In the early-90s, the EC/EU relaxed the allowed amount of forward vertical light scatter which allowed BMW to use a common headlight for both Europe and the U.S. I think the E36 compact and Z3 were the first models to get a headlight approved for both markets, at least German ones did! I believe nowadays everyone gets the same headlights (and for that matter, radios).
Thanks for the info, John. Much appreciated.
 
#14 ·
01silber said:
Picked up the left side light today, it comes with the aim motor already installed:) that saved 55.00 per side, waiting on the other light to come in from germany next week, hope it makes it here
I've got the euro lights as well. I want to hook up the leveling control, but I'm not sure how. Please post a how-to once you get everything hooked up.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I installed the drivers side assembly today not bad at all, I'm still waiting on the pass. side to be shipped. a few notes the euro ones uses H3 & H7 bulbs the H7 was not in the USA version. the beam pattern lens is slightly different
also while i was in there the air box has what looks to be a removable 3in plug where a tube can be attached for cold air or something, the plug was for sure a after thought, it dumps into the fender well
I will have the headlights for sale either a pair or individually they are mint condition
I will post more when the harness and other assembly get here

for sale post here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?p=936658#post936658
 

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#18 ·
01silber said:
I installed the drivers side assembly today not bad at all, I'm still waiting on the pass. side to be shipped. a few notes the euro ones uses H3 & H7 bulbs the H7 was not in the USA version. the beam pattern lens is slightly different
also while i was in there the air box has what looks to be a removable 3in plug where a tube can be attached for cold air or something, the plug was for sure a after thought, it dumps into the fender well
I will have the headlights for sale either a pair or individually they are mint condition
I will post more when the harness and other assembly get here

for sale post here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?p=936658#post936658
Not sure about S54 M coupes but the S52 does have a cold air hose in the stock airbox. it's fed from the driver side brake duct .
 
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