I'll try to be more clear about what I really need to know...
My '87 Golf had a headlight conversion done to what I believe is a 16V Gti Grille with H4 outer and H1 inner round headlights. I recently busted out one of the inner lenses and want to replace it.
What exactly do the terms H4 and H1 mean? Are they specifically related to size or something else?
What size is the inner lens for the 16V GTI? On-line sources seem to always indicate 5-1/4", but I measured mine and it is a little larger than 5-1/2" across the face. The outer lights measure 7". Is there any setup that would use a size other that 5-1/4"?
Where would be a good place to buy a replacement or get more information?
H1 and H4 are just styles of Halogen bulbs. H4 is for all practical purposes the European equivalent to the US 9003 bulbs.
Many people did just what you suggested, upgraded to the 16V grill and headlights. There were also a number of after-market kits that looked about the same. Can you see any manufacturer name stamped on any of the lenses or anywhere else? I know Hella made some nice kits, and it wouldn't surprise me if they made the original factory lights as well.
There is a number of on-line stores that sell after-market VW headlights. Check
H4 = 55W low/ 60W high low-high beam dual filament bulb, common in many European vehicles for at least two decades now where a low-high bulb was used in 2-lamp systems. The HB2/9003 bulb is the US-legal version of this and is really a H4 that is supposedly ensured to meet US regulations in terms of the filament being within a certain tolerance in placement during manufacturing of the bulb. H1 = 55W single filament, usually as high beam or driving lamp bulb, but has occasionally been used for low beams too in quad systems, and possibly also in fog lamps here and there. H2 = 55W single filament usually a fog lamp bulb (particularly in Cibie lamps...they seemed to favor this bulb), but has been used as a low beam bulb in the Rallye Golf. H3 = yet another 55W single filament bulb and most commonly used in auxiliary lamps...seems to be the favorite...and used in OEM Hella lamps in the quad round setup for A1s and A2s. H7 = single filament 55W bulb, getting popular in many European cars that come here because it's legal in the US and Europe, so many newer European cars are using it. Used as both high and/or low beam bulbs in many quad-lamp systems.
None of the above are interchageable (different bases and plugs) so you can't try and stick another bulb into a lamp, since the lamp was designed for a specific bulb to have the proper optics.
All of the above are available in higher-wattage versions but the ones above are the base/standard wattages that are "legal".
A more comprehensive listing is here if you're really interested:
Cullen is the man ... He runs group buys and specials all the time on european / US lighting his website :
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check it out , I'm sure he'll be of some help.I'm not affiliated in any way , I've ben on the 'tex for a loooong time andI've seen nothing but good results from this guy. Ans
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