[Alfisto Steve]

Rosso has original USA 9004 version Carellos, Quik Silver has Series 1 H-4 Elmas and My Originale has Series 2 H-1 Bosch projectors.

Here is what the three versions look like:

 

[Tetteh]

What are the differences between the first two headlights? I can't see a difference in the look. I have a 91L and my headlights look like the ones in the first two pics, but I have purchased the Bosch headlights off of the ebay germany website and I cant wait until it arrives!! (It should arrive anytime soon!). Sweet looking 164's. (I wish my wife would let me have more than one!!)

 

[Alfisto Steve]

What are the differences between the first two headlights? I can't see a difference in the look. I have a 91L and my headlights look like the ones in the first two pics, but I have purchased the Bosch headlights off of the ebay germany website and I cant wait until it arrives!! (It should arrive anytime soon!). Sweet looking 164's. (I wish my wife would let me have more than one!!)

Carello 9004 USA lights use one 9004 bulb and lens grind different whereas Elma Series 1 uses one H-4 bulb and better lens for night driving. Low beam cut off different and gives better view of road and side of road. More focused light beam on both low and high beam.

Bosch projector lights use two H-1 bulbs one for low and one for high beam with low beam a projector lens.

Both Elma and Bosch lights give much better view of the road than Carello lights for the 164.

 

[PJPHughes]

Just got some of the Elma e-codes for my 164S too...

I'm a total convert to e-code headlights....I put them in my old Saab 900 Turbo convertible, both of my Peugeot 405 Mi16s and soon the 164 S too. the difference is night and day....well, almost!

It's amazing how crappy US spec lighting can be in some of Europe's best cars of the late '80s and early '90s.

Steve, did you wire up the H1 bulb in your Elma e-code headlights to come on with the parking lights? It's a little extra splicing but it looks great, and is reasonably functional at dusk too.

Cheers,
Paul Hughes
'91 164 S

 

[Tetteh]

I must have the Carello 9004 USA lights with the one 9004 bulb cos the lights are really not that good!! Cant wait till my bosch arrive!

 

[Alfisto Steve]

I'm a total convert to e-code headlights....I put them in my old Saab 900 Turbo convertible, both of my Peugeot 405 Mi16s and soon the 164 S too. the difference is night and day....well, almost!

It's amazing how crappy US spec lighting can be in some of Europe's best cars of the late '80s and early '90s.

Steve, did you wire up the H1 bulb in your Elma e-code headlights to come on with the parking lights? It's a little extra splicing but it looks great, and is reasonably functional at dusk too.

Cheers,
Paul Hughes
'91 164 S

No H1 bulb in Elma lights just H-4 L/H beam and peanut bayonet bulb for "city" aka parking light and single element 1156 turn signal bulb. Yes I wired up peanut bulb and use it for parking, day running and at dawn and dusk, too.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

I'm a total convert to e-code headlights....I put them in my old Saab 900 Turbo convertible, both of my Peugeot 405 Mi16s and soon the 164 S too. the difference is night and day....well, almost!

It's amazing how crappy US spec lighting can be in some of Europe's best cars of the late '80s and early '90s.

Steve, did you wire up the H1 bulb in your Elma e-code headlights to come on with the parking lights? It's a little extra splicing but it looks great, and is reasonably functional at dusk too.

Cheers,
Paul Hughes
'91 164 S

No H1 bulb in Elma lights just H-4 L/H beam and peanut bayonet bulb for "city" aka parking light and single element 1156 turn signal bulb. Yes I wired up peanut bulb and use it for parking, day running and at dawn and dusk, too.

Bosch projector lights have same peanut bulb, too for "city" aka parking lamp.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

I must have the Carello 9004 USA lights with the one 9004 bulb cos the lights are really not that good!! Cant wait till my bosch arrive!

Yes, all 164 Carello lights uses 9004 bulb.

 

[Peter]

I like the Bosch's best....that's what I had on my Euro Super...makes the car so much sleeker

 

[andrewg]

I just installed the Bosch lights on my 91S last night. I have not had a chance drive at night. From my quick test they looked much better than stock. US Alfa's have always seemed to have poor lighting.

 

[rkundrat]

Steve, how do the Elmas compare to the Bosch? Thought about getting them but decided on the projectors (and have never looked back!) E-code all the way!

 

[Alfisto Steve]

Steve, how do the Elmas compare to the Bosch? Thought about getting them but decided on the projectors (and have never looked back!) E-code all the way!

I think both the Elma series 1 and Bosch projector series 2 are both good lights.

I was lucky to snag couple sets of new Elmas for about what I paid for one set of Bosch. I plan to install a set on Rosso if she continues to perform satisfactory as I slowly work off rescue society list of fly gripes left on her yellow sheet. If she really turns out nice I may even give her aset of Bosch ones instead, but my son's L and S may need to get a set, too of something Euro spec.

 

[AlexGS]

On a related note, our 164s here have the Elma headlights and H4 bulbs. When I bought my last 164 (from Singapore), it had somehow been fitted with a left-hand-drive headlight on the left side. The bulb was put in wonkily so as to give a pool of light that didn't angle towards oncoming traffic. This passed inspections but was awful to drive by - absolutely no illumination of road signs.

Anyway, both headlights were 'cloudy' inside, so I decided to wash them. A solution of clothes-washing powder and hot water got the inside of the glass sparkling clean BUT the water emptied out in a silvery stream. That's right - it took the silver off the reflector!

Unfortunately I only noticed this once the other side was in the wash as well. The silver was missing at the base of the reflector back surface, in both headlights.

I wasn't so worried about the LHD headlight, as I figured that needed replacing anyway. Then I discovered that they're $350 (US$200?) second-hand.

I located a company that could re-plate the plastic reflectors. I tried to remove the right (i.e. a correct RHD) lens, and cracked it.

At this point I gave up on the whole job and cried into my Chianti (figuratively at least). The headlights of my 164 were always hopeless.

My current 164 has two correct (RHD) H4 headlights, with no cracks. I haven't entertained the thought of washing them yet. Do you think there is a 'safe' way to wash them?

Cheers,
-Alex

 

[andrewg]

Any one interested in a set of RHD Bosch projector lights? I have a Customer who bought a set, but they ended up coming from the UK.

 

[Blue Flame]

Andrewg, I sent you a PM.

 

[pinino]

I've always been a little troubled by that little trim piece that goes under the Bosch face-lift headlight. It's usually painted (so it seems) the color of the car. On a white car the strip appears to be especially distracting (un-integrated) in part due the way little black lines above and below accentuate the strip. My Mercedes with Bosch e-headllights (same vintage as the Alfa), has the strip too, but here it works well and the back side of the car has a similar design, so it kind of all feels right. Just for fun I retouched Steve's drivers side headlamp and Jason's passenger side headlamp with black, the same color as the center vent. The retouched photo is a little heavy handed and I agree not totally convincing but just wondered what others thought. Whacky idea?

 

[Alfisto Steve]

I may just do that black or bumper gray trim treatment as white is badly chipped now. It looks pretty good I think.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

I put the Elma Series One H4 headlights on BB1 today and keep Carello 1157 dual element sockets for parking and turn signals. I had to switch to 1157 clear bulbs as Elma lights have amber inner lens for turn signal lights.

I added in jumper wire from yellow parking light wire to yellow city light wire socket like I did on BB2 Bosch projector installation.

Can't finish R/H light until I get new H4 bulb as low beam element burned out. I may get some upgraded H4 bulbs.