Headlight Lenses: Jdm Vs. Euro

[LSPaul]

Hi, all:

I've been lurking for some time but now need to throw my first question out there to the group:

'93 LS: First Lexus for me, by accident. I was originally going to fix and flip the car, but instead decided to boot one of my Saabs out of the garage and into the driveway--I'm surprised how much I like the LS! I've been busy doing all the deferred maintenance that's piled up (the usual stuff: upper and lower front ball joints, dash lighting, a leaky air strut, etc.) that made this car dirt cheap for me to acquire.

Like most of the first-gen LS drivers, I'm of the sentiment that the old US-spec headlight optics are beyond horrible. I've found that finding proper E-code lights for my other cars was a piece of cake, and I have had E-codes in my Saabs for many years; the difference is, pardon the pun, night and day.

I've priced new OE Lexus lights from an European dealer and cringed at the $700US tag. I've also looked at and passed on the ricey-looking new headlights on eBay, since I've found nothing substantive out there about the beam patterns. I've also noticed plenty of used JDM lights in that same marketplace. Does anyone know whether replacement European-spec lenses would work on JDM headlight buckets? Alternately, does anyone have access to a parts database where I can check this out, myself?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

'93 LS400, 167k mi

[jcrome04]

I know the JDM housing has a much better pattern. I don't know how they compare to the euro lights however.

[LSPaul]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'd guess that the JDM pattern looks nice and works right in Japan and GB, but isn't appropriate for North America. The E-code pattern would basically look like the reverse of the JDM light pattern, i.e., broad spread, high cut-off to the right.

Paul

I know the JDM housing has a much better pattern. I don't know how they compare to the euro lights however.

[1990LS400]

Paul,

I had put E-code headlights in almost every car I had owned since the 1960s until I bought my first LS400 in 1990. I was shocked when I first drove my 90 LS400 at night -- never thought of doing that before I bought it. Before the 90 LS, our cars were a 79 Mercedes 240D with Euro headlights with wash/wipe and an 86 Honda Accord and an 85 Honda CRX which both had 200 mm Cibie headlights with replaceable H4 bulbs. All three of those cars also had extremely effective Euro code fog lights.

I thought it would be easy to replace the 90 LS headlights with the Euro versions until I started checking and speaking with a U.K. coworker who had a U.K. spec gen 1 LS400. Getting the gen 1 Euro LS400 headlights is the easy part. To make the Euro LS gen 1 LS400 headlights work properly, one also needs the wiring harness and the dash mounted low beam control switch -- the beam control switch looks a lot like the beam control switch on the U.S. spec Sienna van.

Also, where the U.S. spec gen 1 LS400 headlight unit has fog lights next to the high/low headlight, the Euro version has additional high beam headlights. The fog lights are in the bumper of the Euro gen 1 LS400. The Euro gen 1 LS400 essentially has two high beams on each side -- one being the high beam of the main H4 headlight and the other being the high beam inner light housing.

All in all, buying all the Euro gen 1 LS400 headlight parts in the early 90s was going to cost thousands of $$ -- not something I was willing to do on a car I had just spent a lot of money to buy new.

OK, here is a parts database if you want to see the headlight parts numbers for different markets around the world: http://www.toyodiy.com/

If you are interested in better headlights, take a look at the Eagle Eyes headlights for the gen 1 LS400. Forum member "Python" bought a set and said he is happy with them. On the following thread, I posted information about the eBay seller: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry356589

[LSPaul]

Jim,

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge, experience and the links.

The 9003/HB2s (H4 bulbs) that are in the '93 and '94s aren't nearly as horrible as the orbs of darkness that are 9004 bulbs. I've had lots of experiences with those in both domestic cars and in a few Saab 9000s and 900s I've owned (E-codes make all the difference there).

I'm not so worried about the EU-spec leveling mechanisms; I don't have them on either of my Saabs (BTW, the H7s w/ modern optics on the 9-5 model... wow!). The low-beam beam pattern is what really matters for me. With good/properly aimed E-codes, one really doesn't need fogs, IMHO. I could rectify the wiring issue with enough jumpers and relays, if needed, having converted enough 9004-spec'ed Euro cars to H4s (and back) over the years.

I'll reconsider the Eagle Eyes lights, especially for the price.

Thanks again,

Paul

Iowa City, IA

Paul,

I had put E-code headlights in almost every car I had owned since the 1960s until I bought my first LS400 in 1990. I was shocked when I first drove my 90 LS400 at night -- never thought of doing that before I bought it. Before the 90 LS, our cars were a 79 Mercedes 240D with Euro headlights with wash/wipe and an 86 Honda Accord and an 85 Honda CRX which both had 200 mm Cibie headlights with replaceable H4 bulbs. All three of those cars also had extremely effective Euro code fog lights.

I thought it would be easy to replace the 90 LS headlights with the Euro versions until I started checking and speaking with a U.K. coworker who had a U.K. spec gen 1 LS400. Getting the gen 1 Euro LS400 headlights is the easy part. To make the Euro LS gen 1 LS400 headlights work properly, one also needs the wiring harness and the dash mounted low beam control switch -- the beam control switch looks a lot like the beam control switch on the U.S. spec Sienna van.

Also, where the U.S. spec gen 1 LS400 headlight unit has fog lights next to the high/low headlight, the Euro version has additional high beam headlights. The fog lights are in the bumper of the Euro gen 1 LS400. The Euro gen 1 LS400 essentially has two high beams on each side -- one being the high beam of the main H4 headlight and the other being the high beam inner light housing.

All in all, buying all the Euro gen 1 LS400 headlight parts in the early 90s was going to cost thousands of $$ -- not something I was willing to do on a car I had just spent a lot of money to buy new.

OK, here is a parts database if you want to see the headlight parts numbers for different markets around the world: http://www.toyodiy.com/

If you are interested in better headlights, take a look at the Eagle Eyes headlights for the gen 1 LS400. Forum member "Python" bought a set and said he is happy with them. On the following thread, I posted information about the eBay seller: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry356589

[python]

u be the judge....these are eagle eyes i got from sabersport on ebay for 250.00 shipped to my door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34436028@N07/?saved=1

[LSPaul]

Cool... Do me a small favor: Next time you pull into your driveway at home (preferably flat) and have the garage door down, take a look at what the light against the door looks like.

Does it look anything like this? http://www.flickr.com/photos/26066208@N00/3323933321/ This is the kind of beam pattern I'm looking for.

If it looks anything like that, then yeah, then I'll all over the Eagle Eyes lights!

Paul

u be the judge....these are eagle eyes i got from sabersport on ebay for 250.00 shipped to my door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34436028@N07/?saved=1

[python]

HOLY F*****K THATS EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! how did u know that? im totally shocked right now

why r u looking for that pattern?

[killerFatty]

u be the judge....these are eagle eyes i got from sabersport on ebay for 250.00 shipped to my door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34436028@N07/?saved=1

this is a little off topic, but where did you get that grille. I love it.

[LSPaul]

Python,

That's the answer I was hoping for.

The illustration is what an E-code (European headlight standard) light pattern should look like (source: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html). Like Jim, I've had E-code lights on my cars for years, so I'm very familiar with the pattern, and more important, with the quality of the light. The notch and slope up to the right lights things up and off to the right nicely. JDM/UK headlights would be the mirror opposite (notch, then up to the left).

I'll be ordering those lights soon! Thanks!

Paul

HOLY F*****K THATS EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! how did u know that? im totally shocked right now

why r u looking for that pattern?

[python]

u be the judge....these are eagle eyes i got from sabersport on ebay for 250.00 shipped to my door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34436028@N07/?saved=1

this is a little off topic, but where did you get that grille. I love it.

i got it on line...i dont think they are available anymore...its made by trenz, thank you for the compliment

[jcrome04]

Nope the TRENZ are discontinued. I had one on my 91! I loved it they are beautiful.

[amcdonal86]

Nope the TRENZ are discontinued. I had one on my 91! I loved it they are beautiful.

At least on the UCF20, I love the stock grill. When you get up close, it has a great looking shape that looks very stately.