European market aerodynamic headlights vs US market ones

[MISWFL]

Does anyone know what's available for a 1990 Ranger and a 1994 E-150?

I know there's a euro projection type for the 1994 E-150 as I saw them on an episode of the Russian Netflix show Better Than Us.

It's actually the same conversation van as mine including the green color.

The headlights are smoked and you can see the round projector lens in the middle.

 

[franklin2]

No use messing with them if they do not have DOT printed on them. Most of them don't, and most are made in China junk.

 

[MISWFL]

No use messing with them if they do not have DOT printed on them. Most of them don't, and most are made in China junk.

I don't mean aftermarket ones. I'm talking about the OEM ones used in Europe, which have different requirements. For example they use H4 bulbs instead of the 9003 ones that came out in the US in like 1986.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't mean aftermarket ones. I'm talking about the OEM ones used in Europe, which have different requirements. For example they use H4 bulbs instead of the 9003 ones that came out in the US in like 1986.

I don't know how much anyone really cares but they will not be DOT approved for use on streets in North America.

 

[JoshT]

I don't mean aftermarket ones. I'm talking about the OEM ones used in Europe, which have different requirements. For example they use H4 bulbs instead of the 9003 ones that came out in the US in like 1986.

If it was on a that generation van, they were not OEM. Either custom retrofits, or the cheap Chinese stuff mentioned. The E-150 was not built for the European market, it would have been privately imported with the same lighting found in the USA.

Only projectors you're going to find for the ranger is the cheap eBay stuff. They are made for Halogen bulbs, not HID/LED, and you'd be better off strapping a couple of flash lights to your hood.

If you want decent functional projector headlights for either, start researching DIY retrofits.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Let’s face it, the 89-92 Ranger, 89-90 Bronco II, and the 91-94 Explorer had lousy headlights, even the OEM stuff wasn’t good. They made better goldfish bowls.

I did the heavy duty headlight harness from Bronco Graveyard and did the 9007 bulbs. That helped, but I still can’t wait to build a custom bumper and add some driving lights.

I’ve tried a number of different bulbs over the years and the best to me are still the Silverstar/Silverstar Ultra.

 

[MISWFL]

I grabbed a pic from the TV screen:

 

[4x4junkie]

Those look like a home-brewed conversion to me (OEM wouldn't put a projector in the middle of a reflector, especially off-center like that).

If you want projectors, then like said, you'll likely need to look for a DIY retrofit using OEM projectors from another vehicle.
Also be aware that reflector housings are the better option for halogen & HID bulbs due to the (more-or-less) omnidirectional light output they have; projectors are better with LED chips that put out most of their light in a forward direction (so you will likely lose performance with a halogen bulb with a projector vs. the same bulb with a reflector).

I would consider swapping to higher-wattage halogen bulbs (maybe rewired with a relay harness) before doing any conversions.
Adding a pair of auxiliary driving lights will be even better than the bulb swap.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Between my mom's old '94 Explorer and our current '91 Ranger, I have always thought the headlights were pretty good.

Mom's Explorer was a lot newer at the time than anything comparable is now and the '91 is a creampuff with nice clear OE lights that are not fogged up or anything though.