Headlight Relay Mod help

Gotta love that wiring . . .
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GDR76SPIDER
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:16 pm
Your car is a: 1976 124 spider
Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada

Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by GDR76SPIDER »

hey guys, been doing some searching on here trying to find as much info as possible on doing this.

i've come across 2 good instructions on doing this.

the first one http://flumichigan.italiancarclub.com/T ... cedure.pdf
seems pretty simple yet doesn't mention using fuses? is it because he fed it from the "brown wire"??
also, does it matter which kind of relay i buy? do they have different amounts of current they can handle??

the 2nd http://flumichigan.italiancarclub.com/T ... cedure.pdf

mentions using the kit from this site http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech ... elays.html
but i would like to do this in the next few days rather than ordering a kit. the diagram shows fuses, which # fuses am i using ?

if anyone has their own pictures of what they did and wouldn't mind sharing, please do!

as always thanks for any tips and info you guys can give me :)
TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by TX82FIAT »

Let me take some pics tonight of the relay and the fuse. Can't remeber what amp the fuses were off the top of my head. the wires were of sufficient gauge (16). The hardest part of the job was disassmbling the headlight bucket and drilling a hole for the wires. I realized I has some reconditioning work on to do below the surface on the buckets and adjustment bolts. I know you want to get this done ASAP and the cost to assemble yourself is about 1/2 the price of the kit. However, the kit does make it very easy and has a professional look. $39.95 for the kit or $15-$20 in supplies and a couple extra hours of work!

The below link will take you to the installation manual on IAP website.

http://www.international-auto.com/headl ... e-kits.cfm
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban
Weelan

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by Weelan »

That'd be really helpful, also the amp for the fuse would help me. I have the autoricambi kit, doesn't look like it has those fuses. nor as much wire, so i'll need to pick more of that up too.
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GDR76SPIDER
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:16 pm
Your car is a: 1976 124 spider
Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by GDR76SPIDER »

TX82FIAT wrote:Let me take some pics tonight of the relay and the fuse. Can't remeber what amp the fuses were off the top of my head. the wires were of sufficient gauge (16). The hardest part of the job was disassmbling the headlight bucket and drilling a hole for the wires. I realized I has some reconditioning work on to do below the surface on the buckets and adjustment bolts. I know you want to get this done ASAP and the cost to assemble yourself is about 1/2 the price of the kit. However, the kit does make it very easy and has a professional look. $39.95 for the kit or $15-$20 in supplies and a couple extra hours of work!

The below link will take you to the installation manual on IAP website.

http://www.international-auto.com/headl ... e-kits.cfm

$39.50!? that's cheaper than what i just spent on wires and fuse holders and relays... and its already made...
i guess i was kind of looking at the fun of a DIY but i think that just makes more sense....i'll be returning what i bought lol
the relay pig-tails and fuse holders were $40 alone...

pics would still be great... i guess if i had wires in the garage and all i needed was the relays it would have been cheaper.

thanks for the reply, any info would be great anyway, thanks!

ALSO just wanted to ask, i'm thinking of in the future adding fog-lights, with this being something i plan on doing, should i purchase the kit made for 4 headlights? or can i get the one for 2 and then later wire the fog-lights independently? (safely)?
TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by TX82FIAT »

I can't help with the fog light question and the four headlight relay kit. Not familiar with the four headlight relay kit. If I were going to install fog lights my first thought would be to build a new circuit to keep it clean. I'd run them off the alternator with an in line fuse and wire a simple toggle switch someplace on or under the dash with a good grounding point to the frame.
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban
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Razooli
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri May 29, 2009 5:57 am
Your car is a: 1982 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Newport Beach, CA

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by Razooli »

Check out this thread ...
http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... ith#p34662

Greg Smith's kit is the best. It's made specifically for the 124, uses the stock wires, requires no alterations and is, therefore, totally reversible and can be installed in minutes. Email him at gfs@scattercreek.com for info about availability and current cost.
I ordered the Daniel Stern kit and received a bunch of components with no instructions. If you know automotive electrics and are comfortable with fabrication, this is all you need. In my case, I had no clue what to do with it. I saw Greg's kit, bought it and in two hours, I had it installed and running. You can install it in half an hour ... my extra time was due to where I chose to run the wires and install the relays. Later, I saw that IAP had a kit out for half the price. It requires alterations, drilling the buckets ... to me not worth it. Greg's kit is "plug and play". Is it worth $70? The answer is a resounding YES! He's gone to the trouble to make a kit with the correct wires and connectiors to make installation a breeze. Can you buy the components for less? Sure ... but if you don't know what you're doing, what do you buy and what do you do with it? Also, after installing his kit, I now get what I should have done with Stern's kit. And I would have had to have purchased extra parts and spent time on fabrication to equal Greg's kit.

Simple install instructions:
Image

Image


I created a Flicker set of installation photos (I think they're from Alvon ) that you can access here:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/126629 ... 964169349/
fog light question
Greg's kit uses the driver's side wires for the trigger, so the passenger side stock wires are disconnected. I used the low beam wire here as my trigger for a separate fog light circuit. You can use the high beam wire for a driving light circuit. Easy stuff once you get into it.
Lynn Shuler
1982 Spider 2000
Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.
htchevyii
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Your car is a: 1982 Spider hers 1972 Spider his
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Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by htchevyii »

I used the IAP kit, slightly modified. The car is in storage, so no pics. Instead of running the supplied headlamp plugs, I cut them off and installed bullet connectors that plug into the factory pigtails. The trigger wires for the relays plug in to the stock harness. No alterations to the factory wiring were made. It works great!
Trey
Image
1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by TX82FIAT »

Some pics of the IAP headlight install. The install took about two hours from start to end. The benefit other than the reduced draw over the ingnition switch was I discovered some work to be done on the headlight buckets anyway where adjustment bolts and other parts needed to be corrected. The wires tuck in behind the fender and run behind the headlights and front grill.

Over view of relay and wires

Image

View of posts connecting directly to alternator

Image

view of 2 20 amp fuses that are about 6-8 inches from power source on alternator

Image

View of Relays installed on the open space near master cylinder

Image
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban
User avatar
GDR76SPIDER
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:16 pm
Your car is a: 1976 124 spider
Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by GDR76SPIDER »

Hey thanks for taking the time to show some pics! Ill be placing an order for the kit n tackling this when it arrives.
Thanks again!
donerehart
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:29 pm
Your car is a: 1976 spider

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by donerehart »

I just installed Greg Smiths headlight relay kit also! What a great setup he has created. The wiring harness is already put together according to your year Spider - took me about 1 hour from start to finish on my 76 and my lights are brighter than ever! I highly recommend! His directions and his workmanship are superb!
76 Spider
St. Louis, MO
AriK
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider
Location: Montreal Canada

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by AriK »

+1 on Greg Smith. It is indeed plug and play. His attention to detail is very satisfying from the gage of the wires to using the correct terminals to supplying the exact length of wiring to reach within the Fiat's engine compartment. No bucket drilling required. I wouldn't have had the motivation to perform the relay procedure any other way. BTW, he's still producing the kit.
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70spider
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Your car is a: 1970 Fiat spider
Location: N.E. New Mexico

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by 70spider »

How do you get the Greg Smith kit and how much is it?
1970 Fiat Spider 124 Sport aka "Pesto"
2002 Mazda Protege5
2013 Buddy 170i
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4uall
Posts: 4145
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat Pininfarina Spider 2000 F.I.
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by 4uall »

Jay

Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE

https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6

FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY
gregorysmith

Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by gregorysmith »

Razooli wrote:Check out this thread ...
http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... ith#p34662

Greg Smith's kit is the best. It's made specifically for the 124, uses the stock wires, requires no alterations and is, therefore, totally reversible and can be installed in minutes. Email him at gfs@scattercreek.com for info about availability and current cost.
Thanks for the compliments. My current email is gfs@gregoryfsmith.com. The kits will also soon be available through Auto Ricambi.
AriK
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider
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Re: Headlight Relay Mod help

Post by AriK »

Very happy for you GS. You deserve more recognition.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
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