Light-emitting diode (LED) technology is gradually replacing standard filament light bulbs in every industry—and for good reason. They use less power and are brighter than old-school incandescent bulbs. Vintage cars are a great application for LED technology. Aged wiring, worn connectors, tired alternators, and elderly bulbs are a recipe for dim, unsafe headlight performance.
Holley's RetroBright LED headlights are designed to bring your classic car into the light, so to speak. They're available three color temperatures: "Modern White" (5700 Kelvin), "Classic White" (3000 Kelvin), and a European-inspired "Yellow Lens."
To sample how these new-fangled headlights work in a classic application, we installed a quartet of Holley's 4" x 6" Classic White headlights (p/n LFRB120) in a 1986 Saleen Mustang. 1979-1986 four-eye Fox Mustangs are an ideal application for Holley's RetroBright technology, as the alternators in these earlier Fox Mustangs are notoriously sketchy. Add nearly four decades of age, and the reliability of converting to LED headlights is a no-brainer.
For applications like this 1986 Mustang, the benefits of Holley's RetroBright LED headlights include:
• brighter, broader light spread for improved safety and visibility
• replaces foggy and pitted headlights for a clean, crisp appearance
• less current draw enhances reliability and longevity of the alternator, wiring, and connectors
• remote plug keeps connections away from bulb heat
• much longer life than a typical halogen bulb
• LEDs brighten more quickly for better flash to pass visibility
While Holley's RetroBright LEDs are a direct bolt-in for the original 4" x 6" sealed beam headlights, the wiring might require a bit of finagling on some applications. Fortunately, the Holley RetroBright headlights come with an adapter harness. On this 1986 Mustang, we had two wiring options: use the included adapter harness or modify the factory harness to fit. We'll cover both for this installation to show you how easy it is to convert an old Mustang to Holley's RetroBright LED headlights.