Hella 128 install

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Brian Westmoreland
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Hella 128 install

#1 Post by Brian Westmoreland »

Morning, quick review, I've got a '63 Coupe, nicely optioned, (electric sunroof, camber bar, fog lights, mouse gray seat inserts). I have an NOS set of 128's for install. WIre is still there, though I will replace-has the remnants of a cheap crimp on end at this time.
Some things to learn/confirm-
-mounting bracket were supplied by Hella? As part of a kit? I don't have the bracket, just the threaded rod as part of the light assembly.
-was bracket mount a bolt on item, or welded on? I see no signs of a bracket at all. My car has had I'm guessing a front in bump in it's day..though fenders have factory welds, might be a bumper replacement, I see some rust repairs, etc, Likley long gone!
-128's mounted behind the grills? I've seen them in front of the grills, hanging from the bumper-but that was a T-5
-while I'm acting like a dummy, cool yellow pull switch is the on/off?
-when I get there-did fog lights operate independently of head lights? Run with low beam on, but turn off with high beam?

Thank you everyone, appreciate the comments. Happy holidays! Brian

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Hella 128 install

#2 Post by Mike Wilson »

The fog lights mount in place of the lower grills. There should be the factory brackets to install them unless the front end was replaced at some time without them.

Mike
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Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

Hugo Karasawa
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Re: Hella 128 install

#3 Post by Hugo Karasawa »

Here some pictures of that bracket on a 356C.
Foglight  bracket 01.jpg
Foglight Bracket 02.jpg

Hugo Karasawa
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Re: Hella 128 install

#4 Post by Hugo Karasawa »

cool yellow pull switch is the on/off? Yes
fog lights operate independently of head lights? No,
Run with low beam on, but turn off with high beam? Yes
Check if you have the foglight relay, it should be between the Horn Relay and the headlights relay.

Hugo Karasawa
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Re: Hella 128 install

#5 Post by Hugo Karasawa »

Yellow relay should be here
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Fog Relay placement.jpeg

Cameron Permstein
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Re: Hella 128 install

#6 Post by Cameron Permstein »

I just installed a set of 128's on my '63 but I used a leftover switch from the gas heater instead of the standard Black and Yellow pull switch.

You can wire your fogs almost anyway you want, just depends on what fuse block you use. You can have them turn on by just pulling the switch (always a hot switch), or have them only turn on while the head lights are on at the same time. All the relay really does, is turn off the fogs when you turn on your high beams. So it just depends on how you want to wire them up. You don't need the relay as well.

I wired mine up without a relay and power only gets sent to the switch when the headlights are on. I also used a coupler nut (like a spacer) on the fog light so that it hangs down lower than the bumper.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMJGY_rLyE/

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Jules Dielen
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Re: Hella 128 install

#7 Post by Jules Dielen »

Keep in mind however, the stock fog light bulbs are 2x 35w and your stock low beam headlights are 2x 40w, which makes 150w. That plus your tail lights, parking lights, license plate lights, dash lights etc will overload any 6v generator when driving, using your turn signals (add 40w), braking (add 40w) etc. You are basically draining your battery while driving. Not to mention slowly toasting everything in your charging system.

Upgrading to LED fixes this.
Jules

Water pumps are for windshield washers only.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Hella 128 install

#8 Post by Mike Wilson »

I installed the LED fog light bulbs Jules provides. The one on the left is the LED; the one on the right is a stock bulb.

Mike
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George Hussey
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Re: Hella 128 install

#9 Post by George Hussey »

Thankfully Hella still makes them and we sell PLENTY, installing Jules LED bulbs is a great addition
George Hussey

Brian Westmoreland
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Re: Hella 128 install

#10 Post by Brian Westmoreland »

Thank you all for the info, advice, and confirmations. The LED deal is happening. Did it to my dads 356, heading that way with mine!

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Jules Dielen
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Re: Hella 128 install

#11 Post by Jules Dielen »

George Hussey wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2023 12:54 pm Thankfully Hella still makes them and we sell PLENTY, installing Jules LED bulbs is a great addition
The repros all take an H3 bulb (corrrect only for the 1968 911/912). The original fog lights took a BA20 bulb. The original reflectors were a yellow cad chrome making the light appear more yellow than the rest (suppposedly better for fog, less blinding). We made the LED with a more yellow hue to mimic this as seen in Mike's pic.
Jules

Water pumps are for windshield washers only.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Hella 128 install

#12 Post by Mike Wilson »

A pic of the fuse block with the fog light relay installed.

Mike
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Martin Benade
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Re: Hella 128 install

#13 Post by Martin Benade »

The point of fog lights is to stay low and not illuminate the fog that you are trying to see through. Driving with lo beams on totally cuts out any benefit from having fog lights. You’ll do best to only have the parking lights on plus fogs, and this gives lower current draw.

US regulations require modern cars to be wired so that the fogs only work with the lo beams. That’s the work of lawmakers, not lighting experts.
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Hella 128 install

#14 Post by Mike Wilson »

The 356 fogs are wired the same way. Going go high beams shuts off the fogs.

Mike
Mike Wilson
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'63 B coupe

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Martin Benade
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Re: Hella 128 install

#15 Post by Martin Benade »

So for real function, wire them the way they should be, not the legal way.
Cleveland Ohio
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