T3 headlights

davepl · Poncho Master!

T3 headlights

Howmac · Guru

I use this chart , which is useful :

North · Guru

The earlier repros looked really nice but the current crop looks off, sort of a milky grey tinge to the glass.

davepl · Poncho Master!

According to Howmac's handy chart, mine are definitely all 68-71s, so likely original to the car. Guess I'll need to find a fourth to complete the set!

-- Edited by davepl on Wednesday 25th of April 2018 05:15:04 PM

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

T3's have been hotly debated on this site before, and I have no problem with them. High beams are very easy to find, low beams are a little tougher. Unfortunately even if you find a good used one, it may not last very long, or may last a while. I've got them on both my 2+2's, but have likely gone through 3 or 4 low beams with them either failing or getting hit by a rock.

JC2+2 · Poncho Master!

I have one working T3 but I'll have to check if Hi or Low beam.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

seventy2plus2 wrote:
T3's have been hotly debated on this site before, and I have no problem with them. High beams are very easy to find, low beams are a little tougher. Unfortunately even if you find a good used one, it may not last very long, or may last a while. I've got them on both my 2+2's, but have likely gone through 3 or 4 low beams with them either failing or getting hit by a rock.

Ah yes, the Canadian Poncho T-3 period ... biggrin

davepl · Poncho Master!

Must have been before my time, what the was the debate? Did some cars come with Canadian Tire headlights or something?

Hard to know how long they'll last, but they're 50 years old now so they don't owe me anything. If the repros were nicer might make sense to run repro low beams for reliability.

Still can't imagine what the "hot debate" over T3s would be!

North · Guru

I threw a repro set on my 2+2, correct markings etc but as I mentioned not great looking from a color point of view. my 2+2 had a really nice birght set of Cibie lamps from the 70's, twice as bright but not compatible with the light monitoring system. I don't have a close up pic so you may or may not see that the coloration is off. For comparison here are 4 originals on my Ventura wagon. If you don't compare them directly the repops look fine.

2018-01-19 050.JPG

2017-07-19 089.JPG

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

davepl wrote:

Must have been before my time, what the was the debate? Did some cars come with Canadian Tire headlights or something?

We had a member who doesn't seem to post here any more (although maybe he still reads here, I don't know) who basically stated that running any modern headlights in a restored car was pretty much blasphemy. People were chastised for wanting to run a good halogen or better headlight for night driving on deer infested highways. It got pretty heated. And then it snowballed into other stuff....

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I am not here to offend any one........... i hope, but T-3's are for cars that belong in a museum and a museum only. Personally i prefer to see in the dark.

davepl · Poncho Master!

Ah. Well, there are the HIDs I put in my GMC because I live on a two-lane highway in the rain... he'd hate those! If I ever really planned on driving this 2+2 at night, it'd have modern lights as a concession to safety too, likely.

North · Guru

My 2+2 had a nice set of vintage Cibie that were easily double the candlepower of T-3's but I pulled them because I like the stock look and because my car has the optional light sentinel system and after market lights aren't compatible. However if I drove my car a lot at night outside the city (I don't-won't) I'd have good headlights in a flash.

davepl · Poncho Master!

The Catalina had 3 T3 headlights, missing one low beam. The 2+2 only had one T3, a low beam! But its cracked... so close.

North · Guru

Used ones turn up regularly on eBay, sets or just highbeams, hard to buy just low beams

davepl · Poncho Master!

I see that, they want $60 per light for a used T3 of unknown provenance. I might grab a pair of repros so they're matched, as long as they don't look out of place next to original high beams.

davepl · Poncho Master!

$500!

www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-VINTAGE-NOS-1969-Z-28-CAMARO-71-72-CHEVELLE-LS-6-T-3-HEADLIGHTS-AC-6012-GM/323225524413~RZqHUx&vxp=mtr

North · Guru

Yoiks! Thats a lot of coin.

I wouldn't mix repro and original. The repro's look fine until you put them side to side, then you'll see that greyish tinge that the original T3's don't have.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

biggrin

davepl · Poncho Master!

No warranty on those NOS either. Could you imagine you spend $500, install one, and it's burned out?

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

In the early 2000's I could pick up used low beam T3's for $10 each. Those days are gone. I've got a couple good ones that have a terminal that's come loose, I've been trying to figure a good way to solder it back on.

hawkeye5766 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Are you still looking? Found a small box of T3 in my crawl space. Can pull out and check them if needed.

davepl · Poncho Master!

Sure, I still need a good low beam and would always take a spare for the trunk!

hawkeye5766 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Found 3 in the box, but still need to test. One T-3 centre low beam,one T-3 centre high beam and a T3 lower insig high beam. Mine are the t3 with no lines in the triangle.Not sure if those are the ones your looking for?

-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Monday 4th of June 2018 12:42:56 AM

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

They are the expen$ive one$ for 427, 4 speed Corvette's only! wink