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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Quad rectangular sealed-beams

April 1, 2011 6:30 p.m. Jay SuperDork

Out-of-nowhere thread time! I guess I'm a child of the '80s. I always associated quad rectangular headlights with dismal wallowy blobs like the Olds Cutlass Cruiser wagon that carried my family around "back in the day." Even the '80 Celica that I had a few years ago was somewhat homely. But lately the look has been growing on me... There have been some badass cars posted around here that demonstrate this. Here are some examples:

...in all their '80s-tastical glory. Who else agrees?
April 1, 2011 6:37 p.m. jimbob_racing HalfDork

Love the ASC Mclaren Capri the most.
April 1, 2011 6:39 p.m. Will HalfDork

Hell, the Trans Am had them until 2002!
April 1, 2011 6:40 p.m. SilverFleet HalfDork

I agree. I love that stuff. I really like the "four eyes" 85-86 Mustang GT's. Someday, I will own one.

Hell, I own one of these :
April 1, 2011 6:40 p.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

Huh. I thought the '80 Celica was a great looking car.
April 1, 2011 6:43 p.m. Jay SuperDork

It admittedly looks tons better in Euro bumpers and not-turd-brown-with-peeling-clearcoat. I had the hatchback, which a lot of people seem to hate, but I liked...
April 1, 2011 6:55 p.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

Oops. I added more while you were typing.

I had a brown '80 hatch too. I always wanted a coupe, though. Still do. I wanted to do my FSP project with an 80/81, but all the info I can find says they weigh more than the 82/85 and the later one got the 22RE with EFI.
April 1, 2011 6:57 p.m. Jay SuperDork

Doesn't that black one have a V8? I think I know that car from other forums. It's badass.

Okay, so I'll concede mine was a bit fugly. But it was a winter & rallycross beater anyway...
April 1, 2011 7:36 p.m. Junkyard_Dog Dork

Not cool at the time, but bitchin' now (to me)

Yes, I need to get a better/more recent picture
April 1, 2011 7:53 p.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

It was not until the the mid 70's that rectangular headlights were even legal in the US so in the '80's these were still high fashion and "new". Before that and starting in 1940, all that was legal in the US was large round sealed beam headlights (one per side). In 1957 it became legal to have two small round sealed beam lights on each side. The new 70's rule allowed for either one large square per side or two rectangular per side sealed beam lights.
The first "aero" headlight allowed in the US was the 1984 Lincoln Mark VII.

That is why before 1984 euro imports had different light in the US.
Euro Sample:

US Sample:
April 1, 2011 9:59 p.m. PubBurgers Dork

Kind of funny, I used to own an ascMclaren Capri. Not nearly as nice as the one posted though. I always thought the flares on the Capri put the Mustang to shame.
April 1, 2011 10:15 p.m. mattmacklind SuperDork

Remember the Nissan 200SX from the 80's?
April 1, 2011 10:26 p.m. Nitroracer SuperDork

Probably not the first place you would think to look for a lighting upgrade, but this marquis has chevy celebrity headlights that mimic the original sealed beams.
April 1, 2011 10:41 p.m. Woody SuperDork

This kind of thing used to happen in the 80's:
April 1, 2011 11:15 p.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

mattmacklind wrote:

Remember the Nissan 200SX from the 80's?

Yes. Almost posted it. I love them. Kinda comic book looking cars.
April 1, 2011 11:39 p.m. ransom Reader

PubBurgers wrote: I always thought the flares on the Capri put the Mustang to shame.

A lot! Such a bummer they made so few relative to the Mustangs...
April 1, 2011 11:48 p.m. novaderrik HalfDork

my car has those headlights..
April 2, 2011 12:14 a.m. Streetwiseguy Dork

The other great thing about quad headlights, either round or square, is the quality of light. 4 Cibie or Bosch lights, with 100 watt H1's, late night highway....

I think it was Cibie whos catch phrase was, "See at night." Short, true and to the point.
April 2, 2011 8:39 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

fast_eddie_72 wrote:

Huh. I thought the '80 Celica was a great looking car.

They look good converted to euro-spec with quad rounds, too.

Which i could find the old pic i used to have of one.
April 4, 2011 9:47 a.m. SilverFleet HalfDork

Ha! Over the weekend, I saw one of these driving around on the highway, and I immediately thought of this thread :

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