"Ended up going with upgraded brakes after that."
Yeah, upgrading the brakes is definitely a wise move, especially when you're mixing vintage cars with today's traffic... I've had a similar wake-up call with my old Mustang. The original headlights were basically candles compared to modern LEDs, and driving at night became pretty sketchy on rural roads. After nearly missing a deer one night, I swapped them out for brighter halogens—made all the difference.
Has anyone tackled lighting upgrades or other visibility improvements? Seems like people often focus on brakes and tires (for good reason), but decent visibility feels just as crucial for safety. Curious if others found noticeable improvements with these sorts of changes, or if there were unexpected downsides like battery draw or wiring issues?
I get the appeal of brighter lights, but honestly, I found just cleaning up my old lenses and aiming them properly made a huge difference without spending much. Upgrading bulbs can be great, but sometimes vintage wiring isn't up to the task, and you end up chasing electrical gremlins... ask me how I know, haha. For me, keeping it simple and budget-friendly usually works best—especially since insurance on these classics already eats enough of my wallet.
Interesting point about the wiring—have you ever had issues with other electrical components after upgrading bulbs? I swapped mine out thinking brighter was better, but then my dash lights started flickering randomly. Took forever to figure out it was just a weak ground connection. Makes me wonder if vintage cars are just happier when we leave their electrics alone... or is it just me being paranoid?
I've wondered about that too—do you think upgrading bulbs or other electrical bits might actually increase the risk of shorts or even fires in older wiring? Maybe it's safer to stick closer to original specs...
"Maybe it's safer to stick closer to original specs..."
Yeah, I've thought about this too. A mechanic buddy once told me older wiring wasn't designed for the higher draw of some modern bulbs or accessories. Upgrading bulbs probably won't cause immediate disaster, but it could stress the wiring over time, especially if it's already brittle or worn. I'd say either stick close to original specs or at least inspect and reinforce wiring first—better safe than sorry on a long trip.
