I have a 99 E350 with sealed beam headlights. I have re-aimed, replaced, upgraded, and otherwise begged them to make enough light but they just don't.

Will the plastic headlight units bolt in? That way I can get all sorts of aftermarket brighter bulbs.

 

No they're not a direct swap.

Not sure what lamps you're using now or just how much light you need but I'd avoid the composite or aero-style headlight assemblies if I were you. Even the OEM's (which tend to be better quality and more expensive than aftermarket) have a huge tendency to discolor or yellow over time, adding a hotter burning lamp just accelerates this. The housings become pitted during driving and the combined effects of our environment plus internal temperatures help degrade the plastic lenses. Despite the many restoration kits and processes available none of them address the internal discoloration, so essentially you're polishing a turd.

If you need more light power maybe consider adding driving lights? They're designed to project light in more specific ways than normal headlights and might be just the ticket.

 

Yes, FORD's aero-design "plastic headlight units bolt in" place easily, BUT you would need to splice in the matching 3 wire connector plugs.

Have never had an issue w/the way they look & perform. Never heard anyone argue aero-design headlights don't "make enough light" or don't make noticeably more light than sealed beams.

My '92 Club Wagon's original aero-design headlights remain crystal clear, inside & out, after 230,000+ miles, virtually all in FL sun/heat. Considering all the sand, there's basically no sand blast pitting, the headlights still sparkle. There's absolutely no sign of discoloring/yellowing on lenses or reflectors. This E150 also sits outside, never garaged.

In my travels & forays to junkyards Econoline aero-design headlights appear to fare very well. Have heard a theory that heavy use of car wash detergents, waxes & bad pollution contribute to plastic headlight lens degradation. Some say road salt & chlorinated water attacks lens plastic. Haven't seen an aero-design headlight lens w/interior surface damage. My rural location, well water & disinterest in washing/waxing car, b/c access is via limerock road, may've helped preserve lenses.

Highly recommend OEM aero-design headlights, wouldn't have sealed beams. Seen plenty of perfectly clear used in junkyards. Have been shopping hard to replace '92 & rarely see pics of scruffy aero-design headlights. Suspect you might get what you pay for w/cheap aftermarket Brand X copies.

 

I don't remember seeing many older aero headlights that aren't discolored or faded, but I don't remember looking specifically at E-series lights either so there could always be that exception. While sealed beams may perform adequately I think they are miserable in comparison to modern aero reflector housings. The last two Kenworths I drove were T-600s with sealed beam headlights and I hated those things and always wished for some more modern lighting. They did the job, but were barely adequate IMHO.

JWA has a good thought about driving lights, but are they legal everywhere? Or are they considered the same as fog lights?

 

Sorry, please accept my apology in advance, but got to ask. Curtis73 inquired about a 99 E350, does that vintage qualify as "older" or "modern"? Try looking at a few pages worth of pics via AutoTrader, SearchTempest, or Cars.com ads for '92 & up Econolines w/aero lights. The digital flood of front end pics trumps my memory. Think I'll snag next good used aero-design Econoline headlights at U-Pull.

Wonder where a reorganized FORD has set price of new? Once heard somebody howl when dealer quoted in vicinity of $400 each on insurance estimate!

Converters often install air dam/bumper covers that include aux driving/fog? lights.

My '98 F-150 plastic headlights are also in perfect condition. It has OEM, plastic lens, fog lights, can only be on w/low beam. They do good job lighting sides of road & are particularly useful for seeing critters. But they do zip for projecting light down the road & go off w/high beam.

Do they still make fog/driving light lenses out of glass?

 

If anyone does I certainly haven't seen any. The ones on my Mustang have plastic lenses, as did the ones on my '11 F350 '07 F150, and '00 Contour.