Daniel Stern imports them into the U.S. and sells them privately. I got the 60/55 Watt bulbs. Since 60/40 is the stock wattage, no wiring changes are needed. Also at least the wattage is legal for the U.S. I selected the high-efficiency version of the bulbs, which supposedly give 30% more light at the same wattage; this added $6 per bulb. The bulbs were made in Germany, and bear a note in six different languages, none of them English. Fortunately, one is Dutch. It says: "Hard glass technology. Up to 30% more light for low and high beams." The description of the Bulbs is "Halogen Bilux H4 Super", the manufacturer Osram.
Replacement bulbs are readily available at automotive parts stores. You need H4 bulbs. Equivalent bulbs are 9003 and HB2.
I send him a check on 1/23/98, which drafted on 2/4/98. On 2/9, Dan send me an E-mail asking whether I had received my lamps. I wrote back that I had not, and Dan explained that there had been an error in tracking, that the order would be shipped the next day, 2/13, and should reach me by the end of next week. On 2/14 Dan wrote "Your Cibies are (I have confirmed) en route." The Saturday of the next week, 2/21, I did receive my order, but it had been send only the day before, by Express Mail, at a cost of $19.20 paid by Dan. (At least, not by me.)
So keep an eye out for your order: Dan will do everything to make things right if there is a mix-up.
Careful! You are not supposed to touch the glass of halogen bulbs with your fingers. If you do, clean them with a clean paper towel and rubbing alcohol, or they will not last long. There is no warning anywhere about this. Actually, there is one: if you open the bulb box from the *bottom* there is a picture warning you about it. The glass of the bulb is facing the bottom of the box. Obviously, the manufacturer, Osram, feels that as soon as the bulb is out the box, you are on your own and whatever happens is of no concern to them. Just more business.
The lamp has a second, smaller, hole that holds a plug for a tiny bulb, (a parking light on other cars); I put the bulb in and simply left it disconnected. Push the provided rubber protector around the end of the large bulb, with the side marked TOP to the top.
Having assembled the lamp, you can simply follow the instructions in your owner's manual on replacing lamps to put it in the car. Avoid unscrewing the *adjustment* screws, as I tried to do at first. To loosen the plug, press the locking clips in. The rings holding the lamps instal with the joint toward the center of the car.
Now the hairy part: adjusting the bulbs. Really necessary, do not skip this. Dan had earlier E-mailed me instructions on how to do this. I give you my version of these instructions. First measure the height of the centers of the lamps above the ground. Not as easy as it sounds: I first stuck pieces of masking tape on the glass to indicate the centers. Then I measured the height of these above the ground by looking from the side and making sure that both pieces were level in my sight. For what it is worth, (Miata heights vary greatly), they were 28" above the ground. The gas tank should be about half full when you measure, and the usual trunk weight. Ideally there should be your equivalent weight in the driver's seat. I just substracted 1/8 of an inch to compensate for my weight. Also measure the horizontal distance between the lamps; mine were 39" apart.
Next, you need to find a flat area ending in a wall, and put the car 25 feet from this wall, facing it. The best place I found was in the loading area behind a shopping mall. I hope it was flat enough. On the wall, first mark off the height of the lamps at the position facing the center of the car. Then mark the exact lamp centers themselves on the wall, at both the right distance from the ground and from the marked center point. I used masking tape to mark things.
Now use the adjustment screws to set the lights. You can do this with the plastic lamp shields in place, if you have a suitable screwdriver. My magnetic screw driver was too thick, I had to go get a another one. Using low beam, you need to lower the lights on the wall until the sharp horizontal cut-offs of the beams are 3 inch below the marked lamp positions. Do this by tightening the adjustment screws below the lamps.
I said "horizontal part" of the beams, since towards the right, the beams suddenly flare upward. Use the horizontal adjustment screws to move the point where this upward flare starts exactly below each marked lamp centers on the wall.
The Cibie lights have a very sharp cut-off pattern. So you get lots of light down on the road in front of you, but short of the eyes of oncoming drivers. Due to the flare up at the right hand side, you also get lots of light on traffic signs.