Good call, that silicone tubing is softer.  I think the foam tape would disintegrate and/or be a pain to remove.  

Plus the silicone is usually (semi) clear, so less visible if some were to stick out.  

Did you just upgrade the harness with the stock sealed beams?  

I did my relay upgrade a little differently. I had the whole engine bay wiring harness out of the car and unwrapped apart on the bench. I rewired it to include relays for the headlights and the starter solenoid and then rewrapped it. And while I was in there, I also changed it to use the internally regulated alternator. It was definitely NOT plug-n-play.

Mine was unwrap/cut/splice/crimp/wrap and play.

I had a thread with a whole bunch of pics, but then photobucket turned sour and that thread is mostly useless.

5 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

I did my relay upgrade a little differently. I had the whole engine bay wiring harness out of the car and unwrapped apart on the bench. I rewired it to include relays for the headlights and the starter solenoid and then rewrapped it. And while I was in there, I also changed it to use the internally regulated alternator. It was definitely NOT plug-n-play.

Mine was unwrap/cut/splice/crimp/wrap and play.

I had a thread with a whole bunch of pics, but then photobucket turned sour and that thread is mostly useless.

Be sure to schedule a visit with Bruce in Philadelphia for the full anal-retentive approach to Z care and upgrades!

I've always pictured a Dr Frankenstein type basement with a 280 chucked up on a lathe. 

2 hours ago, siteunseen said:

I've always pictured a Dr Frankenstein type basement with a 280 chucked up on a lathe. 

 

It's "Fronkenschteen".

4 hours ago, siteunseen said:

a 280 chucked up on a lathe.

One piece at a time, my friend. One piece at a time!  

FYI the autopal's have a small gap between the retaining rings.

Ace Hardware (and possibly others) have 7" O.D. (6 3/4" I.D.) 1/8" thickness O rings that fit as perfectly as you're going to find to fix this issue.

I also plan to use my dremel metal cutter to cut a larger hole in the stock housings.  I'd like to be able to change the bulbs without removing the whole assembly.  After looking further, I'm not sure if the 280zx housings would bolt up on a first gen Z.  I don't like the idea of permanently modifying them, but I look at this as an upgrade.  The stock 240z/260z/280z headlights are a real pain to change, especially when I've upgraded to H4 and want to try different bulbs.