7 inch budget lucas-style round headlights

[silverbullet]

Ooh! Very lahdidah! Ok I am in no hurry at all, been driving on some taped lhd H4 lenses for ages!
The '95 SA ones are almost certainly the same as everything else, but when I compared them to the '86 I couldnt work out which had been swapped/bodged or otherwise...

[silverbullet]

PS I has some non-halogen lenses (those awful 45W candle holders) and of course those lenses have tags for the screws. But they are still crap even with 60W "conversion" bulbs.

[CovKid]

This sort of project appeals to me. Non-expensive (relatively) and I feel I've beaten the niche-market lot somewhow.

Either way, they must surely give a better beam than the original Hellas as most Landy owners are farmers - plus you get TWO modern lamps for the price of one retro Hella lamp that wouldn't frighten even the most timid rabbit.



Quick, make some clips up Silverbullet.....

[silverbullet]

I dont do small sheet metal press work, but I know a man who can...

[CovKid]

Same lamps fitted to a Lotus - to get some idea of how good they are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0isr2_P5MIU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Even without the lights switched on you can see which is going to be the better light. Sharper, cleaner light altogether. Ignore his fitting instructions - not relevant. On his, there are clips that drop into the lugs and under the trim lip. On ours the lugs are just for location only, and the lights are clamped in using purpose-made Z or C clips and using same screw fixing points as Hellas - if that makes sense.

Just wondering what the heck they'd be like with relays and Osram Silverstars in as well - agggggghhhh!

Personally I think the refracted glass type have had their day now. Old-style headlamps do last a long time but headlight technology doesn't tend to sit still and it makes little sense to wallow in nostalgia if you can't always see the road clearly - or others can't see you. On safety aspects we do and should move on. Half the reason we're having to put mega-bulbs in is because the lights are carp to start with (yes - including the square ones) . The newer ones (plastic or not) make more efficient use of the light from the bulb.

[keytouch]

I dont do small sheet metal press work, but I know a man who can...

I don't suppose you made any enquiries about this?

[silverbullet]

Too busy and so are they. I buckled and bought new Hellas & Nightbreakers.

[boardmonkey]

Just remember, you WILL have to make up some clips though. I know of none available commercially (I hunted high and low) but I'm sure even the very stiff wire used to hold in headlight bulbs could be bent and made to clip lamps in firmly.

Something like: - not tried it but should work. I did it differently (check WIKI).

Would the clips from a greenhouse work ? Think they are called W clips or Z clips and made from a stiff wire...?!

Have ordered the ECP headlamps & nightbreakers

[CovKid]

You'll find they'll be brighter than what you're used to lol. New reflectors and bright bulbs. It becomes kind of obvious whats needed once you push the lights into the recesses. Greenhouse ones might work but so will any very stiff wire if you can work it into the right shape. You may well find you have something equally good lying around. I used some simple clips used for fastening brake or gas pipe to a chassis.

[itchyfeet]

Today I had some time so I decided to investigate why everybody else can fit these with just some small brackets and I could not.

To be clear the budget headlights here are from Eurocarparts and have loops welded on the back other variants may not be so easy and need brackets.

The reason is below, I also found you can indeed fit these headlights to existing original frames with just three cable ties so this makes a very interesting upgrade for people with the right frames and old style lamp bases.

Before I did anything I drove my van up to the gates and marked where the peak beam and top cut off of the dipped beam were so I can check them later when I put it back

P1020462 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

When I took both headlights out I could see my problem, the right had one in the pic is an original and it has an adjuster ring which the headlight screws into, the left hand one does not have this adjuster ring, the headlight has the mountings of the adjuster ring to frame welded onto the headlight.

P1020464 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

If you look closely on the original you can see the old headlight screws on to the adjuster ring but on the adjuster ring are three cutouts that are not used in the original headlight, fit perfectly with the budget replacement

P1020468 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

So it was clear to me that three cables ties is all that's needed to hold this in place and there is your upgrade, what could be easier, you may even be able to do this without removing the frame from the van!
only time will tell if the welds on these loops are strong enough to last, if you are concerned then make some brackets.

P1020474 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

P1020480 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr


Now to the other headlight, this was replaced a few years ago as the original got smashed, but I can't see any easy way to adapt this, it can be seen that the adjuster points are off set from the loops on the budget headlight so to make anything is going to be quite complicated.

So DON'T throw away your old headlight surrounds if you are buying new as new headlights may not have the adjuster ring.

It looks like I could add an adjuster ring to my frame so Just need to stick an ad in the wanted section now.

Can anybody tell me please do early headlights with the bigger lamp base have this adjuster ring?

[CovKid]

Way to go Itchy. Bloomin obvious now I think about it. Not bad lights are they? Heck for £8 its a no-brainer if your reflectors are shot.

[CJH]

Ah, now, cable ties I can cope with. So no need for Z-clips or P-clips then?. I might just have to put a pair of these on my Christmas list - are they the same fitting?

[itchyfeet]

CovKid or CJH can you tell me please, do early headlights with the bigger lamp base have this adjuster ring?

[CovKid]

Mines an 85 so have no reference point.

[CovKid]

They appear to have same lugs Chris so I'd say yes. However.....where will you attach the cable ties? They look smooth to me. On the Euro ones, you can feed the tie through the metal lugs but can't see how you could with those plastic ones - well, not without clips as mentioned before.

In summary, Itchy's solution probably only works on the classic-style Euro ones and for modern moulded plastic units you'll still need clips.

I might just have to put a pair of these on my Christmas list - are they the same fitting?