BMC Halogen conversion

[Luxobarge]

Hi Chaps, me again....

My Midget is still fitted with sealed beam headlights, and last year one blew. However, a friend (who also has a Midget) had just had the same problem and had done a halogen conversion, so I had his spare working sealed beam unit.

So far so good, except that next time one goes I'll be sunk, and I don't want to have the car off the road for want of a headlight. So I'd like to do a halogen conversion at some point fairly soon.

My question is this: the original sealed beam units have quite a bulbous rounded-profile lens, and several halogen conversions I've seen (including my friend's) have a much flatter lens, which spoils the overall profile of the front of the car, in my opinion. So, is there anywhere supplying a halogen conversion that has a rounded bulbous lens like the original? I'm sure I've heard of or seen one, but can't remember where or what it was, so if anyone knows I'd be grateful!

Cheers all

[zipgun]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Midget-7-S ... 771wt_1257 Seen them a lot cheaper, but yeah, they're available .. Fiesta xr2 mk1 are the opposite , they have flat glass and a sidelight bulb, and domed glass looks wrong on them ! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-HALOGEN-HEA ... 2034wt_721

Depending how anal you are ,I'd fit these save a few quid and not wire the sidelight up ! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-HALOGEN-HEA ... 2034wt_721

[Young Farmer]

Just fitted a halogen conversion kit to my Maxi. Bought it from Bull Motif spares, same units as fitted to minors. You can't tell the difference between them and original sealed beam, unlike those flat fronted units that are available. Cost a lot less too.

[Luxobarge]

Teriffic chaps - many thanks.

Just bought a couple from the e-bay link, they're the ones, with the "domed" lens, should look OK, I'll let you know how it goes. I'll lose the in-headlamp sidelight, but I don't think they had that as standard anyway, I think that was for Minis and no doubt lots of other models, mine has seperate sidelights anyway, so no big deal.

Thanks again!

[Penguin45]

I wired 'em in on the 'Crab, giving me 5 lights on the front of the car.

P45.

[Fatbloke]

Damn! A technical query I can actually answer and I'm too late!!

Just done this on my 13/60. bought the 7" conversion from Canley Classics. The lens is domed although maybe not quite so pronounced as the original and it is all just a straight replacement into the original wire harness and fittings just as though I was replacing with a sealed unit. cost was about £40 for the pair but only about £3-5 for replacement bulbs depending on wattage.

I went for the standard power bulbs but if you want higher power the suggested fitting a relay.

There was no hole for a sidelight either because seperate sidelight on Heralds.

Now I have a question. Do I need to readjust the alignment or will it be the same as the sealed units I took out. I only as because finding a 3meter wide wall with enough flat ground infront to park the car is proving problamatic!!

[Luxobarge]

There may well be some small differences in manufacturing tolerances, so yes, well worth checking the alignment once the swap is done. Find a flat wall or just see how it looks when you drive down a dark lane. It'll come up at the next MoT anyway, and if your MoT place won't adjust the lights FoC at the time they are utter utter b*stards and you should take your business elsewhere! In fact, many MoT stations will align the headlamps for tea-money if you rock up and wait until they have a small time slot on the machine available. You can make it easier for them by removing the chrome surrounds first, or course.

[TerryG]

My local MOT station normally charge £45 for an MOT but if you round it up to £50 they will check and adjust your tracking and headlamps. I love country garages!

[tractorman]

My country garage usually adjusts then FOC - but that may be mates' rates (especially when I paid the next day for the engine swap!).

When I was at Uni (in the early - mid 90's) one of the major chains had a cheap MOT promotion (about £10 off) and one of my friends went with his Y10 (he was a Lancia nut). The headlamps needed adjusting and, guess what? It cost £10.00. As he'd just had a new headlight fitted and it was adjusted (by another MOT station), he was not impressed. They told him that their machine was accurate, he told them that they were a bunch of robbers.

It's funny how people have different opinions: Phil (my friend) had ordinary halogen lights on his rubber-bumpered Midget and I thought they looked different, but OK. I had them on my Maxi and they looked the dog's bits - but the Maxi wasn't standard by a long way and the flat lamps added to the "almost custom" look - though made my Father's Maxi look a lot older (but it was a year or so newer!)

[TerryG]

I fitted halogens to my mog in the late 90s so they have flatter lenses. The look doesn't really bother me that much as the car isn't concourse and I rarely use her these days. she is road worthy, MOTd and insured but waiting a restoration. Hopefully in the next couple of years once my new garage is built.