Practically Classics Forum

Has anybody else tried these (or something similar?)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIPAC-SVX-Free-Fo ... 0281218031
I fitted a set of these to my Range Rover this weekend in a final effort to get a decent beam pattern.
The improvement in lighting is amazing, it's almost as good as having modern headlights! Rather than having lenses that focuses the beam they have a shaped reflector to do the job.
I believe Wipac offer a similar set without the side lamps built in but i fancied improved sidelights while I was at it.
I'm not selling headlights btw just sharing my discovery and seeing if anybody else has tried it.

The V8 has some Carello lights (They were fitted by the original owner, so pre 1985) and they are superb. During the 1970s, my father had another V8 and the standard lights did not match the performance of the car. He then had a Volvo 245 and the lights on that were superb (They wouldn't be put to shame today), so decent lights have been around for as while. My last Mini (Bought new in 1987) had candles; they were worse than the lights on my previous Minis and I also remember air cooled VWs having awful lights.

I expect 7" light conversions are now more of a classic thing, as modern cars have these insect eye type lights (Sometimes drowning out the indicators ) and any info on them will be most useful. I suppose with modern cars, you scrap the car when the lights go .

Good to know I’m not the only one that finds Lucas headlamps about as much use as a pair of miner’s helmets!

Our Moggie is almost completely standard and unmodified, but one of the few mods are halogen headlights - in spite of still using a dynamo, they are brilliant, and more than up to the needs/performance of the car. I love the foot-operated dip switch too, a retrograde step IMHO when that switch was put on a stalk.

I recently treated my Series Land-Rover to a pair of auxiliary driving lamps (seemed a shame to have a lamp bar with nothing on it). In conjunction with the replacement halogen main units, it now produces enough light to attract stray 737s on their way to Stansted - only vehicle I've ever owned with way more lighting than performance

T.T.

Tony Turner
Odsey, U.K.

Luxobarge wrote:Our Moggie is almost completely standard and unmodified, but one of the few mods are halogen headlights - in spite of still using a dynamo, they are brilliant, and more than up to the needs/performance of the car. I love the foot-operated dip switch too, a retrograde step IMHO when that switch was put on a stalk.

I've got that set up. The halogen lights were an improvement; I fitted them when one of the sealed beam units failed. I'm not sure about the switch (My father said he preferred them on the floor); I suppose it's what you get used to but I have no problem with it on the floor. When I had VWs, I sometimes used to switch on the wipers instead of signalling, as the stalks were reversed. Once, after a week abroad, in a left hand drive car, I went to change gear on the right (And when I was out there, I once got into the passenger side by mistake) .

i fitted some halogens to my mini once, it was like driving during the day after. a mod i never regretted..

will those fit my midget ? or will they look a bit odd - they seem to have a flat face rather than the rounded one that the original fitment ones have.

spiny wrote:will those fit my midget ? or will they look a bit odd - they seem to have a flat face rather than the rounded one that the original fitment ones have.

Mini ones will fit a Midget yes, but as you say it will indeed look a bit odd with the flat glass fronts on them. I think you can get domed-front conversions, others will know details.

Our Moggie has got "flat front" ones, it does look slightly odd, but I think it would look worse on a Midget for some reason.

Cheers

My Minor lights have convex lens (They came from ESM). They would fit a chrome bumper Midget but for the 1500 or a Mini, you'd need the type with built in side lights.