Headlamp replacement

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi All,

The headlight on the passengers side has gone. Unfortunately it's a sealed beam H4 unit. Can you please tell me if the grill need to come off to access the screws or can it be replaced in situ?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

No reason to remove the grille. Headlight mounting screws are all accessible from the front. They are small heads and painted black so they may be hard to see.

Are you sure it's a H4? H4's typically require relays direct to the battery because of the power draw.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

So I need to get something like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271748624592?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Unfortunately on mine, the black plastic ring around the lamps is on top of the screw heads. I don't seem to be able to get to them.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I replaced the left headlamp today, with a sealed beam unit. I had to take off the outer plastic ring from the grill to get access to the screw heads. (Some 71-72 grills don't seem to have this ring). Then pulled the socket off the back and put in the new unit. Long term I'll upgrade them to removable H4 halogens, with the appropriate relay.

 

[mrmach1]

I replaced the left headlamp today, with a sealed beam unit. I had to take off the outer plastic ring from the grill to get access to the screw heads. (Some 71-72 grills don't seem to have this ring). Then pulled the socket off the back and put in the new unit. Long term I'll upgrade them to removable H4 halogens, with the appropriate relay.

Really some 71-72's don't have this ring? I think if memory serves me correctly mine are white metal not plastic. Maybe the standard grill doesn't use this ring but I think all of the 71-72 Mach1 grills do.(disclaimer, I think.):shrug2:

 

[luxstang]

My standard grille had the rings too and they swapped onto the Mach1 triple with no problem.

Btw mine had H4 too before I had relays.

Maybe it's a European thing?

I know sealed beams are illegal in most of Europe.

I think the headlights are the same as those on the 1st generation VW Golf or the Jaguar XJ 6 (series 3) from the mid eighties if you wanna swap the complete assembly.

No guarantee but I think I think they are.


Oh, btw, converting to relays is the best you can do, no matter what. The headlights will be a little brighter and you won't have to fear "disco ambience" at night because of a failing headlight switch.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Yes, the sealed beams I have are from a VW suppliers. Thanks for the info about the H4 halogens .

The ring around my headlamps are black plastic and are secured by 2 screws. I have to remove it and then need to remove the chrome ring that holds the light in place.

 

[midlife]

"I know sealed beams are illegal in most of Europe. "

Say what? These were original equipment headlights and standard on all cars beginning cirica 1935!

 

[luxstang]

Yup, and they are an American thing.

It's one of the things that need to be changed when you import a car to Europe (well, some parts of Europe at least).

You know what's worse?

No car built after 1970 may have red turn signals at the rear in Germany.

You must convert to yellow. Well good luck doing that on most American cars.

Here in Luxembourg they are also not legal but "accepted". They still "warn" you at each inspection though, mentioning them in the papers as not conform to rules but not enough to reject the car. Classic "gray area".

Staying in Luxembourg: no yellow sport lamps and no yellow position lights up front and no side markers are allowed.

If you look closely at my car you'll notice that I have fabricated my own white lenses for the lower valance.

Yellow is only allowed for turn signals and no yellow light can stay on permanently except for fog lights which in turn must comply to a whole another set of rules.

This is also why I always remove the sport lamps for inspection and replace them with my own custom made "sport lamp delete plates".

Oh, the joys of bureaucracy.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

"I know sealed beams are illegal in most of Europe. "

Say what? These were original equipment headlights and standard on all cars beginning cirica 1935!

Randy: have you considered making up a "plug 'n play" 71 - 73 harness addition to convert to H4 head lamps with relays?

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I understand sealed beam units are ok in the UK. But I know what Luxembourg is like, my mate, who owns the 1970 Mustang fastback, has to go through the same bureaucratic crap. Yet, they authorities are not so bureaucratic about drink driving, which seems to happen quite a bit over there (but that's another subject!).

 

[midlife]

No reason to, since RCCI already has them produced: http://www.rccinnovations.com/index.php?show=menu-hrk-all