Headlamps

[richard sprint]

My sprint has the standard sealed beam units but thinking of fitting something brighter - Paul Matty's have a halogen replacement kit. I've looked for some Cibies but nothing found on ebay..

Any ideas would be welcome?

[cabc26b]

Modern Lights are pretty good, I have use New Cibie's in the past and currently have Marchal Ampilux(s) on My S1

George

[richard sprint]

George

I have sent you a pm

Richard

[bcmc33]

Richard,

These are two useful links:
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... mepage.php
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/

When you do fit new lamp units use H4 Osram Night Breaker bulbs.

[mikealdren]

Brian,
Very interested to see a 7" round light with a freeform lens and the beam control in the reflector. Has anyone tried these and do they give noticably better performance?

Autoexpress test bulb performance regulalry and Philips bulbs seem to be the current champs although I use Osram +50% in my alfa and tehy are very good. Again, it seems that bulb technology has eveolved rapidly in recent years.

Mike.

[69S4]

Just a few words in support of the std sealed beams. I also thought they were sub standard and that halogen was the way to go until I reworked the earths and converted to an alternator earlier in the year. The first time I went out at night after this I was amazed at how much brighter they were - easily as good as our modern hatchback fitted with halogens. I even had to adjust them properly for the first time. I'm sure halogens would be even better now but don't dismiss the sealed beams out of hand, they can be better than you think.

[johnsimister]

Brian,
Very interested to see a 7" round light with a freeform lens and the beam control in the reflector. Has anyone tried these and do they give noticably better performance?

Autoexpress test bulb performance regulalry and Philips bulbs seem to be the current champs although I use Osram +50% in my alfa and tehy are very good. Again, it seems that bulb technology has eveolved rapidly in recent years.

Mike.

I fitted Wipac headlights with clear plastic lenses and complex-surface reflectors. They are excellent, as good as many a modern car's headlights.

John

[Galwaylotus]

Just a few words in support of the std sealed beams. I also thought they were sub standard and that halogen was the way to go until I reworked the earths and converted to an alternator earlier in the year. The first time I went out at night after this I was amazed at how much brighter they were - easily as good as our modern hatchback fitted with halogens. I even had to adjust them properly for the first time. I'm sure halogens would be even better now but don't dismiss the sealed beams out of hand, they can be better than you think.

. . . but still not as good as halogens. I replaced the sealed beams on my Mini with halogens -no other changes - and the difference was significant. I'll be doing the same to my S3.

[69S4]

I'm sure you're right and the car would benefit from a change to halogens now but I've already been round the upgrade cycle twice in the past when the car was running a dynamo and noticed very little improvement. First time used a set of Cibie Z beams. I'd been really impressed with the difference it had made putting one into my Honda GoldWing, but it made very little difference in the Elan. Bulb life was short as well and the sealed beams went back in when one of the halogen bulbs blew just before I was going for an MOT.

A couple of years later, convinced the halogens must be better, I put in a set of Wipac replacements. Same result, hardly any difference and the bulbs started blowing again (one or two each winter). The sealed beams (the same ones) went back in when the Wipac reflectors started rusting a few years later.

I'm pretty certain the problem was low voltage from the dynamo underrunning the halogen bulbs, something that doesn't seem to bother the sealed beams. Since changing to an alternator I've noticed the line voltage with the headlights on is about 1.5V higher - something the halogen bulbs would be happier with. I probably will do yet another upgrade sometime as soon as I can face chipping the paint on the headlamp pods getting the rim off.


Stuart

[neilsjuke]

Cibie headlamps (Valeo ) as fitted to my Sprint work very well with the Xpower bulbs
Neil






http://www.motoscope.co.uk/lighting.htm

082441

[Emma-Knight]

I found to my surprise my car has Ampilux fitted(almost all its life, as spray shades show). The previous owners had no idea both bulbs (high and low beam) need to be lighted when on high beam... so it was always dark in front of the car when running on high beam
Apart from beeing nice headlamps they look funny when on low beam

I have now finished to rebuild the wiring loom back to original. Just need to add a low beam relais for the special Ampilux setup.
Unfortunately its very cold outside to run the car

Anna (also likes sealed beam lights)