Converting headlights

[Dal]

Started putting the electrics back in and it's come to the headlights. She's a yank left hooker so I bought the JK RHD headlight kit ( I know a mistake) Anyway what I want to know do I also need to swap the headlight holders/retainers. I know I have to chop the holder bowl to allow for the sidelight, but surely the bowls will pull the wrong way no matter how far you screw them out and slacken the spring :?

 

[67panel]

for US busses you need late bay headlamp units(also mk1 golf) as they fit in with 3self tapping screws ,and the side light holders .just feed sde light wire through and make new earth.simple.

 

[Dal]

Right so I do need to change the headlight retainers then, Ill try GSF tomorrow then if I get back early enough.
Thanks for your reply 67panel

 

[Heebee_GB]

Anyone know of a fool proof guide for converting US headlights?

Thanks

Gary

 

[Harlequin]

^^^ in tech "how too's"^^^
http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8176" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and
http://www.stainsby.force9.co.uk/uswiring.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Heebee_GB]

Cheers Quinny!

 

[Guest]

Jon has a point that you don't need to do so much work. You can run the brake light from the master cylinder, obviously this is where the signal comes from once you put your foot on the brake. The indicator feed can be rewired from the original to the reversing units which are clear, just replace the bulb with amber ones. You will need a length of wire and its under the bus. ill try to mark the terminal numbers. You will also need some double spade connectors to make things easy.

Im actually planning to drill two super bright amber leds into each of these units so i can run both reversing lights and indicators. I found some super bright LEDs that have a built-in resistors so the flash will be at the same speed as normal. I'll have lots left over so ill try to put a tutorial together. I want to keep the original housing so wont be doing any of this till i can find some replacement units to drill. In the mean time ill be doing what Jon did. Ill try to take some pictures as it might not be clear.

In short, the rewiring of the headlights are as the tutorial, but its simpler and cheaper to keep the US spec lenses and housing and run the indicators to the reversing light units and swap the bulbs to amber @60p each.

 

[Heebee_GB]

That's great Johnny. Cheers mate. Any pics/tutorials will be appreciated for a ham fisted plum like me. :lol:

 

[Graham L]

Unless you take the feed off the hazard for the rear lights it can cause problems with the rear lights flashing when the indicators are on etc, I've tried it both ways taking from the brake light switch and from the hazard switch and have found the hazard switch route is more reliable, whichever way you do it you still need to run a wire from the front of the bus to the rear.

Gary are you going to tackle this yourself now then?

 

[Heebee_GB]

Thanks all.

Yes Graham going to have a crack at this as I'm off on paternity leave at the minute. It'll end in tears but my funds have totally dried up. (got a bit carried away with buying shiney bits!) :mrgreen:

 

[Heebee_GB]

Just reading through the how too's. It says:

"Remove the US sealed beam units, either keep the headlight rims and use H4 sealed beams from a 73- bug or MK1 golf or like I did fit UK spec Beetle (or bus) headlights."

Now does anyone know where to get H4 sealed beams or UK spec headlights. (I take it these are like rocking horse poop)
I've phoned around the local scrappys asking for H4 sealed beams for a mk1 golf but no one what I'm on about. I don't want to buy a whole headlamp unit like there offering if its not needed.
Am I saying the wrong thing?

 

[Guest]

Ask for Golf MK1 lights from GSF, they are about £40 for a pair.

 

[Graham L]

You need single screw late bay lights from either JK, M7 or VWH. These literally bolt straight in, don't forget you need sidelamp holders and bulbs to go with these. It's really easy doing it this way and the lights/ bulbs etc cost approx £80 for genuine new hella units and h4 lamps


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[Analog]

H4 sealed beam
http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=798&osCsid=af2be0cf616de10cd66489ba20cffdd3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and halogen pair
http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=735&osCsid=af2be0cf616de10cd66489ba20cffdd3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

halogen with sidelights
http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1801&osCsid=9d0623fc1dde91fe62c6f1eb5624c468" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

prices exclude VAT and delivery, but still cheap. and are all wipac

 

[Graham L]

Not being funny but none of these fit without major surgery to your existing holder, ie you need to attack it with an angle grinder or similar if you want to fit sidelights into your headlamp assembly if you just use sealed beam units. JK offer a US headlamp conversion kit but fail to tell you this important fact, the existing units just dont have the clearance for a sidelight to be fitted as they never needed it in the US,

 

[jaybeeonline]

I have a set of RHD Hella units that I no longer need if you are interested, as they bolt straight on and have the sidelights built into them. They are complete except for the electrical terminals on the back.



J.

 

[Analog]

Not being funny but none of these fit without major surgery to your existing holder, ie you need to attack it with an angle grinder or similar if you want to fit sidelights into your headlamp assembly if you just use sealed beam units. JK offer a US headlamp conversion kit but fail to tell you this important fact, the existing units just dont have the clearance for a sidelight to be fitted as they never needed it in the US,

i didnt say they wouldnt, the ones without sidelights in will fit straight into US buses, but like you say the sidelight one will need an extra wire running, i wouldnt say it was major surgery

he asked where you would get H4 sealed beams. i showed him.

 

[Heebee_GB]

Cheers gents for all your replies. As ever it much appreciated.

Jaybee you have a pm.

 

[Graham L]

i didnt say they wouldnt, the ones without sidelights in will fit straight into US buses, but like you say the sidelight one will need an extra wire running, i wouldnt say it was major surgery

he asked where you would get H4 sealed beams. i showed him.

Sorry, I wasn't having a go its just I know a few people that have been caught out trying to fit sealed beam units with sidelights into the existing holder, its not just a wire its the fact that the sidelamp actually fouls the old housing which needs to be cut away to clear it and if you are not careful you end up with a wonky light set up.

Like I say sorry if the tone came across wrong that wasn't the intention, more trying to stop people having a problem getting them to fit,

 

[six]

would it be legal to run clear front indicator lenses. and have a orange and clear bulb in there? just save side lights in the main light?

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