ahebron Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Anyone else experience issues with fitting semi sealed Lucas H4 and H1 headlights to their Vitesse? I am having issues with the headlight mounting tabs lining up with the cutouts in the mounting rings. Nothing a Dremel wont fix but interested if others have had this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Not a Vitesse but a club member here had issues on his Stag as the club permit officer (defecto reg here for classic cars) a friend and self refused to sign his annual CP renewal cause his headlights didn’t align properly cause cheap Chinese head lights with moulded location lugs in wrong places he cut new notch’s on the steel seating ring. Also failed him with worn out pedal rubbers to much water absorbed in brake fluid and cracked rear lenses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 yes the three location lugs have one of the three moved half a slot its pretty common to cut and widen one slot on the mounting ring i dont know why this happened but on my Vit6 back in the past found this so yes its common but a small cut witha blade and widen works Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 In the case of the Stag the headlight in dip mode shone up blinding on coming cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 I also found the locating lugs aren't right on some new units, though I wasn't entirely sure whether part of the problem was fitting H1 inners on a car that originally took sealed beam, because the H4 outers seemed not so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Peter Truman said: In the case of the Stag the headlight in dip mode shone up blinding on coming cars My Vitesse-bonnet Herald was the same, the passenger-side (N/S) headlamp pointed up to the sky. I managed to get it through MOT by loosening the top screws so that it protruded further outwards at the top but shone horizontally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishawley Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Yup, same thing with Halogen H4's on Spit/GT6. Eventually sussed that 7 inchers are not universal 'fit all' - and the lug arrangements may be slightly different depending on vehicle (e.g. Jag XJ6 or Mini). Suspect many sellers are unaware of these subtleties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 14 minutes ago, chrishawley said: Yup, same thing with Halogen H4's on Spit/GT6. Eventually sussed that 7 inchers are not universal 'fit all' - and the lug arrangements may be slightly different depending on vehicle (e.g. Jag XJ6 or Mini). Suspect many sellers are unaware of these subtleties. This was something to overcome back in the day; many suppliers sold 'one-size-fits-all' light units, which didn't, particularly those sold for Minis. I don't think it's as bad now but there are still some out there, so you need to confirm the application. When owners were using the VW Golf or Polo headlamps they fitted the circumference and were a good beam pattern, plus they took a modern bulb, but required some of the lugs being ground off. If there's any danger of them rotating away from the correct plane a dab of sealant will hold them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted July 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Thanks for the replies. Dont have the option of car specific for these headlights in NZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 4, 2022 Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 Don't know if I've just been lucky but the sealed beam headlights & dips I've brought over the years here in Aus for the 2500 saloon, Spits, Vitesse & Sprint (2) have always been OK ie locating molds fit and beam alignment OK checked against garage doors, maybe Holden's and Falcons were the same as Triumphs? There again I've never brought aftermarket Chinese & still have a few spares new and old. Hey the first Sprint I brought my daughter at 16 had aircraft landing lights (relayed) for the main beam lights, they were great but had to be changed for it's roadworthy, the PO had 4 small aircraft, unknown to me she refitted them,. The son brought 100Watt Halogen headlight bulbs for his Alfa 33 to replace the 45W originals (I still have them), then wondered why the lights dimmed at the stop lights? I removed them quickly and gave him a lesson in car electrics, fires & Italian cars. He learnt something from the lesson, as when I gave the now ex daughter in law a year old Lancer Coupe which for some reason frequently blew it's rear tail lights he fitted 24volt truck bulbs? stopped the blowing of the lights but they were very very dim, I noticed them following him home one night! It's a bug++r when you have one daughter who's an Aero Space Engineer, and a son who I describe as technically challenged, he initially apprenticed as an Aircraft mechanic (main experience on air frames & controls) and flew all over Vic servicing small aircraft, gawd help us. The wife never understood why I paid for his flying lessons but would NOT go up with him! I used to reply I've been in a car with him where I can get out & walk, but up there he's totally in control! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted July 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 I am checking the headlights for level (horizontal vertical not intensity) The lenses have a wee arrow that points to the top, if I pass a line vertically down the glass should this be a vertical reference that I could use with a spirit level or such like? Thanks Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted July 4, 2022 Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 The only time Ive seen arrows on headlamps is to show dip side as in RHD or LHD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 5, 2022 Report Share Posted July 5, 2022 9 hours ago, johny said: The only time Ive seen arrows on headlamps is to show dip side as in RHD or LHD... True; the arrows should be horizontal unless they're a modern variation that really do point to the top. Some lenses will say 'top' at the... top... but the beam pattern is usually straight up and down and any writing is horizontal, so check where any letters are on the glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted July 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2022 My solution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 9, 2022 Report Share Posted July 9, 2022 Talking to my mate with the fleet of classics incl a Tr4, he had the same problem of head/dip light mounting mis-alignment, he found the problem to be the headlight steel bucket being incorrectly installed/located the wires passing through the bucket at its bottom (logical) whereas the correct way is tho the top of the bucket!! Checked my Vitesse there thro the top of the headlight bucket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 9, 2022 Report Share Posted July 9, 2022 The sealed beams that I removed were moulded and fitted into the slots. The replacements were with H4's on the Outers and I tweaked the metal 'Tags' carefully with flat 'Spoonbill' pliars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted July 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2022 On 05/07/2022 at 10:14, johny said: The only time Ive seen arrows on headlamps is to show dip side as in RHD or LHD... Photos of arrows at the top of Lucas branded headlights, this is the H4 lens And yes it also has the dip side pointing arrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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