Head Light

[Malsprint]

This is a photo of the head light from the outside edge. You can see it has a small bulb as well as the main large bulb. The small bulb is not connected and there doesnt appear to be any wiring in the loom to connect to.

I am guessing that this is the wrong headlight. Probably from a model that doesnt have a separate side/parking lights.

Can anybody shed any light on the issue!!!

[cleverusername]

It is not the wrong headlight, it is just a generic aftermarket replacement for the fixed beam 5 3/4 ones. The extra bulb is just a sidelight which you don't really need on a Dolly but you could wire up. I have them on my car, I got them when sealed beams were NLA.

The bigger issue is whether the previous owner bothered to convert the wiring to relays. If they haven't the headlight stalk could burn out with more modern lights.

If you don't like them, just buy some original sealed beam units, which are available now

[Carledo]

You have it exactly correct, the headlamp is designed to work with an integrated sidelight. I have a pair of similar Hella halogen (flat front) bulbed type headlamps that I have fitted to the Dolomega. They were sold (on ebay) as being for a TVR of some sort but the same size as what I needed so I bought them.

There is no need to do anything about the sidelight fitment, you can leave it as is with total impunity, it won't contravene the MOT or any C+U requirements.

Personally I chose to use the sidelight fittings in the headlights and delete the bulbs from the separate sidelight assemblies. this gave me larger, brighter sidelights that are nearer the outside edge of the car, along with the ability to reverse the indicator lamps, so the indicator is outboard, fit orange bulbs and smoked clear lenses for a more homogenous look. It also means the indicators may be seen from the side of the car, always an advantage when the standard car has no side repeater indicators (I have these too!)

There IS a very good reason why the standard sidelights are positioned counterintuitively as they are, that being the C+U reg stipulating a maximum distance the sidelight may be from the outside edge of the car. Putting the indicator light outboard as many have done, either by accident or design (guilty of the latter milord) leaves the sidelight too far inboard and therefore in contravention of C+U regs.

To be absolutely fair, I don't know of anyone, ever, who has been stopped or booked for a contravention of this rule and I think it's highly unlikely that most members of the traffic division are aware of the rule, let alone the exact measurement allowed! And are even more unlikely to be carrying a tape measure to check! I just subscribe to the theory that it's always better to know what the rules are before you go out and break them!

Steve

EDIT, C+U AND MOT regs say you should only have 2 "obligatory front lamps" 1 each side and spaced symetrically. So if you DO choose to light the headlamps you SHOULD delete the original sidelight bulbs.

[Malsprint]

Thanks for the explanations.

Relays are fitted. So thats one less thing to worry about.

[soe8m]

Thanks for the explanations.

Relays are fitted. So thats one less thing to worry about.

But you do have the worst replacements that you can buy. The autopal brand is most of the time a downgrade.

Jeroen

[xvivalve]

Somewhere, I have a pair of NOS indicator only ‘sidelights’ with complete orange lenses if anyone wants to run the side lights in the headlights like this?

[Carledo]

Somewhere, I have a pair of NOS indicator only ‘sidelights’ with complete orange lenses if anyone wants to run the side lights in the headlights like this?

If you find them, i'll have them!

Steve

[Carledo]

Thanks for the explanations.

Relays are fitted. So thats one less thing to worry about.

But you do have the worst replacements that you can buy. The autopal brand is most of the time a downgrade.

Jeroen

What Jeroen said, ^^^^^ Autopal are pretty rubbish. My 2 Hella outers (without bulbs) cost more than a set of 4 Autopals (with bulbs) but the difference in light output and focus clarity is enormous. And i'm only using the stock 472 H4 bulbs, (55/65w) For inners, i'm using a pair of 2nd hand Lucas flat front outers that I think came from Jon Tilson's stock. I'm running them with 472 twin filament bulbs, but with only the main beams connected.

Steve

[naskeet]

You have it exactly correct, the headlamp is designed to work with an integrated sidelight. I have a pair of similar Hella halogen (flat front) bulbed type headlamps that I have fitted to the Dolomega.

There is no need to do anything about the sidelight fitment, you can leave it as is with total impunity, it won't contravene the MOT or any C+U requirements.

Personally I chose to use the sidelight fittings in the headlights and delete the bulbs from the separate sidelight assemblies. this gave me larger, brighter sidelights that are nearer the outside edge of the car, along with the ability to reverse the indicator lamps, so the indicator is outboard, fit orange bulbs and smoked clear lenses for a more homogenous look. It also means the indicators may be seen from the side of the car, always an advantage when the standard car has no side repeater indicators (I have these too!)

There IS a very good reason why the standard sidelights are positioned counterintuitively as they are, that being the C+U reg stipulating a maximum distance the sidelight may be from the outside edge of the car. Putting the indicator light outboard as many have done, either by accident or design (guilty of the latter milord) leaves the sidelight too far inboard and therefore in contravention of C+U regs.

To be absolutely fair, I don't know of anyone, ever, who has been stopped or booked for a contravention of this rule and I think it's highly unlikely that most members of the traffic division are aware of the rule, let alone the exact measurement allowed! And are even more unlikely to be carrying a tape measure to check! I just subscribe to the theory that it's always better to know what the rules are before you go out and break them!

Steve

EDIT, C+U AND MOT regs say you should only have 2 "obligatory front lamps" 1 each side and spaced symmetrically. So if you DO choose to light the headlamps you SHOULD delete the original sidelight bulbs.

My 1974 Triumph Toledo's, generic rectangular Lucas "Brighteyes" quartz-halogen headlamps (substituted in August 1976) also have provision for 4W or 5W sidelight bulbs at the bottom.

I too like to know what the rules are before making "significant" modifications to my vehicles. Some people seem to be oblivious to there actually being any rules at all, yet alone know what they are!

This was why in 1984, I contacted the Department of Transport, RAC Technical & Legal Departments, and the husband (i.e. Essex Police Traffic Division instructor) of my father's secretary, to find out what headlamp, fog lamp & auxiliary driving lamp wattage upgrades would be permitted for the 1974 Triumph Toledo & 1973 VW Type 2 motor-caravan; the latter of which I substituted 100/80W H4 bulbs with P45t flanges.

I think the front "sidelights" are now officially described as "front position lamps".

[TrustNo1]

Y

EDIT, C+U AND MOT regs say you should only have 2 "obligatory front lamps" 1 each side and spaced symetrically. So if you DO choose to light the headlamps you SHOULD delete the original sidelight bulbs.

MOT and UK C&U regs are not applicable in America so the OP would need to check the regs for the state he lives in.

[naskeet]

Y

EDIT, C+U AND MOT regs say you should only have 2 "obligatory front lamps" 1 each side and spaced symetrically. So if you DO choose to light the headlamps you SHOULD delete the original sidelight bulbs.

MOT and UK C&U regs are not applicable in America so the OP would need to check the regs for the state he lives in.

The USA seem to have some strange lighting regulations, including the requirement to have amber sidelights, which would be illegal here in Great Britain and legality of H4 quartz-halogen headlamps [available in Great Britain since circa 1971 ] still seems uncertain; even of the European right-hand dipping variety. It seems that some traffic police in the USA throw a spat, if headlamp lenses don't have the moulded-glass alignment tabs for their bizarre mechanical alignment equipment, rather than the superior British & European optical alignment equipment.

I know of some people in the USA, who retro-fit 7 inch diameter, H4 quartz-halogen, European right-hand dipping headlamps to their 1968~79 VW Type 2s and substitute small BA9 quartz-halogen bulbs in the integral sidelight bulb holders as "city lights".

[TrustNo1]

The USA seem to have some strange lighting regulations, including the requirement to have amber sidelights, which would be illegal here in Great Britain

I have amber side lights on my volvo as do most other UK sold volvos. they are not illegal in the UK.
you do need white 'position lights' for MOT tho.

[Carledo]

There were a load of Spitfire and GT6 wings/fenders/quarters going around a few years ago (OK maybe 30 years ago) that were US export stock. They were dirt cheap because they had extra holes in them for US market "side marker lamps" filling in the hole was worth the extra effort because they were so cheap. Or, in the case of the GT6,N/S/R wing, available! Nowadays you can get remanufactured UK market panels and the need isn't there, but I fitted quite a few back in the day.

TR6s had the amber front side marker lights, but robbed of the bulb, so they were only a reflector, but you could easily sub in an American lamp and use the bulb with the indicators for UK cars.

The Stag has a front "side marker light" converted this way to an indicator repeater (US Stags got a red rear one that wasn't there on UK cars, as did US TR6s)

MOST American cars, at least from the 50s to the 80s, have a front sidelight that doubles as an indicator and usually has a white lens, likewise the rear lenses are entirely red, including the indicators. What we call side lights and the MOT calls "position lights" our transatlantic cousins call "parking lights" For the very good reason that you aren't supposed to drive ONLY on "sidelights" they are for parking on unlit roads after dark. Side marker lights, which I believe were introduced in the late 60s, are for driving with and come on with the headlights automatically. Different light, different colours different purpose!

UK market car makers usually make some token attempt for the sidelights to be visible from the side of the car, making side marker lights un-necessary.

The amber side markers on Volvos is just Volvo standardisation, they are not usually illuminable on european market models.

Steve

[xvivalve]

Somewhere, I have a pair of NOS indicator only ‘sidelights’ with complete orange lenses if anyone wants to run the side lights in the headlights like this?

If you find them, i'll have them!

Steve

Guess what I forgot to show you yesterday?

[naskeet]

The USA seem to have some strange lighting regulations, including the requirement to have amber sidelights, which would be illegal here in Great Britain

I have amber side lights on my volvo as do most other UK sold volvos. they are not illegal in the UK.

You do need white 'position lights' for MOT tho.

Do you mean amber "side lights" or amber "side-marker lights". To the best of my knowledge, the white lights that probably most British drivers describe as side lights, whether located within the headlamp units or a separate lamp housing, are now officially described as "front-position lamps"?

In the UK, one can have amber front & rear side-market lights. I recall various UK registered Rolls Royce cars from the 1970s, having white front side-marker lights and red rear side-marker lights. I certainly recall British registered Volvo 200-Series cars having red rear side-marker lights, of which I have some in my sale/barter cum future-projects box!

Based upon my long-term experience with 1968~79 VW Type 2 Transporters, it appears that side-marker lights were introduced in the USA during the early-1970s.