Driving lamps

Post by **Martinbrown** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:59 pm

I am looking for these for my 1960 Conv. Any direction or comments most appreciated. Original (or brighter, I am not sure) the better.
Martin

Post by **Matt** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:29 pm

If you had asked a few weeks ago.....

Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:20 am

If you're feeling flush, Holden Vintage and Classic sell original (and I believe reproduction) Lucas Fog and Spot lights. A bit like these:

If you're going to the Great British Autojumble at the NEC on the weekend, there's a company (whose name I've forgotten, but are based around Ledbury-ish) who sell the repro ones. That's where I got mine from.

IIRC, they are around the 55w mark, and although they might not be qute as bright as modern halogen thingies, but if you put Halogen headlamps in as well, night driving becomes much easier!

One thing I'd say is, don't bother with the spot light. Get two fog lights, fit them with a relay (and use them only in fog or poor visibility, obviously). The spot light is quite useful for lighting up trees at the side of the road or perhaps a road-sign or two, but as for giving any useable light, it's quite useless... Looks good, though

Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:06 am

I disagree there gareth! I put a spot and a fog on over xmas, and I think the spot makes quite a difference (I am running halogen lights)! Also, ebay is well worth a look, I got my original ones for just over £20 inc p+p where HV&C want about £40 each....

Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:12 pm

I think the spot makes quite a difference

Well, maybe it depends on the type of driving you do... Although I've probably still got to fine-tune the aim of mine - as the is no prism to the lens, the light comes out in a beam, and being unshielded, it's the same as the main-beams. Main beam halogens are better than the spot light I've got, although I don't often use it... I reckon the Lucas ones look the business, although the spot light is a case of style over substance. Who knows, maybe it'll get stonechipped or something, and I'll have to replace the bulb (at forty quid, according to HV&C... Hmm..... perhaps not then...

;) ).

However - best thing ever, is a fog-light angled eversoslightly kerbside to allow you to 'see' around corners!

And Vauxhall reckon it's new... ;) 'course that was when my commute took me out in the lovely leafy lanes, which it now doesn't.

£40 each

Which ones were you looking at, Matt, cos if you got a pair of original / original-style Lucas ones, Holden are currently selling them at the (vastly inflated, IMO) price of £97.40 and I don't think that includes VAT or postage.... eeep

If it's the Lumax ones, you might have more use out of the Driving Lamp, because it is precisely that. A spot-lamp gives a torch-like beam to highlight features, while a driving lamp would be an auxilliary lamp to supplement the headlamps. I should think. Probably. I don't know, but the lens on the Lumax definitely looks slightly fluted in the centre, which would help concentrate the beam. And it's £37.00 (+ post and tax). Sounds like time for an ebay trawl, doesn't it?

Sorry, I'm rambling again...

Got any photos of your new lamps then? Might help Martin make his mind up?

Post by **Matt** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 1:02 pm

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 7937100784

I sold these not so long ago..... I do have some pics of the ones on my car but not here..... (but they are the same type)

Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 2:14 pm

Oho! Groovy...

Post by **57traveller** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:21 pm

[quote="Gareth
And Vauxhall reckon it's new... ;)[/quote]

If I'm not mistaken, the Citroen DS has swivelling headlamps along with probably others too.
So nothings rarely new except for the gullible car buying public.

Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:30 pm

the Citroen DS

Indeed it did, and there was a Rolls Royce circa 1927 IIRC, on which the coachbuilders mounted a spotlamp that would swivel with the front wheels thanks to a series of rods connecting it with the steering gear!

Post by **wanderinstar** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:23 pm

Vehicle Wiring Products do a pair of Classic driving lamps at £30.28 per pair [2003 catalogue] which dont look too bad. They are in Ilkeston Derbyshire E- Mail sales@vehicleproducts.co.uk

Post by **Multiphonikks** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 9:32 pm

oh come now guys... some of us still have to rely on candles when it's horribly wet and windy, it's the rush hour, and you can't see anything for the on-coming traffic dazzling you...

*Won't somebody buy me some?!*

Post by **guydenning** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:26 pm

get thee down to the autojumbles girl... i used to have one of those rechargeable aicraft spotting lights to announce to all the ravers what field we had a sound system set up in... i always fancied one of those for an older car when the oncoming herberts didn't bother to dip their lights.... get that foul beemer owner

Post by **57traveller** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:53 am

wanderinstar wrote:Vehicle Wiring Products do a pair of Classic driving lamps at £30.28 per pair [2003 catalogue] which dont look too bad. They are in Ilkeston Derbyshire E- Mail sales@vehicleproducts.co.uk

I have a pair of these fitted to my Traveller. Made by Wipac and they are very good. The chrome is still perfect after three years exposure but is protected by wax polish. Switched through a relay which, to comply with regulations, is energised by headlight supply.

Post by **Matt** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:29 am

so what are the regulations regarding spot/fog lights?

Post by **ColinP** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:42 pm

According to my interpretation of "the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 "

http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/s ... 6_en_1.htm

Fog lamps may be used in conditions of "reduced visibility" with or without the simultaneous use of headlights.

They must be mounted no higher than 1200mm and within 400 mm of the edge of the vehicle. For cars first used on or after 1st April 1991 there must be no more than 2 fog lights. (and I think that if you turn off the headlights & use only the fog lights, you'll need 2 fog lights).

There are also requirements about the angle of the beams (3 degrees below horizontal or more) - so no searchlights pointing directly in the beemer's front window (unless you have one!).

Interestingly enough, there's no minimum height for headlights, and no maximum for fog lights. The information I've gathered over the years is that head-lights are better when high (up to 1200 mm!), fog lights are better when low down (less scatter into the driver's eyes).
(certainly much easier driving in our Colt in fog with foglights & sidelights than headlights).

I'd recommend reading the original if you have problems - there are a lot of exceptions (e.g. vehicles with only 1 dipping headlight; with 1 stop light) but I don't think that applies to the post war Minor.

Oh yes, and swivelling driving lights are permitted - provided they are linked to the movement of the steering gear!

Colin

Post by **57traveller** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:20 pm

Driving lights (not fog) must only be used in conjunction with headlights on main beam and have to be wired accordingly.

Post by **Matt** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:22 pm

yey! thats how mine are wired

(without me knowing the regs!)

Post by **bigginger** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:31 pm

BMW drivers, apparently, are exempt from that law and may use driving or fog lamps whenever they like.
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Post by **simmitc** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:35 pm

So the question is, how come we're seeing so many modern boxes driving around with factory fitted driving lamps that operate oon dip beam?

Post by **bigginger** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:38 pm

I'd always assumed thy'd been altered deliberately, 'cos it's been illegal in this country for a long time, and I can't believe any manufacturer making cars for this country would so do - I'd've thought construction and use regs would've put paid to that.
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