Sourcing Main Beam Headlamps

[ab2cv]

I am having real problems trying to source new headlamps for my car. Think I've been posting in the wrong location see here -> http://www.lotuselancentral.com/forum/v ... php?t=9661

Update to the above after speaking to someone at Paul Mattys :- They believe that the original headlamps should be CIBIE. Mine appear to be LUCAS. Does this mean that someone has altered mine from standard at some point? The problem is that the new CIBIE lights from Lotus don't come with the mounting ring. Therefore my mechanic (Kenny Brown) is trying to transfer the mounting ring over from the existing lights but says that they WILL NOT fit. Paul Mattys have also told me that the mounting ring for the CIBIES have been made obsolete by Lotus (the ones for the inner lights, which are the ones I need).

Basically my car needs two new Main Beam (inner) headlamps in order to pass an MOT. Meanwhile it sits in the garage who may not have space to keep it. I've ordered lights from SJS and Kenny has returned them saying there is NO WAY they'll fit. SJS get the parts direct from Lotus. So does everyone else including Paul Matty. Therefore if I order from somewhere else I'm going to get the same parts and Kenny is going to say the same thing. i.e. they wont fit my car.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on and/or offer a solution? I guess I either need to try and source identical replacements for the LUCAS lights that are on the car or order the CIBIES from PM and then try and source some 2nd hand mounting rings (?)

Alan

[Monty]

Bloody hell your having a right nightmare!

Can`t help much but just wondering why it`s failed on the Main beam? can understand if it was the dipped beam as these are your driving lights
If it`s failed on the pattern of the beam is it not possible just stick a rag in there and give it a clean? I had to do that to one of mine as it fills up with water just like a goldfish bowl lol.

[ab2cv]

[quote="Monty"]
Can't help much but just wondering why it's failed on the Main beam? [quote]

The reflector surface at the back has coroded (probably from water getting in like yours!). They were a bit rusty when I bought the car but I guess it's got worse and that for MOT purposes it'll be a percentage area of reflectiveness or something daft. Like you say, it's annoying coz it's not even like it's the driving lamps.

I've started trying to look for alternatives to the Lotus CIBIE parts as it doesn't look like these will fit unless anybody has got the mounting rings they could sell me (or even the complete units if they're in better condition than mine?). Do the ones on this page look like they'd fit?
http://www.classic-car-accessories.co.u ... QgoduBYGKw
Suppose it depends on what make they are. In the meantime I think I'll keep looking for generic LUCAS 5.75" lamps and see what I find.

(like these? http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod/sealed-beam.html )


Alan

[Paul.P]

Alan, i think Dave Eds has just had new headlights, & it was done at GST Performance. I'm sure if you give them a ring ( 01638 661144 ), ask for Gerald & mention us, he will be able to advise you & even supply with any parts required ?.

[ab2cv]

Thanks Paul, I'll give him a ring right now and see what he says.

Alan

[theelanman]

Ive used Stafford Vehicle Co before....
very helpful.....have you spoken to them yet.....
I bet the lucas ones will fit.....

[Benmac]

Do you need the plastic ring that goes on the back of the light or the metal bit on the front? I think they come as one part and having spoken to SJ myself I know they're hard to come by.

If it is the metal bit I may have an idea. When refurbing my lights one of the metal rings was badly corroded. I ended up cutting the rust out and filling the hole. Looks fine and is strong enough and as you can't see it no problem. However, while digging around for a solution a mate suggested getting a ring from an old triumph, MG etc as the method of two rings back and front is fairly typical of classic british stuff. I bought a ring for a stag from Rimmer brothers and its the rights size except the tabs for the screws to go through are incorrectly placed. Its nothing that some who can braze couldn't sort though by cutting them off and relocating.

I'm surprised the new lights don't fit as whilst there is a keyway on the plastic bit that matches notches on the light I would have thought these could be modified to fit as long as there was still some means of making sure the light stayed the right way up.

[Dave Eds]

Alan, i think Dave Eds has just had new headlights, & it was done at GST Performance. I'm sure if you give them a ring ( 01638 661144 ), ask for Gerald & mention us, he will be able to advise you & even supply with any parts required ?.

Did too

Think they were the dipped beams (outer) though Paul, but guess Alan has spoken to Gerald by now. Still, if anyone knows........that'll be Gerald

[ab2cv]

Alan, i think Dave Eds has just had new headlights, & it was done at GST Performance. I'm sure if you give them a ring ( 01638 661144 ), ask for Gerald & mention us, he will be able to advise you & even supply with any parts required ?.

Did too

Think they were the dipped beams though Paul, but guess Alan has spoken to Gerald by now. Still, if anyone knows........that'll be Gerald

Spoke to Gerald, who I can say was extremely helpful, and has helped fill in a few missing pieces in the puzzle for me.

Firstly, it appears that Lotus used a mixture of CIBIE and LUCAS units over the years. The part numbers of each (for the main beam units) are
A100M6099F (LUCAS)
A100M6090F (CIBIE)

The problem I am having is down to the fact that the LUCAS units were made obsolete on 24/01/06. The CIBIE units are still available from Lotus, but will not fit the car unless I get the mounting rings for the CIBIES which come separately. However, these were also made obsolete at the same time as the LUCAS lamps. Go figure.

Therefore, I need to either
1)Try and cross reference the Lucas units that I have to a generic Lucas part number and source them that way or
2)Try and source some mountings for the CIBIE lamps from a car being broken up for spares.

I'm not really sure what this mounting ring is, or what the issue is exactly because the garage where I have the car, is 50 miles away. I've been dealing with this problem remotely via the phone, getting parts sent directly to the garage. If it weren't for the fact my MOT has expired already it wouldn't be such a problem. Hmmm that'll teach me to get it in BEFORE its due to expire in future!

Alan

[Dave Eds]

Dave T broke his old car recently

[ab2cv]

I just called a breakers yard who had Elans in. All the lamps the guy had were of CIBIE for the outer lens and LUCAS for the inner lens. Great, I said, give me two of the LUCAS ones.....until he told me that he wanted £50 + vat for them and they're already starting to rust on the outside (looking at the pics he emailed me). I politely told him I'd think about it.

I'm going to phone LUCAS tomorrow with some details (dimensions and numbers that are written on the lens) and see if they can match it to a generic part.

In the meantime, I'll start sniffing around here to see who's been breaking Elans that might have the adapter ring for the inner CIBIE.

Alan

[paulrwebster]

Alan
I have some right hand drive lights that you can have, my car spent some time ex-patting in Frankfurt. Maybe you could stick the lenses from your lights to the reflectors? (or fit them upside down )
For reference, they are Helle 1A3 002 850 - 00

[ab2cv]

Alan
I have some right hand drive lights that you can have, my car spent some time ex-patting in Frankfurt. Maybe you could stick the lenses from your lights to the reflectors? (or fit them upside down )
For reference, they are Helle 1A3 002 850 - 00

Paul, thanks, that's a really kind offer. Let me see how I get on with Lucas tomorrow and I'll let you know. I presume that these Hellas either come with mounting brackets or slot into the existing brackets?

Alan

[paulrwebster]

I don't know how they fit, Alan, they were in the boot when I bought the car, but if they are of any use I will post them to you.

[M100 TWO]

Club Lotus are doing a kit for the facelift Esprit which consists of lamps bulbs adjusters and carriers I should imagine they are the same as the Elan I cant see them doing two types of development for the lights might be worth a call tel 01362 691144
john

[ab2cv]

Club Lotus are doing a kit for the facelift Esprit which consists of lamps bulbs adjusters and carriers I should imagine they are the same as the Elan I cant see them doing two types of development for the lights might be worth a call tel 01362 691144
john

Just spoke to Club Lotus who then pointed me towards the Lotus factory. I then spoke to Chris Brown at the Lotus Factory, who told me they've never tested fitting the Esprit lights to an Elan but is pretty sure that they wouldn't fit (or at least the mounting brackets wouldn't).

He did tell me that Lotus started out using the CIBIE lights on the Elan but then changed to the LUCAS ones later on, so I guess potentially all the later SE and all S2 cars will have them. He also told me though, that they only ever made one bracket, so both types of lamp are still expected to fit the same bracket, potentially with a bit of fettling.

I'm off to my local Lucas (LSUK) dealer tomorrow morning, headlamp in hand, so will see how I get on. Failing that, it might just be a case of modifying the brackets to take the CIBIES.

Alan

[M100 TWO]

Alan my S2 has Cebies as dip and Lucas as main if that is any help

[ab2cv]

Allen my S2 has Cebies as dip and Lucas as main if that is any help

Exactly the same as what I have, so very useful to have this confirmed, thanks John.

Fingers crossed I can source a direct replacement for the LUCAS units tomorrow.

Alan

[ab2cv]

Just got back from LSUK in Glasgow. Walked into the place clutching my old Lucas headlamp and asked the guy at the counter to match it to something that they stocked. I was immediately told that I wouldn't get a Lucas lamp because 'Lucas' no longer exist as a company and therefore their lamps are manufactured no more (why could no-one else tell me this?). Anyway, after a bit of persuasion (the guy was less than helpful), I got him to search for an equivelant lamp from a different manufacturer. He produced a Durite unit (dipped beam unit), which I checked and it appeared to fit the bracket. Unfortunately they didn't have any of the main beam ones in stock so I've ordered two, which will arrive on Monday. Once the garage confirms that the lamps are a good fit, I'll post the relevant part numbers and prices in the cross reference section. Here's hoping....

Alan

[John_W]

Alan,
Sorry to hear of all your woes about what should be a simple replacement.
I hope the ones which arrive on Monday fit OK.

Good luck,
John