Headlights part 2

The 4A, 4AB, 4AC, 4AD cars, including the SM 1500 Roadster and SMX
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GeneA
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Headlights part 2

Post by GeneA »

I also like the "yellow" headlights I've seen on some European sports cars. Are these also available?

gene
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Post by mikeyr »

I don't know about where you are but in Calif. those "yellow" headlights are illegal unless the car is specially licensed as-in a car here temporarily from Europe. I had them on my FIAT for a few years and finally got caught :)
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Phillip
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4A Headlamps

Post by Phillip »

Hey Gene...Happy New Year!

The headlamps originally fitted to the 4A were the 7" Lucas 700 series. If you recall George Hudspeth's burgundy 4AD at Stowe, it had the original style lamps that would have been fitted to your car. The bonus is that these were also fitted to the MG TD and a number of other British cars.

Your car would originally have had the type of lamp with a one piece glass and reflector and a seperate bulb. As Paul says, the earlier A Series used the 'Cats Eye' 8" 140 unit that has a seperate 'bug eye' glass and a silver plated reflector, plus seperate bulb. I have actually seen Paul with bug eyes too, the last time was when he first saw his new 'baby', the Singer Super Ten. :lol:

Check http://www.holden.co.uk first off to see what is generally available. WIPAC, CIBIE and Delphi (Lucas) make a wide range of 7" replacement units with seperate bulbs and Holden stock them. Most are halogen ready so you will get a far superior beam. CIBIE used to make the yellow 'European touring' lense lamps, supposedly better in fog. The only place I've seen them in daily use was in France. Holden stock both LHD and RHD units.

I believe that there are companies making halogen bulbs that will fit the earlier lamp housings also. I'll pass on the link for one company as soon as I can find it at home.

Our local car parts places usually stock the 7" halogen units from Bosch and Hella and these will fit too. You can also check out Land Rover sites like http://www.roversnorth.com, who also sell these sorts of lights for Range Rover Classics and Defenders that were fitted with Lucas 7" round lamps.

The cheapest route to get the original spec units might be to contact Bill Haverly, the ASCO Roadster guru. I am sure Bill has some although you have to make sure he has LHD units, not RHD, which might be problem.

I also think I saw vendors at Stowe with NOS, although I found Stowe prices high.

Hope that helps!
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Illuminating sites...

Post by Phillip »

Gene,

Further to my last post...these are the sites I was thinking of:

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk in England. reasonable prices too!

http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com in Australia. Good dollar to dollar exchange!

Cheers,
Phillip
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Reply to Phil re: headlights

Post by GeneA »

Phil: Happy New Year and many thanks for the info. I'll probably see what the vendors at the Hershey or Carlisle swap meets have for sale.

Concerning your comment about ordering from Bill Haverly--does it matter if the car is left or right hand drive? My 1949 is right hand drive.

Gene
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RHD or LHD Headlights...

Post by Phillip »

Hey Gene,

The importance of LHD and RHD drive headlights concerns the direction that the dipped beam goes.

Car equipt with RHD headlights but driving in North America would mean that the dipped beam would shine into the middle of the road instead of to the curb.

Driving on the left hand side of the road, the lights must dip to the curb on the left and when driving on the right hand side of the road, they must dip to the curb on the right.

So, when the A and 4A series cars were sold in North America, they may have been RHD but there headlamps were LHD spec.

99% of the stock you'd find at Hershey, Carlise or Stowe would suit your needs as I'm sure it will be for LHD markets. The part numbers for the NA market are listed in the Singer Roadster parts manual.

Cheers,
Phillip
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Phil : headlights yet again

Post by GeneA »

Phil: thanks for the info. One more question and I'll stop!!

To get the "look" similiar to what George Hudspeth has, would I have to buy an entire headlight unit or can I fit something inside the headlight housing I now have on the car?

See this example of an assemble on US Ebay: item 8026575820

I guess you can add any type bulb you want, halogen, yellow, etc.
only I wouldn't want the 3 divider lines.

This headlight thing is giving me a headache--I think I'll go lie down.....
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My Head(light) Hurts!

Post by Phillip »

Hey Gene,

I had a brain drain just writing it out!

Not to worry! You do NOT need to replace the entire headlamp unit!

You keep the headlamp bucket and rim. The only thing you replace is the sealed beam unit itself. You may have to replace the socket that goes on the back of the lamp bulb if you go with the original 'Singer/Lucas set-up. If you go with a halogen bulb, you can stick with the 'modern' 3 hole socket that fits onto the three tabs on the back of the Halogen sealed beam unit or Halogen bulb.

You shouldn't have a problem finding a headlamp unit that doesn't have the tripod bars. Just check some of the sites I indicated and you'll see that there are plenty of types out there. In fact, if you check MOSS out under TC/TD/TF Parts, you'll see they stock the Hella Vison Plus lamp units. The reflector and glass unit is $39.95 aand the bulb is $5.95. Not bad! Part numbers are 902-997 and 902-998 respectively.

Now that's illuminating news! :)
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Roadsters Racing

Post by Peter McKercher »

I just got another blast from the past from Ralph Bush, the last Singer Racer in North America (Vegas '62). He sent a few more pictures of Singers at speed at Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Airport and Taft during the fifties which I hope to share in the future with everyone. Really nice to see the large red SOC Racing Team decal on the side of his fully race prepared SM 1500.

He also sent a copy of a cartoon that was included in the Racing Program for the 1955 4th running of the Santa Barbara Road Race which features a Singer beside a large, garish American Road hog with the caption ...Singer..What's yours? Its seems we've been explaining ourselves for a long time.
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Headlamp numbers

Post by Phillip »

Hey Gene,

If you're digging around the autojumbles, here are some numbers to consider:

Singer Nine Roadster Headlamps; 1950/51 Lucas S700 p/n 50877

Light unit: (glass and reflector) p/n 555447

Bulb: p/n 355

There is no reference in the Post-War Lucas Catalogue I have to RHD or LHD in this instance. Since I got the book here, it may well be for North American markets.

However, the distinction between RHD and LHD part numbers is made in the 4AD spare parts book and you probably have that as librarian.

The lamps used on the 4A, 4AB and early 4AD's seem to be carry-overs from the 4A. However, during 4AD production the lamps units were changed to a 'block lense' type, which I would think refers to the pattern on the glass.

BTW, the ironic anomaly in all of the markets for the 4AD headlamps was California. The headamp is noted as being available only less lamp unit, with cardboard packing disk and special 'three point' connector wiring. Were early sealed beams fitted on arrival perhaps?

Always something new to learn about Singers, eh? :wink:
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Post by Peter McKercher »

Attached is a copy of the cartoon which was found in the Race Program for the 4th running of the Santa Barbara Road race 1955. The blob on the front bumper is in the shape of the SOC American badge. This pre dates our SOC badges and was identical to the SOC UK badge introduced in 1952, except that it was red.
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program_cartoon.jpg
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Post by Paul Bouchard »

As car makers strive(d) to make their cars look more modern, as technology advances, and as cost-cutting efforts increase(d), we see changes in cars.

While 12â€Â
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Reducers
Reducers
8" Cat's Eye (L)  -  7" Sealed Beams (R)
8" Cat's Eye (L) - 7" Sealed Beams (R)
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GeneA
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Here's a website for vintage lenses

Post by GeneA »

Guy on the MG -T list sent me this site for vintage headlight lenses and other lamps:

http://www.vintage-headlamp-restoration ... Lenses.htm


Gene
Gene Abbondelo
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