Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[hunsta]

OK. Just have a small query, Im new to the Morris 8 world by just over a couple of months now. Now Ive seen lots of pics of series 1,2 and E`s. But when you google pics of series E 8`s, sometimes you see pics of cars like on the right with the lights prodruding out from the guards and then you see some like that on the left.
If they are both series E models, at what point did they change from one sort to the other.

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[Rick]

The one on the right has an aftermarket conversion to take standard 7" diameter Lucas headlamps, whereas the one on the left has the factory lamps still. Many were thus converted. No doubt ukdave or one of the other "E" owners will know more of the specifics.

RJ
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[ukdave2002]

Yep Rick is right, the car on the right has a conversion that was made specifically for the Series E by Lucas and used the standard 7" Headlamps that take pre focused bulbs, or you could fit sealed units.

The original lamps on the car in the lh pic, use a lens that is unique to the SE, it was available as a fluted lens or diffusa lens. The UK spec cars had the dip and switch system; on dip the RH head lamp is extinguished and the LH headlamp was mechanically dipped by a solenoid, this system is no longer legal for post 1930 cars so most SE's will have been converted to some other system, as both headlamps have to dip.

All the export cars were treated to dual filament headlamps on both headlamps, so used the same lens but the reflectors were static as the bulbs did the dipping.

Many UK SE owners have fitted smaller headlamps behind original lenses, my own SE will have mechanical dipping headlamps on both sides, most surviving SE's have had the later Lucas conversion, but most owners want to get the "original factory" look.

Dave

[TribalElder]

Good explanation, nailed it. There are still some conversion kits available on US Ebay but most people prefer to keep their vehicle as original as possible. I'm fitting a new rear blind at the moment, then I'm gonna "dirty it up a little" so that it looks more in keeping.


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Ian from Oz

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When you are girt by Numbats

[hunsta]

OK thanks for that explanation. It clears alot up. Mine has the factory lenses, although not wired up. My manual has both wiring systems for the dipping systems. It states that only the UK models had the dipping of one of the lights and all overseas models had the dipping of the bulbs for both.
I prefer the original look to the elongated headlight surround.
Thanks once again for the lesson fellas.
Craig
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I really am a nice guy. Just ask anyone that hasn't met me.

[bjacko]

Lucas conversion kit P/N 57179 for each headlight. It also introduces the pre-focus bulbs.

[MVPeters]

I had something similar on a '56 VW Beetle.
The rear, angled, flange clipped into the original VW chrome rim that would have held the glass.
The front flange was a standard Lucas one, with a pre-focus lamp unit & a standard chrome rim.

If the angles were right, it might have been a Morris unit, I suppose.
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2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[magpiebob]

[ukdave2002]

Hi and welcome to the forum

You shouldn't have a problem acquiring one of the kits, as they were fitted to many SE's (8/40's) in fact there are probably more owners looking for the original lights to swap back too !

I have a couple of sets but am on the other side of the planet !!, if you get stuck give me a shout.

Dave

[goneps]

Just for the record, similar conversions have been done to the earlier Eights (35/Series 1/Series 2), which only involved a special headlamp rim to adapt the larger pre-focus lamp unit to the standard nacelle. The larger headlights give the car an unfortunate pop-eyed look, and the rims are always chromed instead of painted black like the originals.

Here's what it should look like:



Note the non-standard pilot bulb (pilot lamps have been converted to serve as flashing indicators). Original fluted lenses (or Difusa for the Series 2) are not easy to find nowadays.

Richard

[magpiebob]