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clan chieftain

Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:34 pm Post subject: Spotlights. |
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My estate has 2 spotlights below the front bumper but I have never used them. Mind you the car is seldom out at night. I have seen Crestas and Consuls fitted with exterior sun visors with a small spotlight fitted on them. My visor has a hole for a spotlight as well. Do you use your spotlights.? _________________ The Clan Chieftain |
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peter scott

Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Short answer is No!
I've never found that they give any advantage except to illuminate parts of the road that I don't need to see. The lower positioning of them theoretically means they won't blind you with fog and snow but I still prefer dipped headlights. I can only remember one occasion very many years ago when I drove in a blizzard and needed to have my head out the side window to make out the verges but headlamps were still the best.
Peter _________________ https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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clan chieftain

Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:05 am Post subject: |
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I am the same Peter. If my car didnt have spotlights fitted I wouldnt have fitted any. _________________ The Clan Chieftain |
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Riley Blue
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 7:08 am Post subject: |
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If they're below the bumper theyre most likely to be foglamps. Is the beam wide, illuminating the kerb and across the front of the car - that's a foglamp.
If the lenses look different, the one with vertical flutes is the foglamp and on my Riley is on the nearside with a spotlamp on the offside that shines up the road into the 'distance' - it's a Lucas 576 so 'distance' isn't that far.
Yes, I use them otherwise I'd take them off the car. Though I've only been out in fog in the Riley a couple of times, there were several times the spotlamp was useful before I converted the headlamps to halogen. |
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JohnDale

Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 790 Location: Kelvin Valley,Scotland
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Larry, the movable spot fitted to the 'A' pillar or visor is illegal to use when moving as it's too high - their designated use is as a signpost lamp
(in the days when we had country roads with sign posts) as opposed to a distinct lack of sign posts now.
My original Zephyr with a pair of signpost lamps
My current one with a single lamp(mostly for show)
In the old days we also used them for shooting rabbits on the airfield - don't think that would happen now,cheers,JD. _________________ 1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia. |
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clan chieftain

Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:32 am Post subject: |
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I didnt know that John. I dont know when I last saw a fingerpost in the country. If I remember they gave you the miles as well. Nice looking Zephyr John. Where is that photo taken. _________________ The Clan Chieftain |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1164 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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The current trend with young blokes on this part of the planet is to drive through the well lit suburbs with two spotlights on as well as their head lamps! Oncoming drivers end up with headaches!
Keith D |
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peter scott

Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Keith,
I'm afraid it's not just down under. It's fashion! Like all fashion it won't be long before it's seen as "uncool".
Peter  _________________ https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Jim.Walker

Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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There seems to be total confusion about spotlights and fog lights and their legal use in Britain.
Fog lamps are those less than 2 feet from the ground to the centre of the glass and may only be legally used in fog or falling snow. Many cars come now with built in lamps too low for normal driving, though many people seem ignorant of that.
Spot or driving lamps must be over 2 feet from the ground and not used when main beam lights are dipped.
Moveable lights of any height must not be used while the vehicle is in motion.
I may be out a little on the exact heights - I have not checked lately, but the use requirements have not changed as far as I am aware.
Although lights may be designed as either "spot" or "fog" it is their position (height) which legally defines them,
Here is a tip which might be useful,
My spot lights are fed through a relay which is eathed via the headlamp dipped beam wire. That ensures they will only light when on side lights alone or on main beam because on dipped beam the relay earth "disappears". Solenoid dippers will have to work things out for themselves
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1164 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:00 am Post subject: |
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The rules regarding driving lights in Western Australia are that they must be wired through the dip switch so that they will only work when headlights are on high beam. Ha! Ha! I wish the police enforced this! - Keith |
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Riley Blue
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:19 am Post subject: |
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They can be movable Jim, some modern cars have steerable headlamps like those originally found in the DS.
The name 'Appleton' rings a bell when thinking of those pillar mounted lights or was that an American name? |
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Jim.Walker

Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:18 am Post subject: |
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riley541 wrote: | They can be movable Jim, some modern cars have steerable headlamps like those originally found in the DS.
The name 'Appleton' rings a bell when thinking of those pillar mounted lights or was that an American name? |
I remember when the Citroens were introduced with "steering" headlights that they seemed to ignore regulations. In fact I tried to find out why they were allowed. I think in the end I gave up and decided that banning them might put almost every motorcycle off the road too! There would have been one or two survivors like the Douglas Dragonfly. Could there be a distinction between "moving" as in connected to another system or "moveable" as in by a person?
Not quite the same. But a Rolls Royce Phantom 1 hearse we had was equipped with headlamps connected to an internal lever, rather like a brake lever, which moved the headlamp beams up and down. But perhaps that preceded Construction & Use Regulations?
I do not recognise "Appleton". If American though,they would not necessarily conform to British Legislation.
The last Peugeot (504) I had was equipped with a headamp adjusting control, presumably to adjust for load. I always wondered why that was not questioned on MOT tests, because the headlamps could be set in positions which would fail the MOT. "Moving"? "Moveable"?
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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V8 Nutter
Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 601
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Appletons are the American version of sign post lights. They are still very popular on 50's cars. Two Appletons on 50's custom car was the dogs. I had one on my first American car, it gave a fantastic long thin beam.
I have just had an MOT on my daily driver, an 08 Seat Ibiza Sport. There is a headlight adjuster on the dash, which needed altering to set the dip properly it's all to do with the load. |
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 1480 Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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[Could there be a distinction between "moving" as in connected to another system or "moveable" as in by a person?
quote]
Jim,
I think this is the qualifying phrase in that the Citroen system was tied to the steering system. I'm sure I've seen a recent advert (for a Vauxhall I think) that has a Citroenesque movable headlamp system. There are many moderns that have a vertical adjustment fitted. My wife's BMW Mini, my Jaguar and my last BMW all have a vertically adjustable headlamps feature to name a few. Any car with HID lamps has to have fully automatic height adjustment.
Art [/quote] |
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JohnDale

Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 790 Location: Kelvin Valley,Scotland
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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marina estate wrote: | I didnt know that John. I dont know when I last saw a fingerpost in the country. If I remember they gave you the miles as well. Nice looking Zephyr John. Where is that photo taken. |
Hi Larry,that was at last years wee show at Linlithgow - a good day weatherwise for once,cheers,JD. _________________ 1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia. |
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