Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

petelang · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 475 Location: Nottingham

Hi All,
Has anyone got in their odd bits box, a headlight dipping solenoid to fit on the back of the LUCAS headlamp bowl of a thirties car. I have just had to rewire my recently acquired Armstrong Sid 15 and find it missing! Or, if anyone knows where one might be obtained at a reasonable price?
Based Nottingham.
best regards,
Peter

petelang · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 475 Location: Nottingham

I can't believe that no-one has one of these somewhere in the shed?
Getting a bit desperate guys!
Anyone know a jumble guy who might have such a thing?
regards,
Pete

Salopian · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 354 Location: Newport Shropshire

Well Pete thought I had one but sorry to say a fairly extensive search has not located it.
Don't forget that as far as I am aware Dip and Switch is not legal now - possibly that is why it is missing but I could well be wrong!
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

I think Jonathan is correct about dip and switch being outlawed. The best solution is to fit solenoids to both lamps. You may find that the switched one actually has a swivelling reflector that is locked but can be freed to operate the same as the dipping one. If not then you'll need to find a second near side reflector.

The solenoids do turn up at autojumbles quite often although you may need to buy the reflector with it.

Fitting dual filament bulbs to original reflectors doesn't work. You either have dip beam correctly focused and main unfocused or vice versa.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

mikeC · Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 8:02 pm Post subject:

Salopian · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 354 Location: Newport Shropshire

Dip and switch turns the offside light off - your arrangement is not the same. I have no idea as to its legality!
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

MVPeters · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA

Just an academic question, really, but do older cars really have to be updated? - in every case?
I'm thinking that if this is the way the car was originally & legally built it should be able to remain that way.

Headlights, brake lights, flashers & seat belts come immediately to mind.

I may need an air-bag kit (6-volt) for an Austin Litchfield!

MVPeters
MVPeters@comcast.net

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4850 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
Some modern fittings have been made required retrospectively and some haven't.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_120.htm

Dip and switch is still legal on vehicles from pre '31 although they were fitted to some cars until the war
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
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MVPeters · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA

An interesting read, thank you.
There still seem to be several grey areas - note the differences between "First manufactured", "First used", "First registered" etc that could affect many cars. I ran into this with an imported 60's Ford Taunus 17M first registered in the UK in the '70's - after the seat belt laws were introduced. It requires careful reading.

For a presumably legal document I'm surprised it contains several typos. Here's one from the seat-belt section:

Note 4:
Seat belts fitted to the rear of the driver's compartment in a goods vehicle do not require to be fitted with seat belts (unless the seat is the specified passenger seat, see Note 1, page 3

It says that seat belts..... do not need seat belts - it obviously means "seats......", but that's not what it says!

A useful reference.

MVPeters
MVPeters@comcast.net