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 Post subject: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: July 9, 2021, 2:01 pm 
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Joined: January 18, 2015, 2:34 am
Posts: 85
Location: Los Angeles
My Birkin came with 7" headlights. I have taken my time in considering going to LEDs, rectangular housings and other options because they REALLY hang out there in the breeze. As tight as I get everything, they still go a little out of adjustment after a couple of freeway drives. I finally found a nice 5 ¾" unit (replacement for earlier Harley) that meets nearly all of my criteria. Smaller, similar visual appearance, same H4 bulb and the chrome finish is much better. I am mounting them about ¾" lower as well. I think I may also have solved the adjustment stability issue by using "Nord-Lock" lock washers. I'll provide a few more pictures as I complete the installation over the next day or two.


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 Post subject: Re: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: July 9, 2021, 5:19 pm 
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Those look nice. If the mounting is like the old school 7 inch buggy lights, there is a carriage bolt with a cupped square hole washer inserted from within the bucket with a slotted cup base outside the bucket.

Make rubber washers to fit between the cup base and the bucket AND the bucket and the inner cupped square hole washer. When adjusting, the nut should be loose enough to allow the movement without tearing the washers but the grip will be much better. I'd say double-nut, jamb, or nyloc but the nordlocs will work. I've seen them holding LSA props on with no safetywire.

I just bought a pair of H4 4x6s for the GO4 Interceptor. Cheaper than a replacement halogen. I though they'd be glass lens but they were not. The bulb end is covered and the reflector looks to be designed for RHD with the bulb clocked differently than the originals. Proper cut-off for apposing traffic is important to me.

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 Post subject: Re: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: July 11, 2021, 8:50 pm 
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Joined: January 18, 2015, 2:34 am
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Location: Los Angeles
Attachment:
02BE270C-E620-499A-8330-4B08D3CD71B2.jpeg
Attachment:
3C9F59E0-E857-4E1A-8299-749255BEA4E3.jpeg


That's how the old lights were mounted. These require a bolt from the bottom up. One of the Nord-Lock washers is evident in the second pic.


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 Post subject: Re: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: July 12, 2021, 10:23 am 
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Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
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Location: Port Orchard, WA
I like the way 5 3/4" lights look on Locosts, where did you get the housings?

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 Post subject: Re: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: July 12, 2021, 10:34 am 
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I see. Completely different mounting arrangement from the traditional buggy buckets.

If the nordlocks do not completely solve the issue, try thinner, outside toothed lock washers between the bucket flanges and the mounting base flanges. Use stainless if available for the bolt size so they don’t rust and leave a stain down the mount. Assuming you have 3/8 bolts, it would be these from Mcmaster: https://www.mcmaster.com/98438a031/

Rubber washers would also work and not dig into the flanges but you’d need to be careful about tearing them when adjusting unless you go with something like these abrasion resistant aramid fabric/buna-n washers: https://www.mcmaster.com/93303A106/

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12


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 Post subject: Re: Headlight conversion
PostPosted: August 4, 2021, 8:03 am 
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Maybe adding a rubber washer about 1/16" thick, (cut from an inner tube?) located between the headlight bowl and the bracket would stop the bucket from unscrewing. A bit of blue Loctite wouldn't hurt either.

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