Old School Headlights

[Run87k]

I finished my locost about ten years ago. I drive it a couple of times a month mostly around town. The picture below is downtown Mount Airy NC in February.

Lotus Drive.jpg

I wanted the look of the original Seven so I went with clamshells and dune buggy headlights. I grew up driving old VWs so dim headlights were nothing new but the cheap dune buggy headlights were almost unusable. I didn't drive it after dark, waiting until I fixed the problem. Ten years went by and I got an email from Kinetic Vehicles. I hadn't talked to Jack since finishing the car so this was unexpected. I was a little sad that Jack was retiring but that happens to all of us. I was pleased to see that Kinetic was still in business because they had helped me build my car. I used the windshield kit, which I highly recommend.

Lotus Windshield.jpg

And I used the kit for upper front A-arms which I also recommend.

Front Suspension.jpg

The Kinetic web site has LED headlights so I thought this was my chance to fix the headlight problem. Ryan shipped me the lights and I got a few weeks of entertainment as the USPS sent my package all over the US. At one point it was in Greensboro, an hour away. Oh boy! I'll have them tomorrow! Nope, off it went to Shreveport LA. After 25 days and 8 stops it finally made it to my house. Really Ryan, I thought this was very funny and not your fault at all. More to follow when I find the pictures I need.

[Run87k]

Here are before and after shots of brightness with the right headlight replaced.

Lotus Lights Original.jpg

Lotus LED.jpg

The LED headlight is much brighter.

The LED headlight was difficult to install in the dune buggy headlight buckets. I think it was the fault of the cheap buckets not the headlight. Here is the installed LED headlight,

Lotus Top Headlight.jpg

And front view.

Lotus LED front.jpg

[Run87k]

The reason there is only an LED on the right is because I broke the other one trying to get it in.

Lotus Broken Headlight.jpg

I was part way through putting it in when I had to go to the toolbox. I left it hanging like so.

Lotus Headlight.jpg

While I was at the toolbox it dropped the roughly 10" to the floor and shattered the lens. Anyone buying these lights be careful putting them in.

[Ryan14425]

They are looking good, email me and we will get you a new headlight to replace the broken one.

Ryan

[Run87k]

Ryan kindly sent me a replacement light for the one I broke. Installation was as difficult as the first one but again I put that down to cheap headlight buckets. Here is the before and after.

Lotus Lights Original.jpg

Lotus lights.jpg

There is a big difference in brightness. Now I need to do a better job aiming them.

[Ryan14425]

You will have a much better night driving experience now, from the looks of it.