Headlights - not much good?

I have, what I assume to be, standard (Carello) headlamps on my 1968 Spider but with a halogen conversion bulb. The silvering is starting to rust a little but I wouldn't describe them as dim. What is odd is the beam pattern they radiate. It is OK on dipped beam but when I turn on main beam all I get is a slightly brighter patch of light and only a few metres in front of the car. I don't see the pattern extend any further forward or towards the other side of the road as I do with regular headlamps.

Are the perspex covers interfering with the beam pattern? I was thinking of fitting proper H4 headlamps and am hoping that a standard Hella/Cibie unit will fit. Or is there a better option?

Sounds as thuogh the filaments of your halide bulbs are in the wrong place for your reflectors. Strange thing though? Compare them with the 'correct' type and see if they reach further/not so far into the shell?? Are the main and dip filaments in the same place as the 'correct' type spacially? One could be "on top" so to speak in the original and "underneatth" in the replacement?

I see what you mean. Unfortunately the car came with the conversion bulbs and I don't have an original R12 type to compare with the H4s.

From the parts manual it looks like a standard 7" H4 headlamp unit is a drop in replacement. A conversion kit is pretty cheap so I think I'll try that first. If it works I can then upgrade to Xenon HID

That sounds like sense, benefit from decent reflectors that way. Not sure I'd bother with Xenon.

So I have my new H4 headlamps and a couple of relays to take the strain off the switch circuit. On investigating the wiring I find that the main/dip switch is acting oddly. It seems OK on dip beam but when I put on main beam (green wire), the dip beam circuit (grey wire) is still active.

Shouldn't it switch from one filament to the other? I guess this is why I am getting the extra light effect on main beam rather than a clear differentiation between the two.

It seems that your light switch is worn, which is very normal. Most dealers in classic Alfa parts stock reconditioned and new light switches.
http://www.highwoodalfa.com/alfa&#37...20kamm.htm#int
http://www.alfaholics.com/parts_by_c...eo_electrical/
Erik

Since the relays I have are changeover types I wired them up to fix this problem without buying a new switch - use the dip feed to turn power on and use the main feed to switch between dip/main. It fits right into the existing wiring loom without cutting or splicing.

Adding relays is an easy upgrade for anyone who wants to brighten the light output and save putting a ton of amps through that delicate switch.

Well done, sounds a bright modification. The things you don't suspect!, the feed to both would certainly blurr the distinction between dip and main beam. Although we are nowadays fairly used to cars where dip stays on when switching to main beam, this certainly wasn't true in 1969 so it does sound like a fault with the original equipment. Main thing is you can see clearly now, all you need is for the rain to be gone!

Originally Posted by Wrenched

... it does sound like a fault with the original equipment.

I asked a similar question on the AlfaBB and there was a suggestion there that some repro switches were produced that had this fault, also that a version of the switch was unique to the UK market. I have an invoice from the PO indicating the switch was changed a few years ago.

Originally Posted by Wrenched

Main thing is you can see clearly now, all you need is for the rain to be gone!

It was snowing this morning! I've also just had new tyres fitted so I am very keen to get on the road.

Snowing here too but melted on seeing me out of bed, not sure how to read that.
Having something of a vested intersest in satisfied Jaguar customers, how's yours??

Originally Posted by Wrenched

Having something of a vested intersest in satisfied Jaguar customers, how's yours??

Just got the oil cooler pipes replaced Had to get my local specialist to do it as the couplings were corroded in place and I didn't have any of the 4 large spanners required to get them off.

Getting parts for a 1968 Spider is a breeze compared to the relatively scarce facelift XJS (no more headlights, none, ever again) and don't even ask about my rare XJR-S variant.

What do you have, or what are you thinking of?

Referring to the fact that I, once more, find myself gainfully in their employ on vehicle development. We do have a past product too, an XK120.

Very nice! I've always wanted (and still do) a D-Type or XJ13 replica. And congrats on the job.

Agreed, either would be great fun, both good looking cars. Aged Parent had a 'C' in his youth. Before me though!
Plenty of parts available for Jaguars, that's one of the good things.