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PL700 Headlights


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I'm coming to the stage of my 1955 TR2 restoration when I need to choose new headlights to replace the broken sealed units that it came with. I've recently seen advertisements for the Better Car Lighting "reproduction PL700 Tribar" headlights. Has anyone any experience of these or suitable alternatives.

Thanks

Ian

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11 hours ago, Colin916 said:

Yes. If they're the same as mine they have H4 modern bulbs. Great. 

I have some on my car, and although I have not been out in the dark yet, I have struggled to set the lights up, specifically angling them to get the dip beam low enough. Also while adjusting them ( against the garage doors, all high tech) they seem to have a somewhat scattered light output. It could be poorly made bulbs, but they are the ones that came with the lights. 

Ralph

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9 hours ago, Ralph Whitaker said:

I have some on my car, and although I have not been out in the dark yet, I have struggled to set the lights up, specifically angling them to get the dip beam low enough. Also while adjusting them ( against the garage doors, all high tech) they seem to have a somewhat scattered light output. It could be poorly made bulbs, but they are the ones that came with the lights. 

Ralph

Are you sure these are the P700 lamps that are made by Gil at Better Car Lighting and not the "usual sh*te" that's on the open market? I did buy (about 12 years ago I think) a pair of reproduction P700 lamps and they were dreadful and had all the problems you comment on and so took them off. I managed to buy a pair of original PL lamps and had them re-silvered. These were so much better.

I have used Gil's products and found them very well produced and his help and advice excellent so I would be surprised if yours came from him?

 

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11 hours ago, Nigel C said:

Are you sure these are the P700 lamps that are made by Gil at Better Car Lighting and not the "usual sh*te" that's on the open market? I did buy (about 12 years ago I think) a pair of reproduction P700 lamps and they were dreadful and had all the problems you comment on and so took them off. I managed to buy a pair of original PL lamps and had them re-silvered. These were so much better.

I have used Gil's products and found them very well produced and his help and advice excellent so I would be surprised if yours came from him?

 

No, they were admittedly the cheap s---e.   I have just looked at those from Better Car Lighting, I would expect them to be good at that price, between £200 and £330 per light depending on spec.  OK  if originality is that important, but at those prices I will be going for a set of Quodoptics if I find myself having to do a lot of night driving.

Ralph

Edited by Ralph Whitaker
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BCL prices are always OTT in my opinion.  Look out for Cibie /  Valeo H4 7" lamp units, they have a realy good beam shape, & work well with either Halogen or LED bulbs.  (My favorite LED conversion supplier is classiccarleds.co.uk (no connection, but very satisfied (& regular) customer.)

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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BCL prices are always OOT in my opinion ?

Is this some Scottish hidden Heritage Bob ? :lol:

Mick Richards

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43 minutes ago, Lebro said:

BCL prices are always OOT in my opinion.  Look out for Cibie /  Valeo H4 7" lamp units, they have a realy good beam shape, & work well with either Halogen or LED bulbs.  (My favorite LED conversion supplier is classiccarleds.co.uk (no connection, but very satisfied (& regular) customer.)

Bob.

+1

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2 hours ago, Motorsport Mickey said:

BCL prices are always OTT in my opinion ?

Is this some Scottish hidden Heritage Bob ? :lol:

Mick Richards

Don't know what you can be referring to Mick :P

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5 hours ago, Ralph Whitaker said:

between £200 and £330 per light depending on spec

To be fair, circa 330 is for a pair complete with warm-white LED bulbs and sidelights. Expensive, but if you want tripods and all the cheap ones are c**p.........? 

Having said that, judging by the centre badge these ones are the same lamp - without bulbs (the cheap ones all seem to have a different badge):

https://www.completeautomobilist.com/products/pl700-pl700-trirep

 

 

Edited by RobH
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8 hours ago, Lebro said:

BCL prices are always OTT in my opinion.  Look out for Cibie /  Valeo H4 7" lamp units, they have a realy good beam shape, & work well with either Halogen or LED bulbs.  (My favorite LED conversion supplier is classiccarleds.co.uk (no connection, but very satisfied (& regular) customer.)

Bob.

I use these as well and am very happy with them.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think these PL700 lamps were used on TRs, they used the P700 with a Lucas logo.  However the greatest number of cars (those destined for the USA) would have had sealed beam units as these were obligatory in the US.

If anyone is interested I have a pair of Lucas P700s still in their Unipart boxes.

Mike

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2 hours ago, mike ellis said:

I use these as well and am very happy with them.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think these PL700 lamps were used on TRs, they used the P700 with a Lucas logo.  However the greatest number of cars (those destined for the USA) would have had sealed beam units as these were obligatory in the US.

If anyone is interested I have a pair of Lucas P700s still in their Unipart boxes.

Mike

would be great to check these "known" items for focal length/lens/backing to see what makes the "copies" so bad compared with the originals....

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18 hours ago, RobH said:

To be fair, circa 330 is for a pair complete with warm-white LED bulbs and sidelights. Expensive, but if you want tripods and all the cheap ones are c**p.........? 

Having said that, judging by the centre badge these ones are the same lamp - without bulbs (the cheap ones all seem to have a different badge):

https://www.completeautomobilist.com/products/pl700-pl700-trirep

 

 

Not so bad if it is for a pair. I looked but could not see any reference to it being for a pair and got the impression the price was each.

I think you are correct about the ones from Complete Automobilist being the same light, and a more realistic price.

Ralph

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