| Author |  Topic  |
pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts |  Posted - 23 May 2013 : 14:40:23  
| Does anyone know if its possible to detach the lenses from the reflectors of V4 headlamps? I've looked at mine, and they appear to be bonded together.
The reason I ask is that I know someone who can re-silver the reflectors, provided they can be dismantled. He's recently done the ones in my 9000 Aero, and the difference has been staggering! I enquired about getting the V4 ones done (I think they are also the same as the 99?), but it will depend on being able to separate the lens from the reflector.
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" |
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bermudasaab
V4 Fan
United Kingdom
121 Posts | Posted - 23 May 2013 : 19:14:22
| I Did it once just scrapped with a stanley knife and used glass sealer to finish I also have a few spares
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 24 May 2013 : 09:45:11
| That's useful to know! Sounds like it may be a possibility then!
Next job is to locate some tarnished reflectors for a trial run!
:)
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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john-saab
Administrator
United Kingdom
2679 Posts | Posted - 24 May 2013 : 20:39:46
| quote:
Originally posted by pchristy
That's useful to know! Sounds like it may be a possibility then!
Next job is to locate some tarnished reflectors for a trial run!
:)
How many do you want?
'72 95 (The Flying Banana),'72 96(Bridget),'73 96 (Vernon),'74 95 (Veronica) | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 11:13:58
| Hi John,
certainly one - preferably two, just in case I break it trying to split it! They do need to be expendable, in case this doesn't work!
Also, the cost may be uneconomical. The 9000 reflectors cost about £80 refurbished. It will cost about the same to do the V4 reflectors (its the process, not the size) plus the cost of splitting them. That is unless we can build up a small stock of reflectors and offer them on exchange - as with the 9000 ones. Then it wil be down to the purchaser to split and re-join the lamps.
I think the same lamps were used in the 99 (can you confirm this?), if so that would increase the potential stockpile!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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veefour
V4 Fan
United Kingdom
178 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 14:43:29
| | 99 ones are identical to the V4s | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 16:52:06
| quote:
Originally posted by veefour
99 ones are identical to the V4s
Excellent! I thought they were! That might make it a more attractive proposition to the man who does this!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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Derek
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2191 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 20:53:30
| | I've got one that was bought for my 96 but it has a thick alloy ring where the bulb fits. Told by someone that it was for 99 so maybe they changed at some point. | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 22:16:40
| Different brands? I've found various types on V4's, from at least Hella and Cibie and I'm pretty sure there's even a third (aftermarket?) brand in use. All have bonded lenses.
quote:
Originally posted by veefour
99 ones are identical to the V4s
So are Renault 12 and 16 head lamps.
1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 25 May 2013 : 22:19:45
| quote:
Originally posted by pchristy
The 9000 reflectors cost about £80 refurbished.
NOS V4 head lamps are generally a lot cheaper, at least for European cars. Do RHD V4's have different reflectors and/or lenses?
1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V | |
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john-saab
Administrator
United Kingdom
2679 Posts | Posted - 26 May 2013 : 08:04:10
| quote:
Originally posted by melle Do RHD V4's have different reflectors and/or lenses?
Yes the glass has a different pattern it's not just the same glass up-side-down..it's a different glass.
The ring on the rear changed around 1975-6 and changed to the thicker alloy ring. I have seen 3 different types of bulb holder(Velo,Hella and a Cibie)..I may have all 3 in the old lock-up..i'm there today so will dig them out.
The early Hella is most common and all are interchangable..the bulb holding rings are common enough for the Hella units so unless people are dead set on using later units I would concentrate on the Hella lights.
Don't forget that lenses can get stone chip damage so it would be worth grabbing every light possible.
'72 95 (The Flying Banana),'72 96(Bridget),'73 96 (Vernon),'74 95 (Veronica) | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 26 May 2013 : 08:20:23
| OK, different story then. For LHD cars a set of good lamps typically costs about €40.00-50.00 and with a bit of luck you pick some up at no more than €5.00 apiece.
1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V | |
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billj
Starting Member
9 Posts | Posted - 20 Mar 2018 : 18:07:05
| Thread resurrection!
It was I who did Pete's 9000 reflectors. I believe we have now sussed removing the V4/99 lenses reliably, along with rust-removal and repainting of the reflector shell in preparation for the same re-plating process as used on the 900 and 9000.
As an aside, we have a customer in NZ who is looking for some RHD headlamps for his V4 and on my advice has tracked down some Renault 12 Cibie ones. However, from one of the photos he provided the mounting lugs appear to be in different positions from the V4 lamps. I understood the V4 and R12 lamps were identical. Is that not the case?
V4 (Hella):
Renault 12 (Cibie):
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Edited by - billj on 20 Mar 2018 18:12:02 | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 09:31:58
| Hi Bill, Sorry for not responding sooner - been busy on other (non-car related!) things, and not been here for a week or two!
'Fraid I can't help much with the Renault query, but I am interested in the V4 headlamp refurb. When I fitted the new bumpers to my car, I removed the previously fitted driving lamps, and now I know why the previous owner fitted them! The headlamps are currently pathetic!
I have one spare headlamp, and I believe John-saab has a stock of them! He seems a bit quiet these days, but I'll be up near his location in a couple of weeks, so I may well call in on him.
Do you have a price for the V4 headlamp refurbs yet?
Cheers,
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" |
Edited by - pchristy on 26 Mar 2018 09:32:48 | |
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billj
Starting Member
9 Posts | Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 11:09:25
| Hi. Pete. We don't have a price yet. Likely a bit over £100 each due to all the work involved. Not only removing and refitting the lens but also by the time they need refurbishing they have a fair bit of rust on the outside and often a bit on the inside and that means stripping/blasting back to bare metal and painting with a high-temperature paint, then baking to cure it ("normal" paint will not survive the plating process). Then flatting the inside surface by hand. All extra work that isn't required on the later reflectors. They do look good, though. Here's one of the ones we did last week:
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 12:13:43
| Thanks for the update, Bill! I'll see what's in the coffers in a few weeks time! At the moment, night driving is like being led by a pair of geriatric glow-worms.....! And that's despite having NightBreakers fitted!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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| Topic | |
Headlamps
