Series 3 Lucas Headlights

I bought some steel "Lucas" headlight bowls to replace the knackered ones on my series and a few weeks later bought some new light units to go with as the glass fell off the ones that were fitted. All parts arrived and went on the ever expanding pile of new bits to go on when the rebuild commences. After some earache about the front bedroom looking like a scrapyard I decided to build the lights up to reduce the number of boxes in the room, and that's when the joy started. The lights are Wipac and look good the "Lucas "parts are Hmm at best. The bezel is roundish and looks like rust will be problem after 3 seconds of rain, the bowl actually looks OK but the adjuster plate OMG! After 10 mins fighting it to get it on the adjuster posts I was wondering why it was wet.....and red oh ffs tissue please, yep cut on the razor like pressing. Anyway I found the screw pack in the bottom of the box wrapped in a piece of newspaper, alarms going off now, from India Arrgh fecking knock off item I have had for months and no chance of sending it back now The adjuster plate had to be beaten into submission just to get it on the 3 spring loaded posts, that's when the bleeding started, and it just will not rotate and lock into position. I can see a rage incident coming up and them ending up in the bin.

Anyone know of any decent ones, I would prefer steel because it's more proper lol Thanks

I guess just try to find good condition originals - loads of motors used them so Mini or Minor parts suppliers etc?

Been looking about and it seems about £30 a side is the going rate, think I paid less than that for both. I will have a look again before I release Thor's hammer upon them.

I fitted 7" Crystal version with plastic back bowls look ok and give a very good amount of light.
Bolt on bits sell them bit dearer than what I paid [around £29 for a pair with back bowls about 5 years ago]
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...ghts.TRS0&_nkw=7"+Crystal+headlights&_sacat=0

Bury your pride and fit plastic back bowls. No one will see them and they are there forever.
I worked on the original mould for the mini ones, I will look to see if any samples still around next time I visit the old works place. I am long retired now.

+1 on the plastic bowls. Wipac crystal lights and plastic back bowls. A vast improvement on original! I could poke my finger throught the metal bowls on mine when I took them off.

It's the Wipac crystal that I have it's just a shame they wont fit in the adjuster, grr. My thumb is still sore from the cut! Looks like I will be getting a set of plastic ones, I may splash out on a set of stainless bezels for them though.

LordOWar said:

It's the Wipac crystal that I have it's just a shame they wont fit in the adjuster, grr. My thumb is still sore from the cut! Looks like I will be getting a set of plastic ones, I may splash out on a set of stainless bezels for them though.

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I dont remember the Crystal lights being hard to fit, mine are on a Ninety, but I think they are pretty similar.
Stainless bezels would be a good investment, then everything in that area would be rust free.
The chrome on the ones you buy nowadays is rubbish, but being a cheapskate I just rubbed mine down and painted them!

That's them. They just wont fit in the adjuster ring and that wont fit on the spring loaded pegs on the bowl and the bezel isn't round, it is roundish. If you see Lucas metal bowls on ebay for around £30 then save yourself some aggro and give me your money instead, for research purposes LOL

LordOWar said:

That's them. They just wont fit in the adjuster ring and that wont fit on the spring loaded pegs on the bowl and the bezel isn't round, it is roundish. If you see Lucas metal bowls on ebay for around £30 then save yourself some aggro and give me your money instead, for research purposes LOL

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No thanks!

Quite happy with my plastic bowls and lights, may splash out on the stainless rims if needed. Hopeful they will see me out!

Check that the sizes havent changed over time, maybe n imperial size bowl and a metric light?

X3 0n plastic bowls. Had to change a bulb last week. Took about three minutes to change. Used to have the old metal ones. Always a bugger to put back together.

I've had no problems with the Lucas boxed metal bowled lights - they also came with Indian newspaper packing. I had plastic ones before...two lots fell in bits in as many years, they had very crappy adjuster pegs

Yes they are from India, I believe all the Lucas stuff (tooling etc) was shipped off to India a while back, a lot of Lucas stuff still in current use over there.

I've had another play with them and they just don't go together properly! The bowl seems to be OK but the other 2 pieces holy ****e the stamping presses must be getting a bit worn. The alignment ring that you push onto the 3 spring loaded pegs is just shocking, it is possible to get the ring over the heads of the adjustment screws but it will not rotate into the slot because the screw shaft hits the edge of the slot and wont go into it.

These are what I have http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVE...bf326ab&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=281726491415 but not from this vendor, love the chrome effect rims lol perhaps they drove past a chroming factory? Silver spray paint would have been an improvement on what is here

I thought TRW automotive [Canadian company] had bought the rights to Lucas and Girling.
They make the brake parts and usually have good quality control.
Have factories world wide.

I've seen the TRW stuff on ebay and it looks much better, They are the ones in red boxes, aren't they.