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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Scorpio Headlights
        
(Message started by: exucasvu on Mar 5^th, 2013, 10:42am)

Title: Scorpio Headlights
Post by exucasvu on Mar 5^th, 2013, 10:42am

Hi everyone,
I want to buy a pair of LHD headlights for my RHD 16v 1995 saloon from a German ebay seller. He is selling a pair from a 2.9 24v. Will these fit my car? I think they might but would like to be sure.
Many thanks as always for your expert advice.
Alan

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Matt on Mar 5^th, 2013, 11:35am

why do you want LHD headlights? there's a lever on the back of the headlights to swap them over for european driving

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Simmo on Mar 5^th, 2013, 12:46pm

Profile says he lives in France but I agree with your comment. :)

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Tompion on Mar 5^th, 2013, 12:48pm

exucasvu is in France, so according to posts on the mailing list the lever isn’t good enough for their MOT equivalent.
The lever changes it from asymmetrical to symmetrical. Presumably it needs to be a mirror of our asymmetrical pattern to be permanently used in France.

Exucasvu if your question is whether 2.9 headlights fit a 16v then yes, I assume the RHD & LHD have the same mountings, but have never tried.

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Simmo on Mar 5^th, 2013, 1:04pm

Thank you Dave for that which probably explains the reason for a change. :)

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Tompion on Mar 5^th, 2013, 1:21pm

Just had a look through the posts.

Andrew posted this:
------------------------------------
From what i can tell, it looks like the lens is the same, but the headlight
reflector is different from right hand drive to left hand drive.

So, to recap. All headlight lenses are the same, all headlight units are the
same, but the reflector (round ball thing where the bulb goes into) is different.
-----------------------------------
Gabor posted this list of part numbers:
http://kepfeltoltes.hu/100727/bosch_headlamp_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.png

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by exucasvu on Mar 6^th, 2013, 8:05am

Many thanks for the advice everyone. Tompion is right in that in France, the vehicle would not pass the MOT using the lever method although this might suffice for those holidaying over here.
Here is the story for those who are interested. The 2.0L 16v is still my regular car and I changed the headlights to comply with the French MOT when I registered it here about 10 years ago. However, I recently acquired and have been renovating, an Ultima 2.3 still on Brit plates and unregistered in France. This still sported its UK compliant headlights so in order to get it registered and MOT'd, I swapped the lights from the 2.0L and fitted them to the Ultima. All is now well with the Ultima which is now on the road legally but I now need to refit European compliant lights on the 2.0L . Aint life complicated sometimes? ;D ;D
I have made a small donation to the funds so again thanks for the advice.

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by retiredjames on Mar 7^th, 2013, 8:43am

We lived in France for several years with our 1997 Scorpio td estate. I put it on French plates and obtained a letter from the manager of the main Ford dealer in the area (Limoges) stating that the headlights complied fully with French requirements. The car was subsequently registered and went through two MOTs without any problem regarding headlights. My problem was that I couldn't find the lever and had to take it to the dealer who did it without charge whenever I was coming to or arriving from the UK!!
James

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by bernard_slade on Mar 7^th, 2013, 4:19pm

depends on the year of your scorpio lhd and rhd lamps will be complelely interchangeable on facelift models as the headlamp wiring is identical side to side . pre facelift rhd uk cars have provision for dim dip and the rh lamp earthing is different to the lh lamp to accomodate dim dip as one earth wire on the dip beam is routed via a relay to enable reverse current flow when dim dip is engaged -i think a similar system is involved where daylight running lamps are fitted. i think a slight rewire to eliminate the dim dip function may be necessary to fit lhd headlamps in this case / to disable the dim dip on cars with build date prior to 4/97 the violet/blue wire on the rh headlamp loom will need rerouting to earth and the dim dip relay removed from the main fusebox . after 49/7 i think my comments on the facelift wiring applies

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Tompion on Mar 7^th, 2013, 6:56pm

I’ve not heard of this being a problem, I thought the lamps were the same and any variations took place in the loom prior to the lamps.

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by bernard_slade on Mar 8^th, 2013, 2:39am

hi tompion -looking at the wiring diagram schematics would indicate that you are right that the wiring inside the lamps the same both sides of both drives -i was concerned that i know on one side the main and dip earths are linked and are separate on the other side and if the reverse powerflow of dim dip was introduced on the wrong side it would blow straight to earth -never having taken a lamp apart i thought it better to be safe than sorry.

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by Bobbit on Mar 10^th, 2013, 9:10am

Hi guys, I live in France and have a 2.3 ghia 1996, which I have not had a problem with the headlights, it goes through test every time by just moving the lever?

Title: Re: Scorpio Headlights
Post by exucasvu on Mar 11^th, 2013, 11:50am

Like a lot of things in France, it depends where you go and who you ask. I am sure that some garages would pass the car if the lever is used to alter the beam but others like mine would not. At 55 euros a throw I do not fancy trawling around for one that might!