Eye-relaxing old school headlamps

[forddeliveryboy]

So we've a thread for crap ones, here's one where we can list cars with better than average reflector headlamps, something which today seems almost as elusive as simple fresh air ventilation.

 

For starters, our late 90s V70 has really good lamps, although they've been replaced at some point. They have nearly-upright glass lenses and work much better than I'd imagine, given my experience of slim units. They're quite brilliant.

 

[Guest Hooli]

Four headlight XJ40s, best standard headlights I've ever owned. I suspect my X308 will be as good if I ever stick the lights back in properly so they can be adjusted to point the right way.

[timolloyd]

I seem to recall my '89 Nova had pretty good lamps. Big, square, upright and kind of in proportion to its performance.

[Guest Hooli]

Oh & to deviate a bit, the best lights I've had on a bike were fitted to a ST1100 Pan. Better than most cars I've driven as standard, if they can do it why are most other bike lights so shit?

[DSdriver]

I put old-school mini sealed beam units in the main lamps on the DS, with the spots linked to the steering they provide all the light needed except on tight hairpin bends in rural France (and possibly other countries).

[PiperCub]

IMO, My Pug 205GTi has some of the best headlamps ever fitted to a car. 

 

Agree with Hooli about bike lights, most are bloody awful, they are designed/built more to pander to the looks of the bike rather than any practical reasons. My Bandit's (6 & 12) ones were reasonable though. The 'projector' headlamps Yamaha fitted to some of the FZR's were very good too, don't know if they still do them though. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

The headlamps on my Jag XJ SIII are very good, nice and yellow for eye comfort but still bright enough to see well in front of you.

 

They do have a habit of flicking and cutting out at random, the old prince of darkness at work there, but when they do work properly they work very well indeed.

 

There are plans afoot to improve them further. Currently the parkers and low beams are done through conventional H4 bulbs in the outer lamps with the high beams done by the yellow halogen bulbs in the inner lamps. My plan is to wire in the high beams in the H4s for additional illumination. I might even branch out and by some modern white H4 bulbs to further increase illumination.

[tooSavvy]

My Skoda 130LSE had excellent, big lamps. Bright white and full flood ahead.

 

Coop was the same

[Tamworthbay]

My first Capri was good, you neede to get the alignment right but no problems once you did.

[RayMK]

I can't recall any of my cars having bad lights 20-30 years ago.  They were designed to illuminate the road ahead and, even on dip, the cut-off in the beam pattern was progressive, enabling unlit cyclists and walkers in dark jackets to be seen in stacks of time.  Later lights became a styling feature with clever optics and immense power to mitigate the ridiculous position.  Beam cut off on dip in many moderns is so abrupt that nuns and kittens are probably slaughtered every night without the owners noticing.  A slight exception to my opening statement applies to  my 1961 Reliant. It has a 12 volt system (sometimes) and repro non-halogen bulbs made in a village in China, Indonesia or India.  I think they are called BPF type.  Originals are fine.

[wuvvum]

I found the headlights on the Talbot Alpine / Solara to be surprisingly good.

[2MB]

So we've a thread for crap ones, here's one where we can list cars with better than average reflector headlamps, something which today seems almost as elusive as simple fresh air ventilation.

 

For starters, our late 90s V70 has really good lamps, although they've been replaced at some point. They have nearly-upright glass lenses and work much better than I'd imagine, given my experience of slim units. They're quite brilliant.

 

162.jpg

There must have been something wrong with the lamps on my V70, they were fucking shit

[Marm Toastsmith]

IMO, My Pug 205GTi has some of the best headlamps ever fitted to a car.

 

The headlights on my 205 are great, too. Probably the same... I think I mean to say, I agree!

[Asimo]

Way back, when everything I had ever driven at night had the same Lucas 7" headlamps, it was a real bonus if they were sealed-beam rather than seperate-bulb units. Because if they weren't sealed-beam then the reflectors would be rusty and useless. Often bodged through the MOT with kitchen foil glued over the rust!

 

Renault 4s had amazingly good lights (in the 70s when they were 12v). Princess trapezoidal headlights were very good too. I doubt that the Princess quad 5" were anywhere near as good.

 

I've driven many thousands of dark, rural miles in 6v Beetles. Fuck knows how I never crashed; like driving on parking lights.

[Dan the van]

I had a 97 Disco 300 tdi for a while and that had the best headlamps so far.

[Christine]

Mk2 Pajero swb  ..so the 7" round ones  are perfect

[bub2006]

I've fitted yellow tints to the proton. Less dazzle from reflective signs and seem to be a lot better at night in fog and rain. They are pretty decent lamps in it anyway.

[GeordieInExile]

My 9-5 has excellent headlights. Mmmmm, self levelling.

[twosmoke300]

Saab 9-5 has bloody good lights with proper glass lenses.

 

Best bike lights I’ve ever known were the ex’s 929 fireblade. Better than most cars .

[AMC Rebel]

Saab 9000 - 91 pre-facelift. Failed MOT for corroded reflectors so I bought 2 brand new headlights they were so good with standard bulbs I used to get the occasional flash from oncoming cars.

 

Sierraman's dad's old Mk2 Mondeo - fabulous standard halogens.

[burraston2006]

Volvo 240 had excellent lamps. Felt like they would strip the paint off of the road.

[forddeliveryboy]

I remember when the Saab 900 came out the lights were particularly good, the dealers were advised to adjust the n/s unit up a little to use the beam pattern light up the verge and cyclists without dazzling oncoming traffic. They were phenomenally good compared with what I knew (a friend's dad had one as a company car), well up to the speeds the turbos were capable of.

 

Get some of this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mirror-Chrome-Vinyl-Wrap-Air-Bubble-free-All-Colours-All-Sizes-/322053099948 if your reflectors are shot and the glass is removable - it works well and at 99p is worth a go.

 

 

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=265379

[jon.k]

The headlights on my 205 are great, too. Probably the same...

 

 

My 305 ones are very good too. Extra points for the 205s with the driving lights in the lower bumper.

[drivewaymyway]

MK1 Berlingo facelift ( Big headlight version ) I'm playing with the level adjuster like a 1980s Atari game the lights are so bright I don't want to blind on coming traffic..

[Mrcento]

E36 ones are fairly decent. Dont remember having too many complaints about my Ignis Sports lights either. Or My seicentos. Or even my CRX Del Sols. Mk3 Mondeos put out ok light but seem a bit glary for oncoming cars.

[jonathan_dyane]

My Saab C900s had great lights. My Saab 9-5 haa HID lights which are awful. I do need to polish the cataracts off the shit plastic lenses though. I keep thinking about retrofitting glass headlamps from the earlier 9-5 but I doubt they would fit.

[chodweaver]

 

Great lights AND what a handsome looking car. What went wrong Volvo? I sincerely hope that Volvo's future involves a return to form.

[Broadsword]

Ford Ka headlights are very good from my experience. Also, the headlights on my Xantia are quite good. Everyone moans Xantia lights are terrible, but mine seem to be in that sensible not too dim and not too bright range. HID lights are pretty hateful and I’m sure more and more road accidents are going to caused by oncoming cars blinding people.

[Guest Hooli]

Saab 9-5 has bloody good lights with proper glass lenses.

 

Best bike lights I’ve ever known were the ex’s 929 fireblade. Better than most cars .

 

My plastic lensed 9-5 has decent lights since I polished it's cataracts away.

[Junkman]

Yar RONG!

 

I iz RITE.