We started day 4 by fixing a few things on the ramp truck. Our rear brakes were new, and needed further adjustment once bedded in. This simple adjustment made the brakes great again and got us our e-brake back.
With everything else in order, we thought this might turn into a pretty relaxing trip. Then the rain appeared on …
As I sit here chuckling , it occurs to me this has turned into a "yuk fest". Soldier on indeed.
Up until 1975 there were only two kinds of headlights in the US.
Large round and small round.
JohnRW1621 wrote: Up until 1975 there were only two kinds of headlights in the US. Large round and small round.
That's actually one of the few pieces of predictability about whether I think a car is cool or not. If it has round headlights, 99.8% chance I think it is cool.
"We soldiered on with no further problems and high-fived each other well after midnight as we passed the “Welcome to Florida” sign. We had made it… or so we thought."
Well now... Just go ahead and leave us hanging...
I've had that same headlight issue on my Opel GT when finishing the restoration. I re-wired most of the car and beefed up the headlight wiring (known issue with old GT's) and couldn't understand why they wouldn't work. Went through everything over and over again, even used a multi-meter. Have power, why don't they work. Looked over at my project Midget and noticed some bulbs so I "borrowed" one and it worked in both sides. Both bulbs were burnt out. Re-enforcing the check simple things first philosophy.
Tim Suddard wrote: we decided to forgo a repair and just run our high beams. The old lights were so dim, it didn't bother anyone on the road anyway.
Sure it does. We're just too polite, or too browbeaten by all the other happy people who are literally shiny, to inform/remind you that your behavior is quite rude.
However, once it was dark we realized that tonight we had no headlights at all.
Karma. 
No ill will, Knurled
I love standardized lights. They make so much sense. I've got at least seven cars with 7" round lights. Two of them are running modern LED units with fantastic light output, and retrofitting those was as difficult as replacing a blown sealed beam. I'm not usually the curmudgeon, but changing the headlight and taillight housings every year to entice new buyers on to the lots is a terrible idea from a maintenance standpoint.
And it's not like standard lights mean ugly cars. All the most gorgeous 60's cars basically just used lights out of the Lucas catalog.
Glad to hear it came to your rescue here. I'll bet there was some head slapping when you realized you could use the Spitfire lights. And I'll bet a set of 70's era sealed beams on high are less problematic for oncoming traffic than those incredibly ill-designed low beams on F150s and Explorers.
Keith Tanner wrote: And I'll bet a set of 70's era sealed beams on high are less problematic for oncoming traffic than those incredibly ill-designed low beams on F150s and Explorers.
This is definitely true in the case of the new Chevy pickups with the LEDs. They have a combination of brightness and absolutely atrocious beam "shape". They throw light down, up, everywhere.
Over in the VW thread it was opined that life would be easier in many cases if the US would adopt Euro standards. I'd be happy if we just adopted Euro lighting standards, which have stipulations for where light CAN'T be.
Knurled wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: And I'll bet a set of 70's era sealed beams on high are less problematic for oncoming traffic than those incredibly ill-designed low beams on F150s and Explorers.This is definitely true in the case of the new Chevy pickups with the LEDs. They have a combination of brightness and absolutely atrocious beam "shape". They throw light down, up, everywhere. Over in the VW thread it was opined that life would be easier in many cases if the US would adopt Euro standards. I'd be happy if we just adopted Euro lighting standards, which have stipulations for where light CAN'T be.
The thing that really bugs me is that they seem to be at just the perfect height to be aimed STRAIGHT AT the rear view mirror of any normal-height car...
I'm just trying to wrap my head around the concept that a British car with Lucas electronics donated some electrical parts to save the day. Or night, as it may be.
Does not compute.
In reply to alfadriver: That's got to be like getting Ted Kennedy's liver.
In reply to Wall-e:
Torture tested!
alfadriver wrote: I'm just trying to wrap my head around the concept that a British car with Lucas electronics donated some electrical parts to save the day. Or night, as it may be. Does not compute.
To be fair, it donated the sealed beam headlights. Which are so bad as to be illegal in Europe. And probably came from a US manufacturer.
I had to drive 30 miles and go to 5 different "parts" stores to get 2 6014 headlights. Could have had all the air fresheners and license plate frames I wanted, but no lights.
Keith Tanner wrote:alfadriver wrote: I'm just trying to wrap my head around the concept that a British car with Lucas electronics donated some electrical parts to save the day. Or night, as it may be. Does not compute.To be fair, it donated the sealed beam headlights. Which are so bad as to be illegal in Europe. And probably came from a US manufacturer.
But Lucas is like cancer, isn't it? It's badness could spread into perfectly good electronics.
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