Hello All,

my car is, as of this weekend, on the road in the UK! So I've promised myself that it will stay that way over the summer, and hence I've started looking at slightly more aesthetic niggles to dissuade me from taking too much stuff off :-)

I've noticed that my left hand (passenger side - UK) main beam headlamp is pointing upwards at a distinct angle. The driver's side light is pointing straight ahead.

It's only ever been like this, so I've no idea whether it's supposed to be... but I suspect not.

It looks to me like the whole lamp assembly is pointing upwards, and I can't see anything adjustable - certainly not to the degree it's off.

I don't have any photos, but I wonder if anyone might have any suggestions for where to look? A cross section drawing of the lamp mounted to the wing would be very useful - it may well be that mine has been DIY'd in a previous life.

many thanks in advance,

B

 

There's noting special, it just has the two adjusting screws for horizontal and vertical planes.
If you've run out of adjustment, then a disassembly of the lamp head lamp mount onto the body may be necessary to find out what's going on.
Has it been in an accident where the body is tweaked that the lamp can't be adjusted anymore ?

There is a spring in there to keep the tension on the adjusting screws, sometimes that can rust off _ this keeps the whole assembly from working properly.

Just take it apart and find out _ it's not complicated.

 

Here's a picture of the parts. The hemispherical steel bowl into which it all fits can rust out. That part is greyed-out in the drawing. If the rust goes round the spring tethering loop, the spring can break loose, and will not be exerting any pull on the headlight seating bowl.
These assemblies were made in their hundreds of thousands by Lucas, as they were fitted in almost all UK cars of the 50s and 60s, even into the 70s

 

Fraser, what picture ?
Didn't take I guess.

 

Sorry, forgot to past the link !! (it was late, and I was tired)


SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

 

OK! So first thing I've realised is that I've got confused between main beam and fog lamps!

So apologies - I'm looking at fog lamps, not main beam...

But that picture is still very useful, and it seems like if the lamp is assembled correctly then it may be that that bit of the wing isn't straight... ouch.

I'll take a closer look next time I'm with the car.

B

 

If it is fog lamp aim that is at fault, it is easy to fix! Go under the front of the car, reach up behind the lamp, loosen the nuts - mine has two on the same thread acting as lock nuts, then swivel the lamp to the required position and retighten the nuts.