When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My outer headlights are General Electric and Sylvannia. When illuminated the Sylvannia is not as bright as the GE, so I am replacing both with Wagner's to match the inner headlights. Does my '88 Vanden Plas take a two, or three prong headlight? I am confused by a website that described both the H5001 (two prong) and the H5006 (three prong) as compatible for my car.
The OUTER (dip beam) should be 5.25" sealed beam 3 prong (dip and main beam combo).
The INNER (main beam) should be 5.25" sealed beam 2 prong (main beam only).
More modern 5.25" headlamps are available now.
The US DOT mandated that until 1985 you could ONLY have sealed beam headlamps on road-going vehicles.(that law changed in 1985)
Other Countries have their own laws regarding headlamp requirements.
The OUTER (dip beam) should be 5.25" sealed beam 3 prong (dip and main beam combo).
The INNER (main beam) should be 5.25" sealed beam 2 prong (main beam only).
More modern 5.25" headlamps are available now.
The US DOT mandated that until 1985 you could ONLY have sealed beam headlamps on road-going vehicles.(that law changed in 1985)
Other Countries have their own laws regarding headlamp requirements.
I converted our '93 XJ40 to quad headlamps from the original rectangular units, and I used Cibie European-specification 5-3/4" lenses, which used standard H4 (3 terminal) and H7 (2 terminal) bulbs. I used the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs, which are extra bright and white at the expense of higher cost and shorter life, but our XJ40 had the best headlights of any of our cars. I have since discovered that other bulbs such as the Phillips VisionPlus, Hella Performance, Wagner BriteLite, and GE Nighthawk are in the same class as the Silverstars at much lower cost if ordered from a source like Rock Auto.
Another maker of high-quality 5-3/4" lenses is Hella, but now there are significantly less expensive options from Asia. Check eBay for options.
You will find that there are at least two main styles of lenses. The Cibie style has a domed lens. The Hella style has a flatter lens.
P.S. One other thing is that the European-style lenses are available in left-hand drive (LHD) and right-hand drive (RHD) versions. The difference is a cutoff area in the lens that reduces the blinding of oncoming traffic depending on which side of the road is used in your region.
I converted our '93 XJ40 to quad headlamps from the original rectangular units, and I used Cibie European-specification 5.25" lenses, which used standard H4 (3 terminal) and H7 (2 terminal) bulbs. I used the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs, which are extra bright and white at the expense of higher cost and shorter life, but our XJ40 had the best headlights of any of our cars. I have since discovered that other bulbs such as the Phillips VisionPlus, Hella Performance, Wagner BriteLite, and GE Nighthawk are in the same class as the Silverstars at much lower cost if ordered from a source like Rock Auto.
Another maker of high-quality 5.25" lenses is Hella, but now there are significantly less expensive options from Asia. Check eBay for options.
You will find that there are at least two main styles of lenses. The Cibie style has a domed lens. The Hella style has a flatter lens.
P.S. One other thing is that the European-style lenses are available in left-hand drive (LHD) and right-hand drive (RHD) versions. The difference is a cutoff area in the lens that reduces the blinding of oncoming traffic depending on which side of the road is used in your region.
Cheers,
Don
Thanks Don,
I have ordered the headlights from Rock Auto. I purchased the ones made by Wagner because my inner headlights are Wagner. The inner headlights are original, so I am assuming the outer ones were Wagner as well. The outer ones burnt out over the years and I replaced them at separate times....one with GE, and the other Sylvannia. The Sylvannia is a little less bright than the GE, so I am looking to have both the same brand and illumination.
I purchased the ones made by Wagner because my inner headlights are Wagner. The inner headlights are original, so I am assuming the outer ones were Wagner as well.
Hi Ernest,
It's doubtful the Wagners were original to your car. Wagner is a U.S. company now part of the U.S-based conglomerate Federal-Mogul, and as far as I can recall, Wagner was never an OEM to Jaguar. It's more likely your original bulbs were made by Lucas, or possibly Phillips. Both were long-time Jaguar OEMs.
It's doubtful the Wagners were original to your car. Wagner is a U.S. company now part of the U.S-based conglomerate Federal-Mogul, and as far as I can recall, Wagner was never an OEM to Jaguar. It's more likely your original bulbs were made by Lucas, or possibly Phillips. Both were long-time Jaguar OEMs.
Cheers,
Don
The original inner headlights are Wagner. I am the original owner and have never changed them. The car was purchased at a U.S. dealership, and is left side drive. Maybe all U.S. models at the time used Wagner.
The original inner headlights are Wagner. I am the original owner and have never changed them. The car was purchased at a U.S. dealership, and is left side drive. Maybe all U.S. models at the time used Wagner.
So your inner headlamps are 32 years old? No wonder they're dim!
Your car was assembled in Coventry, England, but it's certainly possible a U.S. dealer changed the headlamps to Wagners. The original headlamps on our "93 were marked Lucas.
So your inner headlamps are 32 years old? No wonder they're dim!
Your car was assembled in Coventry, England, but it's certainly possible a U.S. dealer changed the headlamps to Wagners. The original headlamps on our "93 were marked Lucas.
Cheers,
Don
The inner headlamps (high beams) are not dim. Over the 33 years (December 1987) I have only had to use them once or twice for short periods because I rarely drive at night and most of the roads are well lit. I don’t drive the car much and it only has 108k miles. I guess I am lucky that I’ve not had to replace them despite their age. Perhaps the headlamp washer system on the Vanden Plas required a more durable brand and that is why they used Wagner? Lucas electric products are rife with problems.
Last edited by Ernest Knox; Dec 13, 2020 at 04:14 PM.
I converted our '93 XJ40 to quad headlamps from the original rectangular units, and I used Cibie European-specification 5-3/4" lenses, which used standard H4 (3 terminal) and H7 (2 terminal) bulbs. I used the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs, which are extra bright and white at the expense of higher cost and shorter life, but our XJ40 had the best headlights of any of our cars. I have since discovered that other bulbs such as the Phillips VisionPlus, Hella Performance, Wagner BriteLite, and GE Nighthawk are in the same class as the Silverstars at much lower cost if ordered from a source like Rock Auto.
Another maker of high-quality 5-3/4" lenses is Hella, but now there are significantly less expensive options from Asia. Check eBay for options.
You will find that there are at least two main styles of lenses. The Cibie style has a domed lens. The Hella style has a flatter lens.
P.S. One other thing is that the European-style lenses are available in left-hand drive (LHD) and right-hand drive (RHD) versions. The difference is a cutoff area in the lens that reduces the blinding of oncoming traffic depending on which side of the road is used in your region.
Cheers,
Don
Hi Don,
its been awhile since we chatted, is there a lot involved in converting the rectangulars with quads? I've been thinking about doing this but not if its a big job and expense, any info on this job will be greatly appreciated my friend. The quads definitely have that classic Jag look about them. Thanks in advance.
Converting from rectangular lamps to quads does take some effort. First, you need to acquire the internal lens support frames and the body-color trim pieces from a quad-lamp car. I found mine via eBay.
Then choose and acquire either sealed beam bulbs or 5.75" European style lenses that accept H4 (low/high) and H7 (high) bulbs.
Have the trim pieces painted to match your car.
Remove your rectangular lamps and install the steel lens support bracket and your new lenses or sealed-beam bulbs.
Install the painted trim pieces.
Now (or before now), figure out what it's going to take to wire up your new bulbs. In my case, I purchased bulb sockets with pigtail wires to fit the H4 and H7 bulbs. I temporarily connected them to the plugs from the BFM to confirm proper operation.
I decided I wanted the high beam filaments of the H4 bulbs to come on when the high beams were selected. I wasn't sure if the BFMs could handle the additional current draw, so I wired up a fused relay directly from the battery jump post on the firewall ('93 MY with battery in trunk). I wired the control side of the new relay to the BFM so when high beams were selected, the H4 high beam filaments would illuminate alongside the H7 bulbs.
Once it was all working, I cut the old plugs off of the BFM harnesses and connected the new plugs and relay wires with solder and heat shrink tubing.
Simple? Not really. But well worth it, in my opinion. Our XJ40 had the best headlights of all our vehicles, including some that were far newer.
Thanks a bunch Don, but I think I'll just have to live with the rects, its too much work for the less than 1k miles per year that I drive it. I really think Jag was trying to go with the flavor of the times by switching to the rectangles. I guess the non-Jag enthusiasts wouldn't know the difference anyway. I didn't get a chance to drive it this year because of Covid-19, so I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel again in the Spring. Most of my projects have been completed including the doorlocking sys, transmission decoder, wheel bearings, sticking brake calipers, and thanks to you, key barrel rebuilds I only need to replace the frontend bushings and interior headlining and she'll be as good as new. Oh, and I must not forget to install my Leaping Cat. Only 33k original miles! Btw, any idea where I can find the interior headlining kit for this puppy? Thanks much, have a good one and stay safe.
Larry are you happy with the rectangles? I think someone once told me that it lessens the value of these cars because it strayed away from Jag originality, what's your take?
Why on earth would a radical design like the XJ40 use the only circular element on an entire design based on angular principles?
Well ...I shouldn't say the only circular element, the wheels are circular too!
From a design standpoint, the circular headlights are incongruous. That is why the rectangular headlights succeed and the quads fail when talking XJ40.
Why on earth would a radical design like the XJ40 use the only circular element on an entire design based on angular principles?
Well ...I shouldn't say the only circular element, the wheels are circular too!
From a design standpoint, the circular headlights are incongruous. That is why the rectangular headlights succeed and the quads fail when talking XJ40.
Larry
Well you seem to be in tune with the design schemes, I feel better now about my rects
From a design standpoint, the circular headlights are incongruous. That is why the rectangular headlights succeed and the quads fail when talking XJ40.
Larry,
We don't judge you for preferring the rectangular lamps, so don't judge us for preferring the quad round lamps.
Design is a subjective issue, and we are all entitled to our own opinions.
If you compare the lines of the Series III to the lines of the X300, it's obvious that the response of most Jaguar customers to the XJ40 prompted Jaguar designers to return to "classic" themes by bringing back the curves. But I have always thought the XJ40 was better looking than its contemporary rivals and that it has aged very well.
Why on earth would a radical design like the XJ40 use the only circular element on an entire design based on angular principles?
Well ...I shouldn't say the only circular element, the wheels are circular too!
From a design standpoint, the circular headlights are incongruous. That is why the rectangular headlights succeed and the quads fail when talking XJ40.
Larry
pretty much all the preproduction 40s had quads. the fishtanks look like an afterthought to me
I had a brief chat with Jim Randle in Coventry many years ago and remember he mentioned to me that fish tanks were an option because XJS had kinda rectangular lights and they felt it would be a good idea to give client an extra choice((or something along these lines). I thought was a sound reason as many people prefer fish tanks, after all 40 was a major step overhaul and a completely new built car that differed massively from previous models so I suppose they wanted to try various things.
Personally I think XJS looks a bit silly with quad lights but do prefer quad on a 40, looks a bit more sporty to me.
That's 1987 receiving a top car award(sourced from jaguarheritage).
Which headlights fit my 1988 Vanden Plas
I only need to replace the frontend bushings and interior headlining and she'll be as good as new. Oh, and I must not forget to install my Leaping Cat. Only 33k original miles! Btw, any idea where I can find the interior headlining kit for this puppy? Thanks much, have a good one and stay safe.
