I know this won't help at all, but I am not trying to obtain opinions about the "US only quads" or people's emotional feelings about headlamps. I don't care for either.

That being said, I would like to know if anyone has tried to retrofit the original glass lights to a facelift car.

Like the original glass lights on this UK '75 ad




To my 95




The Carrello headlamps on my 95 are new, and the car is always garaged, so I am not worried about immediate yellowing. Rather I was thinking of how hard it would be to track down new lights in the event of an accident, and even how difficult it would be to restore a "beat up" facelift car without changing over to "us quad" lights for someone who would not care to do that.

 

There are a few kits around to do that. Heres 1
SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist


I'm sure that the original could be made to fit too.

 

I can't tell from your photo of 75 model, what's the difference with your facelift headlamp and earlier oval headlamp
(I have 93 facelift with standard oval lights)

 

Thanks for the replies

@Paul

Aesthetically, there is no difference between the original lights and the facelift lights, but the originals where all glass AFAIK, and more importantly they can be had for a very low cost in comparison, plus they don't yellow

 

Spike
The fixings for the facelift headlights are completely different from the pre facelift ones. I do not know if the actual headlights are identically sized and shaped, but even if they were, I am pretty sure that fitting the pre facelift headlights into the facelift nacelles would not be easy.
I have been trying to think of a better-than-OEM way of fixing the oval headlight into the nacelles on my pre facelift car, so far without success. I appealed to the forum a few months ago and got no ideas (or responses for that matter!)
Greg

 

Spike, it's definitely been done by owners in the UK, although as Greg mentions, you have to change the mounting frames and cobble the Old and new parts together. I'll see if I can find some more detail on how it was done.

Perhaps it might be time to sell my pair of new US facelift headlights that are sitting in the garage......

Paul

 

Please let me know about those new US lights!!!

 

Thanks!

I know someone must have done it! Hopefully someone can reply

 

Mark,

As your car parts hoarding counselor I have to remind you that you only have so much room to store your XJS parts. You committed yourself to focusing on other things to get your mind off of parts hoarding-LOL!

Repeat after me 100 times ; " I will drive my car and enjoy the drive without worrying about what could happen ", or you could do like me and just buy another XJS that is nicer than your first just in case ( not sure I should be your counselor ).

 

Bahahahah.

True. But new lights are so pretty!

 

after reading and looking at images across the internet I now realise that early XJ-S oval headlights are Cibie Biode (H4 halogen bulb for main & dip beam , )
Later XJS (not sure if change coincided with facelift introduction) had oval headlights made by Carrello (though mine seem to be glass lens, with single dual filament H4 bulb per lamp)