Hi.
I am in the process of registering my XK8 in France. I am awaiting the CdeC from Jaguar, and am ready to change the headlights from RHD to LHD spec.


I am confused, after reading many posts on here. I dont really know what headlights I have, and how easy it is to change the beam deflectors. Even which deflectors to buy as there seem to be at least 2 types.


My car is a 1998 coupe. Can anyone tell me how to identify the headlights. Then, I am sure I have seen guides on how to remove the deflector plate, I will be able to follow the relevant one.


Paul

 

Paul,

A few members have imported their RHD XK8's to France and successfully jumped through the bureaucratic hoops of CdeC.

Posting in the Europe Region forum should get you the information you need.

I can move this thread for you if you want .........?

Graham

 

Hi.
Thanks, do that if you think it is a better place for it.


Regards.


paul

 

Headlights are now sorted, anyone who needs help is welcome to pm me.


Paul

 

Hi, Paul. Re LHD lights - I would be grateful if you could give me any tips - I am taking mine to Spain

 

Hi.
The job is amazingly easy, if you have standard early headlights.
I took off the front wheels to make access easier. Then, in the front of the plastic liner, you will find a removable cover, giving access to the rear of the headlights. Unplug the dipped beam bulb, but leave in situ. Then, you will see 3 small screws, 7mm heads I think. Remove these, and the rear silver/chrome bowl can be fiddled out, and then you can remove the beam deflector plate. This is the part you need to replace or modify. You will see a step on the top edge. If you are handy, and have some good tinsnips, you can cut the step the opposite way. Hard to describe, but im sure youll understand when you see it. The biggest problem with doing this is that you have to manipulate the plate to set the beam at the same height as the lights arent adjustable. I drew the beam height on my barn door, and adjusted to this height. It took several attempts, after making sure that I had measured the height of the top of the wheelarch so that the car sat at the correct height without the wheel on.
A lot easier would be to buy the correct metal plates, which you can find on fleabay, or jaguar specialists for around £60.
If I had bought the plates, I could have done both in a lot less than an hour. It took me under 2 hours having to manipulate the plates, but a good saving as far as im concerned.

Good luck with the lights, and in Spain.

Paul

 

@Ukdude,
As far as I know all 4.2 cars have hid lights, and these plates are different then for the halogen ones creuse101 describes.

Its a long time ago I played with it, but iirc you can just flip the plates within the headlight (so the high side of the plate should switch sides), that should do the trick.

 

My huge thanks to so many helpful members - I think I will get my Body man to take over the conversion. He is fitter, younger and a lot brighter than me!
My thanks again.

 

I've just done this on my car, following your instructions. When researching this I couldn't find any photos, so here are a few from mine.



View of the back of the headlight through the access panel in the liner.


Back of the bulb holder/reflector with the three 7mm bolts that need to come out.


The RHD deflector. This is held in place by the reflector bolts.

 

Hello ,Somewhere on this endless discussion on RHD to LHD headlight conversion I am sure someone said if you just swapped the whole tin flap assembly left to right and vice versa it worked .Can't find the original piece is it too good to be true or did I dream it ?

 

This thread talks mainly about standard (halogen) headlights. Have a look here for the HID conversion:https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...s-67023/page5/ which sounds like the thread you are looking for.

 

Not on cars with headlights like mine. You would have to rebend the tin flap to make it a mirror image before you could reverse it.

 

Thanks for the photos. I’ll give it a go and let the forum know how I got on.

 

Hello Paul

I hope that you are not regretting offering help with XK8 headlamp conversion as we have the same problem. We have purchased a low mileage XK8 1997 convertible in the UK and need to convert the headlamps as we live in France.

It seems that the change on the earlier cars is not straightforward as to splitting the two halves of the headlamp assembly. I hope it is a case of too much gloomy news on the internet and there is in fact a foolproof way of doing it.

Any help would be appreciated for which I thank you in advance.

We live in the Charente Maritime where we are more likely to find somebody who owns a trailer than an XK8 owner!

Best wishes for the festive season.

Jon and Maureen Stratford

PS Our other project is to find dried fruit for a Christmas pudding but that is another story!

 

It should be exactly as described in this thread. Have you actually tried to do it by following the instructions posted above? It is very straightforward to do. The headlamp assembly doesn't need to be split in two.

 

Thank you for our help. I will try it as soon as possible. As you say it seems simple.