[metasac]

hi guys

my headlamp assembly was demolished in a wreck a while ago. i figure this is a good time to upgrade while i replace. before i buy a bunch of stuff, i thought i'd run it by y'all and get some feedback. please tell me if you think this will work without too much of a headache:

1. reproduction lucas headlight shell/rim: ~$65
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=370129307361

2. 7" Cibie H4 round headlamps: $75

3. H4 70/65W Osram Plus 50: $22

both the last two items come from http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

i'd probably be creating a headache for myself, but i also kind of dig this one as an alternative idea:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110334482657

anything else i need? any suggestions? warnings? ideas? i'm all ears.

thanks,
~m

 

[Pokeyjoe]

A good idea, but the bucket might need some work. The Bonnie harness has some pretty big connectors in the bucket. I've been attempting to do the same (converting to a 7" headlight for my Scrambler), but I've already destroyed two (thankfully cheap) buckets. There isn't a lot of room in some of the eBay stuff either. If you're real serious and have some time and patience on your hands, you can probably make it work by relocating some of the harness outside the bucket (tuck it under the tank or something).

Keep us posted.

 

[silent dancer]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2014566/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2014566/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=headlight
$48 Headlight & bulb

http://www.jegs.com/i/Wysco/938/WA7402K/10002/-1
$63 (i love these!)

 

[metasac]

A good idea, but the bucket might need some work. The Bonnie harness has some pretty big connectors in the bucket. I've been attempting to do the same (converting to a 7" headlight for my Scrambler), but I've already destroyed two (thankfully cheap) buckets. There isn't a lot of room in some of the eBay stuff either. If you're real serious and have some time and patience on your hands, you can probably make it work by relocating some of the harness outside the bucket (tuck it under the tank or something).

Keep us posted.

yeah, that's exactly what i just emailed the vendor about. it's my concern too.

 

[metasac]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2014566/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2014566/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=headlight
$48 Headlight & bulb

http://www.jegs.com/i/Wysco/938/WA7402K/10002/-1
$63 (i love these!)

those look good - but it's really the shell that i'm having a hard time finding.

 

[6t]

The NOS Miller set will probably sell for quite a few $$$. Wouldn't be too useful on a Bonnie if you wanted to go out at night, the lens reflecting technology is 50yrs old/50mph. Looks really cool though.
Like everyone is saying, there's an awefull lot of stuff stashed in the headlight bucket. Some guys have relocated the connections etc to an exterior box attached to the frame where the horn would usually be, the horn goes elsewhere, or just hard wired everything.
I went bigger, stock Bonnie lens etc in a Chang Wotsit bucket.

 

[metasac]

The NOS Miller set will probably sell for quite a few $$$. Wouldn't be too useful on a Bonnie if you wanted to go out at night, the lens reflecting technology is 50yrs old/50mph. Looks really cool though.
Like everyone is saying, there's an awefull lot of stuff stashed in the headlight bucket. Some guys have relocated the connections etc to an exterior box attached to the frame where the horn would usually be, the horn goes elsewhere, or just hard wired everything.
I went bigger, stock Bonnie lens etc in a Chang Wotsit bucket.

ehhhh, the miller thing is just a daydream - if i were going to get it, i'd try to disembowel it and retrofit it - but then, i'd be ruining a nice NOS part... that would go against my principles - i'm also an owner of a 1950 plymouth so i'm sensitive to that kind of stuff.

uhhhh... "Chang Wotsit"? like a chinese-made bucket? is that what you mean? and where do you get one that would work for what i'm trying to do?? any specific information?

 

[6t]

I bought a bucket for the Chinese-copy-of-the-Russian-Ural-copy-of-the-1938-BMW off e.bay.The triumph lens etc fits right in.
The plan was to get rid of the plastic guage cups and clean up the dash. D9 wasn't in full swing with guage brkts and stuff at the time so I fired the speedo in the headlamp.
It has it's pros and cons, I miss the tach sometimes, especially every time I try to change into 6th gear.
The Meriden Triumph type replacement headlamp buckets may be too shallow to fit all the wiring in.
Hope you find something to suit.

 

[Retro-Racer]

The generic Emgo 7" shell w/o indicator lamp & guage holes (unless you want those options like 6T) along with a repro Lucas 7" lamp fitted with a halogen H4 bulb conversion works perfectly. The hole in the back is big enough to pass the wire connectors and the lamp has a lovely convex shape to it. You can make the Hella lamp fit with modification, but the Lucas one looks so much cooler.

Remember that the parking lamp (that small bulb) needs to be used and the Emgo's shell uses 5/16" thread bolts, not metric.

/Mike

 

[Derby Boy]

Remember that the parking lamp (that small bulb) needs to be used and the Emgo's shell uses 5/16" thread bolts, not metric.

Why does the small parking bulb need to be used? I replaced my Triumph lense with a sealed beam and just unplugged the parking lamp. Am I missing something.

 

[Xchoppers]

I had a stray rock hit my original lamp with less than 400 miles on my '09. I replaced it with a Kuryakyn Tri Bar Blue Dot. (part # 2149) This style of headlamp was first popular in the 20's and still adds style today. I did away with the "parking lamp". I left the wires inside the shell in case I want to re-hook it up some day...

The Kuryakyn headlamp puts out a much stronger beam and has a more defined shape than the original lamp.

 

[metasac]

The generic Emgo 7" shell w/o indicator lamp & guage holes (unless you want those options like 6T) along with a repro Lucas 7" lamp fitted with a halogen H4 bulb conversion works perfectly. The hole in the back is big enough to pass the wire connectors and the lamp has a lovely convex shape to it. You can make the Hella lamp fit with modification, but the Lucas one looks so much cooler.

Remember that the parking lamp (that small bulb) needs to be used and the Emgo's shell uses 5/16" thread bolts, not metric.

/Mike

now THAT'S the kind of info i'm after! i'll get the emgo shell and match it with the reflector and bulb i mentioned earlier. THANK YOU!!

 

[Pokeyjoe]

I've been doing a little searching online and have found several different EMGO buckets. Which one do I want? Have a source?

 

[metasac]

I've been doing a little searching online and have found several different EMGO buckets. Which one do I want? Have a source?

here's how to get to the one i think bellacorse was talking about:

1. go to emgo.com
2. click on the american site
3. download the 2007 general catalog
4. adobe acrobat reader should open. enter page 81 in the page field.
5. at the bottom of page 81, there is part number 66-65066. i think this is part he means - the "“Classic” British Style 7” Universal Headlight"

no prices are listed because this is a wholesale catalog, i guess, and they don't sell direct. the next mission is to find a local distributor - or go through a local shop - that can order it for you and hit you with whatever price they see fit.

i'll be shopping for a good price. let me know what you find!

thanks, guys.
~m

 

[Easy13]

I like those aftermarket lights as well, but I'd also look at a busted shell as perhaps an excuse to hunt up a bottom-mount headlight. Lose the side mounts, innovate some turn signals maybe onto the frame downtubes and move some of that wiring up under the gas tank. It can be done. There's plenty of lower triple tree there to put on a mount and IMHO a bottom mount headlight on a Bonneville looks very cool.......

I think I just talked myself into another project.

 

[Easy13]

Cool Bottom Mount Headlight

Example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories_Motorcycle-Parts-Accessories__Black-motorcycle-headlight-BSA-Triumph-bobber-12v-large_W0QQitemZ200287037136QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2863QQddiZ2811QQadnZMotorcycleQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item200287037136&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72:543|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[metasac]

i just wanna get back on the road. i'm in brooklyn and i'm a teacher. that means no time, no garage, and no money. i can see how it would look cool, though.

 

[metasac]

i think the shell bellacorse mentioned is available from this vendor:

http://mcctriumph.com/headlites.aspx

these guys seem to use the emgo part number as their own - PART # 66-65066

 

[daleCarlsbad]

I had a stray rock hit my original lamp with less than 400 miles on my '09. I replaced it with a Kuryakyn Tri Bar Blue Dot. (part # 2149) This style of headlamp was first popular in the 20's and still adds style today. I did away with the "parking lamp". I left the wires inside the shell in case I want to re-hook it up some day...

The Kuryakyn headlamp puts out a much stronger beam and has a more defined shape than the original lamp.

Very cool retro look......have been thinking about installing a Cibie lense for a while but this is the look I have been after....great!

So.....no mods to the bucket I presume, as there is mention of the lense being deeper.

 

[Pokeyjoe]

i think the shell bellacorse mentioned is available from this vendor:

http://mcctriumph.com/headlites.aspx

these guys seem to use the emgo part number as their own - PART # 66-65066

66-65069 (just to the right on that page) looks like the same thing, but carbon fiber. That might look pretty good as a replacement to my black Scrambler bucket.