Lucas P700 headlights

[xb-60]

Were Lucas P700's fitted as OE on early 260/289 Cobras?

Cheers,
Glen

[ALF]

Lucas Sealed Beam would be correct
Period correct headlamps

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by ALF

Lucas Sealed Beam would be correct
Period correct headlamps

From AC Cars, left hand drive* CSXxxxx chassis, a model of Lucas® sealed beam. Multiple versions from the mid 1960s look the same installed in the car but numbers and marking wise on the back there are variations.

From Shelby American, it was not uncommon for cars loaned out and or used in magazine road test to have American GE® sealed beam lamps installed.

For those that might not know, lamps made for left hand drive cars have light patterns aimed the opposite way as lamps for right hand drive. In the 1980s-1990s some of the "cheap" new old stock Lucas lamps of all designs were ones for right hand drive cars, which are of little use at night in North America.;

[xb-60]

Good information, as always.
Thanks all.

Cheers,
Glen

[patrickt]

Unless you have an original car, go with what looks "cooler" to your eye. To me, nothing looks as cool as my Lucas lights.

[sgianino]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Unless you have an original car, go with what looks "cooler" to your eye. To me, nothing looks as cool as my Lucas lights.

Hi Patrick,
Would you remember where you purchased your Lucas Lights ? Also anything special you had to do to fit them to your ERA , like the chrome bezel around stays the same?

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

From AC Cars, left hand drive* CSXxxxx chassis, a model of Lucas® sealed beam. Multiple versions from the mid 1960s look the same installed in the car but numbers and marking wise on the back there are variations.

From Shelby American, it was not uncommon for cars loaned out and or used in magazine road test to have American GE® sealed beam lamps installed.

For those that might not know, lamps made for left hand drive cars have light patterns aimed the opposite way as lamps for right hand drive. In the 1980s-1990s some of the "cheap" new old stock Lucas lamps of all designs were ones for right hand drive cars, which are of little use at night in North America.;

This provides some idea of the different patterns:

[ALF]

Out of my archive




And the SL576 as mentioned by John

[Alfa02]

Glen. in those day's only sealed beams, were legal in the US. That didn't stop many, many sports car guy's putting P-700, Hella, Marchal, etc. My father had those P-700, and Flamethrower's on the Volvo P-1800, I think I mention that to you before. We were Outlaw's back then

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Were Lucas P700's fitted as OE on early 260/289 Cobras?

Cheers,
Glen

Shelby American sometimes used Lucas® P700 lamp assemblies in roadsters and coupes in long distance endurance races that ran through nights.

I have never come across any documentation that new street cars were "factory" fitted with P700 models but it was not a rare owner modification in states that didn't do motor vehicle inspections. Installing Lucas PL700 assemblies was also an owner modification and more common than P700 installations.

If you go looking for P700 assemblies be aware that Lucas-England made multiple slightly different versions over about a twenty year period and then Lucas-India made at least one version for about ten years, and at least two companies have made versions a reproductions. Only one easy to detect version has been found that was new and current in the 1963-65 time frame Cobras were new. It just happens to be the hardest version to locate, at least in great condition.




See Post 19 for head lamp stone guards.

[Alfa02]

Those are what I have on my car too (Pl-700). Look's spot on. Does anybody have Flamethrower's on their Cobra's? (series 576) 7" driving lights. I have one, and looking for another (org). I've seen a pair of series 45's, Cibie, before, but nothing in round driving lights. Thank you Tom

[CompClassics]

The original P700 lights will be marked for left or right hand driving.

The LUCAS 576 flame thrower lights are available as reproductions. Actually both the spot light and the fOG light lenses are available.

[Alfa02]

@ ALF, Thank you for clearing this up, when I put down a PL-576 was 7" I knew that didn't look right, that was back in 1962 when my Father put those on, guess the ol'brain isn't what it used to be @CompClassics, I've seen the reproduction on line, I would like to find one more org. to go with the one I have, before I go that route. Tom.

[xb-60]

It seems sensible that '700' refers to 7" units and '576' is a 5¾"

I would like to (eventually) fit driving lights as well, and I'm torn between a pair of period correct 576's and a pair of Cibie Oscars that I've used on most of my cars since around '75 ,
so while not quite period correct, the Oscars have 'history' and have survived remarkable well.


Cheers,
Glen

[HealeyRick]

Originally Posted by xb-60

It seems sensible that '700' refers to 7" units and '576' is a 5¾"

I would like to (eventually) fit driving lights as well, and I'm torn between a pair of period correct 576's and a pair of Cibie Oscars that I've used on most of my cars since around '75 , so while not quite period correct, the Oscars have 'history' and have survived remarkable well.


Cheers,
Glen

I'll need to put on my tweed cap and start smoking a pipe to respond to this. Glen is right on the sizes of Lucas lamps. However, all Lucas driving lamps are not correctly known as "Flamethrower". That honor is reserved for the big 7 inch SLR 700 light, not the smaller 5 3/4" ones.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by HealeyRick

I'll need to put on my tweed cap and start smoking a pipe to respond to this. Glen is right on the sizes of Lucas lamps. However, all Lucas driving lamps are not correctly known as "Flamethrower". That honor is reserved for the big 7 inch SLR 700 light, not the smaller 5 3/4" ones.

I knew a man decades ago in Huntsville Alabama that bought a 1967 GT350 that had its electrical system modified and the two center head lamps replaced with aircraft landing lights. Wild!

[HealeyRick]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

I knew a man decades ago in Huntsville Alabama that bought a 1967 GT350 that had its electrical system modified and the two center head lamps replaced with aircraft landing lights. Wild!

Just the thing for when some idiot coming the other way doesn't dip his high-beams.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

I knew a man decades ago in Huntsville Alabama that bought a 1967 GT350 that had its electrical system modified and the two center head lamps replaced with aircraft landing lights. Wild!

I have heard tales of people doing such things, but it seems crazy. The landing lights I just looked at are 250 watts each. A pair of those would draw > 40 amps! GE Lighting Q4631 PAR36 13-Volt / 250-Watt Quartzline® Lamp, Incandescent at SkyGeek.com

Other halogen landing lights are listed from 100 watts to 600 watts - even a pair of 100 watt lamps would be intense and draw nearly 20 amps.

These days I'd be looking for LED lamps - though they'd certainly not be period correct.

[Alfa02]

Glen, I remember 64 Sebring the roadster's having driving lights, looking back at pictures (don't how to upload pictures). They do look like Flamethrowers. The bars on the front, look like they protect the lights, and not mounted to them. What do you think? Anybody else know what lights they used? Thank you, Tom.

[xb-60]

'64 Sebring? Can't remember where I sourced this pic, so don't know if it's an original car or one of the Sebring replicas.....



Cheers,
Glen