Bulls Eye Headlight Retrofit

[59bisquik]

New "old bulls eye" headlights.

Step 1: acquire an old set of Auto-Lite Bulls Eye head lights and CAREFULLY remove the lens. They are FRAGILE! Generally the glue is shot and they have turned black. Just use small pliers or diagonal cutters to roll the lip back just a bit. Too much will put pressure on the remaining folder over part and will crack the lens. Take your time and go slow. Once you are all the way around, the lens will be loose and will come right off.

Step 2: Get a set of new H4 conversion headlights with smooth metal reflectors. Avoid the models with clear lenses and patterns on the metal reflector. I am not sure what that would do to the light pattern. The smooth metal reflectors look like the original ones and the pattern should remain similar.

Mark the back of the headlight with an arrow for the top so you can orientate the lens later.

Put in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes to loosen the glue and then remove the lens. I used a kitchen knife and they popped right off with very little effort.

Step 3: Install the old Bulls Eye lens in the new housing and glue. Use a new replaceable H4 6V 55/65W Halogen bulb.

 

Edited March 12, 2017 by 59bisquik

[Los_Control]

w00t! they look good.

[Alshere59]

Don't forget to add relays to the light circuit as it will pull more amps with the new bulbs.

http://www.mgexperience.net/article/mgb/headlight_relays_revb.pdf

[59bisquik]

That's what I get for assuming headlights were standard wattage. Looks like the old 6V were 40/50 from the few I found. This should be a nice upgrade then.

[TodFitch]

1 hour ago, 59bisquik said:

That's what I get for assuming headlights were standard wattage. Looks like the old 6V were 40/50 from the few I found. This should be a nice upgrade then.

Halogen bulbs, on average, produce about 40% more light for the same wattage conventional incandescent. So if you are going from 40/50 watts incandescent to 55/65 watts halogen the light output will be nearly doubled.

[austinsailor]

Great idea. Went straight to Epay, found a pair, they are on the way. Now to find the modern reflectors.

What should I be looking for?

 

will these work?

http://www.vanderbrinkauctions.com/auctions_pictures.php?detail=205&no_redirect=true

Edited March 12, 2017 by austinsailor

[59bisquik]

53 minutes ago, austinsailor said:

Great idea. Went straight to Epay, found a pair, they are on the way. Now to find the modern reflectors.

What should I be looking for?

 

will these work?

http://www.vanderbrinkauctions.com/auctions_pictures.php?detail=205&no_redirect=true

Not sure what your link goes to... but search under H4 Halogen Conversion. I included a link to the same ones I just used.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/H6024-Pair-7-Head-Light-Housing-Round-Glass-Conversion-Lamp-Set-/161697292384?hash=item25a5e8e060:g:iA4AAOSwbqpT2UTR&vxp=mtr

[austinsailor]

Sorry, that wasn't what I thought I'd copied. Phone has been doing some tricks lately, this must have been one of them.

I'll find them again and make another try.

[ggdad1951]

As a note, I've taken the lenses off about 8 lights...I used a belt sander to grind away the lip instead of trying to pry it back.  Never broke a lens.

[59bisquik]

I wish I had tried that. I cracked one and had to purchase another to finish my project. 

[ggdad1951]

Nice thing is glass sands...so even if you hit the glass no problem! 

[Young Ed]

Anyone ever do an earlier light? I've actually got an original bulb from my 48.

[59bisquik]

Is it still the same 7" size? What does it look like?

[TodFitch]

1 hour ago, 59bisquik said:

Is it still the same 7" size? What does it look like?

All the two bulb sealed beam applications from 1940 up should used the same shaped and size PAR56 bulb. When you get into the 50s and 60s with the smaller diameter four bulb setup, that will be a different form factor. For what its worth, PAR stands for parabolic aluminized reflector and the size is measured in 1/8s of an inch so a PAR56 will be 7" in diameter.

[Young Ed]

On 3/12/2017 at 8:54 PM, 59bisquik said:

Is it still the same 7" size? What does it look like?

I'll have to dig it out. Looks similar to the bullseye with the older looking glass pattern but no disk in the center.