Exspensive headlights.

Had a little windfall last year, so treated myself to some spares which included a brand new pair of 2000 model headlights, which set me back £722, ouch, am i right in saying these are seriously hard to find, i did do well or at least i think i did, in having complete exhaust along with cat fitted for £220.

I don't think anyone on here knows of any new RHD stock anywhere in the world so, if that's what you got, you were very lucky.

Still think they were expensive? Exhaust sounds a bargain - where from?

The headlights have a plastic clear attachment added which i assume now makes them ok for british roads, hope so at the price i paid as i have not used them yet, purchased the exaust from Hoole tyres in Chester and they tend to source there exausts from CES car parts Bumpers lane Chester.

If you have beam benders fitted you might fail at mot, all depends how good or bad they are. Sounds like you bought lhd headlights from europe?

Hi - is there a difference in the reflector for LHD and RHD headlights please? Or is it just the glass? I see there are LHD lights from Italy on ebay quite cheap - can these be modified easily to RHD?
Thanks

I am interested in the headlight replacement options as mine are now brown in the inside base area Im not sure they will pass MOT at all

Im due MOT later now because of covid so am going to check in to MOT centres and get opinions before commiting to my regular MOT centre and possibly failing .
I fear I couldnt get them replaced in time as cannot take the vehical off the road .

I'm fairly sure they will fail - mine just did. Tried the 'chrome' spray but failed again! Are the reflectors from the available LHD units the same please - ie is it just the glass that is different?

When you used the chrome spray did you oven heat to open the lights  or just use a stanley knife cold ?
The heat method seems risky as the glass can shatter if you mess up or rush a differcult task.
Im not up to speed on all of this just yet I need to read over ALL the past info which im sure alot exists ,Ive only managed bits an pieces so far

Mine had been opened previously by someone, but I believe a hair drier can warm it enough. I've seen people put them in the oven, but it would need to be very low - maybe 70 degrees C and many ovens don't go that low.
The chrome spray is not good enough. I bought some chrome wrap which is supposed to be good for 150 degrees C - probably not enough.

There are threads on here detailing how to DIY re-silvering, and also on replacing with standard 1.0 Hijet-type headlights. If you search online for 'headlight resilvering' you may find a firm local to you who could do it.

Reflectors inside are the same for RHD + LHD

The lenses are different.

There is an arrow on the lense which shows you the beam direction thus telling you if RHD or LHD

Beam benders are (should be) an MOT fail.

HighlyJetted wrote:Reflectors inside are the same for RHD + LHD

The lenses are different.

There is an arrow on the lense which shows you the beam direction thus telling you if RHD or LHD

Beam benders are (should be) an MOT fail.

I agree about the beam benders, but sadly they are not a fail. They lenses are not difficult to remove from the body of the lamp. I do not understand why so few people have taken the trouble to trouble to fit RHD lenses to new LHD bodies, and be sorted for a good few years to come. The same applies on two other forums/groups that I frequent with exactly the same problem.

Could you link to the info in these other forums on opening and switching  the RHD glass lens onto a newly purchased LHD headlight reflector and then resealing the whole headlight  ?

A place in Birmingham Dual Metalising does resilvering of plastic headlights at £135 plus vat per pair as I rang them today  
Not sure if any others exist near london.


Not sure which option  too go with at present but likely need to choose one or both before Novembers MOT .

Im still uncertain which option is going to be the best as I will need to use a garage to dismantle and refit the lights and store the van .
The opening of any sealed units will be a diy job.

On the other hand Im tempted to buy a set of  EU lights while they are available ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254749017312?hash=item3b503984e0:g:ju8AAOSwcqxfhskF

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265097383616?hash=item3db9090ec0:g:au4AAOSwxxVfhsmp

£96 to your door for the pair brand new LHD. Who needs resilvering when you can buy new.

Buy them, take a hammer to the glass, cut all the glue out etc.. ready to bond in your old lenses.

THEN...

Your old head lights, take grinder or blowtorch whatever to the plastic... just leaving you with the lenses. (i've thought about leaving them in a bucket of acetone/paintstripper for a week... then the plastic would be goop!)

Bond them in with a tube of grey PU adhesive like this:-
https://www.screwfix.com/p/sika-sikaflex-ebt-all-weather-sealant-grey-300ml/79250


I've done used head light swap about countless times - the hardest is trying to not damage both the lens and the glass. If half is dispensable then its a doddle. Thus I would would make 1 set out of two.

Hi Highly jetted i looked on the forum previously and saw to and fro posts on headlights. Tried the suggestions & you tube but consequently broke the lens. Afterwards I found this postI have managed to find a headlight with rusty reflector. Your method looks to be the best. Any other advice on how to minimise risks of damage would be appreciated.

I thought i'd cracked it on the headlight front. I bought a updated Porter headlight and surround from EasyParts It took twelve months to come. Tried it out before ordering the LH one but another 12 months later they say Piaggio have discontinued. So not so clever after all, but if anyone wants a RH Porter updated headlight i think they had to order a quantity of them so probably still available at Easy Parts NL.

When you say 'updated', what is the difference - and is the lens correct for RHD?

Piaggio Porters were updated in 2009 with a new front end and interior with a higher BHP engine. They were only in production for 2009-2010 when they replaced it with the Multitech but was only available in LHD, but models imported to UK had UK legal headlights, these are what i was trying to get hold of to update my Porter. I had it all planned out, the LH headlight and surround fitted and just had to change the fixings and the front mask. But as i say they've now discontinued. If anyone has a Multitech or a Porter update, Easyparts have LH headlights as i think they had to order in bulk. Maybe they don't want to order any RH headlights. I'm still thinking that i might be able to source one from India in the future as they make a Porter 600 & 1000 using the same headlights.