- Thread starter rigana
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malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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It's not possible to buy right hand drive headlamps new (At least not from Renault). In the UK we buy left hand drive headlamps and convert them to right hand drive. There is a page showing how to do it: http://www.renault4.co.uk/tech-headlamp-conversion.htm (double click the photograph to see a more detailed photograph).
Tracey Ruck
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Hi Michaela,
Welcome to the UK, and to the forum. I have just bought a LHD Renault 4 F6, in the UK, and today had it MOT'd. The presence of black tape on the headlight lenses in order to avoid dazzle to oncoming traffic did NOT cause it to fail. So don't worry too much about it. I rang my local Renault dealers, Canterbury, Kent, and they claim to have RHD headlights available, but at £50 each. I shall be following Clementines advice for a long term solution.
Tracey
Welcome to the UK, and to the forum. I have just bought a LHD Renault 4 F6, in the UK, and today had it MOT'd. The presence of black tape on the headlight lenses in order to avoid dazzle to oncoming traffic did NOT cause it to fail. So don't worry too much about it. I rang my local Renault dealers, Canterbury, Kent, and they claim to have RHD headlights available, but at £50 each. I shall be following Clementines advice for a long term solution.
Tracey
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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I once bought a brand new pair of headlamps from a Renault dealer near Stoke in '98. Fitted them, went for an MOT and failed. Dealer forgot to mention they were LHD.
New headlamps are very cool - really bright and shiny. My R4 van looked like Christine (car from a film that was alive and went out killing people).
New headlamps are very cool - really bright and shiny. My R4 van looked like Christine (car from a film that was alive and went out killing people).
Tracey Ruck
Enthusiast
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I have just been reading your comments about the difference in attitude between Whitehouse, Tunbridge Wells and some other dealers. I'm afraid my local one falls into the 'some other' category. When I asked if he was sure they were RHD headlamps, as I had heard they were no longer available, he was rather short with me. But bearing in mind your suggestions for conversion, why bother changing them!
Tracey
Tracey
Steve Hennessey
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Since coming onto this site over a year ago I have read a few posts similar to this regarding the attitude of people who work in Renault parts departments. To be fair, it happens in all parts departments and it is not specific to what model you may own.
When I was a mechanic even I got treated in the same way by certain individuals, so you got to know the friendly ones and made a beeline for them each time. I have also seen members of the public at the mercy of these 'macho' parts people and when the punter has gone out of the shop these macho men boast and make jokes about them. All lads together etc etc. The way they treat women is appalling and they go out of their way to demean them.
I had the same thing happen to me recently at a Suzuki car garage - all plush carpets and employees wearing the company suit and tie. I was not wearing overalls but my casual smart work gear and the parts blokes were ready to pounce. I got in there first and within a couple of minutes they knew that I knew far more about cars than they did. Their attitude changed and I got what I wanted.
In my opinion this is not acceptable - all people whether they are joe public or professionial mechanics should be treated with courtesy. People who are not sure what part they want can easily be coaxed by a good parts person into describing exactly want they want. That person will go away happy and tell his or her friends that it's a friendly garage and that garage can only profit from this in the future.
It makes me sad to hear of the dismissive attitude of these parts people on this site - it just should not happen.
Off the soap box now :wink:
Steve
When I was a mechanic even I got treated in the same way by certain individuals, so you got to know the friendly ones and made a beeline for them each time. I have also seen members of the public at the mercy of these 'macho' parts people and when the punter has gone out of the shop these macho men boast and make jokes about them. All lads together etc etc. The way they treat women is appalling and they go out of their way to demean them.
I had the same thing happen to me recently at a Suzuki car garage - all plush carpets and employees wearing the company suit and tie. I was not wearing overalls but my casual smart work gear and the parts blokes were ready to pounce. I got in there first and within a couple of minutes they knew that I knew far more about cars than they did. Their attitude changed and I got what I wanted.
In my opinion this is not acceptable - all people whether they are joe public or professionial mechanics should be treated with courtesy. People who are not sure what part they want can easily be coaxed by a good parts person into describing exactly want they want. That person will go away happy and tell his or her friends that it's a friendly garage and that garage can only profit from this in the future.
It makes me sad to hear of the dismissive attitude of these parts people on this site - it just should not happen.
Off the soap box now :wink:
Steve
You can buy convertible Cibie LH/RH R4 headlamps, or at least you could 2 years ago, but you have to get them froma motor factor under the Valeo brand name. They have a plastic clip thingy attached to the bulb mounting which shuttles across to the left or right hand side depending on which way you want to dip. They are genuine Cibie Oscars which is what the older type R4 concave face headlight (prior to very late GTLs) was. I'm sorry I threw out the boxes so I can't tell you what the part number is, but they are common to R4, R8, early R6s and R10s and late 4CV/750's. Try a motor factor that deals in french car parts, and ask to have a look at their Valeo catalogue/stockbook.
Otherwise you can actually resilver R4 headlights. I wouldn't bother if I could buy new ones but when I was a poor student I did. You use a dremel or dental grinder or die grinder to remove the hard plastic sealant between the lens and the bowl. Then you can prise out the lens (you might need to fold back the bowl lip if it has been crimped over. Then get a plater to silver plate (not chrome) the bowl and replace the lens using nuetral cure silicone sealant to hold it in place. Make sure the lens goes back in the right indexing position relative to the bowl.
Otherwise you can actually resilver R4 headlights. I wouldn't bother if I could buy new ones but when I was a poor student I did. You use a dremel or dental grinder or die grinder to remove the hard plastic sealant between the lens and the bowl. Then you can prise out the lens (you might need to fold back the bowl lip if it has been crimped over. Then get a plater to silver plate (not chrome) the bowl and replace the lens using nuetral cure silicone sealant to hold it in place. Make sure the lens goes back in the right indexing position relative to the bowl.
Mike from Spain
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I read with interest the tips on converting lefthand drive headlamps to right hand drive. Is it possible to do this on a transit van but the other way round ie; righthand to lefthand drive?
malcolm
& Clementine the Cat
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I've a feeling the headlamp conversion is just an odd Renault 4 thing, but you could find out by filing the little locating tab off the Transit bulb and twisting it around anti-clockwise by a few degrees. Check the beam pattern against a wall to see if it works well enough.
I'd be interested to hear if it does work.
I'd be interested to hear if it does work.
Mike from Spain
Enthusiast
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I'll give it a go and let you know!
More on R4 headlights- The early one (up to late GTL) has no lens bias. The late one looks similar, has a concave lens the overall shape like the early one but has a new glass pattern and does have lens bias. The Lotus Elise S1 uses the same as the R4 late headlamp but has an integral sidelamp like the early light UK and Australian versions. Also made for H4 bulb not the P45 type bulb. I-ve seen them being advertised for 32 quid in the UK.
By the way thanks for the number Simon. I've asked the local Valeo rep to find out a price but they are still listed he says.
I've got the early type and had to add the extra sidelight bulbs. I did this with a swallowtail drill (i.e. a woodworking drill bit) the correct size for some aftermarket rubber sidelight inserts, and drilled the bowls to suit. The bowls are brass so a normal high speed steel woodworking bit is fine, it its new. The biggest job was blowing the swarf out of the bowl afterwards.
NB you can get 100W halogen bulbs for the old type headlights and they are really good- even with the simple lens pattern I find they are way better than the headlights on my wife's Impreza. Japanese headlights are pretty ordinary.
By the way thanks for the number Simon. I've asked the local Valeo rep to find out a price but they are still listed he says.
I've got the early type and had to add the extra sidelight bulbs. I did this with a swallowtail drill (i.e. a woodworking drill bit) the correct size for some aftermarket rubber sidelight inserts, and drilled the bowls to suit. The bowls are brass so a normal high speed steel woodworking bit is fine, it its new. The biggest job was blowing the swarf out of the bowl afterwards.
NB you can get 100W halogen bulbs for the old type headlights and they are really good- even with the simple lens pattern I find they are way better than the headlights on my wife's Impreza. Japanese headlights are pretty ordinary.
Simon.AU
Enthusiast
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Nice to know someone else has investigated the R4/Elise headlight link :-)
There are also some R4 lights with the parking light bulb fitted to the reflector Valeo P/N 150067 (I'll confirm that on the box later as it is elsewhere). These reflectors are also LHD/RHD convertible, with the same early R4 lens pattern. The bulb clip has a riveted on section with retaining tag that presses onto the end of the parking light globe. They were the only ones available when I first did up my R4, and I've not seen the same type since.
As for globes, I've got the 6V system with 45/40W globes, however they still put out a fairly bright light, certainly good enough for the night stage of a rally. This would have to be more the exception than the rule though, as the electrical system on this car seemed in exceptionally good condition when I got it, probably the best part of the car when I found it :-)
There are also some R4 lights with the parking light bulb fitted to the reflector Valeo P/N 150067 (I'll confirm that on the box later as it is elsewhere). These reflectors are also LHD/RHD convertible, with the same early R4 lens pattern. The bulb clip has a riveted on section with retaining tag that presses onto the end of the parking light globe. They were the only ones available when I first did up my R4, and I've not seen the same type since.
As for globes, I've got the 6V system with 45/40W globes, however they still put out a fairly bright light, certainly good enough for the night stage of a rally. This would have to be more the exception than the rule though, as the electrical system on this car seemed in exceptionally good condition when I got it, probably the best part of the car when I found it :-)
Steve Hennessey
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I've just checked with a motor factor who deals with Valeo and he tells me that part number 061667 is NLA. It took me time to find a Valeo dealer on the web - maybe someone else in the UK can investigate just in case my dealer said 'no' without looking properly.
Steve
Steve
