Minisprint TGF800F

[minisprint]

Just spent an hour on the net and can't find references to headlamps but there are a couple of places in the States who have LY80's advertised so waiting for replies back as to what the light dimensions are and, if correct, whether they are available.

[graeme1293]

LOL Dave! I am impressed!

If you have no luck with the Poclain folk can see if I can get hold of Neville who has the 404C here. He has the new ones he didn't want to sell but I think he has the old ones as well. That would give you the shells and then you could get the lamps and rims from the other suggestions - gee they look to be excellent sources!

Graeme

[minisprint]

If you could please check the dimensions of the 404C light it would certainly help. If you look at the picture of the 404C chrome surround posted on this thread and compare the ratio of width to height it looks to me to be wider than the Minisprint item. I think it may have been a pair of these lights that Steve Burkinshaw sent me. They were driving lights and only took a single filament bulb so unfortunately no good as no dip beam, and also too wide to fit the original chrome surround.

[TuttSpeed]

I don’t know of any mass produced vehicle that used these lights. They were used on specialist cars like the Panhard CD and a number of coachbuilt minis. I believe the Quasar Unipower also used these.
These lights were amongst the many aftermarket items available at the ’67 Racing Car Show.


Below on the left is the type used in the sprints next to what I suspect is a Peugeot 404 cabriolet driving light. The chrome trim rings are the same. The sprints used a fiberglass bucket and a separate metal ring that held the lamp and chrome trim while the driving light has a steel bucket which also held the lamp and chrome trim ring. The driving light only has a single element and is not concave but is otherwise the same size and mounts the same.



The concave lights used on the Renault R12 and GT40 look similar in photos but are actually much bigger.
I hope you find this information useful in your search.

Derek

[minisprint]

That's excellent, I've not seen any reference to a part number at all so that is a start. All I have to do is find some.
I had a suspicion there were differences with the 404C lamp and that some of the lights being suggested, although of similar aspect ratio. were on the large side. Also interesting to confirm from the pictures that there should be an additional piece of trim between the chrome and the wing.

[minisprint]

Britover (Continental) Ltd has an address listing on the London Business Directory at Halecourt, Lincolns Inn, London, XC2A 3UJ. Looks like the company was dissolved though in March 1998. Thought I had a lead.

[Nevsmini]

Hi Derek,
I'm missing the fixing rim for fixing the lights into the fibreglass pods. Is there any chance you could trace the shape of the fixing rim on a piece of paper for me.
Cheers
Nev

[mk1coopers]

I think Valeo now own Cibie and use it as their sports brand, it might be worth making contact with them and seeing what they can do from the picturtes and info in this thread

[minisprint]

Message sent to Valeo, will wait and see outcome.
Had an answer about one of the Poclain diggers in the States. Already dismantled and headlamps not available.

[TuttSpeed]

The original Cibie box that the headlight and trim ring came in had the number 52-25-003 on it. This may be the part number for the assembly.
Here is what the light and trim ring mount looks like. The trim ring mounts with the slot and screw hole are seperate pieces spot welded on. The headlight retaining spring and clip are the same as used on the 404c light as well as the more common but larger R12 units.
Nev, when I get a chance I will try to get a decent tracing of the three main parts.

Derek

[minisprint]

I wouldn't mind a tracing if possible please.

[TuttSpeed]

minisprint,
When i get a good tracing I will let you and Nev know.

I remember reading about the Cooper Car Co. traveller (the gold one) in either Mini world or Mini mag and recall the article mentioning where they sourced the lights they used in the restoration. They were not the concave ones but appeared to fit the trim rings okay. I don't have the issue handy but it might be worth looking into.

Derek

[Pete]

Didn't Caburn retore that car for Mike Youles ?

[IAIN]

This is the cooper woody.



Hi minisprit, I spoke to you about your head lights at the Perth ice rink, about 5 years ago.

Black sprint.

[mk1]

Yup Caburn did restore the Cooper Traveller for Mike, when it was sold it had a short stay in West Yorkshire with a good mate of Mine, Andy Harrison, then it disappeared into Darkest Wales. I doubt any regular posters on here would get much useful information out of the current owner.

[minisprint]

Hi Iain, I remember the conversation.
Based on the above it appears that it would be acceptable to use lamps that fit he hole and maybe I've been paranoid about finding the Cibies. That being the case I could have had the car on the road years ago. Incidentally I had a look at the car as I walked past it out of the garage on the way to work this morning and it appears that the headlamp trim ring mount is totally different to the ones pictured in the TuttSpeed post. I will take a picture and post it later (small picture of course !)

[WMU 211G]

I couldn't find my original post relating to the screen grab of TGF 800F so thought I'd post this here, I hope nobody minds - flicking through the May '71 Motorsport mag last night I came across this ad for another Sprint, apologies for the poor scan but in the original pic the reg' number looks like TGF 570F or TGF 576F...

ScannedImage.jpg

Nidge

[rich@minispares.com]

great, consider it sold.

please deliver it tomorrow, I will have a bag of those big old white fivers waiting for you!

[Pete]

Love the old ads, that must have looked pretty stunning! Funnily enough I was looking at a Downton Elf at weekend with a TGF**F reg.

[WMU 211G]

great, consider it sold.

please deliver it tomorrow, I will have a bag of those big old white fivers waiting for you!

Done Sir - so long as said white fivers aren't the proceeds from the train robbery...