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After only only 53 years of service I had to replace one of the headlamp bulbs in my 850 last night. It worked perfectly well for the MOT back in January, but in typical BMC / Lucas fashion it has given up the ghost already



Can anyone recommend a supplier of more reliable 414 motor lamps please

Local parts supplier, but don't be amazed if one of the people beyond the desk don't have a clue I got a lucus on from Euro's for about £3 ish don't quote that came with aload of other stuff aswell.

Mark, you will find that it is very difficult to source a genuine BMC globe. Pretty much any globe you find nowadays will be made in the far east, and quite frankly they are rubbish. I would suggest having the original one reconditioned. There are a number of specialist glass blowers who could open up the existing globe, replace the filament (using quality UK tungsten, NOT Chinese garbage). Then evacuate and reseal the globe.
Then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the car maintains its originality.

Tim

Good suggestion Tim, I had already thought of re opening the lucas lamp plant so I could commission one specially, but due to the extended time scale involved & the fact that a shopping centre has very inconsiderately been built on the site I had to kick this idea into touch

I will have a look, I think I have a BMC NOS one....

almondgreen wrote:I will have a look, I think I have a BMC NOS one....

andreas


they will be no use to mark as they will be l/h/d ones......................

I bought it in UK, so I have no use of it here, where we drive on the right side of the road.....

I tried to use it upside down, but it did not work...

almondgreen wrote:I bought it in UK, so I have no use of it here, where we drive on the right side of the road.....

I tried to use it upside down, but it did not work...

ah, you need the aussie bulbs for that

Don't worry folks, I bought 3 spares from Holdens. Not cheap, probably crap. But I thought it was worthy of a mention that the lamp had lasted 53 years before it blew.

M

Ah, well at least it did last more than 50 years. Yes, I think that one past the QA test, but only just. They'd better lift their game.

There's an original Edison bulb in a Livermore CA fire station that's been burning for 112 years!! perhaps they will lend to you?

rich@minispares.com wrote:

almondgreen wrote:I bought it in UK, so I have no use of it here, where we drive on the right side of the road.....

I tried to use it upside down, but it did not work...

ah, you need the aussie bulbs for that