Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Plus 4 Headlight Upgrade Recommendation

Cheap improvement: fit relays to the headlight circuitry. As it is there is a significant voltage loss from the battery to the bulb filaments, they may get as little as 10V. This you avoid with relays. I am sure someone here will come along with a warning not to mess with circuitry, but it is no big deal and relays is something every modern car with halogen bulbs has - but of course not the Morgan. It is really a DIY job, but is fiddly and takes some time. At least here you can get a kit that needs to be modified a little, I am sure you can get something similar in the UK. The components are very cheap, if it has to be one in the workshop of course it will be some quid. I have done it to my car and four more, all working well with happy owners. Do not expect floodlight, but there is a significant improvement. And I had the fun of mastering it...

Something like this, perhaps:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002055204776.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis%21EUR%21%E2%82%AC%2016%2C84%21%E2%82%AC%2010%2C84%21%21%21%21%21%402101f6b616798164836707727e4d3b%2112000028181416561%21btf&_t=pvid:da0028f0-553a-48f4-b49f-a2a0b85fa748&afTraceInfo=1005002055204776__pc__pcBridgePPC__xxxxxx__1679816484&spm=a2g0o.ppclist.product.mainProduct
Just googled it. Do not know details, but it looks very similar to what I got here. You will have to cut and elongate cables, drill some holes, fit grommets etc. Not difficult but fiddly. Quite fun actually.

This is quite a common upgrade in the Defender world, The best one is reckoned to be the one from the Netherlands Company Land Reiziger

Following my backdating but restomod improvement brief for Monty I upgraded Monty's headlights with the following components:

1. To give that original 1950's look I first went with a set of Lucas PL700 Tripod replicas.





2. Next up and to improve the headlight performance I fitted a set of LED H4s from Classic Car LEDs, having had mixed results with LEDs in my TVR in the past I chose the H4 units from Classic Car LEDs because they've been proven to give a good safe beam pattern with the correct cutoff and excellent beam performance in reflector type headlights, which is not always the case with LEDs.



The second reason for choosing the H4 units sold by Classic Car LEDs is they offer them in true 3000k classic warm white, below we can see the light given off by their same H4 LEDs but in 6000k bright white which just doesn't look right to me on a classic like a Trad Morgan.



I also needed the far more appropriate light colour produced by the incandescent bulb replicating 3000k to make the next step work properly.

3. Now the performance element was greatly improved, the next step was really about me achieving that lovely brassy golden glow you see on the glorious French art deco cars of the late 1930's created by the likes of Bugatti, Delahaye, Talbot Lago, etc. To be clear, what I was trying to create is as much about the golden glow you get when the headlights are off, as it is the yellow light given off when on.




It's pure vanity, but my objective for Monty is all about creating that vintage club racer look in a car with modern performance, the car needs to sit next to a Type 55 Bog on the grass at Prescot without looking out of place, the fly up the hill at pace to the surprise and delight of VSCC members.





To achieve this I used these French made H4 glass bulb covers and adapted them to cover the 3000k LEDs, their shape replicates the large globe bulbs produced by the likes of Marchal in the 1930's.

I finished off the job with a set of stainless inner headlight bezels from Wipac as my original chrome ones had started to tarnish as shown below.



During the day when not illuminated the colour of the large yellow glass globes reflect subtly off the back of headlight reflector bowl, this gives a romantic and mystical glowing spot of gold deep within the headlight bowl which delivers a way more period look than simply lacquering the whole headlight lens yellow.



Monty's headlight performance is massively improved, but at the same time I feel I was able to back-date their look, a combination of benefits that are usually completely at odds with each other.

Headlights are the eyes of a car, so a little eye makeup can oftten make a world of difference

I think you will find they are not legal and wont go through the MOT.

Depends upon the age of the cat post 1986 they are illegal in the UK sadly god knows why. Tht is why I went full LED, I didn't want a clever policeman after an accident etc pointing out that my headlights were illegal.

I guess that depends on your MoT tester

The result gives excellent nightime visibility without blinding other road users, it's also aesthetically authentic to the car we've all chosen to drive.

It's well documented Dave that LED bulb conversions to headlamp reflectors designed for halogen bulbs were outlawed by legislation a couple of years ago, although shortly after some concession was allowed for pre 1986 vehicles. This piggy backed earlier legislation on the use of HID replacement bulbs used in similar circumstances.

I think your MOT testers leniancy may be a little challenged by the addition of yellow covers though

Yep, balmy, I can use them in the old F Super with headlights bolted to the wings that vibrate & wobble all over the place, but not in the Roadster