Headlamp surrounds

[NiceCupOfTea]

Bum. The other one won't go on due to clearance Looks like I'm getting the tinsnips out - be warned chaps, no sure what the standard mini ones are like but you want the ones without the lip. Of course it is impossible to see from the online pictures...

[Sandgrounder]

Hmmm, useful tip, Thanks.

I was always determined to swap mine one day having wasted money on the SVC ones which were rusty in less than 12 months.

Assuming there must be different part numbers, has anyone ordered some from minispares (or elsewhere) that actually fit properly?

Thanks

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hells teeth. I am going to have to give up and consign 40 quid of chrome and brass to the bin. They just don't fit, no matter how I cut them about.

Can somebody give me a link to surrounds without the lip on the back (pref. chrome over brass)? The links on page 1 are dead.

Just for once could something on this bloody car be easy?

ETA pics of old/new surrounds:

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Sunday 12th April 16:48

[RayTVR]

I recently fitted the Minispares own make Stainless steel ones - these fit fine (once you've pop-riveted the little bracket on)

Part no 500929MS

[NiceCupOfTea]

That's really helpful - and cheaper than the bloody ones I bought! Can you confirm they definitely don't have that rim on the back?

Somebody on the Mini forum said the ones without the rim were off an MGB - checked on Moss Europe website and the MGB ones they list have a rim

[RayTVR]

Definitly fitted straight on no bother to mine. Not sure if this helps but here is the photo I took of them prior to fitting.

[NiceCupOfTea]

They look like they've got a bit of a rim on them...

Maybe there's something up with my headlampes

[RayTVR]

its more of a 'fat edge' rather than the noticable lip that is on the one you have cut in the photo.

Hard to describe but the edge does 'locate' them in place - you fit them at the bottom and then they 'pop' over at he top with a gentle tap with the heel of the hand. THen they are fitted, but loose and the screw firms up the fitting.

[phillpot]

It may make a difference depending on what headlamp bowls and gubbins you have, Lucas, Wipac etc?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Not sure - what do these look like?

IIRC the lamp itself is Wipac

[Smokey Boyer]

I recently purchased a complete set of rings (inner and outer) lamps, bowls etc from the same supplier. I expected them to all fit together nicely.

Getting the outer ring on was a real pain in the..

Ended up taking a file to the inside edge of the outer ring, and it is now a snug rather than impossible fit.

Also used webbing straps to secure the outer ring to avoid scratching the paintwork.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[RayTVR]

Photos look similar to mine. I can only think that the more pronounced edge on the ones you have is causing the problem..

[NiceCupOfTea]

Well, after they didn't reply to my email, I just spoke to a pretty terse bloke at Minispares who assures me that all the headlamp surrounds are the same with the lip, and if they don't fit then my car doesn't use Mini headlamp surrounds

I feel like I am going around in circles here. I'm not spending any more money ordering things on the offchance, I need to see them first... SOmebody has told me the ones with the rolled lip are from an MGB, but I can't see any pics of any...

[RayTVR]

I'm away with work at the minute, but on Friday I'll drop one of mine off and take some comparison photos with my thumb in the rim so you can compare to yours as well as the bowls.

[NiceCupOfTea]

That would be perfect Ray, what a gent! Could you take one of the mounting rims too?

I found these on ebay by searching for 8" Wipac s5445 (as per TVR S slternative parts list) which might be right, but my headlamps may not even be standard, Norman may have upgraded them...

Went out for a drive just now to cheer myself up (have just written off the roof on my BMW cab) and the TVR ran faultlessly

[markbigears]

Original headlamps are Cibie H4 if that helps

[RayTVR]

ok here goes;




and the ring

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks Ray! What make are your headlamps? The backs of them look the same as mine, but the surrounds seem to have the same lip as the ones I got that don't fit

I have emailed s-v-c about the surrounds they sell (several different types) but have had no reply as yet. I'm sure Norman said that was where he got the previous ones from.

[RayTVR]

Not sure what make the bowls are but look similar to yours.

On the first photo I posted it shows a 'tab' on the plastic of the surround (immediately behind the headlamp securing ring) screw and there is a similar (maybe 1.5 inch) tab on the other side at the top.

There's a definite technique to get the 'rim' of the ring over these 'tabs' then press downwards and inwards at the bottom - they then 'pop' on and are secured at the bottom with the screw through the little tab.

[william weir]

hi here is my twopence worths there are two widths of rims that may be part of the problem.