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Black & White number plates

Cornish4 said:
Thanks Andrew, they are halogen bulbs, so nice and bright, but fitted with yellow glass clip-on covers available from der Franzose. I've fitted yellow bulbs to the two fog lights too, which are wired into the headlight dipped beam, but they also have an isolater switch. It does give the car a nice French classic look.
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Might I suggest fitting a relay to do the switching for your lights on and off? The original switches in the car were designed to handle 45/40 watt bulbs (about 8-9 amps on main beam) and the halogen bulbs will be pushing nearer 10-11 amps. Use the light switch to turn the relay on and feed the headlights through a fused feed, with an appropriately amperage fuse. It'd be both safer, put much less load on the original switch and probably make the headlamps even brighter, as the old wiring and switches probably act as a resistance to some of the current.
 
Thanks for the tip Andrew, I see your point, so I'll look into that. I've fitted a relay for the fog lights, so another for the headlights shouldn't be a problem to do.
 
I know a little off topic but I have yellow bulbs too. The young lads who see me coming along in the twilight think its one of their mates in some low rider:laughing:
 
John Edmonds said:
Jim, I like your strategy. Alternatively, has anyone considered a Northern Ireland registration? For less than £140 (inclusive of transfer and VAT) you can get a relatively anonymous, non-dating plate (such as NXZ 4491) from one of the many on-line specialists offering this service.
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Im tempted to do similar but I gather should you have an accident and someone notices your plates i think your insurance would be invalid? Some forums suggest this
 
I think the yellow/white plates are reflective and they were introduced around 1967/68 on grounds of safety (although the original raised plastic characters on reflective film stuck to aluminium are still much better at reflecting than the more modern acrylic plates). I remember articles in AA Drive magazine extolling the safety benefits of such plates, not too mention adverts in car mags of the day.

I think it's odd when so many people with pre 1973 cars simply have to swap to black/silver, any they accept the modern (2001 on) narrow font. Back in the day from the late 'Sixties many (half?) new and older cars had reflective plates - even some cars with a pre-suffix registration.

I actually think many cars look better with reflective plates of the plastic characters on aluminium type, even if they could have black/silver. It's probably more original too, since anything post c1968 may well have had them from new.

Just a thought!

Mark B
 
Eccles60 said:
I think the yellow/white plates are reflective and they were introduced around 1967/68 on grounds of safety (although the original raised plastic characters on reflective film stuck to aluminium are still much better at reflecting than the more modern acrylic plates). I remember articles in AA Drive magazine extolling the safety benefits of such plates, not too mention adverts in car mags of the day.

I think it's odd when so many people with pre 1973 cars simply have to swap to black/silver, any they accept the modern (2001 on) narrow font. Back in the day from the late 'Sixties many (half?) new and older cars had reflective plates - even some cars with a pre-suffix registration.

I actually think many cars look better with reflective plates of the plastic characters on aluminium type, even if they could have black/silver. It's probably more original too, since anything post c1968 may well have had them from new.

Just a thought!

Mark B
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That’s a good thought and a good opinion. I remember the yellow and white being introduced. And yes it was for visibility and safety not ANPR which of course was not in existence then. My first car a Morris Minor Reg TTL262 I swapped the black and white plates for white and yellow to pimp it up ! Ironically The guy who bought it ( by then it was an even worse wreck) bought it for its registration. Got an Mot on it and sold the Reg for a lot of money :o. But now I’d love to go the other way and put black an white plates on
 
For originality late sixties and onward classics should have reflective plates, but yes they should be of the older style for the older classics. I had a 68 Mk2 Cooper back in 2000, she was very original, and even had her dealer supplied reflective plates. Of course my friends, it's all down to choice isn't it.
 
Andrew4Renaults said:
Might I suggest fitting a relay to do the switching for your lights on and off? The original switches in the car were designed to handle 45/40 watt bulbs (about 8-9 amps on main beam) and the halogen bulbs will be pushing nearer 10-11 amps. Use the light switch to turn the relay on and feed the headlights through a fused feed, with an appropriately amperage fuse. It'd be both safer, put much less load on the original switch and probably make the headlamps even brighter, as the old wiring and switches probably act as a resistance to some of the current.
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Yes, a very good idea. My 1986 GTL already has halogen bubs (would it have done so from new?) but I have some yellow covers I shall fit soon - I really like the yellow bulb "look". I've been thinking it would be a good idea to fit relays (one per dip/main - so two fused ones) since the switches don't suggest quality in feel... I shall probably also fit a relay to the horn since they require a surprisingly high current too. Just got to find a point close to the headlights and horn for the relays but also somewhere where they'll stay out of any water ingress when it rains or I wash the car. Any suggestions? I was thinking about the vertical panel to the front of the inner wing on the driver's (right side - it's a right hand drive) side where the bonnet closes up to and where they won't be too obvious but I'm wondering if this bit gets damp... I'll also need to check the clearance.
 
Hi there Mark. I've fitted relays for the high power twin horns and the foglamps just behind the coolant expansion tank, and quite low down so as to be not too obvious. If I do fit relays for the headlights I reckon they will go on the near side inner wing, behind the headlight as you've suggested. Better on the near side though I think, because that's where the harness from the lamp switch is. It should be dry enough there, and there should be room.
 
Cornish4 said:
Hi there Mark. I've fitted relays for the high power twin horns and the foglamps just behind the coolant expansion tank, and quite low down so as to be not too obvious. If I do fit relays for the headlights I reckon they will go on the near side inner wing, behind the headlight as you've suggested. Better on the near side though I think, because that's where the harness from the lamp switch is. It should be dry enough there, and there should be room.
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Many thanks for the ideas, sorry for the delay in responding. Cheers! Mark
 
Cornish4 said:
Hi there Mark. I've fitted relays for the high power twin horns and the foglamps just behind the coolant expansion tank, and quite low down so as to be not too obvious. If I do fit relays for the headlights I reckon they will go on the near side inner wing, behind the headlight as you've suggested. Better on the near side though I think, because that's where the harness from the lamp switch is. It should be dry enough there, and there should be room.
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Does make sense. Keep the relays close to the switch feed. I just casually thought "offside" because the battery's over there, but all it needs is a meaty bit of cable from the live point on the battery/starter/alternator to feed the contacts side of the relays. Cheers.
 
Ah ha! Guess what I found after "sorting out" the garden shed....? Three (yes, THREE!) sets of wind tone horns! These are the beautifully shaped horns fitted to 1960s cars, which give a beautiful "phhrp" sound, and are also very loud! What with lock-down and limited ability to do much else, I've fitted one set to my Daf 33, wired through a relay and they sound great! I plan to put a second set on my wife's Skoda Fabia...that'll make her next trip to Waitrose an event.....

Being serious for a moment, when fitting them keep the relays close to the source of the current and fit in-line fuses!
 
retrospecparts said:
Someone above mentioned yellow halogens from Der fransoze. As far as I can see they only sell the 3-prong h4 fitting. If you've got the round '410'-type fitting, I sell suitable yellow halogens on my website, here: https://retrospecparts.com/lighting-etc-c/311-headlamp-bulb-halogen-yellow-55-60w.html
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Yep, that's the look I like! Being partly French yellow headlamps & loud car horns do it for me! All I now want is to go to a French-style café, drink strong coffee & smell those Gitane cigarettes.... but that'll have to wait a few weeks! no doubt I'll appreciate it all the more when it happens (& and it WILL!)
 
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