So, I mounted vintage Notek and Lucas spotlights on my Stella last year, but did not wire them since each of the original vintage bulbs is a whopping 48 watts, and that would kill my battery in no time. Instead, I the plan is to convert the lights to low wattage LED bulbs. I am not using these as headlights, or even really as spotlights. The intent is to simply have more visibility at night when a cager is looking at me.
Last edited by slotrod65 on Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I finally got around to picking up a pair of H3 LED bulbs. I chose H3s because they have a mounting skirt, and the vintage bulbs have a skirt as well. Here is a photo of the original bulb mounting setup for the outer pair of Lucas spots: The skirt on the bulb is held in place by a spring clip.
Last edited by slotrod65 on Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It was brainstorming time. I knew I would never find a washer the correct size to fit the light and the bulb, so I decided to make one. Then I realized I did not need a washer, but simply a spacer with a slot cut in it. I drink espresso and have a dozen empty Illy brand coffee cans lying around. The steel they are made of is smooth, and shiny, and I could not bear to just recycle them. I am glad I did not as a few cuts with the tin snips provided me with a strip of thin, springy steel and allowed me to cut out just what I needed. After several tries I settled on two spacers: One in front of the bulb skirt, and the other behind. The original spring clip holds it all together:
A gentle bend in the mounting spacers keeps everything tight, and the bulb does not move.
slotrod65 wrote:Although everything looked good, there was no way to know until everything was assembled, and I cold test the results with a 9 volt battery:
Yesterday I removed the horncast, and ran wires into the glovebox. A piece of coat hanger wire came in handy yet again in assisting fishing the wired through the holes.
1: In the horn slot:
2: through the legshield and into the glovebox via the same holes used for the turn signal harness.
While I was in there, I spliced into the hot lead on the horn, and ran that wire into the glovebox as well. The red is the hot lead.
OK, so this morning I finally screwed up the courage to install the toggle switches. Why all the angst? Because I would have to drill holes in the glove box to mount them. Some masking tape allowed me to sketch right on the glovebox, and plan where I wanted to mount them.
Then it was time to drill. I used a center punch so the drill bit would not wander, and drilled 1/8" pilot holes.
Now it was time for the main event: Drilling the 9/16" mounting holes with the big bit. I drilled in short bursts so as not to heat up the drill, and to reduce burrs.
The stadium light in the center has a 102 LED bulb, while the Lucas lamps are only 28 LEDs. I plan on trying a pair of 68 LED and 102 LED in the Lucas lamps, but there maybe clearance issues as the LEDs are not the same size as the stock bulb.
Looks good!
i see 3 switches.. but on the video, i hear and see only 2 being switched and the results.
What's hooked to the 3rd one?
good job on switch install.
OK, so I finally had time to convert the last two spots, I was worried these would be harder to convert, as the bulbs on the Notek lights are held in with three little screws. In fact. they were easier: a few notches added to the H3 bulb base with a triangle and mini round file and I was all set:
I wried to the center switched just like the previous spots, and I am very pleased with the results. The LEDs do not project very much, but they shold be excellent running lights.
this has been a great help thanks
I am doing exactly the same but cant find any decent switches do you remember where you got yours and if they are local to you would they post
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