Additional Lighting [headlights]

[Atrus]

I am curious to see if anything has done anything really cleanly to add some additional front lighting to their Spridget.

I'm not restoring the car to "concours" or anything, and I do plan on modifying it to fit my liking. Therefore, I am open to just about any suggestion that looks good and functions well.

I've replaced the standard headlights with Silverstars. They are better, but I'd still like better light. I'd like to add some additional driving lamps. I also would like to run the car "bumper-less" as I love the look. So far, I have come up with three options to put some 4" 55W auxilary lights on:

1) As I'll be running bumper-less, open the mounting holes in the sheetmetal and try to find something to make a nice finish so it'll slightly resemble a 1st gen Camaro setup:

2) Incorporate them into the grill, like a Mustang:

3) I have a "push bar" or "rally bar" that bolts on with the bumper. If there's a way to have this on only, with the lights mounted to it, and have it look clean, that's an option. I'd worry about the mounting of the bar-to-vehicle looking ugly as there's no bumper to hide the mounting nut and whatnot.

I'd appreciate your opinions and any other ideas you may have.

 

[budk1953]

Saw this on another forum....
Picture

It was done with these........
Whitney

Bud

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Mostly personal preference I suppose, but I'd go with a push bar type thing. It seems to fit the character of the car better.

 

[bill_young]

I mounted a set of GM driving lights in the grill area on my Midget along with a mesh grill insert. They do help and I think the size is in proportion to the car.

 

[Morris]

Are those cobra over riders?

 

[bill_young]

No, they're just Bugeye rear bumpers mounted upside down on home made brackets. I used the same in the rear. I did want a bit of the "Cobra" look though.

 

[vagt6]

Period-correct driving lamps are readily available, the Moss catalog sells several types.

I think the 5" driving lamps (55W) look great on the small-ish MG front clips and they really put out a significant amount of lighting. My new MINI has two of the 5", Lucas-style driving lamps and they look and perform great.

Personally, I avoid "fog" lamps because a true fog lamp is designed to illuminate the side of the road, very close to the car. Driving lamps project far ahead of your high beams, and are far better for long-distance illumination.

I'd stick with correct stuff for the car, it simply looks better IMO. Further, the Moss lamps are not very expensive, either.

With headlamp bulb upgrades you have to be careful with halogens because they are illegal in some states.

Let us know what you decide, with photos, please.

 

[Hairyone]

In UK we are allowed to use 80/100W Halogen bulbs to pre 1982 cars. I have them on my VW's & will on my frogeye, but only after I have re-done the wiring & fitted a large relay, as that's around 17 Amps just for the headlights.
Take this into mind especially if you've got a dynamo.
I didn't when I did it on my 1st VW. Looked cool, but not so cool having to bump start it.

 

[Atrus]

Thanks everyone - I will definitely be using a Driving light as opposed to a Fog.

I forgot to mention - I have a Delco alternator on the vehicle already, so should be no issue running extra lighting.

Now it has to get FAR above the current 1*F that it is in Detroit so I can work on it!!!!

 

[JamesWilson]

In UK we are allowed to use 80/100W Halogen bulbs to pre 1982 cars.

That's great.

I wasn't aware of that, and it'd be a quick and easy upgrade (better check the wiring, I think first though)

... but are you sure?

 

[bigjones]

It looks like the Moss driving lights mount using a badge bar. However, the badge bars "do not fit Bugeye or 1500".

Any ideas on how to fit them to a 1500?

 

[scoutll]

You have to have the chrome bumpers for them to fit. If you have a rubber bumper car, or one of the ones with the large rubber over-riders (did they make Midgets with those?), I think you would have problems.

Bryan

 

[RickB]

What about a 1500 with no front bumper at all? :wink:

 

[JPSmit]

Classic Motorsports magazine put their lights on the bumper brackets. I put mine on the bracket also (just one) I then did a google search and came up with this Rubber Bumper with lights - can't say I'm crazy about the look - but is is doable. I've also seen a picture of a badge bar on a rubber bumper - not sure how they made it fit though. Course that's likely why I converted to chrome bumpers

https://tinyurl.com/8hrd43

https://tinyurl.com/98fu55

 

[JPSmit]

BTW - just cause it is such a neat fix, Classic Motorsports mentions that you can use the unused switch on the wiper switch to run the lights. The stalk is identical to the MGBs and on an MGB is used for the overdrive. I used it and it works great!

 

[Silverghost]

I found an auxillary light at a local "bling-bling" shop that I really like. It is a 7" round (I think, same size as a Mini headlight) 2-in-1 lamp, with the top 2/3 being clear driving light and the bottom third being amber fog lamp. Uses a 3 position switch - up - driving, middle - off, down - fog. Looks decent and kills 2 wants with one lamp!

 

[JPSmit]

sounds neat - do you have a picture?

 

[Silverghost]

Tried to google it, came up empty....I'll see if I can stop at that shop to get more info

 

[JPSmit]

was at a store yesterday and they had about 1/2 dozen different oval/ cats eye driving lights. was thinking they might work on a rubber bumper car - either in the "grille hole" in the bumper itself or underneath. Might give it that "70's" look.

 

[Whitephrog]

I like the way Mark Endicott from Nashville has mounted additional lights on his Bugeye.

www.spritespot.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Blount&id=Townsend_Show009