Headlights Foreign Use

SteveBarton · Post by **SteveBarton** » Mon 01 Oct, 2007 20:52

I have a UK supplied Z1 and need to know how to adjust the headlights for foreign use. The handbook picture and instructions do not match the car! Any advice please.

felix · Post by **felix** » Mon 01 Oct, 2007 21:03

I thought the lights were the same for LHD and RHD, hence the bi-directional arrows on the light glass to indicate suitability for LHD and RHD. How does the manual not match the lights?

SteveBarton · Post by **SteveBarton** » Mon 01 Oct, 2007 21:45

The manual indicates to release a screw behind lights and rotate them. My own has no such screw or fitting anything like the manual.

Steve

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Tue 02 Oct, 2007 08:38

How strange.

I have to say, that although I put beam converters on my RHD Alfa here, because the Z1 is LHD anyway, I've never bothered altering the lights when I've taken the Z1 abroad on the basis that it hopefully won't occur to policeman to check which way the lights point on a LHD car and that they are possibly unlikely to try and check.

///M_aniac · Post by **///M_aniac** » Tue 02 Oct, 2007 10:03

I have always used beam converters when driving on the continent. No problems and no one going off the road into the ditch either.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Tue 02 Oct, 2007 10:23

The standard headlights on a Z1 couldn't dazzle a moth.

senna · Post by **senna** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 17:37

I took the Z1 to Stuttgart and back in one day this weekend, and could not be bothered with the headlights. It is not too difficult to adjust the beam....three screws (philips) and a shaving mirror will do the trick.
They are very dim at the best of times. My main beam bulbs are 150 watts for off road use only.

Had to wash it when I got back:

SCORPION · Post by **SCORPION** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 18:03

I have recently come back from 18 days in France.
Before I went I bought an Aldi European Travel Kit. The still had some last week. I think it cost £6.99.
The kit contains headlight bulbs for H1, H2 or 3(can't remember) and H4, GB plates and excellent headlight converters. The instructions do not list the Z1 but do show you how to put them on projector lights.
I checked against a wall in a dark garage before sticking them on and they were excellent.
I had not intended to drive at night but one night we could not get accommodation so ended up doing a very fast night drive of about 120 miles to the South Coast. My wife said one advantage of driving at night was that she could not see the drops.

You can see them in place on the attached picture.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 18:27

What colour is your hard top senna? Black or Green?

senna · Post by **senna** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 18:34

RacingTeatray wrote:What colour is your hard top senna? Black or Green?

1 x green with a light grey/cream cloth head lining, and that one is green with dark grey leather.

Not sure if I will spray it as I don't use it much except for long journeys.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 19:17

senna wrote:
RacingTeatray wrote:What colour is your hard top senna? Black or Green?
1 x green with a light grey/cream cloth head lining, and that one is green with dark grey leather.

Not sure if I will spray it as I don't use it much except for long journeys.

Why do you have two of them?

Mine has a charcoal flock lining.

senna · Post by **senna** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 19:49

RacingTeatray wrote:
Mine has a charcoal flock lining.

What is the charcoal flock?

I would like one with the lights and speakers.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 20:54

A sort of slightly furry/fuzzy dark grey/black material not totally unlike acoustic carpet - sort of like the stuff that the door pockets of expensive luxury cars are lined with?

Lights and speakers sound nice. I just wish the rear heated window on mine would work (must be a connection issue)!

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Sun 07 Oct, 2007 21:07

Hardtops give the impression of being more practical, user friendly and gives greater credence to all year round driving I find.

I am totally envious of you Hardtoppers. The biggest reason I dont drive more often throughout the year.

Courtesy of FinerZ (Cheers Paul), I was able to road test a Hardtop over the weekend and I would seriously consider buying one now. (And they are so light to carry), albeit awkward.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 07:43

Not as envious as I am of your rear lights and little lip spoiler - both of which look spot-on.

How do you solve the fittings issue? Can replicas be fabricated?

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 11:54

I didnt have any fittings, I thought we could just plonk it on top, secure the front and drive, but clearly I was wrong, as I didnt take into account the 2 spikes that stick out at each corner, where just resting it against the leather left an imprint.

But replicas can be fabricated I have been informed, if I should find a Top without them.

senna · Post by **senna** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 13:29

RacingTeatray wrote: I just wish the rear heated window on mine would work (must be a connection issue)!

The earth is on the handbrake screw, the live on the green wire on the ignition.
I have the instructions in German somewhere.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 13:34

Jet wrote:I didnt have any fittings, I thought we could just plonk it on top, secure the front and drive, but clearly I was wrong, as I didnt take into account the 2 spikes that stick out at each corner, where just resting it against the leather left an imprint.

But replicas can be fabricated I have been informed, if I should find a Top without them.

Ah yes, I could have told you that. It's why I never offered when we met, figuring you could see it well enough on my car.

Does senna need both of his?

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 13:35

senna wrote:
RacingTeatray wrote: I just wish the rear heated window on mine would work (must be a connection issue)!
The earth is on the handbrake screw, the live on the green wire on the ignition.
I have the instructions in German somewhere.

Aha. Thanks. Yes, I think I have the hard-top leaflets somewhere - I recall it shows the car with roof bars on - they fit into those four screw holes.

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Mon 08 Oct, 2007 14:57

RacingTeatray wrote: Ah yes, I could have told you that. It's why I never offered when we met, figuring you could see it well enough on my car.

I did want to ask, but where we were and the time we had it was too much hassle. But you can redeem yourself at some point and let me take some pics with your Green roof

RacingTeatray wrote:Does senna need both of his?

I have been thinking of the best way to ask to get the desired result, but drawn a blank so far.
You have a voice of reason TT, any ideas?

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Tue 09 Oct, 2007 08:06

Asking doesn't work?

You are welcome to borrow the top for pics. Wouldn't have been possible previously as my Z's actually spent the whole year garaged at my mother's in Suffolk but, since taking my Alfa to Moscow, I need a car again in London so I took it back down there last time I was over 10 days ago. So next time I'm over and actually have some spare time, I'll try and let you know.

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Tue 09 Oct, 2007 10:58

How about it Senna, would you like to buy your wife an even bigger christmas present this year?

Maybe that Stella Mcartney coat she always wanted or diamond encrusted heels...she will be very impressed with you.

If I cross your palm with the required amount of silver, in exchange for a Hardtop, you could make your lady a very happy woman

senna · Post by **senna** » Tue 09 Oct, 2007 15:13

Jet wrote:How about it Senna, would you like to buy your wife an even bigger christmas present this year? Maybe that Stella Mcartney coat she always wanted or diamond encrusted heels...she will be very impressed with you.

If I cross your palm with the required amount of silver, in exchange for a Hardtop, you could make your lady a very happy woman

I am not married

May be, but I need to think about it, if Leeds is Wet or rough then no. Will know shortly

Pat Slade · Post by **Pat Slade** » Tue 09 Oct, 2007 17:38

Didn't this start with headlights!!
Is Leeds a codeword Senna?
Aaarrrgggh I can't keep up

Pat

senna · Post by **senna** » Wed 10 Oct, 2007 21:22

Pat Slade wrote:Didn't this start with headlights!!
Is Leeds a codeword Senna?
Aaarrrgggh I can't keep up

Pat

I suppose it did start with Continental Head lights, hence the digression after my trip to Europe on Friday.

Moving to Leeds this month, so no codeword.