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Old 02-24-2012, 05:27 AM   #1
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1983 31' Airstream310
Brighton , sussex
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Headlight sizes

Were in the process of coverting the lights to a 4 light system.
4 dipped beams and 4 main beams. This requires a headlamp with a 'side light' installed.
Our mechanic is having trouble finding one. If someone can tell me the size I will look also.
It will be need to be the same size as an original to fit my new Argosy/Airstream grille that I have to find thanks to the shippers!

Del
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Old 02-24-2012, 07:57 AM   #2
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I'm a bit confused due to the difference in terms... According to wikipedia:

Quote:
Nighttime standing-vehicle conspicuity to the front is provided by "front position lamps",[15] known as "parking lamps" or "parking lights" in North America,[5] and "front sidelights" in British English.[19] Despite the UK term, these are not the same as the side marker lights described below. The front position lamps may emit white or amber light in North America;[5] elsewhere in the world they must emit only white light.[15] Colloquial city light terminology for front position lamps[20] derives from the practice, formerly adhered to in cities like Moscow, London and Paris, of driving at night in built-up areas using these low-intensity lights rather than headlamps.[21] It is now illegal in many countries to drive a vehicle with parking lamps illuminated, unless the headlamps are also illuminated. The UK briefly required Dim-Dip lights, described below, in an attempt to optimise the level of light used at night in built-up areas.
As far as I can tell, you're looking for a headlight that has a additional low power setting to use while standing (parked) somewhere. Is this correct? If so, I've never heard of such a beast; you'd be better off adding such lights as separate forward facing white low powered lights.

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Old 02-24-2012, 10:33 AM   #3
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1984 34.5' Airstream 345
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Dad's Toy started a good thread on this..
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f311...hts-78212.html
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Old 02-24-2012, 10:52 AM   #4
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I was doing research on this based on your PM, Montreal, when you posted...

Ok, I assume you are after a lamp with a sidelight(parking light) built in to satisfy the MOT test requirement of seperating the amber direction indicator lamps from the parking lamps?

The headlamps system on the Airstream looks the same as on the 1987 Suburban body... 2 stacked 165mm 4" x 6" sealed beams...
Here is what I found out...
Part numbers...
Low beam H4656 quotes it being the same as a 1980-1985 Audi.
High Beam H4651 also quoted at same part number as 1980 -1985 Audi

Some searches turned up this H4 conversion... I bet a similar one is available in the UK...
Note it has a plastic body... you could drill a small hole and add a 5w bulb if that would be legal..
H4651 Sealed Beam Conversion Headlight

Painless Wiring do a relay kit to make all 4 lamps come on at once...
Could not find it for sure, but here is a similar one...
http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/...-harnesses.htm
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Old 02-24-2012, 04:26 PM   #5
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Thanks All, At MOT time here in the UK I had to have the small 5watt 'sidelights' installed in the headlights on a few old cars.
There is a requirement to have a clear coloured side light. I dont think it has to be in the headlight. For the UK I will need a headlight with a hole for a small 5 watt sidelight so the plastic back ones are perfect as they can be drilled if there is no ready made.
Now...I want to have all 4 on on low beam and 4 on the high beam so I need the 4 headlight wiring kit from Bright headlights as Steve suggested.
I'm confused about which headlamps I need. I know the size is 4x6" or 4x6.5".
Do I just need a headlight which holds a H4 bulb (I think 55 watts is the max here for road use). ?
The bulb is a dual filament which does the low and high beam function??
On top of all this I want to add lights ontop of bumper as driving lights that come one either on the low beam setting and stay on with the high beam. 6 lights in total.
Shall we upgrade the headlight wiring from the switch and relay??
Plus 2 lower bumper fog lights.
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Old 02-24-2012, 04:31 PM   #6
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1983 31' Airstream310
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Can anyone tell me if all 4 lights stay on when on Hi beam. I have a photo of my MH with all 4 lights on but is this the norm for low beam operation?
I have read some some Chevy cars switch to two headlights when switched to the Hi beam
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Old 02-24-2012, 04:42 PM   #7
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I thought thats what you needed.

Ok, normally the dipped are on then when you hit full beam, the dips go out.
The kits keep the dips on when the mains come on to illuminate the foreground.
I would run like that.
Upgrade to a Silverstar or brighter/whiter lamp even if you stay sealed beam... I did on my Suburban and it made a huge difference.

The kits have bypass relays that runs off a battery feed, in your case, maybe off a battery solenoid... there is one in front of the driver in the engine compartment that would be perfect.
This releases the load off the headlamp switch and original circuit... which is good as they are notorious for overheating/failing and voltage drops.

I would supplement the dips with some foglamps, and the mains with some driving lamps, also run thru relays.

I would also look closely at how the lamps are mounted.
When I was running in Europe in my old cars with non optical cutout lamps(you know what I mean M, others will not!).
As the Airstreams lights are adjustable from the front, maybe you could do what I did, and put a longer bolt with a in and out stop for the LHD to RHD situation...
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