Headlight Upgrade - KustomKarparts?

[daveg]

One of my winter projects was to upgrade the headlights as in the link from Brent below:
http://www.uniquecobra.com/showthrea...ght=headlights

It seems like KustomKarParts web site is down or has been moved. Does anyone have the phone number or know a different place to buy the Lucas tri-bar halogen replicas with a reflector and a clear lense center that Brent references?

Dave

[Unique 289_FIA]

Ebay has several sets.

[wlewis]

My kustomkarparts.com invoice from March '05 also says http://shoppalstores.com/kustomkar and there is no phone number.
Walter

[ralphscott]

I have tribars here is the address Barry Kutz, 198 Queen Ln., Dept 198, Rehoboth Beach, DE. 19971. So drop Barry anote if this URL does not work:

www.kustomkarparts.com Now if it is case sensitive try this www.KustomkarParts.com

Ralph

[ericeckhoff]

Try these guys

http://www.victoriabritish.com/Features/MG/MGLL2.htm

Lots of British Car parts and good folks to order from.

[daveg]

All of these are just one beam (one bulb) correct? (No more high and low beam - correct?).

Dave

[Brent]

No, they DO have a high beam.

If you have not changed your fuse on top of the healight switch to a higher amp fuse it will go "poof" as soon as you turn the new lights on. Much, much brighter.

[K.Wilson]

I actually ended up installing a relay in the headlight system after I installed the tri-bars as the headlight switch could not handle the load.
Keith

[wlewis]

Brent,
What amp fuse did you use?
Walter

[Brent]

stock was 20A
switched to a 25A

[wlewis]

Thanks Brent.

[davebetts]

I've watched the Kustom Kar Parts site since early December. First it was up, then closed until Dec. 20th, never came back, then a message closed until Jan. 20th. Don't know what's up.
Buy the way, did the 427 S/C ever run Lucas TriBars??
I'm thinking of just converting to regular lens, but halogins. Costs $20.00 plus bulbs from any auto store.
Is there a power (fuse change) issue with that change.
Does a 61 amp alternator support them.
The lights in now are very poor.

[casaleenie]

Do those lights fit the 289 model also?

[Unique 289_FIA]

Do those lights fit the 289 model also?

Yes.

[Naumoff]

I actually ended up installing a relay in the headlight system after I installed the tri-bars as the headlight switch could not handle the load.
Keith

Keith,
This Saturday we came back from a long cruise and when I had the headlights on the lowbeams went out swtched to High beams and ran those the rest of the way.
Highbeams never went out but tried lowbeams a couple of times and they would go out.
Is this the same problem you were having?
I have the tribars too.

[K.Wilson]

I replaced the original "sealed-beam" headlights with replacement "halogen" headlamps in 1998. I replaced the "halogen" lights in 2001 with "tri-bars" that I got off e-bay. The "tri-bars" have replacable "bulbs" so I purchased the "bulbs" with the highest wattage bulbs I could buy. This had a dramatic effect on the high beams. Low beam is great and actually puts out more light than my Navigator. High beams however actually look like a UFO landing site when they are on. Cars two counties over are flashing their lights at me when I have the high beams on. Some day (when one burns out) I will replace the bulbs with lower power bulbs but it is kind of fun for now.

When I inatalled the lights it immediately smoked the fuse on the headlight switch when I turned it on high beam. I replaced the fuse with a 25Amp circuit breaker from a older Ford product. It then smoked the headlight switch when I turned on the high beams (my wife was in the car with me when the headlight switch expired, she was not as ammused as I was when the smoke poured out from under the dash).

I then installed a headlight relay system from an after market truck light bar kit so that the headlight switch only carries the current to activate the relay, the power for the lights now is routed through the relay. Needless to say, I replace the headlight switch also.

If your problem is that the low beams don't work, it could be that both bulbs burned out their low beam eliments (not too likely that they would both burn out at the same time) or that the dimmer switch (as part of your turn signal switch) has an open circuit. Or, their could be an open circuit somwhere else in the system. If there is power to the highbeams the headlight switch is functioning as well as the circuit protection (fuse). The headlight ground circuit is okay as the ground for the low beam is the same as the high beam.

If I were looking at it the first thing I would do is pull a head light and pulg in one of the old "sealed-beam" lights and see if it works on low beam. If it does your bulbs are probably burned out on the low beam side. If the old bulb does not work on the low beam side I would look for the open circuit next (dimmer, connectors, etc.). Your book that came with the harness will give you the color code of the wires for the low beams to make it easy to check out.

Let me know if I can help, also, there are several people on this site that I know would be willing to help if you can't get it sorted out.
Keith

[Master]

I purchased tri bars as well a few weeks ago from finish line "$" looked at the other sites listed for a another source but no luck. I will let you know any issues I have after installing them. The lights from finish line are flat face with clear lens and replaceable bulbs.

[Naumoff]

Keith now that you mention it I think the problem could be in the dimmer switch in the column. Low beams would come back on but go out after a few minutes. Then I would have to go the high beams. Not to bad for other cars as they are adjusted when the front end was higher than the rear and now with my shorter springs up front and the ride hieght level.

But I will investigate the low beam circuit through the dimmer switch.
Low beam is probably not fully engaged as I had to file some of the column opening to allow the switch to turn the lowbeams on. Could be a good place to start since nothing is blown or smoked.

Thanks I will keep you posted.

[traveler]

I bought tri bar lights from Victoriabritish.com . . They installed easly .I have high low beams . So far have used them at least a dozen times and did not have to change the fuze yet . Also installed the blue blub for a higher out put .
The best thing was they cost less than anywhere else I looked . I think I paid only $69.95 each . I could not tell the difference between them and Finish line which cost well over $200.00 not including the brighter bulb .

So far I am satisfied with the Victoria British lights .

Rick Findley

[daveg]

I ended up buying mine on Ebay for $80 as per the first post - very happy with the results. I bought from bill7516 - no problem - arrived on time.

In regards to some of the previous notes, I did burn out my low-beams without the fuse going. Somewhat concerned by that. I was able to check but switching the lines to the high-beams to determine that both the low-beam bulbs were burned out.

Dave