What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Reckless Rat]

You were lucky! We used to dream of having a coat.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

[Tony Griffiths]

Came back in the dark, so I could see whether changing the headlamp bulbs form 24 watt to 36 watt has made any difference to the lighting. It has, at least marginally, but I still have trouble when other motorists insist on coming right up close to the back of the car with their modern headlamps due mostly to the reflection in the windscreen. Why do people drive so close, I wonder? The only downside is that the dynamo now no longer balances the total current used when all the lights are on. There is a deficit of about 4 amps.

 
Have you considered these? They use so little power that the battery has a continuous positive charge - in fact, the dynamo becomes almost redundant.
The "bulls-eye" type does not need a reflector and has main and dip.
The "flat type" - with an LED on both sides -I have fitted to the RUBY and are excellent with a clear dipped beam and very bright.
A wide variety of fittings are available from various suppliers.
The picture shows a single bulls-eye bulb being handheld as a test of the switch wiring on dip and main - the latter wired so that both elements come on for main. Ill see what realy happens when I get the car back on the road

[David Stepney]

Thank you Tony.

I have already tried a set of the 'bulleye' type LEDs and was quite disappointed with their performance. It was this that prompted me to get the 36 watt bulbs.

[Tony Griffiths]

Thank you Tony.

I have already tried a set of the 'bulleye' type LEDs and was quite disappointed with their performance. It was this that prompted me to get the 36 watt bulbs.

With the "bulls-eye" type I'll have to use an auxiliary switch toggle switch that gives OFF, DIP, DIP + MAIN. i.e on main beam both elements are used.

[Bob Olive]

In my old RP I used to carry a pre-cut piece of hardboard to fit the rear window recess so as to defeat the tailgaters with their blasted headlights on the Seven’s vertical screen, and relied on wing mirrors for rear viewing. It worked for me.

[David Cochrane]

For the Box I use a piece of black paper cut to the right size so that it slots into the back window recess. When not in use it's stored under the back seat. I usually remember to fit it about 2 minutes after I set off from the pub to drive home...

For the Chummy I use a 3 ft length of pipe lagging. I open the top pane and fit the pipe lagging over the bottom pane, then close the top pane onto the lagging so that it seals; the top pane is then at an angle so that the modern behind you doesn't shine its headlights into your eyes. I cut the lagging in half at an angle and store them under the passenger seat when they're not needed. I usually remember to fit them about 2 minutes after I set off from the pub to drive home...

[Alan]

Why not stay 3 minutes longer at the pub?

[David Cochrane]

The only downside is that the dynamo now no longer balances the total current used when all the lights are on. There is a deficit of about 4 amps.

This is a sadly an all too common misconception. The main thing to remember is that you have a battery in your car, which acts as a reservoir of electricity. The battery should contain at least 40 Ah (ampere hours) of stored electricity, which means that theoretically it can provide 4 amps of electricity for 10 hours. Easily more than enough time to get home from the pub (even if you set off 3 minutes later...).

I have fitted quartz halogen bulbs to my Chummy, which with the modest output from the DFL dynamo results in a 16A discharge with the headlamps on. Provided that I ensure that the 80Ah battery is fully charged before I set off, I have enough electricity to get to Harwich to catch the night ferry to Holland.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Ik ben het met je eens.