Dashlamp

[Mike Costigan]

Those look like modern reproduction units. I had a dash-lamp of similar design, but an authentic 1920s item, which was a delight to use with a light but positive switch operation and infinitely adjustable alignment which stayed where it was positioned.

[Tony Griffiths]

Yes, they're the

Those look like modern reproduction units. I had a dash-lamp of similar design, but an authentic 1920s item, which was a delight to use with a light but positive switch operation and infinitely adjustable alignment which stayed where it was positioned.

Yes, they are indeed, and they perform in a diametrically opposed way to your properly made original. The Switch is as sticky and uncertain as the maker could manage, and the lamp stays anywhere but where you need it. Apart from their appearance, they are a waste of money.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Talk about damning with faint praise! I have had similar experiences and managed to repair an original, unfortunately I forgot to remove it when I sold the car...

[Dave Mann]

Buying cheap Chinese replicas on E Bay is a high risk chance that they will be sub standard, while the Chinese probably produce good quality products I've yet to come across them. You can go to B & Q and buy a £2.00 bush saw blade which is useless or go to an engineers tool store and buy a Bahco one for £8.00 which is like a hot knife through butter. Visit your recycling center and look in the bins where you will see almost new stuff junked. 
Before assembly of the dash lamp the working surfaces were cleaned with Scotchbright and lightly greased and it works perfectly.

[Duncan Grimmond]

The critical word there is "cheap" ! As grannie used to say "Buy cheap, buy twice"

[David Stepney]

Sometimes, poorly made stuff isn't cheap. Recently, I bought two facsimile L582 rear lamps for the Seven which were over £70,00 a piece. When they arrived, the lens on one was rather stiff to remove and the other was almost impossible to get apart to change the bulb and then the lens would not screw back on. Fortunately, the suppliers were very kind and sent me a replacement which they had checked and fitted a 6 volt bulb. However, for the price, I would have expected better engineering.

[Tony Griffiths]

Talk about damning with faint praise! I have had similar experiences and managed to repair an original, unfortunately I forgot to remove it when I sold the car...

Sometimes, poorly made stuff isn't cheap. Recently, I bought two facsimile L582 rear lamps for the Seven which were over £70,00 a piece. When they arrived, the lens on one was rather stiff to remove and the other was almost impossible to get apart to change the bulb and then the lens would not screw back on. Fortunately, the suppliers were very kind and sent me a replacement which they had checked and fitted a 6 volt bulb. However, for the price, I would have expected better engineering.

I have a pair of L471s on the Ruby. I don't know if they came from this supplier or not: https://www.classicbulbs.co.uk/products/...-471-53200 but the contacts were so flexible and uncertain that I ended up soldering them to the bulbs.

[David Stepney]

No, Tony, but I suspect that all these pattern lamps come from one supplier (probably in India) whoever one buys them from.

[Dave Mann]

The indicator LEDs and LED flasher unit arrived today, now I've heard loads of stories of the flasher unit working OK until the engine was started, I fitted them to the tourer they worked fine then I started the engine and lo the flasher still worked perfectly even when the flasher unit is mounted within 6" of the coil. The flasher unit isn't the cheapest on the market at £11.00 from Classic Dynamo and regulator conversions but they do seem to supply good gear.

[Tony Griffiths]

The indicator LEDs and LED flasher unit arrived today, now I've heard loads of stories of the flasher unit working OK until the engine was started, I fitted them to the tourer they worked fine then I started the engine and lo the flasher still worked perfectly even when the flasher unit is mounted within 6" of the coil. The flasher unit isn't the cheapest on the market at £11.00 from Classic Dynamo and regulator conversions but they do seem to supply good gear.

It is odd. On one car, the LED flashers don't work with the dynamo charging (solved by wiring them to a small 12-volt battery and using ordinary bulbs), while on another, they work just fine.