VSCC Alternators

[Charles P]

Personally Charles I’m not a fan of what you describe, though having a 6 v rewound so becomes a 12v isn’t too bad. At least if using a Dynamo and driven from the correct location its more in keeping. I suppose I just don’t see the need to change as we have perfectly working original units fitted. I’m also curious as to why electric water pumps are required….. usually they are also quite unsightly and obviously modern.

Maybe I’m just in the minority but I like the cars to be as in period. If it wasn’t available then, shouldn’t really be fitted for VSCC purposes.

Some vintage cars can be difficult in modern traffic, especially thermo-syphon. A hidden inline Davis-Craig pump can help to resolve these problems. I remember having a constant boiling issue in an otherwise well sorted 4.5 Lagonda when stuck in a queue for the Dartford Tunnel. Switching the engine on and off in traffic was the somewhat unsatisfactory solution. 
I made an Ulster water pump from castings to ensure that my car was period correct (except for a carbon bearing) so I'm not in the market.
A hidden inline electric pump is probably preferable to a Hillman Imp one stuck on the cylinder head driven by a vee belt

Charles

[David Cochrane]

Can we have a quick hands up here? How many of the critics are actually VSCC members?

Another VSCC member here, who prefers to comment from the inside rather than from the outside.

[Stumpi]

My understanding of the upgrading of headlights to LED is they are not road legal for two reasons.
LED bulbs are not E marked.
Must be 30 watt minimum.
These are requirements of road traffic act vehicle lighting regulations.
I agree that correctly fitted leds may be better, 
what insurers would do if they found vehicle did not comply with these regs in the event of a claim may be a problem.
Andy

[Tony Griffiths]

No E markings either on the standard bulbs pre-war bulbs fitted to the rear lights of my 1930 Chummy....and as for the acetylene burners on my 1922 motorcycle, does "Made in Birmingham" count? In order to make a case, the insurers would have to prove that the LED bulbs caused their loss; taking a point from my legal eagle friend he said, "Good luck to them with that!"

[Stuart Giles]

My understanding of the upgrading of headlights to LED is they are not road legal for two reasons.
LED bulbs are not E marked.
Must be 30 watt minimum.

The 30 Watt minimum for car headlights is certainly down in black and white; there was no period related exemption that I could find when I looked it up.

ISTR seeing in the manual that MOT testers are required to fail cars fitted with LED lights that aren't original equipment. Obviously not an issue for A7s that don't need an MOT.

But my understanding is that LEDs aren't legal for road lighting unless they are E marked. pretty well every advert I've seen for LED replacement bulbs says something along the lines of 'for off road use only' this may well be the reason that the VSCC wouldn't allow cars so fitted to compete in a night road event.

[Hedd_Jones]

My understanding is that the statement above is not true.

It is illegal to use LED bulbs in lamps that are E marked.

It is 100% legal to use LED bulbs in any other type of lamp for road use. No issues.

P.S the WATT output is also a red herring. Nothing complicated, my daughter is learning this presently at secondary school.

[Mike Costigan]

According to the Government's own website, the official wording of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations that affects our cars is as follows:

The minimum wattage of a bulb or sealed beam unit must be 30W for vehicles first used before 1 April 1986.

and

Existing headlamps on vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986 must not be converted to be used with HID or LED light sources, The complete unit may be replaced but the vehicle must then comply with the requirements for headlamp washers and levelling devices

The exceptions to these regulations do not cover our cars, so my interpretation is that bulbs of less than 30 watts are not legal, but LED-converted lamps are; no mention of E-marking!. However, I am not a lawyer...

[andrew34ruby]

I think you are correct Mike. Cars after 1986 must have approved and E marked lights. Fitting a different type of bulb negates the E marking.

[Ian Williams]

Hedd has a point, 30w only applies to incandescent lamps, the regulations say that because they explicitly say that HIT and LED can not be used on post April 1986 cars. The 30w rule is also a nonsense as it is a measure of power consumption not illuminance, it would be an impossible mine field for anyone to argue that increasing headlight lumen output buy fitting LED's to an A7 was dangerous, unless of course you now made the lights so bright they blinded other road users!

[dickie65]

I think modern car lighting would fail in the old UK construction and use regs. !!!!!
How can they get away with lights so high off the ground !!???
I would just ignore the regs and make your lights work so that you can drive safely.
I have my LED converted rear lights aimed slightly upwards so that they can be seen be following cars.
I also have a red retro reflective 2" strip across the back of the car, its very effective !!
It does not look too horrendous on a Cherry Red backside.