Projector headlamp question

[Louis]

Hi Folks,
Do projector headlamps like the V expensive cibie ones, have a beam pattern?.
Reason I ask is if I buy from Germany, ( a left hand drive country), would I be able to use them on my car?, as we drive on the right.

I am concerned that if I get them and they are for a country where the drive on the left, then I may not be able to use them in the UK as they would dazzle oncoming cars, and you can't really stick a lens adapter sticky thang on them???

any info appreciated.

[Louis]

I know you are out there!,
I am sure someone on here has projector headlights, the cibie ones I think.
Question is are they specific to left hand or right hand drive cars, or are they universal and adjustable. ??

[ritch_w]

sounds like a question for Super Kieran!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stuartturbo]

yes you can use them but you will blind drivers.
But it may be worth checking what they are made for possible made for RHD and sold in LHD country.

[Louis]

I haven't seen one for a while, but don't remember any cutting on the inside or outside the glass!, so I don't get how they are aligned, i.e. how the beam pattern is produced?.

[Kenneth]

I would expect that (like most headlamps) you can adjust the beam direction on each headlight.

[Louis]

Yeah, I guess that there would be (or I could make up) a way of pointing the lamp in the right direction, BUT. If you drive on the left hand side of the road and oncoming traffic is on the right, then the beam pattern of the light is like this \_ (sort of) and on a car that drives on the right with oncoming traffic on the left, the beam pattern would be like _/ (sort of).
I have always thought that the pattern was determined by the (cut) glass on the front lans of the headlamp. BUT, the projector lamp is small with a plain almost semi spherical lens.
So how does the beam pattern happen???????

[Louis]

Can anyone recall who has cibie lights?

[Louis]

Bump!

[Roadrunner]

A projector headlamp assembly comprises an elliptical reflector behind the light source, an optical shield to provide the dipped-beam cut-off, and a lens to collect and project the light pattern. The correct cut-off will be determined by the optical shield which, I would guess, will be different for left- and right-hand dips.

[I-S]

H7 is correct. An LHD and an RHD unit share the same optics but the shield is different. I disassembled a BMW E39 headlamp unit with a view to putting the projector into a galant light housing, and the part is pretty integral within the projector system.

With reference to my mention of projector units in the HID thread, I was incorrect in my first post and projector units designed for halogen bulbs are no more suited to HID bulbs than standard reflector units.

However, a projector unit with a halogen bulb should give better light output than the reflector unit.

[Louis]

Ta for the info guys, Are the projector units sealed, or do you think that I would be able to crack(wish I'd used another term there) one open and change or make up a different optical shield, If I get this sorted out and all goes well with my contact, I would be looking at getting a few sets made up, any more info you can give me would be appreciated

[Louis]

Hi, me again,
Anyone have a projector lamp or photos of one, or even better pics of one split open etc, or a link to some pics on intertelly, ta

[Beastlee]

Just ressurecting tis one as I'm interested to know if I could get a set of LHD headlamps and change the reflectors over so as to keep my JDM lamps with LHD conversion.