MadaboutKitcars

I have decided not to buy Marlin's standard lighting kit therfore I also don't have the little mounting brackets that I assume they also supply. Can anyone post me up a picture of the main headlamp mounting bracket so that I can see what it looks like? I guess it is just an L shaped affair that is fixed with the top damper bolt but it would be good to see a picture.

Thanks

Robin

Yip its a simple L shaped bracket with two holes; one for the head light and one to attach it to the car via the bolt for the damper.

Below you can see the bracket (bottom left side of the picture by the top bolt for the damper.




Rich

Robin / Rich,
chating to Simon from Marlin (he built the red Customer car) at Donington yesterday. I asked about mounting the headlamps and commented that some are mounted on the back of the shock absorber mounting bolt. He just said that he always mounts them on the front.

If you look back at GOO's photo's in the thread below called 'Stoneliegh Kit Car show' you can see a picture of the headlight mounting and a neat little rubber grommet thingy. I wonder what that is??

Peter

We've gone for rear mounting as its I think its cleaner to run cables, there seems to be a selection of people rear mounting and a selection front mounting.

I put it down to personal taste i think, no right or wrong way I think it looks better with that greater staggered look between the spots and the main lights.

I think the "grommet" is a bit of u-shaped rubber to cover the bracket so that it is SVA compliant. A better solution would be to have the bracket small enough so the base of the lamp covers it.

I made a prototype U shaped bracket yesterday but with the weight of the headlamps you get the problem of the headlamp bouncing up and down as soon as any movement is applied to it. I guess the Marlin bracket does the same. So - I might go for something more sophisticated... (Don't know what though).

Robin

You could cross brace one of the sides with a triangle? The marlin ones are very think steel.

Hi Patrick, what do you mean by a triangular brace?

I was thinking something like this:



Or am I thinking about the wrong bit?

Hello Patrick

Does this man that with the Marlin brackets you don't get a problem with the headlamps "bouncing" when you apply a lod to them? If so I might just make some brackets out of thicker material.

Robin

I've not bolted them down tight yet, but I did bash into it the other day and the bracket moved without bouncing. I'll have to tighten them up and let you know.

Hi Robin,
the 'grommet' I was refreing to was around the lead and covers the screwed thread of the lamp. I'm sure i've seen these before somewhere.

BTW which lamps did you get and were they a good price and quality?

Peter

My headlamps are the standard Marlin units with the Marlin brackets and they dont bounce at all.

No idea what these are but I guess a couple of layers of heat shrink tubing would do pretty much the same thing. I have also seen some sort of stainless tube used (shower fitting?)



I bought the SVC lamps Not cheap at £120 a pair but they are heavy chrome plated brass and fitted with Wipac quadoptic lenses and H4 bulbs. A lot of the cheaper lamps (arround the £60 mark and I suspect the ones that Marlin supply) are plated steel and they only last a few years before they rust through.
SVC also do a 5" pair that can be set up as driving lights - I am saving up for those...

Robin

OK DOK thanks - perhaps I will try to buy just the brackets from Marlin then...

Robin

Yes, the SVC do look the best. Can anyone confirm if the Marlin ones are steel or brass? (Just try a magnet on them)
You can pick up the rear lights Marlin use, on eBay for about £13 plus delivery. Search under truck lights, because that's what they are!

Peter

All,
still trying to decide whether to buy the Marlin lighting set or go it alone like Robin.

Has anyone got any feedback on how well the Marlin supplied headlights survive the weather?

Peter

I was a little disappointed to find the Marlin headlight is complete sealed unit inside. Now way to up rate the bulbs. If the the bulb goes you have to replace the whole glass unit. My advice find something else

Thanks, Patrick.
I hadn't even thought of that.

Any comments on the rest of the lighting pack?

Peter

There Marlin light units are plated steel and rust like hell. They also come with sealed beam units that really dont light the road up any better than a candle. I would recommend finding another solution like the SVC units.


Stuart

Thanks Stuart, I shall get the SVC ones, as they look the best value around.
I hope to pick some up at Stoneleigh show in May.

Peter