MOT year 2 pass
 

So the Kobra passed its 2nd MOT (eventually). Had checked everything over and over and the bloody front indicators didn’t work when tested first time.

Bloody cheap landrover plastic lights the cause as they made up of plastic interior which is shite quality. I really like the shape of them too which is annoying. Anyway passed after a tweak and now passed again for more fettling.

Will be sourcing new lights and looking for better quality metal bodied ones. I don’t like the Lucas L691/2 or those with the little fins (forgotten the Lxxx code) shape though so considering the L488 or even the BMC ones.

For the rears I love the rectangular old Lucas ones on the originals but with new lighting regs there is always a compromise regarding the combination of stop/tail and indicator. Someone does a special unit where they put an Led yellow light behind the original reflector but they are so bloody expensive :(

We are never finished are we ....

Do it yourself - I converted my old AK cobra to Lucas rectangles. Take back plate off, grind off the reflector spikes so it's smooth, get a cluster led bulb bright as you can orange led. Punch hole in the plate larger than led diameter and fit a grommet so led bulb is push fit.

The back plate is only held on by bent fingers from chrome surround but they work harden really quick - basically will survive one open and close rebend manouvere

Bizarrely, despite the red lens the orange led showed through orange so passed MOT

Scott thanks as I may just do that. Will look at cheapest source of the Lucas rectangular lights and see what I can do with them. Need to double check the removal of the round lights doesn’t give me a problem with screw holes etc before I proceed too.

Thanks again

Dave

I had those, the bulbs ended up melting the plastic lens ... to the point the lens was sliding down. I swapped them out for Lucas glass ones.

I know exactly what you mean - cheap cr**py Land Rover plastic lights in my MX250. One of the bulbs constantly rattles itself loose and at the same time manged to melt some of the housing.

Next MX250 will have glass lights.

Nice build, looking really good.

My front indicator lenses melted during the MOT test as the hazards were left on. Managed to get some glass replacements.
Have throw 2 set in the bin on my current build, the quality of the bulb holders is appalling and will only give problems later.
Still looking for a set.

Have you considered swapping the bulbs out for LEDs? Should generate a lot less heat.

Thanks all for the confirmation of these lights being pants.

It is a shame because I like how they look on the Kobra.

Craig thanks for the positive about the car. I’m still pleased with how it has turned out.

Steve (jag) I have gone through a few sets too. Buying cheap and buying twice is the std with them but bloody shouldn’t be.

Kon I have considered LED bulbs but it’s the light fittings fault that the connection gets lost when the car goes over a bump and loses the earth (cheap plastic fitting).


So my plan now is in action to replace the landie lights with Lucas L488 copies. Nice metal fittings and glass lenses. I’m not so keen on the lamps’ shape compared to what I have but have looked at the alternatives and for my build are the favoured model. They are not std figment on the Cobra but hey, my build isn’t one. It’s a tribute.

I’ll take before and after pics for completeness. I will be flogging chrome rings that bling up the landie lights when all is done.

Dave

I wouldn't touch these plastic lenses again, even if they were free.

I got mY glass replacements off ebay for about £15 a pair. I used clear for the indicators with amber bulbs. An example on ebay is here.

This shows a comparison between the old plastic lenses (left) and the glass ones (right). Personally, I can't tell the difference without close inspection.

https://www.cata4data.com/img/cobra/lens.jpg

Shed loads of cobra reps have L488s - my old AK had them before swapped out for rectangular. My mates old Ram had them too. They look good to be fair. Personally prefer them to the "witches tit" (how another mate described L594s lol!)

I have them on my Z300S- metal holders and flat glass lenses:

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ppc3gy.jpg

Have to say that the 21w bulb in the reversing light doesn't last long probably due to overheating. Candidate for an LED I think.

Witch tit is a good description of them. They look great on an old mini of course. I’m going L488s for now and see how I go.

A reversing light Ian ? That’s a bit posh ... :)

That’s a nice butt though

TBH once I'd seen WCA's Z300S and decided I wanted one (which took about 30 seconds) I started planning the lighting layout along classic Maserati lines but to accommodate both a reversing light and a fog light. And very effective they are too.

Is 'garage envy' a thing?

Definitely is- but that was taken at the striping studio... The car lives outside. See my build thread for the iced-up winter scene. That's why I opted for stainless wire wheels and why all of the external fasteners are stainless as well.

I have already seen it. Awesome work. I bet when you saw the car covered like that, your heart missed a beat.

So finally changed the indicators and stop tails to L488 style lamps.

Also changed the headlamps to wipac quadoptics. I liked the crystal ones in place but they looked a bit modern. Didn’t go P700 style as I always have to be a little different.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...026ce212_z.jpgKobra rear view Lucas l488 lights by Muddy_B, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...12daeea1_z.jpgKobra full rear with Lucas l488 lights by Muddy_B, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1cdcbc1e_z.jpgKobra full front new lucas l488 and wipac quadoptics by Muddy_B, on Flickr

The keen eyed among you might notice the stop tails are different shades of red. Bloody eBay seller... anyway new lens coming this week.

Only because you mentioned it. A little darker.

The wipac quadoptics lights, they seem cheaper and brighter ... are there any down sides that you are aware of?

Your exhaust looks great. What exactly have you done to it? Mine is stock, twin pipes out the left hand side. But want to do improve the look and sound.

Not sure on the downsides to the headlamps yet. Time will tell. That said I rarely drive the car unless it’s daytime and the sun is out :)

The exhaust is made up of a cat back stainless that takes the two outputs from the cats and feed them into a back box at the rear left with a single outlet at the back you see in the pic. There is a second tail pipe that comes back out the back box facing forward and that it routed under the car to appear on the right.

It is quieter then the stock by a little which suits me. If I did it again I would be more direct with the exhaust fitters and have two runs from the cat going to two smaller back boxes one each side. I’m happy with it though. Went to a place in Basingstoke that use a well known industry std stainless (forgotten the name right now though)

Dave

Thanks Dave. I'll have a hunt locally, see if there's a garage that can do it.

Cheers
Chris.