Re: Headlights (Plating / Resilvering) of reflectors

[CFritz7001@aol.com]

My TC is equipped with a set of Lucas "Tripod" headlights, which originally were fitted to XK120 Jags, but were not acceptable to licensing authorities in some states in the US, since they are not "sealed beams".

These units are 7 & 1/2 inches across the face of the FLAT (non-prismatic) lenses, and have a chromed bulb-shield, which is supported by a tripod-shaped mount. I THINK that they are called "P-700s", but I'm not sure what the correct nomenclature REALLY is.

In any event, the reflectors on all of the units I have are beginning to show dullness, if not outright tarnishing. I'd re-polish them myself, but the metal reflectors are "crimped" over the edge of the flat lens, and I can't figure out how to separate the two without danmaging either the lens, the reflector, or both.

Any suggestions?

[Bob McKarney]

Carl- I posed an identical question to Gene Roth, who accomplishes remarkable restorations in his garage located in the high desert of California. His reply began: "first you break the glass..." whereupon my eyes glazed and my interest in the project vanished into the night. He concluded with replacing the lenses using a silicone adhesive, but by then I was checking my oil level to appear properly concerned with basics.

I put the entire unit in the dishwasher and it came out ok. Of course I don't show my car, just drive it. Haven't been stopped by any California smokies, but then again I seldom drive at night.

[taterry@aol.com]

We have a similarly made lamp on the Arnolt...it is made by Marchal of France. They are hard to find and expensive becasue they were used on Ferrari's and Maser's. Some folks has successfully pried the folded over metal up enough so that the glass can be removed and the reflector re-silvered, the the glass is crimped back into place. Not a job for the faint hearted!!! But worth saving a rare item. You might try swishing "Tarnx" silver rrestoring solutin on the reflector and give it the dishwasher treatment per McCarney....

Good luck
Terry

[Lawrie Alexander]

We had a TC foglamp with a badly tarnished reflector that did not "swish" clean. We gave the unit to a caring, ultra-careful machinist who chucked the unit in a lathe and cut the reflector away where it met the glass (having first carefully noted some indexing marks so it would go back in the same place.

Then we had the reflector re-silvered professionally. After it came back, we placed it in position on the glass and epoxied it back in place with a thin layer of JB Weld around the outside. After several years of use it is still holding up well.

Lawrie
British Sportscar Center
www.britcars.com