Hi all, first time poster long time lurker. Needing some headlights for my 61 KG if anyone has some or could lead me in he right direction it would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Elias
www.cip1.com where i got mine
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
I have a set in storage, i replaced these in my car with a set of H4"s, i will be keeeping the ones i have but they are available new.
http://www.vintagecarparts.de/artikel.php?set_artnr=941039142BThanks for the reply guys.
Hi empi, can I ask which ones you got? Was is one of the sealed units?
Kind of a silly question but because I purchased the car in parts it makes it tricky to work out what to use and if theres alternative to the original ones. I think I may be able to salvage the black inner adjusting bezels.
vwo60 those look nice! I was contemplating these which are very similar but was hoping to find something closer to home.
http://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-karmann_ghia/lights--and--lenses/european_headlights_56-74/german_quality_headlight_unit_rhd_8fslash55-7fslash74_10708/
Found Vicbahn via google but I haven't contacted him yet, anyone else purchase anything from this guy? Website looks a bit old
http://www.vicsbahn.com/karmann_ghia_parts.htm
I'm not fussed about the originality of the lights. With that said I have read about using mini headlights but I have no idea about how to fit them.
Hi
You should be able to fit any 7 inch sealed beam or semi sealed beam headlamps.
Just about all cars used 7 inch headlamps in the 60s and 70s..
apart from twin headlamps which are 5 3/4 inch..
I have always fitted New Hella 7 inch semi or sealed beam headlamps to all My beetles and type 3 over the years..
its just a bit fiddly to do.. a bit of modifications..
depending on what fittings You use..
I used to use early falcon headlamp inserts to hold the headlamp and then screw it to the VW rim.. which is different to the KG..
Minis just used 7 inch headlamps.. but Lucas brand.. [known for crap] apart from their headlamps .. lol
I'm not sure how the headlamps are fitted in a Karmann Ghia.
but 7 inch sealed beams are still common..
Holdens and Falcons had 7 inch..
so the actual headlamp would be the same whatever brand You Buy.. Only difference is the front of the glass.. its curved in sealed beams..
BUT Hella and Bosch had some flat ones.. in semi sealed..
but the edges are still the same... so all should fit OK...
I have seen them in Karmann ghias..
cheers
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
The standard 7" sealed beam buckets do not bolt straight into the early gear head light buckets, it took me two days to fit mine, even the head light surround does not fit easliy and required a lot of work to adapt. the early headlights have the chrome surround attach to the actual light. if you buy any of the above lights from the States it will left hand drive, lenses are available from heritage.
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Headlight-Lens-conversion-RHD-Karmann-Ghia-60-74-142941115A_act_shop.product_pID_55049_lang_EN_country_GB.htm?crumbStartPage=1&crumbStartRow=1
The lights from karmann.de are right hand drive, give Vic a call and see what his price is, you might want to sit down, i might concider selling my set as i will not use them in the future as i have replaced them with H4's.
Thanks for the reply Lee.
With the sealed beam I have seen some KG that look okay and some that looked a bit ordinary as far as fit.
vwo60 wrote:i might concider selling my set as i will not use them in the future as i have replaced them with H4's.
I'll pm you.
Cheers,
Elias
I know the KG chrome rim is very shallow and I noticed that the early ones have screws in the rim..
and 1961 is very early..
shame they are so exclusive and costly..
did You look on the samba for 2nd hand ones..?
as karmann ghias were plentiful in the USA..
and just change the sealed beam unit to RHD
ALL cars had sealed beams in the USA until?? late 70s 80s 90s ??
was the law.. hella semi sealed beams are illegal in some states still..
I know of guys who like the look of them in their golfs rabbits but have to change over to sealed beams during inspections..
have you seen the karmann ghia with early beetle headlamps??
cheers
Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
68AutoBug wrote:did You look on the samba for 2nd hand ones..?
have you seen the karmann ghia with early beetle headlamps??
Hi Lee,
I had a little bit of a look on samba, with not much luck.
I have seen early beetle headlights on Karmann ghia and I don't mind them, but I like original style lights more. I don't care about NOS parts or keeping the car stock standard either but I like having the option of turning back to stock if I wanted to if you know what I mean.
Cheers,
Elias
Lee stick to beetle headlights mate.
The sealed units ususally require a mounting bracket to be installed to mount them also the headlight glass tends to be flatter than stock the chrome ring of the headlight also will be slightly different to the stock chrome ring.
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
This is my car as i got her, us spec sealed beams with bolt in bracket and flatter glass lense (lens flatness used to piss me off!!! needed to be more curved)
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
This is the set i bought from cip1, very happy with the curve of the lense and fatter chrome. quality is awesome. unfortunately u cant get RHD lens....
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
see if i can get a better profile shot, but the curved lense made a huge differemce to the look and follow the curve of the body.
🤓
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
mini semi sealed 7 inch lights on my 71kg. they are curved and not flat
They look like what i had on the car when i first got her, slight curve.
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷
I changed out mine for a set of hella 7' H4's and used the early chrome rim. a lot of work, i prefere the flat lens.
rickp wrote:
mini semi sealed 7 inch lights on my 71kg. they are curved and not flat
Very nice,is that Electric blue?
Thanks for the replies and photos guys. Really appreciate it.
Some very nice cars!!
Mini lights will fit. I sourced RHD semi sealed lights from UK. Fits a standard 7" bucket. I wanted the parking light in the headlamp. I think that is a nice look.
