I'm looking around for some ideas on headlights.. Ideally I would like Rossi units which would suit the style of the beetle.. I'm not sure how hard they are to get nowadays..

If not Rossi's I'm think an H4 sealed unit with turning signal lights mounted behind a clear "porsche style" lens..

Here is a mockup on an old headlight of what I'm trying to do.. Does anyone have any ideas on what is available or what can be done..

Are Rossi's available anywhere?

Thanks

Here are some pix of some headlights I did on Kim's 60 ragtop a while ago.
I used some aftermarket headlights, which were available at the time for around $50 ea.
The chrome on them was cheesy, and I had all the chrome re-done.
They are a 356 style headlight, with clear lenses, and have a regular 21w ind/brake bulb in the spot you have your side marker style light there. I installed a reflector from a 67 beetle front indicator, so the blinker were visible even when the headlights were on. Without the reflector in there its VERY hard to see the blinkers at night, and we needed to do them this way to pass engineers. They take a H4 globe, and also have a parker light in them.
The clear lenses that came with the kits are not ADR approved, so we used original Bosch lenses to make it all legal. You could either get some genuine porshe lenses to replace them, or use the aftermarket ones. The beam with the aftrmarket glass is kind of bad, and would not pass roadworthy.






[ Edited on 30-9-2007 by xornge666x ]

Thanks.. Good advice..
I have 2 sets of 356 headlights coming to me on e-bay (I over bidded on one then found another set for half the price!).. Rather than have a naked bulb in the spot where you have yours, I'm looking around for a good sealed indicator unit that will fit without looking out of place.. Maybe LED as they can get quite small and have a brilliant light emission..

you can get led bulbs, the same fitting as the std globe, but they were not necessary for what we did.
As the headlights were designed for a globe there anyway, I thknk they look more in place than a different style of light. The reflector is a little ugly, but for a daily driver, which his was, and to pass engineers, it was necessary...

USA market cars had clear lenses with a sealed beam behind it - with a H4 conversion is a good thing

a H4 behind a standard beetle lens is technically NOT legal as the light is 'focussed' twice which puts everythig out of whack

I have had indicators behind my lenses for 17 years and I've had a few raised eyebrows from the cops over the years...

What have you used for indicators?

It's a glass Hella unit used as clearance lights etc on trucks. It looks like a boiled lolly! Cheapo plastic ones melted...

To be honest after 17 years or so, I'm not real keen on the behind-light lenses as they are difficult to see. I will most likely install lights behind my horn grilles.

I've ordered some "state of the art" LED units.. Both for my back lights and for my front indicators..
For the front, I'm going to try an amber LED regular bulb or an amber LED festoon bulb.. I'll play around till I get what i want..
Thanks

yes I bought those too, they are 'directional' so you can't mount the normal bulb upright and they weren't strong enough to show through Oval glass lenses

I'm looking at them now sitting on my desk...

However the festoon ones are great interor lights in my 4WD

I was going to mount a clear lens cover over it (dome type) and paint the inside rear and top with reflective paint.. Alternatively I will get a couple of reflectors made up that can sit behind them..

Actually.. just thinking about what you said.. I've bought some sockets as well.. I can fashion a piece of alloy into a bracket that "points" the socket horizontal.. The bulb would face forward and the bracket would hardly be seen..

If that doesn't work I can get some big suckers that sit 40mm above the line and throw a 360 degree light..



I've also bought these amber and red ones for my back lights.. with a clear lens cover

Bought all the bits today to play with this over the weekend..
Also got golf 4/passat set of sidelight repeaters.. they fit flush into the panel..

They're Amber mate.. good ones..
http://www.ledshoponline.com/ 
Get Part No# 1156 with BA15s socket (if you need sockets) for the indicators and Part No#1157 with BAY15D sockets for your brake lights and rearlights
They're not cheap.. between 10 an 15.00 each

Hi

I made the mistake of buying Empi clear headlight lenses. They were about as optically efficient as schooner glass bottom early Sunday morning. I bit the bullet and bought genuine Hella ones from a Porsche dealer, about $112 each.

I have a festoon led interior light in my daily 1303, I can now read a street directory without getting out of the car and using the headlights.

Steve

Steve..
I have 356 headlights on the way.. I'm not sure on the clear headlights either.. I have stock bosch ones as well just in case