Wanting to get the wiring complete on the off-side front I decided to tackle the headlights and fit the marker lights that I’d bought ages ago. I ordered two headlamp bowls from Paddocks as I could see these were rusted, and two three-way connectors from an eBay trader specialising in scooter parts.

I removed the headlamp units and when I saw the rusted steel two-part bowls I wondered if I had ordered the wrong items as they are completely different, with a spring and more complex adjustment arrangement.

Incidentally, whilst looking at the front left, the outer wing has at some stage sustained some damage. I’m wondering whether to just paint it and leave the dents as ‘character’, or maybe try one of the replacement ABS wings. Would appreciate any thoughts below, especially from someone who has used an ABS panel. The rear of the vehicle this side also has a substantial crease, but thankfully that hasn’t suffered ‘panel-beating’ by Father Ted as in the case of the front. I’m sure that I could greatly improve this by beating but the outer wing section would have to be removed, not a five minute job.

 

As with most of the other new wiring, I am running it in convoluted flexible conduit. This photo shows the seal that’s made into the sleeved grommet of the backing bowl:

As further protection, where possible, wiring is further protected at exit points with PVC sleeving. Here I have terminated the 3-way plug. On each side, the wiring from headlights is completed in one continuous run to the dash, with no connectors or crimps in-between.

As has been mentioned before, the Birmabright is corroded where the sidelights and indicators were fixed. This is hastened I think by the practice of using chassis-earth from the fixing screw to supply the lights. My replacement wiring will address this, albeit after the horse has bolted. I’m not sure if the strengthening rings below were ever an official Land Rover part, I cannot find them mentioned anywhere. I toyed with the idea of having a laser-cut company make me 200 or so, and selling the other 192 on eBay to cover my costs, but I lack the entrepreneurial ambition, and time. So I mounted them by screwing in from the back with slightly oversized stainless self-tappers biting into the fixing holes so they are nipped into place quite firmly.

I straightened out the headlight surrounds and gave them a lick of marine blue and fitted new nylon inserts (79051).

Each light fitting has it’s own earth wire, these are enclosed in one conduit through an existing grommet in the wing, terminating in a hex-crimped lug bolted to the front panel. A heavy earth cable will be added to this bolt and bonded to the chassis.

Because the indicator and sidelight fittings have flying leads it’s not easy to achieve a neat arrangement. I gathered the slack and used cable ties to lash it to the conduit.

I cannot complete the other side as yet as there is still much wiring to do. I will be tidying, re-routeing and replacing most of this in a similar fashion to the now complete nearside. This will involve removal of the plate, cleaning and painting the aperture, new grommets and more convoluted conduit.

Thanks for reading, more to follow very soon!