LED lights for old Bentleys… safety or sacrilege?

[Ron Warmington]

I’ve fitted LEDs supplied by Classic Car LEDS to the Zeiss headlights, the CIBIE driving light and to the tail/brake and high-intensity rear lights on my 1929 Blower. Everything other than the lights on this car is absolutely fantastic. But its lights were all but useless… yet they drew well over 10 amps! Twice this year I’ve been caught out in dangerous situations, far from home, with inadequate lights (and in one instance with no lights at all… front or rear).

So I’ve installed newly-designed LEDs that generate a safe and effective beam pattern that’s razor sharp on dipped and phenomenal on main. Now, when the whole lot of them are on, the ammeter is showing only about five amps, well below what the alternator is banging out even at about 1200 rpm.

Duncan, at Classic Car LEDs Ltd, was super to deal with, immediately sending me links to the right items in his company’s extensive range. And they’re really not that expensive, at about £30 per LED for the dual-function front lights and about £7 each for the dual-function tail lights. They’re also dead easy to fit, being almost identical in size, and in bayonet fitting, to the originals, which I’ve kept in case an over zealous MOT tester hasn’t read the updated regulations that do allow LED conversions on pre-1986 cars. That said, the H4 Halogen replacement for the CIBIE was a tad tricky, its electronic driver being hard to fit into the CIBIE’s shallow shell.

This conversion has given me, for the first time in 14 years, the confidence to know that, if I do get caught out again in a nighttime downpour with a less than fully charged battery, I won’t be worried stiff that I’ll cause an accident. There aren’t many things that can be improved on WO Bentley’s brilliant creations, but lighting is certainly one of them!

I’d be interested in others’ thoughts on this… and happy to help anyone wanting to ask any questions. I’m on 01451 830123.
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Ron Warmington

[John Murch]

Excellent to read.
I’ve used LED lights for about 10 years, but my headlights leds (early ones) are not easy to focus, I will investigate your supplier for
better ones.
Some things do improve!

[Ron Warmington]

Thanks John. These are little engineering masterpieces. The ones I’ve fitted in my Zeiss headlights have a conical glass lens up front so apparently would work even if the reflectors were corroded.
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Ron Warmington

[John Robins]

Ron,

I couldn’t agree more. If you want to go for 100 points at some daft show, stick to your filaments, but if you want to use your car go for safety every time. The old car movement still skates on thin ice in some quarters and it wouldn’t take too many accidents involving our sort of vehicle for some cretinous vote-seeker politician to start a movement towards getting old cars banned from the roads.

More watts to your elbow!

Cheers

[Ron Warmington]

Thanks John. I think that, on our return from Portsmouth, when we were on the A3(M), my rear lights failed. That was before my already pretty useless headlights did the same. A car approaching fast from behind flashed me and I put that down to the usual ‘hello’ that we often get. But later, when our journey took us onto tiny C roads, the Satnav died and then so did everything else. It’s bloody terrifying to be driving at night without lights when, with driving rain, there’s not even the benefit of moonlight. Luckily, Helen, Mrs W, has nerves of steel so didn’t just abandon ship. In future, even with the new LED lights all round (which I understand will work even if the battery drops down near 6 volts!), I’ll always carry my new Hella LED spotlight that runs off the car’s loom OR off one of my two huge NOCO Lithium jump start packs. I ain’t getting’ caught like that ever again!!!
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Ron Warmington

[DavidThompson]

I fitted led indicators to the front sidelights, requiring some small modification to the holder, and leds at the back into additional divers helmets, matching the original. Driving without indicators, and not having the additional pair of arms required when changing gear and changing direction, was just too dangerous. Much more comfortable now.
I subsequently fitted leds to the headlights but could not find suitable units to fit the tail lights, so am still a bit in the dark at the back. I will give Ron's contact a call.
Compromising safety in the name of originality makes no sense to me.

[bbshriver]

Yes absolutely. I have a Jaguar XK-140 that's 25 years newer than your car, and the headlights are still pretty iffy. I only had it out after dark once before I started doing some mechanical repairs that have gotten in the way of driving for too long, but better lighting is high on my list once it's back on the road. I will give your supplier a look.

[Ron Warmington]

I think - and hope - that you’ll be delighted. The XK140 is a gorgeous car: one that deserves decent lights. Best regards. Ron.
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Ron Warmington