What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[David Stepney]

Winter draws on, and the prospect of 'sevening' in stygian gloom on 36 watt headlamps becomes  daunting, I decided to upgrade to LED headlamp bulbs. After acquiring, over the last few weeks, some new headlamps with stippled glass that take Lucas prefocus bulbs, and some LED bulbs to go in them, I thought that I would spend part of the morning fitting my new purchases. I fitted the nearside headlamp only to discover that it wouldn't work! I checked all the usual things - I had current  in all the right places and the polarity was correct, but, after messing around I could get dipped beam but no main beam. To cut a long story short, I eventually discovered that the new (apparently Indian made) bulb holders had been made in such a fashion that the contacts were, at best on barely nodding acquaintance with the contacts on the bulb. I have managed to source a pair of (apparently) genuine Lucas bulb holders from a well known on-line market place, so, when they arrive, I shall have another go. In the meantime, I have restored the one headlamp I dismantled back to its original state, which included the obligatory game of hunt the W clip that has just flown off, hit me in the face and hidden itself on the bench.

A morning and half the afternoon wasted! B*gg*r!