RS2600 front lights

[rscapriman]

Hi Owen, without measuring the overall size of the lamps once in situ I could not be 100% sure but my guess is as the lamps themselves will be indentical in diameter and the shape of the bonnets are almost certainly the same ( I am relativeliy confident of this as I have seen pre facelift cars with facelift lamps in them) they will be near as dammit identical.
I am assuming that you are trying to put quad lamps into a pre facelift car in which case I am thinking you may get away without much work or indeed any to the inner wings, I have been looking at photos on inner wings and cant see any signs of panel work over headlamp bowls. The RS2600 (pre facelift) has a backing plate with twin holes each side to accept the individual lamps and bowls also I dont think there is a unique front grill which would make me think that all should work ok.
Len

[aussiecapri]

Cheers Len. the backing plate is longer than the preface lift headlights, so the body has to be trimmed so they can fit. also the grill's are different lengths by about an inch and a half a side. I'll get some pics of the difference's tomorrow. I was hoping i didnt have to trim the body as i want to be able to put the car back to original with the less fuss.. I'm just having some fun with a forgoten capri that isn't getting used

[rscapriman]

Hi Owen, I have checked the RS2600 parts book there are no unique front grill to the RS it is a standard item as are the inner wings ie no cut outs or bulges to accept inner lamps, the bonnet however are unique up to Sep 1972 as they still have to marry up with the pre facelift slam panel ( safety catch and lock) but need to accomodate the twin lamps, the only other unique RSpart at the front will be the front valance and two vents for the early 1970 model.
Len

[aussiecapri]

Cheers Len, you are the man.... Ive got some pics, as the car in getting a revamp, with a change of everthing. I didnt use it as it was so changing it to have some fun. there are some pics of the grill's so you can see what i mean.
How she started, finished rebuild 3 years ago and only done 200 miles

wheel change to 15x7

Front end started, US facelift bonnet, notice it has capri across it not ford

Grill difference

and headlight difference between facelift and pre facelift

[hugors]

Hello Owen I took a few photo's of the headlamppanel and the innerwing. They wydend the innnerwing so that headlamppanel would fit. The RS grill is smaller.







This car stil needs al lot of work . Originel it is Le Mans green

greetings Hugo

[aussiecapri]

Thanks Hugors, i thought there same some difference, they have stepped the inner wing in and have a differt headlamp mounting plate.. Lemans green is nice, i was thinking of repainting it that colour, as my mate has a mk1 escort mexico and it looks great.
cheers Owen

[johnmc67]

hi owen ,would this work for you make a backing plate like hugors car and use these headlights which come with bowl ,they are on uk ebay item no 160923470561 .......le mans is a great colour on a mk1 escort but my broadspeed is the same as yours fern green really nice colour and looks great with the black bits done around windows and bonnet best regards john ps you would have to get rs2600 bezzels though

[steads]

I have playing with Idea aswell, now what I have come up ( only in thoery at this stage) Is to modfiy mk3 headlamp unit, with a quick measure up, I think with a bit of triming of the back plate they would fit, with using the mk3 unit all the adjusters etc are already there, and if you got a pair with some perfect rings you get en chromed as well

Trev

[steads]

Hiya folks, I managed to get out in the shed today for a quick test on my theory........ So I got my hands on a fibreglass surrounds not perfect but good enough at this point of exercise.

Fitted over std mk3 headlamps



bit of interference here,





As already discussed bit of interference on the inner wing,



Quite alot of modification required,



So the next question, are inner of the front wings different??





more play time will be available after celebrations this evening.


A very happy new year to you All!!

Trev

[rscapriman]

Hi Trevor, no the inner edge of all Mk1 front wings will be the same, but if you happen to have a pattern part on there (which I suspect you may have) the lights never fit as they should even if you use the original lamps.
Happy New Year buddy hopefully we will meet up this year.
Len

[steads]

Thank you Len, n yes will be great if the opertunity arrises that we meet n have chat.

So I managed to escape today for a few hours n took to the shed armed with the angle grinder,

Trimed a spare mk3 backing plate to fit, this is yet to be finished off but you can see were I am heading





now fitting and slotted into place, it fouls a section of the front panel....... bugger!



Ok so a bit bit of trimming required, this was carefully removed just incase i need to weld it back on.



so now the backing plate in place and bonnet closed. Its visible of how much "interferance" the inner wing has of the inner lamp




So now that in place I have a feeling the inner side of the bonnet is going to foul......


Trev
Trev

[rscapriman]

Hi Trev, facelift bonnet will be necessary with quad lamp set up, beware though as using a facelift bonnet with a pre facelift slam panel will bring more problems unless you manage to find a genuine RS2600 pre facelift bonnet (good luck).
The problem is there are 2 or 3 different pre facelift slam panels with different catches and safety catches going both front to rear and accross the car I would be very surprised if you did not have to modify, but hey mate if you get those lamps in there you will be used to modifying.
Len

[steads]

Thank you Len,

I have a plan on the bonnet front , as this one on the car is erm well past its best, as you can see in the pictures the front panel is'nt to clever either,

[aussiecapri]

I used some mk1 headlight retainers, i got from the US. but i had to trim the panel between the headlight opening and the grill to clear the back of the bulb. I also had to trim the bonnet slam panel as it has a return down towards the the grill.. the headlight surround will cover the trimming. i also had to drill some large holes to allow the headlight adjuster to sit through and be operational. i was lucky that the bonnet i got from the US matches the slam panel as Lenn said, it not the front apron he was talking about . cheers O