new lamps for old!

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 03/07/2002 11:37:39 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> Thanks to everyone for the headlight advice.  I got enough responses 
> to figure out that the bulbs are still out there in plentiful supply. 
> The real problem is that the manufacturers are not listing Alfa Romeo 
> in their reference books anymore, at least not here in the U.S.
> 
> The GTV6 takes 5006 (high/low) and 5001 (high) lamps.  I could only 
> find H5006 and H5001, but since they're halogen they should be 
> "better" than the tungsten lamps of old.  Someone please correct me 
> if these are not drop-in replacements!
> 
> Although I haven't bought any yet, I heard from a few of you that the 
> Spider uses a standard 7" bulb.  I see them in every shop, so once 
> again, there will be no problem finding them. -- 
Why should lamp makers selling in the USA go out of their way to remember to 
include Alfa in the catalogs, when Alfas haven't been sold here for years, 
and when they were, the volume was so insignificant?  Especially as most of 
the remaining examples are in the ands of those who truly love them beyond 
reason.  At the very least this could involve taking out the old lamp, 
looking for the code, or even carrying it into the parts shop.

Earlier spiders (such as my old 71) using 7" lamps used old fashioned regular 
good ole sealed beam headlights.  Newer ones, such as my 91 use a halogen 
lamp in the same diameter, but it is not the same lamp, only the same size 
(don't know the exactly date of the changeover but would guess +/- 85).  
AFAIK, you can't just drop in a halogen lamp where once only tungsten 
reigned.  You need to add a relay, at least, and possibly change out the 
wiring or you will, again at the least, burn out the switch.

I know newer cars use special headlamps these days, but I hardly mark it an 
improvement, except on someone's bottom line: The actual lamps are 
replaceable and cost about double what a sealed beam unit costs (eg, a 
replacement lamp I bought for the Milano several years ago was around $US16 
or 17 and replacement halogens for the 91 Spider cost about $9.  And that's 
the whole thing.  As we all know, the glass and reflectors in newer style 
headlamps are very costly items, running for some models as high as $US800, 
or about 100 times what it would cost to replace the plain old sealed beam on 
the GTV6.  Okay, not a fair comparison, but it is also not fair that the 
Spider's $9 sealed beam is about as good at lighting up the roadway and 
showing others you're there as the +/-$US300 Milano headlights.

That's an awful lot for a little bit of style.

Only slightly penny-conscious, in the style of all true Alfisti,
YHS,

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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