Left-hand vs Right-hand drive cars

I want to order a headlights for my Ford from UK (right-hand drive). My car is made in Germany (left-hand drive).

Will this headlight fit in my car?

PS I want to order from UK, because I found cheap headlights there.

Thanks.

Reply to
Mikki
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Probably, but they may be aimed for RH drive and consequently might dazzle oncoming traffic to a degree when driven in Germany.

I know (from reading uk.rec.motorcycles) that headlamps on UK motorcycles are in fact different from those for LH drive countries, for this exact reason. One of the things that has to be done to make a grey import bike legal in the UK is to swap the original headlight out for a UK one.

Reply to
Mark Olson

No, headlights usually sold in the UK are for RHD cars only. The part number for your lamps will be different. UK dealers may be able to get the correct lights for you though as Ford UK will carry some LHD spares.

Reply to
RustY ©

What does the drive train have to do with the Headlights?? Just wondering...

Reply to
Tiger

The drive train has nothing to do with the headlights (in any case the drive train is exactly the same in left hand drive cars as it is in right hand drive cars, the steering system != drive train).

The difference is simply in how the headlights are aimed. In the UK, the headlights are aimed away from oncoming traffic, biased toward the left, since they drive on the left hand side of the road. In countries where you drive on the right, the headlights are aimed to avoid blinding oncoming traffic by biasing the beam pattern to the right.

HTH

Reply to
Mark Olson

for my Ford from UK (right-hand drive).My car is made in Germany (left-hand drive).Will this headlight fit in my car?No, headlights usually sold in the UK are for RHD cars only. The partnumber for your lamps will be different. UK dealers may be able to get thecorrect lights for you though as Ford UK will carry some LHD spares.What does the drive train have to do with the Headlights?? Just wondering...

Reply to
Scott

My apologies, I should have read one message further before opening my big yap. Mark? Can you tell me if I am close with the spreader/spot beam theory, I have never been told before but it is what I guessed was the case.

Thanks, Scott.

Reply to
Scott

No you are not that close at all really. On cars with flat front ends such as the Mini, Anglia and Land Rover the lamps are interchangeable left/right and have the same glass 'pattern'. Only cars with curved front ends have different headlamp patterns to bend the beams into the correct area.

Reply to
RustY ©

Rusty, Are the lenses on the taurus flat or curved?

Scott.

Reply to
Scott

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