dinnyin

At last I've got my US spec 88 911 imported with me to Switzerland. To register it, had to replace the headlight assemblies with european ones. After a lot of effort and endless bureaucracy, I finally found myself driving home in it from the shop, newly printed registration in hand last week when I stopped in an intersection to make a left and the whole drivers side headlight assembly just popped out and smashed itself to bits in the street. After collecting the bits and being shamed by everyone in sight I took it back to the shop who seemed very confused about how this could happen. Over the course of the investigation (and the repeated attempts to insinuate I'd done something wrong), I asked how exactly the european assembly was secured to the car. What they showed me was a series of spring looking things around the reflectors, and a lip coupled with the single screw on the ring that were supposed to hold it all together. The tabs in there with screw holes in them are US spec and reportedly not used for the euros. They said they "have different crash regulations here." It's beyond me why some regulation would insist that, in the event of a crash, your headlights should fly out.

My questions are: is that really how the euro lights are mounted? has anyone seen a retrofit that provides more secure attachment for them to US fenders?

Search brought up some threads on the conversion topic, but not the nuts and bolts (or lack thereof)

thanks

the bits

wherefrom they've come

SARGEPUG

His crash regulation response in inapplicable, because all you did was stop in an intersection!! I had mine converted years / thousands of miles ago w/ no such issues.

Here's link to a kit, you should investigate install further, by talking to suncoast...
https://www.suncoastparts.com/produc...ONVERSION.html

theiceman

i am not sure if H4 and euro lights are the same thing. But if they are i absolutely have a screw holding them in , they fit over a lip at one side and are screed down at the other, i would suggest he either never got it over the lip properly or missed the bracket with the screw hole, jut went along side it and it felt like it was going in but really wasn't.

( edit i wanted to say i have an SC , Carrera setup might be different, )

Ralph3.

Over the lip at the top and one mounting screw at the bottom for H4's. Old design, H5's are attached utilizing 4 screws to the brackets inside the bucket.

dinnyin

oh. OK, wow. so it really is all up to the lip and the 1 screw to hold the whole shebang together?
maybe because they have the brackets in the bucket, US fender lips aren't as robust?

Ralph3.

It’s a tight fit, my 90 was originally a California car so I think the buckets are the same for ROW and North American cars. Make sure top is hooked on the lip. Is the gasket restricting the headlight from seating? I chased the thread in the lower bracket to make sure I had full engagement with the mounting screw. Good luck.

SARGEPUG

Here's couple pics of mine. This is the H4 conversion kit from Magneti Marelli. If you zoom in on the one w/ my son (from 8 yrs ago or so), you will see the one screw on the bottom. However, I definitely recall clips and or springs as well. To my knowledge, the screw just holds on the bezel...

Mark Salvetti

Yeah, this fitment design has been a problem for years. Some think the new gaskets are too thick and have had success using 365 seals. Could also be a problem with the lip.

Can you fit the light securely without the seal?

Check out this thread for help. There are more links in the thread. Also, use a zip tie to fasten the housing to the wiring harness or drill a couple holes in the bucket for the zip tie. At least that way if it comes loose you won't lose it.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...4-install.html

Mark

theiceman

very robust, never had an issue in 15 years and had them on and off many times, they weren't installed properly if they are H4S. have to make sure you get it over that lip , or make sure you don't miss the screw hole.

theiceman

yes i had to fight like a SOB when i put new seals in , but once everything was in place they didnt budge, i like the zip tie idea

raspritz

Well, different situation, but I put Euro Cibie's on my USA 1969 911T. You have to bend the tab down, and then yes, the whole shebang hooks over the lip and is held by one screw. I was dubious originally, but my mechanic assured me that is how it's been done for over 50 years, and no problems so far.

dinnyin

those other screws are directional adjustors, not attachments?

wrxnofx

Correct. I use a zip tie to connect the light to the bucket just in case. Never had an issue though.

wrxnofx

Here are a couple pics of the back of the light. The only thing that holds the lens, housing, and bucket together are the series of spring bars around the perimeter that hook Under the lip. Ingenious. One of my lenses got hit by a rock last summer and exploded. So I had to order a new lens from Audette and a new gasket (that seals the lens to the bucket).