Headlight swap

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:05 am

I'm guessing these are euro headlamps.
Are they plug-n-play?
I'll also need the grill assembly, correct?
Anything else I should know before attempting to buy and do this modification?

What would be a fair price to both seller and buyer?

Pete K · Post by **Pete K** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:48 pm

I think there should be a different connector and the tabs where it screws to the body should be symetrical (doesn't look like they are in the photo, but it might be an optical illusion).

Cheers

Adam W in MN · Post by **Adam W in MN** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:58 am

No change to the grilles on an E12 for euro vs sealed beam US lamps (unless you are doing euro headlight washer/wipers).

They should be plug and play, but those look like US sealed beam lights.

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:11 pm

Adam W in MN wrote:No change to the grilles on an E12 for euro vs sealed beam US lamps (unless you are doing euro headlight washer/wipers).

They should be plug and play, but those look like US sealed beam lights.

My untrained eyes deceive me often.
I was thinking possibly they would be the same as on an E28, different size lamps.
Not so, huh?
Thanks.

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:13 pm

I don't think they are for an E12. To the best of my knowledge, and doing some peeking on RealOEM, all E12's came with the same size high and low beam lamps, not the big/little like euro E28's came with. I don't know what they do fit, but I don't think it's an E12.

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:30 pm

This is the ad content:

Selling left and right headlight assemblies for BMW 5series E12 '74-'81. Parts removed from a '76 530i. All mounting brackets and adjusters in good condition. Quad headlight design. $93 for both, make offer.

Is the seller wrong then and these are not E12?

JoshInAtlanta · Post by **JoshInAtlanta** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:03 am

It's hard to tell from the size of the picture, but I bet they are sealed beam US headlights. They're likely the same size and it's hard to tell because of the angle/picture.

That'd make them the same as what you already have (just out of an older car).

Slap some Cibies or something similar in your 528i and go.

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:17 pm

swatterssr wrote: Is the seller wrong then and these are not E12?

That's what I'm thinking. I've been playing with E12's since the early 90's and I've never seen big/little headlights. Check RealOEM, or some of the car of the month pics, a lot of those are euros, but I don't think you'll find any. And even if they are, you still need grills.

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:14 am

Mike W. wrote:
swatterssr wrote: Is the seller wrong then and these are not E12?
That's what I'm thinking. I've been playing with E12's since the early 90's and I've never seen big/little headlights. Check RealOEM, or some of the car of the month pics, a lot of those are euros, but I don't think you'll find any. And even if they are, you still need grills.

I've looked too and I think I've come to that conclusion myself.
Thanks Mike and good to see you, virtually anyway, over here.
I'm trying to learn all I can about my new purchase as quickly as possible.

Pierre · Post by **Pierre** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:54 pm

They came on the E28s and E23s.
Some people have modified E12 and installed staggerred headlight. I don't even think they were any aftermarket versions either.
As far as regular lights are concerned, euro kights will fit US buckets. they are the same.

Don Daynes · Post by **Don Daynes** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:21 pm

As far as I know the e12 never came with staggered headlights,
but as Pierre noted it can be done. Here are some pics of my conversion.
The buckets were made by splicing euro e23 and e12 parts.
The grills are part euro e28 and e12 and required many hours of fabrication.

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:57 am

Don, nice work! Briefly, how did you do it? Starting with what parts?

1st 5er · Post by **1st 5er** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:58 am

Don Daynes wrote: As far as I know the e12 never came with staggered headlights, but as Pierre noted it can be done. Here are some pics of my conversion. The buckets were made by splicing euro e23 and e12 parts. The grills are part euro e28 and e12 and required many hours of fabrication.

Looking good, unique, I like that.
Would be interested in knowing/seeing more details.

Adam W in MN · Post by **Adam W in MN** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:38 pm

Don, you're still around. Still looking for a black e12?

Don Daynes · Post by **Don Daynes** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:25 am

Kind of still looking for a black one. Health issues would keep me from picking one up. At least for now.

Firstfives.org

Headlight swap

Headlight swap

Doesn't quite look right

E12s did not come with staggered headlights from the factory

Still around!