slay Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 Hello all, Ok, I don't have the car yet, but can't help checking out what subtle improvements I could actually do but keeping the car stock. Just wondering if anyone if anyone has changed the headlights using these from PNM? https://www.pnmparts.co.uk/lotus-esprit-led-headlamp-kit-9989 Looks ok in picture but not sure if that looks ok in person. This is not just for cometic look but to get more lighting compared to the technology used in the 90s, although I doubt I will be doing much driving at night. Has anyone got these on their Esprits ? Not sure if the quality is decent, but apparently the changes are fully reversible. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choppa Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 I don't know anyone who has fitted those PNM units. However me @Chillidoggyand a couple of others on here have fitted LED headlamp bulbs from Classic Car LEDs in the original lens units of our cars and have seen a fantastic improvement in the beam quality. They supply top quality lamps not the cheaper bulbs you find on ebay and are very helpful. Mine has the Cibie dipped beam units which are no longer available and the silver coating was starting to flake away so I did think about the PNM units briefly but I decided against because I think I would have had to replace the mounting plates in the pods as well. I eventually got the Cibie units re-silvered by a specialist company in Kent so it still looks original. 1 Quote Normally Aspirated - and lovin' it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slay Posted September 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 Great, I could ask (hopefully) @Chillidoggy when I pick up my car, hopefully on Friday. Interesting how any company would go to this length to manufacture this - not many Esprits to start with, and if not many people are preparing to modify (no matter how minor) the pods, then it would not have been economical to make these. I have to say that price looks reasonable for 4 headlights, assuming they are decent quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 Regards the lengths to make these, it's not exceptionally difficult as I believe it's standard off-the-shelf LED headlamps, sandwiched between the stainless steel plates that form the mounts. It's not as though they're actually making the headlamp units themselves. It does require access to precision cutting of stainless sheet but nowadays that's CNC cutters not custom-made dies which would be a lot more of an outlay. So it's pretty similar to the kits that were made using standard reflectors, just using LED lamps instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 hour ago, slay said: Great, I could ask (hopefully) @Chillidoggy when I pick up my car, hopefully on Friday. Interesting how any company would go to this length to manufacture this - not many Esprits to start with, and if not many people are preparing to modify (no matter how minor) the pods, then it would not have been economical to make these. I have to say that price looks reasonable for 4 headlights, assuming they are decent quality. The PNM lamps are very expensive and in my view (no pun intended), the result I achieved using LED bulbs and the 4-main beam conversion is a more cost-effective option. Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM skiing Posted September 28, 2020 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 I have the bulbs in my car's standard lights. A massive improvement. They are much much more powerful and with far less current draw. They also keep the original look which I prefer to the modern lamp conversion which I am not sure about... I would guess though, that if is from PMN, they will be a well-engineered and thoughtful solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slay Posted September 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 3 hours ago, Chillidoggy said: The PNM lamps are very expensive and in my view (no pun intended), the result I achieved using LED bulbs and the 4-main beam conversion is a more cost-effective option. Great, cost effective is always the preferred option, will check out yours hopefully this Friday when I pick up the car. 1 hour ago, skiing said: I have the bulbs in my car's standard lights. A massive improvement. They are much much more powerful and with far less current draw. They also keep the original look which I prefer to the modern lamp conversion which I am not sure about... I would guess though, that if is from PMN, they will be a well-engineered and thoughtful solution. Same bulbs as @Chillidoggy? Yeah, I have the same concern about th modern ones, not sure if if would go well with a car 25 years old, and may not be everyone’s taste, I would prefer to see one in person before I decide. In the meantime, I would probably just use the same bulbs you guys ar using to improve the lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted September 29, 2020 Report Share Posted September 29, 2020 I wasn’t sure which ones to go for at first, so I called Duncan at classiccarleds, he was really helpful. Very impressed with the quality of the lamps, they’re not the usual cheap eBay rubbish, and I ended up replacing all the interior and exterior bulbs with LEDs, all apart from the dashboard lighting. Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM skiing Posted September 29, 2020 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 29, 2020 Yes same bulbs. They are easy to fit as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted October 3, 2020 Report Share Posted October 3, 2020 I’ve got the PNM Eng kit fitted to my car and they are brilliant!!! Totally transformed the headlights, look good and will last longer than standard lamps. Have replaced the other bulbs with led to complete the look. When I last spoke to Pete he said that a lot of owners were converting to these and of course they do kits for other lotus models, not just the Esprit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slay Posted October 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2020 On 03/10/2020 at 20:32, chris said: I’ve got the PNM Eng kit fitted to my car and they are brilliant!!! Totally transformed the headlights, look good and will last longer than standard lamps. Have replaced the other bulbs with led to complete the look. When I last spoke to Pete he said that a lot of owners were converting to these and of course they do kits for other lotus models, not just the Esprit. Hi Chris, have you got any photo showing the PNM Led lights on your Esprit? Would you mind sharing some photos when you have a chance ? Where about are you in London, I may swing by and have a look one day if ok with you. In any case, I doubt that I will be driving Esprit at night but prefer a high performance lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted October 11, 2020 Report Share Posted October 11, 2020 Will take some pics if I get chance. Car desperately needs washing and polishing however can’t find the time or the inclination lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Big Vern Posted October 11, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 11, 2020 Here we go, they are not to everyones taste but were a big improvement for me and an easy swap too. Happy Bunny .......and also much easier for the car to pass the MOT as the old lamp fittings were fairly rusty and difficult to set up. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slewthy Posted October 11, 2020 Report Share Posted October 11, 2020 I think they look good. Obviously not original but I guess it's the difference between originality and being able to go out after dark. I have to do something about my S3 headlights but the first must be to provide a dedicated live to the lights, not going through the rubbish Lucas switch. Quote "Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowrx Posted October 11, 2020 Report Share Posted October 11, 2020 Isn't the headlight feed to the headlights direct from the positive post to the relay block? My US car has a nice fat brown wire to the headlight relays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suddabym Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Awesome, and on an S2, too (which took some fettling of the pods) 2 Quote Sudders and Dany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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