Difference between English headlights and European headlights. Possibility of modification.
Headlights from European cars give the “wrong light”. In a nutshell, European headlights shine the opposite way. On European roads, cars drive along the right-hand side of the road. Consequently, here the right headlight intensively illuminates the kerb, shining into the distance. The left one is adjusted in such a way as to illuminate the lane qualitatively and not to blind the drivers of oncoming cars. Headlights from English cars shine the other way round: here the left headlight illuminates the kerb and shines into the distance. The right headlight shines into the distance and does not dazzle oncoming drivers.
How can I tell the difference between an English headlight and a European headlight?
Headlamps with fluted glass can be distinguished by the pattern and direction of the fluting.
Headlamps with fluted reflector can be distinguished only when the bulb is installed and switched on.
Headlamps with lenses can be distinguished on the spot with the naked eye. You need to look into the hole where the bulb is installed and examine the shutter. The European step ascends from left to right (the contour is the same as the light-shadow border), the English step descends from left to right.
Is it possible to convert European headlights?
Once again, there are several headlamp designs: with fluted glass, with fluted reflector and with lens units. The first two types can hardly be altered: the light beam is formed by grooving on the reflector or glass. Yes, the headlights can be adjusted horizontally by adjusting the beam in the “left-right” direction. But in most cases, the adjustment carriage simply does not have enough adjustment range to adjust the light beams of European headlamps to the English way. The left European headlight, no matter how you adjust it, will never be able to illuminate the left kerb.
The situation with lensed headlamps is slightly simpler. They have a lens that forms the light beam. Perhaps, the most expensive and high-quality variant of headlamp modification is replacement of the lens with an English one. In fact, the block with a lens, reflector and curtain is an independent light module that forms a light beam. The usual reflector (located in the body outside the lens) essentially does not affect anything, is a decorative “design” element of the headlight. And the headlight “glass” itself does not participate in the formation of the light flux.
You can do without replacing the lens by modifying the lens shutter, which cuts off the part of the light beam that dazzles other drivers and forms a step-contour of the light and shadow boundary. In fact, to turn a European lens into an English one, you need to turn this curtain from right to left. Sounds simple, but in practice this can only be done with surgical intervention in the lens. After modification of the curtain it remains to return the lens to the headlamp and adjust the beam direction.
European lanterns
The lights designed for use in Europe are also characterised by their peculiarities. The features are also related to right-hand traffic. In European lights, the built-in fog lamp is located in the left headlamp. In English lights, it is located on the right side of the headlamp.