BLKTOPTRVL

Went to the parts store today to look for the headlamps, then another store, then another...

No stores in the Columbia SC area seem to carry the plastic headlamps for the car.

Does anyone know anyplace to find them online?

88t2romad

victoria british

BLKTOPTRVL

Thanks, does anyone have a Victoria British catalog onhand? I am looking for the part number for the plastic h6054 headlamps for the 88 vert.

cluosborne

Are you talking about the sealed-beam units? Those should be available at any parts store. Housings, Hella housings are available online. Do a search for 200MM rectangular headlamp housings. www.rallylights.com has both E-code and DOT spec housings.

If you're talking about the buckets the headlamps mount to, check RX7world.com or your Mazda dealer.

blacksheep1998

I have those same headlights in my '91. I replaced them with silverstars since they afre much brighter then stock. SC? You should have an Auto Zone, Advance auto parts (Parts America) or Pep Boys there. All 3 of those retailers carry those lights.

Dealer want too much $$ Find the bulbs elsewhere. And for the foglights if you have them and need a bulb use a normal H3 and retrofit to your housing.

BLKTOPTRVL

Thanks.

Yes, there are plenty of glass lens headlamps available. I am looking for the OEM plastic lenses. It used to be you could pick them up at any parts store, but not anymore.

bingoboy

Why does it make a difference? I've only seen the plastic ones come out of cars who's headlights are many years old.

tcrown420

sorry to jack the thread, but how do you retrofit a standard H3 for our fog lights?

BLKTOPTRVL

I figure the plastics have to be easier on the headlamp motors than the glass. And easier on the motors means they will last longer.

RETed

Nope.
Also glass stays clearer than plastic.
I've *never* seen a headlight retractor motor die unless the car was in a front-end accident or the owner lost the rubber boost for the **** underneath (this causes moisture to corrode the motor from the inside!).

Insisting on plastic housings because of this is kinda silly.


-Ted

SonicRaT

iTrader: (6)

Or you drop a ratchet in there by accident and try to put them down and wonder why it's doing the sleepy wink.

BLKTOPTRVL

Silly? If you want to put glass in place of the plastic, that is fine for you. I prefer to keep my car as close to as it was engineered and built as possible.

RETed

What are you referring to?
Isn't the original factory headlights originally all glass?


-Ted

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

i've never seen a plastic 6054 lamp for the FC.
the stock headlight motors will live up to plenty of abuse, and plastic vs. glass in won't even notice the difference.

i love cars that look like they have just been driven off the showroom floor, and i'm sure your car could be one of those, but this is being a little **** i think. especially considering they came with glass headlights from the factory...

REnder

HA I did this one .

BLKTOPTRVL

The original headlamps in the 88 vert were plastic. I know this to be fact because I bought mine new off the truck

A little ****? Maybe, but I have a vert that is almost 100% original and I like to keep it that way.

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

well there you go, you didn't mention any of that
and also i was stating that FCs HAVE come with glass headlights from the factory, so i don't think the reliability issue is valid...

anyways, like i said, i really respect cars that look totally new, i'd love to have one.
just the whole plastic headlights thing is almost like muscle car restorers that insist on replicating even the bad orange-peel paint that came from the factory

BLKTOPTRVL

I didn't mention that I was looking for the plastic lens H6054 for my vert? Hmmm, my eyes (and memory) must be playing tricks on me.

But anyway. I know that to most people it may seem excessive, but I like my vert to be original as possible.

RETed

Are you sure it's a factory installed item and not by the dealer or port prep center?


-Ted

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

nope, i meant you didn't mention that you wanted the plastic headlights because you are trying to keep your car 100% original. and you didn't mention that you bought the car NEW like that.
all you gave was the retractor motor reasoning...

BLKTOPTRVL

I took delivery of my RX7 one day after it arrived by truck. I watched it being unloaded. It has always had plastic lenses. The first one blew out almost exactly one month after I purchased the car, and the other around a month after that. I thought it would be a bad omen. But in 18 years, I have only changed a headlight ~3 times.



Why would a dealer or anyone else in the delivery chain go through the trouble of replacing the already installed lights with a different set?

theantirotor

iTrader: (1)

so they could charge you two to three times as much as it actually costed. the same reason dealers add anything to the new cars they sell. want some scotchgaurd on the seats too while we're at it?

BLKTOPTRVL

Oh, OK.

Yes, keeping it close to original is important to me. I way I see it is... I chose the car because I was stunned when I first saw one in the dealership. Other than larger wheels (of the same general style - because I think the originals are a little outdated size-wise) and driving lights to help distant vision, I have never felt compelled to change anything about it because it is a rare and beautiful car.

As for the plastics, they are about half the weight of a glass model and I think the engineers at Mazda chose them so that there would be less effort needed by the motors. Yes, I am sure the motors can lift the glass easily, but why should I go to glass which WILL help deteriorate the motors sooner or later if I can find the plastics? It may not be a problem within a few years of use, but sooner or later the motors will need to be replaced. I prefer later, and I have no intention of getting rid of the car anytime soon.

BLKTOPTRVL

The sticker was $26,xxx, I paid ~$21,400 for the car with all options. There were no surcharges for special lamps or any other dealer installed options. I think the car was so rare at the time, (I got one of the first ones) that the dealers thought the car would sell great without any extras. I don't recall ever seeing any dealer installed options on any verts I looked at - except one. Maple Shade Mazda was doing turbo engine swaps (whole driveline) for an additional $5K over normal selling price.

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

wow, i've actually never heard of this, or seen mention of one of these cars.
you are saying back in the 80s they were doing this? just seems wierd that they would offer this. $5k doesn't even sound that bad all things considering...
i wonder if anyone actually bought verts like this.
think about it, it's like you would actually have a factory LHD Turbo Vert...