Headlight adjustment.

[Jumprun]

Is the "main beam as described in the owners manual what we would call the high beam/brights? I ask because it is the brighter of the two bulbs in the headlight and the "dipped beam" is obviously aimed lower and substantially dimmer. The owners manual on page 93 shows the adjustment of this "main beam" to be aimed low, at 35cm from the ground, not how high beam/brights should be set.

My light stalk activates this main beam at the last position and with the flasher function.

My concern was drawn when I drove my car at night for the first time and the dipped beams were entirely inadequate and aimed very low.

I think this could all be correct for a European delivered car, with dipped beams dictated for city and towns. This car is a 330 GTC, Euro delivered and with Carello Headlights, very possibly original to the car.

Has anyone done a bulb upgrade for the dipped beams that doesn't draw too much juice? then I could adjust the "main beam" to be high beams.

Tom in Socal

[DWR46]

Tom:

1. Get your car at night about 50 feet from a wall or solid fence.

2. Measure the distance from the ground to the center of the headlight lens.

3. Put a piece of tape on the wall directly ahead of each headlight at the measured height. You can stand behind the car and look directly in line with each light to determine "straight ahead".

4. Set your lights on the "high" or "main" beams.

5. Adjust each light till the center of the light pattern is aimed at the tape. It is not very difficult to determine where the center of each beam is pointing.

6. You are done. You can try the car on a dark hilly road to verify or "tweek" your settings.

As long as the "high" beams are straight ahead, let the "low" or "dipped" beams fall to wherever the light unit places them.

[Jumprun]

Dyke, that sounds about right for the high beams, I wonder if I can use a brighter bulb for the dipped beams? My dipped beams are just not bright enough for my conditions and always using high beams will piss other drivers off.

[330GT]

Tom:

1. Get your car at night about 50 feet from a wall or solid fence.

2. Measure the distance from the ground to the center of the headlight lens.

3. Put a piece of tape on the wall directly ahead of each headlight at the measured height. You can stand behind the car and look directly in line with each light to determine "straight ahead".

4. Set your lights on the "high" or "main" beams.

5. Adjust each light till the center of the light pattern is aimed at the tape. It is not very difficult to determine where the center of each beam is pointing.

6. You are done. You can try the car on a dark hilly road to verify or "tweek" your settings.

As long as the "high" beams are straight ahead, let the "low" or "dipped" beams fall to wherever the light unit places them.

Spot on! pun intended.

From my experience installing and adjusting headlights for Sylvania as various night races (Sebring, Daytona, etc.) in the 60s my only additions are that we used 20' and putting your hand in front of the headlight let the center and brightest part shine through to be seen easier.
We would sight through the center of the car (using the mirror, hood line, etc.) to mark the center and then measure out and up to determine the straight ahead location. Of course, the car has to be on level ground. See http://www.parrotbyte.com/kbc/ferrari/H ... gnment.htm for some pictures of the process.

[250GT]

These can be still found frequently in France.
functional and nice deco.
Original used in the F-WSM
around 100€

C.