MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Cibie headlamps

Can anyone help me identify a pair of 7" Cibie headlamps? The boxes and enclosed literature indicate they are Z-Beams, part number 70-34-02. I can't believe I would be so lucky as to find a set of NOS Z-Beams, let alone at the ridiculously low price I paid for them on eBay.

Are there any markings on the face of the lamps that will positively identify them?

Thanks,
Jerry
Jerry Causey

I used to have a set of Z-beams; I also had a couple of sets of Cibie's "regular" 7" hi/low H-4 headlamp sets. Loved them all. I cannot recall any markings specific to the Z-beams but the beam patterns were distinctive and clear. When low beams were projected onto a wall, the regulars had a horizontal cutoff to the LH side from about 9 o'clock to the centerpoint from which it went towards the 1 o'clock position. The Z-beams were similar except that as the beams rose towards the 1 o'clock position they went horizontal when they got to about the 2 o'clock level. The idea was to put more light on the shoulder of the road and less into the eyes of an oncoming driver. Both were great lights and I wish I had them now. [I wonder if they made sets which were opposite hand for those who drive on the wrong side of the road.]
Looking at the lamp head-on, one of them (or perhaps both) but I don't remember which, had a distinctive pattern cut into the lens: from the centerpoint to 12 o'clock there was a clear pattern which looked as much like "(((>>>" as I can represent on a keyboard. They did not have the "C" in the TV-screen shaped black blob in the center which the more recent sealed beam "Bobi" models have.
We're going back almost 30 years now, but I remember being amazed at how much better these lamps were than the standard lamps of that era. You are lucky to have come upon them.
Marvin Deupree

Thanks, Marvin. I pulled the Hella H4s out of my '67 GT this afternoon and inserted the Cibies. I haven't had a chance to use them yet, because its daylight almost 'til my bedtime here in the Great Northwest at this time of year. Just turning them on in the garage, the low-beam cut-off is VERY distinct. The pattern of the lens is not the same as the current e-codes shown on the Cibie (Talbot) web site, so I think I have the real thing. Not bad for $40. My old ('71) Chevy pickup will inherit the Hellas now.

Regards,
Jerry
Jerry Causey

Jerry- I have a set of Z-beams I bought in the 70's and for what its worth a label on the back side of the lamps has the # 6670 062 and on the outside of the glass has the # E2 then 19 then 47 Hope this helps Gary
gary starr

This thread was discussed between 25/07/2003 and 27/07/2003

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.