1975 Ford Custom Headlight

[Masor]

Alright, so here is the deal: I was down in a river the other day when I found a car sticking up out of the water. I want home and got some tools and got to work taking parts off. I took notice that one of the headlights would look really cool on my bike. I took it home and ran two wires to my cordless drill battery and it worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, it fried my 18 volt battery. Does anyone have any idea of how i can hook up a battery to this light? And if so what kind and how would I go about doing this. Would there be a way to tap into the magneto or the CDI box?

I put some pictures up of what it looks like and the two wires I hooked up to it.

 

[Cyclelogic83]

WOW MAN!!!!
Thats one monster headlight, I like it!!!
Sorry, I cant give any info on powering that beast, as Im not very edumacated on electrics. But being off a car, [ I ] would assume 12 volts would suffice???? But what do I know LOL!!!!
COOL LOOKING BIKE I LIKE, That much I do know!!!!
Chris..........

 

[Big Red]

Headlight

Hey Masor,
The first thing you have to know is 12v or 6v. A lot of REAL old cars used 6v.
I've hooked up a LOT of different voltage lights and I've found it all depends on how bright you want it. Unless you run LED's you're not going to get "bright" with the 6v power from the engine. I'm going to assume it's a 12v anyway.
What I've been doing a lot lately is simply installing a small 12v battery. Run an in line fuse, ground it on the other side, and hook up all the lights you want. I have'nt figured out how to charge it while running so I just hook it to the charger once a week. I use the batteries from go peds and minibikes and the like and they work just fine to run all my head lights, tail lights, turn signals, ect.
If it turns out to be an old 6v bulb, I'm sure there's a 12v replacement for it. It's really hard to find 6v headlight bulbs nowadays anyway. I know, I've tried, for an old VW I used to have.
Hope this helps,
Big Red.

 

[Big Red]

Hey Masor,
The first thing you have to know is 12v or 6v. A lot of REAL old cars used 6v.
I've hooked up a LOT of different voltage lights and I've found it all depends on how bright you want it. Unless you run LED's you're not going to get "bright" with the 6v power from the engine. I'm going to assume it's a 12v anyway.
What I've been doing a lot lately is simply installing a small 12v battery. Run an in line fuse, ground it on the other side, and hook up all the lights you want. I have'nt figured out how to charge it while running so I just hook it to the charger once a week. I use the batteries from go peds and minibikes and the like and they work just fine to run all my head lights, tail lights, turn signals, ect.
If it turns out to be an old 6v bulb, I'm sure there's a 12v replacement for it. It's really hard to find 6v headlight bulbs nowadays anyway. I know, I've tried, for an old VW I used to have.
Hope this helps,
Big Red.

Just noticed you said "1975" headlight, It's a 12v.

 

[happycheapskate]

There are 12v generator kits for grubee engines, that fit in the magneto case, and don't replace/interfere with the 6v engine magneto. I think they are about $35 on Amazon.

 

[Big Red]

Headlight.

Yeah happy, I've seen them on sleaze-bay for 6v and 12v. But if ya want the COMPLETE system it cost's a lot more. The regulator system that makes it work properly is extra. Plus, I have not seen any reviews for this product yet. ya know, like, doe's it really work? How WELL doe's it work, ect.
I think the jury is still out on this one.
Thanks,
Big Red.

 

[Al.Fisherman]

I like the headlight...1975 Ford products use a 12V system...they are not that old ;>)

Had a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda (new) and it was 12V..although my 1954 Pontiac Chieftain flat head 6 was a 6V

 

[Big Red]

I like the headlight...1975 Ford products use a 12V system...they are not that old ;>)

Had a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda (new) and it was 12V..although my 1954 Pontiac Chieftain flat head 6 was a 6V

Yeah, Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake. The "1975" part didn't register with me till I had already posted. A 1975 car is not really that old and of course it's 12v.
Thanks,
Big Red.

 

[happycheapskate]

What would be really cool is if a friction drive system like a staton or BMP had a belt or gear driven auxiliary generator/alternator.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MABUCHI-HIGH-TO...337?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c69412e9
Mabuchi electric motor, says can be used as a generator for small windmill /science experiments etc.

 

[Masor]

Yeah, Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake. The "1975" part didn't register with me till I had already posted. A 1975 car is not really that old and of course it's 12v.
Thanks,
Big Red.

I figured out it was a 12 volt by comparing the light to to the one on my 1968 Porsche. It is for sure a 12 volt.