I brought my TownAce SuperExtra 1995 build with me to continental Europe after 15 years in Japan. In order to register the vehicle in the Netherlands, I have to fix the headlights so they do not blind on-coming traffic. I was told that painting, or sticking black tape on the lenses is not allowed. I have to come up with a structural solution.

My questions:

Are there left-hand-drive (LHD) equivalents of the headlights for the TownAce (Russia? Finland?), and what partnumbers would that be?

Are there headlights from other types/models that have been made as LHD vehicles that I could borrow lights from?

Would there be other solutions, like adding a bull bar with extra headlights and rewiring to disable the original headlights or something?

Has anybody exporting their TownAce to continental Europe and found a solution for this?

Appreciate any information!

Cheers,
Frank Roerink

- (#3617) Frank Roerink, 3 Jul 02

Frank,
Try looking on the Russian site http://catalog.exist.ru/toyota/
using the translating software on http://www.translate.ru/eng/srvurl.asp
I had a quick look but could not find a LHD Townace listed you could try under Lite Ace/ Hi Ace vans?
There are Town ace buses/vans in USA so perhaps Toyota USA can help? Let us know if you are sucessfull.
Clive

- (#3620) clive, 3 Jul 02

Clive,
I spent and hour last night translating the Russian site, but couldn't find pictures or references to LHD / RHD headlights.
Dave Mason, who runs this site (?) wrote and told me in Russia they don't bother much with this problem, they just use the Japanese import cars as they are. So I don't think there will be much information coming from that direction. (If I'm wrong I apologize, and please do send us the information!)
What I know of the American vans, they were only sold a long time ago. This would not be the 1995/1996 type of headlights that I need. Still, that too was a good suggestion.
Thanks for the reply.
Frank

- (#3630) Frank Roerink, 3 Jul 02

perhaps the lights from a euro- spec liteace could be used. Problem might be filling the gaps around them. Is yours the model with massively wide headlights that almost meet in the middle? Toyota have a habit of changing vehicles big time for each market...
You're right about the US Van- it was sold at the same period as our spacecruiser.
A lot depends on the accuracy of the beam pattern- it's sometimes possible to change the dip pattern by rotating the bulb inside the reflector- gets it pointing in the right direction, but the cutoff isn't sharp...
- (#3634) david miller, 3 Jul 02

I wish I could show you a picture of my car. In stead, I am pasting the URL of a place in Japan that sells them, it has a picture. If you click on the right-most button just under the picture, you'll get it enlarged.
If I understand this site well, the picture will be available for one more day, so best hurry.
(disclaimer
I have nothing to do with this site, or the car being sold).
http://221616.com/app/hanbai/zaikokekka2.jsp?syupinno=39101132&log=1

- (#3643) Frank Roerink, 4 Jul 02

blank page, unfortunately. See if you can park beside a european liteace somewhere, and compare the nose shapes. I'll try to send you a copy of the image from the cd for that model. Don't have it for yours, unfortunately. Still think you should try the turning the bulbs round trick...

- (#3645) david miller, 4 Jul 02

Sorry David, that you can't see the page I pasted. It works fine on my Windows machine.
I agree that I should try the turning of the bulbs trick. My Toyota dealer says the bulbs are non-symmetrical so they can't be turned. But then maybe you mean turning/forcing the socket to rotate?

(Wait a sec
I'll send the picture straight to your home e-mail, then you may look at it)

- (#3646) Frank Roerink, 4 Jul 02

OK, with help from David and http://catalog.exist.ru/toyota , I now know that Townaces have headlight assemblies with part numbers 81110 for Rh and 81150 for Lh. Mine seems to have reflector units (which would be the part of the assembly which directs the beams - the wrong way) of no. 81135 for Rh and 81175.
The problem is that many TownAces and LiteAces have these partnumbers. The real identifying numbers are the next 5 digits, usually written with a - (dash) after the first number.
The trick seems to be to find out exactly which 5 digit number defines what unit would be the LHD equivalent of the units that are in my RHD vehicle.
Possibly there are LHD LiteAces or even TownAces out there that have parts 81135 and 81175 which would fit mine.

How to find the equivalent numbers? Does anyone know / how could I find out??

- (#3662) Frank Roerink, 5 Jul 02

the numbers you have are only the part name codes, as they call them. As far as I can see, your RHD lamp units are 90981- 04011, whereas there are two LHD options- -04008, -04009. The description has an additional *HWS or *HYS, which I believe to be white or yellow. In that case, 8 and 11 are both white.
It would seem the bowl and mounting are interchangeable.
Indicator/ sidelights may differ, but are interchangeable.

- (#3663) david miller, 5 Jul 02

David, thanks for your continued attention.
I have checked the LHD numbers with the Toyota people here, and they inform me that this concerns a unit with integrated headlight and highbeam. My car has separate reflectors (and bulbs) for each of these.
Installing your suggested lights would mean I am left with two gaping holes in the front. Not necessarily a big problem, though, since holes can be covered somehow.

Do you have reason to believe that the attachments for this light unit would be the same as for mine? So that it would fit?

(Then I could try it out and at the very least use this trick to get the car through the inspection and on the road. As it is, I can't get numberplates, so the car is just sitting there!)
- (#3665) Frank Roerink, 5 Jul 02

I have received word from Dmitrij Gryazev that the procedure of how to fix RHD lights to fit driving on the right side of the road is already on the WEB. It is a step-to-step protocol of how-to-DIY, with photo's and all. This is what everybody in my situation should read!

Here's how to get the Russian answer, thanks to Dima Gryazev.
1. Copy this URL (on to your clipboard)
http://toyota.mnc.ru/expr/lmp.htm (make sure you don't get a space at the end of the address)
2. go to the translation website http://www.translate.ru/eng/srvurl.asp (can be a bit slow to appear) then
3. paste in that first URL,
4. select Russian-English translation,
5. select Automobile lexis/dictionary,
6. click Translate and
7. wait for the result.

As for my own TownAce, I had my local Toyota dealer have a go at it, and he ended up filing off the protrusions on the bottom (the russian translation is "moustache"), then rotating the lightbulb so the light pattern is corrected, and soldering the bulb onto the baseplate. Not an easy solution if you think of changing lightbulbs in the future, but good for now.
I am thinking of adjusting my spares with the tin-can solution of the russian site
fit an extra bottom on your bulbs with the protrusions in the corrected position.

Anyway,
My problem is solved!
Thanks to all who helped me out with this problem.
Happy driving all.

- (#3761) Frank Roerink, 11 Jul 02

I have a LiteAce. Have recently moved to France and am in need of some continental head lights. I have been informed by Toyota UK that my model was only made in a right hand drive and can not therefore get the appropriate lights. Any ideas?

- (#8129) Mala Brayn, 20 Apr 03 9:09

true unfortunately. Although some versions have standard rectangular light units (that are also used in other toyotas inc. LHD versions) they are rare. Can you get away with using beam deflectors?

- (#8130) david miller, 20 Apr 03 13:49

See "Lights, how to change to continental" in AceAnswers / Dashboard & electrics / Lights, external.

- (#8165) Anna Christine, 22 Apr 03 3:55