Is there a trick to changing the headlight bulbs?

You should get the Owners Manual. These used to be available from http://www.ferraridatabase.com/The_Downloads/Manuals_Workshop.htm but the website is down at the moment (or permanently?). See the attachment, I extracted the relevant pages from the copy I have (1989, for US models).
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Ferraridatabase.com was shut down by Ferrari SPA due to legal issues (trademark and/or copyright infringements).

 

You have to trim one or two of the tabs to get them to fit. No time now but I can post details & pics at another time if you can't find them.

 

This may be a stupid question, but your bulbs are not sealed beams are they? I know on the Mondials the Euro cars use swappable bulbs but the US cars are sealed beams and you have to swap out the entire glass light unit.

Alden

 

Related topic: what light bulbs are most people using? I generally prefer a whiter light (~5500K) and if there are any recommendations for a new owner?

I searched around and saw 9012 HIR vs. 9006, not clear which is correct?

 

The HIRs are a decent step up, in that they produce an output approximating the light from a normal car, but they're not exactly bright. They're a great color, to my eye at least, but then again I can't stand any blue tint to lights. The HIRs seem white to me, but if you like HIDs you might consider them to have a yellow tint. Still much better than the OE lamps for *very* little investment or labor, so absolutely worth the upgrade IMO.

 

Not at all. I'll post some before & after pics later today.

 

Any reason for not using 9006 bulbs?

 

If you're satisfied with the current headlamps, no. But the light output of the stock headlamps in my 348 (which still had the OE Philips lamps fitted) was akin to an early '60s Triumph with a failing generator. Swapping to HIRs upped the illumination level to roughly the same as on any "normal" car with incandescent headlamps. Cheap and easy upgrade, except for having to wrestle the assemblies through the slightly-too-narrow openings between the buckets and nose panel (blue tape and towels are your friend)...

 

David, here are a few pics of the headlamp swap. The first shows the difference between the middle tab on the HIR and 9006 lamps (I was wrong in stating that my OE lamps were by Philips in an earlier post-- obviously they were Osrams). The second shows the trimmed locating tab, and the third shows the lamp installed in the reflector assembly.

I guess the proper way to trim the tabs would be by using a Dremel tool, but I was too lazy to dig it out, and besides, that increases the risk of particles getting into the housing during test fits.

So I just used sharp side cutters, which worked very well. Took my time "sneaking up" on the correct amount by eyeballing the fit and taking a little more off here and there, eventually finishing up with a new single edge razor blade and a small hand file.

Dont forget to wipe the glass down with isopropyl alcohol before the final installation so there won't be any skin oil on the hot lamps!

FWIW, I just did the low beams because those were the only lamps I had on hand, but after seeing how well those worked I wish I would have waited and ordered in some high beams, especially considering the PITA it is to remove and install the housings.

HTH,

///Mike
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That is the point I was trying to make: They can't be sealed beams if you can replace just the bulbs. With sealed beams you have to replace the entire unit, glass and all because there are no "bulbs" to R&R.

We go back and forth on this in the Mondial forum because the US cars have sealed beams and there are no options other than to replace the entire headlight unit or swap them out for modular types in which case the bulbs can be removed. The guys from Europe keep insisting that the bulb swap is "easy" but don't understand that our US cars use a different type of headlight.

I thought maybe you were dealing with the same issue.

Glad you can replace just your bulbs, even if you have to trim them a bit.
Alden

 

My US '90 is not a sealed beam. It has removable high or low beam bulbs.

 

Fwiw (not much) sealed beams were only required on US cars until 1978, though some continued to use them longer.

 

My '88 F car has sealed beams and the same year Euro version has the non-sealed with swappable bulbs???

+10 years beyond requirement? And why would Ferrari put the sealed on US cars and non-sealed on Euros?
Alden

 

good to know