Recently acquired my father's 1955 B33. Although it runs like a champ the headlight bulb is blown and I haven't been able to find another. Can anyone recommend a supplier, preferably in the states? My bike is 6volt.
You don't say what headlamp is fitted. If it is a Lucas this will take a BPF bulb. British Pre Focus. You can get these on Ebay UK. If this is the bulb you need I would suggest a halogen upgrade. These are available in 6 volt 35/35 watt which will be in the range of your dynamo. Don't go higher in wattage as the 60 watt dynamo would not be able to cope. The other option is to convert the bike to 12 volt as I have done with my 1955 B33. This will give you a good usable 80 watts or so.
From what I've heard, eBay, amazon, and specialized stores are the best options. However, how do you know what model to choose, how to change all the details, etc? Do you have an instructions guide?
This UK company has a guide to bulb bases which may help you:
https://www.classicbulbs.co.uk/faq/data-books-free-help-identify-headlamp-bulb-fittings (https://www.classicbulbs.co.uk/faq/data-books-free-help-identify-headlamp-bulb-fittings)
Choosing the right model and navigating through the details can indeed be daunting. I recommend checking out reliable sources for guidance. Personally, I've found this website https://leds.to/ (https://leds.to/) extremely helpful—it offers comprehensive guides on everything from basic replacements to understanding different types of bulbs. You might find it beneficial to explore their articles for detailed instructions and product recommendations.
The bulb is probably a p36d prefocus bulb. If you Google p36d 6v motorcycle bulb you can compare the image with your bulb.
If you buy a standard filament bulb try to keep the watts low, like 35watts, otherwise you could fry your dynomometer. If you buy an led bulb, you may need to specify positive or negative ground if the bulbs are not configured to handle either type of ground.
If you have a standard Lucas British pre focus headlamp the usual 6 volt p36d bulb is a 312, 30/24 watt. These are quite common. Below a 1950s list of Lucas bulbs.
Hi,
Paul Goff has a wide range of bulbs including 6V LED. Have a look at his website.
Dave.