"Lectric Limited has discontinued the 7' T3 bulb reproduction."
"The Parts Place has made moulds of original 7" T-3's and are now reproducing them. The quality is excellent and they are very bright. Very happy with how they look. Plus they are much less expensive than the Letric limited ones. I think they sell them for $109. There isn't a picture of them on their website but they are listed under part number GH1234Z."
"Hi Brian:
I was out of the office for the past few days and just had the opportunity to read your email. Thank you for contacting us on the matter. I would like very much to set the record straight.
The fact is, we can no longer get ANY sealed beam headlight bulbs manufactured. This is not temporary. It’s permanent!
Why not? Although we hold the licensing for the T3 sealed beam headlight bulbs, we are not the manufacturer. The headlight bulbs we sell (or have sold) were made by a major USA bulb manufacturer – one of maybe two in the country. Unfortunately, the multi-million dollar machinery that was long used to run the molds and assemble the bulbs - and the entire sealed beam technology for that matter - is now obsolete. Sealed beam headlight bulbs are no longer being made in the US. And the machinery to make the bulbs (that can occupy as much floor space as ½ city block) has probably been scrapped to make way for the new technology bulbs: HID, LED, etc.
To give a comparison that might be more easily understood, one could question, “Why can’t I go to the store to buy a Betamax video recorder any longer?” The short answer is because that technology is now obsolete. No manufacturer is going to keep the machinery and occupy valuable floor space to store that machinery to make a Betamax recorder on the chance that someone may someday place an order for some. It’s doesn’t work that way.
We certainly don’t want to turn away business and we would like nothing more than to continue providing our dealers and the restorer with T3 headlight bulbs. But unfortunately, that day has passed.
In the real world, parts are being discontinued all the time. It’s mostly because of a function of supply & demand. And to think that a part that’s available today will be made forever, is being short sighted.
That being said, once we run out of the remaining T3 bulbs we still have in stock, those bulbs will also be discontinued - probably forever.
My advice to anyone, especially for guys restoring old “discontinued” cars, would be that if you need a part, or think you’ll need a part in the future, buy it NOW. It might not be available tomorrow.
I hope this helps to answer some of the questions and speculations your readers are having.
Regards,
Michael D’Alessio
General Manager
Lectric Limited, Inc."
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