The 'E' Type Forum

Is there a reason for the lower half of the front sidelight and indicator lenses to be opaque?
It is as though a silver or grey paint has been applied. Not as a later overspray but during manufacture. Symbols on the lenses are Lucas, E11, 7126, 6121. Are these correct for a Series 2?

Maybe Marek can say if his reproduction ones are like that?

Thanks
Geoff

Dear Geoff,

Yes some were supplied with one half blanked off by painting the bottom silver/grey on the inside, but I've only seen this on one side. I have no idea what the purpose was but can only speculate that there may have been some minimum height requirement for indicators in some markets or some other such reason not to glare oncoming traffic. It is correct for the s2, but I don't know for which market that would apply.

I can make these any way you like. One person approached me for a set with clear bits painted orange and the orange bits made clear as he wanted large LED daytime running lights on his car.

kind regards
Marek

Thank you, David. Now to get a gold star instead of just 10/10 can you tell me why the lower half was obscured?

Perhaps as Marek suggests it was something to do with legal height of lights in the UK. Will I get told off if I get Marek to supply unobscured lenses?

No idea. It could be some regulatory thing which was expected but subsequently failed to materialise because they stopped doing it after 1R1765/IR20922/IR35932. I would recommend using the un-blanked version to make your intentions as clear as possible to others.

The XJ12 also used the same front indicators, so maybe these were unobscured ones. Given that they sit underneath the chromed front bumpers on the etype, maybe the light pattern is somehow improved by reflection caused by the grey paint?

The s3 has ordinary all orange lenses and the sidelight function is moved to the sealed beam headlight.

kind regards
Marek

Heuer wrote:No idea. It could be some regulatory thing which was expected but subsequently failed to materialise because they stopped doing it after 1R1765/IR20922/IR35932. I would recommend using the un-blanked version to make your intentions as clear as possible to others.

'Ere - you can't go around insisting on exactitude in all things Series 1, and then adopt an 'any old thing will do' approach to Series 2s!

Fit semi-obscured on UK-supplied cars up to 1R1765/IR20922/IR35932: fit clear otherwise.

Thank you.

:D

Do you happen to know if there are any restrictions on indicator lenses on a series 2 to get it through an MOT. I am about to buy a pair of completely orange ones for the front !

Is your plan to change the sidelights into part of the indicators? Or to do as I have and change the semi obscure white/orange into clear white/orange?

As such I'm not sure of requirements for sidelights, but as Marek points out they are in the headlights on the S3, so fit those to solve the question of having sidelights. Then you would have full orange side/indicators as indicators only as per the S3. If the S3 can be like that why can't the S2?

If changing your headlights to include sidelights then also consider getting the Philips xtreme H4 or H7 bulbs for brighter mains. There's a thread eslewhere about them.

Geoff

Thanks that's realy helpful. Does that mean the electrics have to be changed so that sidelights are in the main headlights?

Yes. You can't have amber side lights showing at the front (MOT failure) so you need to go with amber/clear or amber/headlamp sidelights.

Or go with clear lenses and have an amber turn indicator bulb, no problems with MOT then.