Front indicator lense specification

[GravyGraham]

I have mis-matching front indicators and I've trawled through several books but am struggling to find the definitive specification for UK spec cars. You'll see in my photos below that the bottom half of the nearside lense is factory painted on the inside and thus blocks out the light. I think it's a mirror type paint and I'm guessing the bottom of said lense is supposed to be a reflector, albeit an orange one.

My car is a January 1972 model and on the assumption the car didn't leave the factory with this mismatch I'm wondering if anyone can enlighten me which is the 'correct' style of lenses for her to wear.

[AussieEtype]

My Series 3 is a 71 and also K reg so only a couple of months before yours.

My lights are disassembled and both sides are the sort that are half blanked out.

I bought my car in 1982 so I am reasonably sure mine have not been changed since leaving the factory.

Maybe the unblanked one is US or European spec.

Cheers

Garry

[SESH]

I have an AUG 73 Build UK car and it has the completely clear lens.

Don't know if that is original as I got the car in 2010. But I had to replace the offside lens in 2011 and the replacement I was sent by SNG Barratt was a clear lens as well.

Mike

[Sjmmarsh]

I have an Aug 73 car as well and it has the non-mirrored lens too. It is a UK car.

http://www.xkedata.com/gallery/zoom/?id=256363

Steve[/list]

[Heuer]

[AussieEtype]

Hi David - I must be missing something here.

How does the great information you posted help determine which lens was fitted to early series 3s.

Cheers

Garry

[Heuer]

It doesn't! Merely shows there were five different pairs of lenses offered by Lucas fitted to six different part numbers housings and the thread title did say "Specification". We have the UK, USA and Italian versions but with this information maybe someone will decode the situation. Don't have the enthusiasm to do it myself as I don't have an S3.

[Heuer]

OK, curiosity got the better of me

If the S3 headlights incorporate the sidelights the lamps below the bumper merely served as direction indicators. If not the lamps below the bumper were used as sidelights (Amber in the USA). If you look at the parts book photo you will see the annotation 'blanked off' as the lower lights were not used.

[AussieEtype]

It doesn't! Merely shows there were five different pairs of lenses offered by Lucas fitted to six different part numbers housings and the thread title did say "Specification".

Thanks - wasn't trying to be difficult but was worried I might have missed something.

Cheers

Garry

[Heuer]

Not sure about where you are but in Europe you can't display amber side lights at the front. As far as I can tell Lucas did not produce an amber/white lens, only amber/amber and white/white. All cars with the exception of Canada/USA and Italy should have amber lenses with the lower half shielded. You could presumably make up a shield with tin foil.

[MarekH]

The blanking is achieved with a simple coating of silver paint. The same can be seen on the whole of the bottom half of the lens of some s2 lenses also, which were split amber and white. I presume that was to give a daylight running light option prior to the fitting of additional specific side repeaters.

I'd speculate that the purpose of the silver paint would have been some regulatory requirement regarding the height of indicators above the ground or perhaps not to glare oncoming drivers or a maximum allowable area of lens.

kind regards
Marek