Do you have a Parking light in your Headlight

I was talking to a friend about the fact that some headlight units have no small parking light, just the headlight. The area is without a bulbholder.

The area for the headlight on the body is so tight that I cannot get a unit in that has a parking lamp. The bottom contacts hit the body as I push it into place. I may have to open the bucket in the body more to get one in.

anyone have any headlight units without provisions for a parking/running lamp? I may need two.

One thing nice about fiberglass ya can always change it. Have you thought of using Rossi (or Rossi reproduction) lights? See www.empius.com/h/headlights.html there is also one nder it that appears not to have the parking lamp gues you could use double filament setup in the turn signal assembly.

Patrick,
As I recall, the parking light inside the headlight assembly was only on VW's. The Porsche assy. didn't include them.
There also used to be aftermarket chromed, turned, or stainless, pieced that would cover this area of the headlight assy.
SO...
you could always remove the parking light from the VW assy. and cover that area with plain or dress-up type material. You'll probably have to make them yourself as I haven't seen the aftermarket cover accessories available in any recent catalogs.

Greg B

Greg, according to Dr. Johnson's book on 356's, pre-A 356's had no parking lights in the headlights. Around March 1957 the parking light bulb appeared in front of the sealed beam unit. On 356 B's, sealed beam units no longer had it. In a nutshell, both VW's and 356's had the parking light in the headlight at one time or another.

A while back I came across a small single filiment bulb that was "transparent amber" ( haven't been able to locate them since) I replaced the clear park light bulbs in the headlight housings.
When the amber parking lights were turned on, the amber reflected off of the headlight bulb glass having a amber running light look.

Wow Alan; that sure would look incredible!!!

Reminds me of the tail light bulbs on a older Chrysler Lebaron GT I once had - all the lights across the back were the same level of brilliance (must have been six bulbs back there) until one of them burnt out and you got the exact replacement, which was ALWAYS a little brighter.

The only thing I found to make them all the same again was to rob bulbs from like cars in the junkyard (I ended up having a "stash" of them!)

BTW: Lee Iacocca designed the Chrysler LeBaron GTS turbo as a knock-off of the Porsche 924; roughly the same performance, for a LOT less money.

gn

Bosch & Hella were OEM suppliers to both VW & Porsche. For the American market, headlights were required to be of the sealed beam variety after 1955. VW retained the use of the small parking light bulb till 1966. But Porsche opted to either fill in the parking light socket with a piece of sheet metal (Hella) but the Bosch units had no provision for the bulb after 1955.

You can also purchase the european headlight assembly that utilizes the bulb-type headlight, much like the H4s bulbs of today if you don't want to modify the headlight bucket in your Speedster body.

The car I got came with two brand new Hella fluted glass H4 units, new chrome, bulbs, and they don't have the small parking light. I was going to save them for my 54 rag.

I have a NOS pair of Hella 356 headlight buckets that do not have the small parking light; these will replace the units in my car that have the holes blanked off. Headlight buckets were made both ways by both Bosch and Hella to meet the requirements of different countries.

"The only thing I found to make them all the same again was to rob bulbs from like cars in the junkyard (I ended up having a "stash" of them!)"

So YOU'RE the guy . . . ! ! ! ! !

Thought I show you a photo of the amber park lights on my old Speedy. I always thought it was pretty cool. Found these bulbs at a local shop, nothing special.

Boston Bob E.

So, Bob.......you still planning on doing a new engine this year?

Between Chris and me, we both now have hydraulic motorcycle jacks that I've found to be perfect for pulling/re-installing a Speedster engine. Between the two of us we should be able to help.

I'll be back up there around the first of April, and Chris lives over in Grafton, MA - we both have pretty well equipped shops, although Chris' is more equipped than mine (and has a lot more snow piled up about now, although I'm told that the house in Rhode Island is just about buried right now). Using one of those jacks, I've pulled my engine in under 1.5 hours (the cooler and stuff got in the way a little) and putting it back in was something like 20 minutes, plus oil lines and heat shields.

Let us know if we can help.......Gordon

Hi Gordon, Yes, a normally aspirated 2180 has grown in it over the winter. Got it in and started a couple of weeks ago re-using the carbs, ingntion and exhaust from my last engine, looks and sound great so far. Will take some more time increasing the carbs and exhaust stuff to match the increased displacment. Then some re-painting the sheetmetal, exhaust and hopefully a few improvements to the rest of the engine compartment. Everything was 10 years/40+k used on my car so it could use some cleaning up.

And yes, we have a sh_ _ load of snow up here, especially the further east and out on the Cape! What greenhouse effect? Good move heading south for the winter, you're obviously smarter than you look :-)

Boston Bob E.

Gordon, thanks for the offer for help, maybe I'll get a chance to stop in some time. Bob

If anyone decides to run without the small parking light bulb, the small pop-out plug that comes in milk/cream/half & half "easy-pour" cartons is a perfect cover for the hole.

They can be nicely painted up with the new Krylon "Fusion" plastic/pvc paint and glued in from the back side with Auto Goop and look "factory" perfect.

I'm doing up a couple of headlamp bucket sets this way, one with black "plugs" the other set with gray. I'll put some pics up tonight, just in case anyone wants a peek at them.

TC:

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is currently running an exhibit of Raplh Lauren's Racing cars (sixteen of them!) through the end of April.

We'll be back up there around April 1'st - Wanna go?

gn

ABSOLUTELY ! ! ! Sounds killer . . .

Speaking of parking lights. My headlight fuse kept blowing. After days of chasing wire, I found that the parking light in the headlight assembly had corroded between the terminals. You would think that the parking/tail light fuse when have blown. Yet it was the headlight fuse. Those terminals only worked for 16 years. Who do I complain too?

Now I have to find those yellow bulbs and pull the headlight assembly again!

I am having a turnkey built and I wanted the amber bulb in the bucket. To get more reflection I am having the buckets chrome plated so that the reflection from the sealed beam will be enhanced by the chrome bucket. I'll posy pics when its all done.

So you want amber park lights? Just found a neat little trick from a local customizer. Go to the local hobby shop and pick up some amber laquer model paint. Lightly sand the glass bulb with 600 or finer paper. Clean glass with alcohol prior to painting. Apply the amber paint via brush (two coats). There you have it ....nice custom amber transparent bulbs.
Piece of cake :)

Brings back memories of the '60's when amber signals started showing up on cars. At that time Pep Boys sold amber light bulb paint so that you could paint your old plain bulbs and make your car look cool like the new ones. Just make sure what ever paint you choose will handle the temperature.

Dusting off this thread ....

Anyone have an interest in these amber bulbs? ( Check the posted pic here in the thread for a unique look) I have a source that can get them but I'll have to buy two sleeves at a time.. ~Alan

What size (model will do) are they?

I found a long-discontinued bulb that is a single-filament with amber paint on the outside and I use them in my directionals. Sounds like your would be a good replacement.

gn

It's a # 67 single bulb used in older parking lights ( transparent amber glass ) that had a clear lense. I have to order 24 at a time for a minimum shipment. ~Alan

Al, I would like to get four of the bulbs. No hurry, May in Carlisle is soon enough, but if you want money now, just tell me how much.

Let's see how many others wants them, seems I need to get 4 sleeves of 10 each minimun ~Alan

.... and just to add even more confusion.... did we ever determine a source for headlight assemblies less the running lamps? I'd be interested.

Alan,
Count me in for 8 of them.
Jim

Sounds good a few more inquiries and I'll order them ~

Alan, Buy two sleeves, and sell 'em at 100% mark-up at Carlisle to cover expenses. I'll buy two, although I wonder if it is legit to run that color up front. Is there some kind of code that says you gotta have certain colors for the back, and something else for the front, so you can tell, theoretically, whether what's up ahead of you is coming or going? Just wonderin' . . .

PS: this sure is a sh-- load of traffic over two stinkin' light bulbs. It really must be winter.

They're expensive enough at $1.75 a piece plus a mild reaming for shipping ...Theives they are the only source that has them, we want them we'll have to pay.
Park lights are designated to be amber which these are and when combined with the headlight bulb reflector , gives off a unique look.

I'll order tomorrow, ~Alan

My car has vw headlamps and this VS has room for the parking lamps I wired them into the fog lamps to use as daytime running lights they now your comming when thats on.

http://www.lightlens.com/coloredbulbs.htm

Will these bulbs work? Look at LB67A toward the bottom.

"PEP BOYS", a north east auto parts chain of stores, has the amber #1156A in blister packs of two bulbs for $4.00.

Brian, no they will not work ...too large
Robert, yes they will work pricey at $3.40 each though. ~Alan

The LB 1156 A will fit It is a bibger bulb. thats whats in mine..

I found a source for the transparent amber parking light bulbs that fit in the headlamp housing... not what you would call inexpensive at $4.50 each. Scroll back up to Bob Elliott's post, they do look great! ~Alan

I'd like 4 when you get them Thanks.