107's - small detail I never noticed - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

zakkkk · #1 03-18-2014, 03:40 PM

I never noticed that the front amber running lights on the very earlier had these nice curved shape to them that flows into the front bumper above. The later ones were rectangular and look like them came off a jeep.
I wonder when and why the shape was changed?
Interesting detail though.

rowdie · #2 03-18-2014, 09:27 PM

'72-'73 US/North America only. Actually they are running/park and turn signals. The amber lights on the side are running/park lights only. You will see them advertised as Euro but they are not. The rectangle household electrical box lights started with the diving board bumpers on the 1974 model. Again US/NA only.

JimFreeh · #3 03-19-2014, 05:55 AM

If you examine the USA spec lights and the euro spec lights side by side, you will notice that the amber lens wraps around from the side to the front noticeably more on the euro version.

This enables the euro to utilize the amber lens as a forward facing lens as well as a side facing lens. The park/run/turn function is all covered (eek) by the amber euro lens, hence no need for the extra pair of forward facing amber lights on euro spec cars.

As Rowdie says, the early lights (72-73) were placed in the corners of the lower air opening, and from 74 on, they were discrete units attached to the bottom of the park bench bumpers. It's also common to see the later style attached to the small euro bumper on grey market cars, to accomodate the USA spec headlights.

Jim

rowdie · #4 03-19-2014, 08:22 AM

The Euro headlight amber is a single filament bulb which is wired turn signal only. USA is also single filament wired as side marker/park only. I have adapted a few Euro lights by installing dual filament bulb sockets and rewiring so they act as both.

JimFreeh · #5 03-19-2014, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowdie

The Euro headlight amber is a single filament bulb which is wired turn signal only. USA is also single filament wired as side marker/park only. I have adapted a few Euro lights by installing dual filament bulb sockets and rewiring so they act as both.

Yes, correct, euro spec did not require side marker lights. I rewired my grey market SL for twin filament bulbs, slipped my mind that it was no longer standard issue....

Jim