Shite lights

[MiniMinorMk3]

For the last two years of production the Ford Sarah had tinted lenses. Also was this the first use of a (kind of) clear lens and coloured bulb?

[MiniMinorMk3]

23 hours ago, warch said:

Minis were also hit with the coach building stick during the 60s and 70s. I think this is a Wood and Pickett Clubman

 

Some more Coachbuilt Minis with alternative lights.

Radford Mini with Facel Vega lamps

Rear of McCartney Mini with Aston DB5 style lights.

Both George and Ringo had VW lamps.

Wood and Pickett with Mercedes lamps

Wood and Picket with Cibie lamps from a Panhard.

Radford with posh BMC rims, Volvo P1800 side/repeaters and Innocenti Mini rear lamps

A selection of Wood and Picketts with narrowed FD Vauxhall grille and lamps.

 

 

[bunglebus]

12 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

For the last two years of production the Ford Sarah had tinted lenses. Also was this the first use of a (kind of) clear lens and coloured bulb?

Rear lights possibly - clear front indicators certainly came earlier but I still don't know exactly who was first. Maybe @LightBulbFun knows when the 581 orange bulb was released?

I think Metros used an orange lens inside a clear one instead of a coloured bulb 

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

 

I think Metros used an orange lens inside a clear one instead of a coloured bulb 

The Mini Clubman and 1275GT front lamps were a clear lens with an orange insert.

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Rear lights possibly - clear front indicators certainly came earlier but I still don't know exactly who was first. Maybe @LightBulbFun knows when the 581 orange bulb was released?

 

The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud had yellow bulb in the front auxilary lamps for indicators.

 

[Asimo]

 

[caffeine]

I previously posted about earlier mainstream adopters of LED lights, these usually being formed of a ‘grid’ or ‘chase’ of individual diodes, but as style/ technology moved forward strip or filament type LEDs came in, leaving, the ‘fairy light’ type LEDs looking rather dated,  this got me thinking about early adopters of filament type LEDs.

My first thought was possibly the circa-2010 Saab 9-5, which would be Saab’s ‘swan song’ but as it turns out it’s cheating, with its light bars actually formed of reflective tubing with a couple of diodes at either end, so not a ‘proper’ filament, which I guess accounts for the rather patchy light distribution:



Then, I guess the b8 Audi A4 circa-2011 facelift, where higher spec versions previously adorned with ‘fairy lights’ received new light clusters with what look to be actual filament LEDs

From...



To...




It seems that VWs of this era had a sort of ‘cheat’ where they had halogen reflectors/diffusers behind a sort of slotted opening, which appears to attempt to mimic the look of filament LEDs, As seen here on the mk6 Polo;


 

[Leyland Worldmaster]

3 hours ago, caffeine said:

I previously posted about earlier mainstream adopters of LED lights, these usually being formed of a ‘grid’ or ‘chase’ of individual diodes, but as style/ technology moved forward strip or filament type LEDs came in, leaving, the ‘fairy light’ type LEDs looking rather dated,  this got me thinking about early adopters of filament type LEDs.

My first thought was possibly the circa-2010 Saab 9-5, which would be Saab’s ‘swan song’ but as it turns out it’s cheating, with its light bars actually formed of reflective tubing with a couple of diodes at either end, so not a ‘proper’ filament, which I guess accounts for the rather patchy light distribution:



Then, I guess the b8 Audi A4 circa-2011 facelift, where higher spec versions previously adorned with ‘fairy lights’ received new light clusters with what look to be actual filament LEDs

From...



To...




It seems that VWs of this era had a sort of ‘cheat’ where they had halogen reflectors/diffusers behind a sort of slotted opening, which appears to attempt to mimic the look of filament LEDs, As seen here on the mk6 Polo;


 

I've been looking for an informative Hella article on LED Light Pipe technology.

The first time I noticed this was on the Mk 1 Citröen C4 Picasso.

They still look cool all these years later:

 

[caffeine]

Actually, it seems quite a few cars that I had previously assumed to be filament LEDs actually use reflective tubes, albeit a a bit more convincingly than the aforementioned Saab

More Swedish light-tubey goodness on the Volvo S60/V60 (2010)

[junkyarddog]

I always like 70's Japanese tail lamps.

Like these on my '78 Corolla Coupe.

[junkyarddog]

For Headlamps though it must be the Miura!

[Leyland Worldmaster]

8 minutes ago, caffeine said:

Actually, it seems quite a few cars that I had previously assumed to be filament LEDs actually use reflective tubes, albeit a a bit more convincingly than the aforementioned Saab

More Swedish light-tubey goodness on the Volvo S60/V60 (2010)

Your Volvo pictures reminded me of something; I spotted a Volvo XC90 with full height rear position lamps in Croydonshire the other day.

Looked a bit like this:

 

[junkyarddog]

My Prelude has interesting lamps too.

[Rust Collector]

8 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

My Prelude has interesting lamps too.

Considering the age of them, I was always impressed by the fact that you could get these with junction/turning lights.

The actual headlight output is absolutely shite though, some of the worst I’ve ever experienced.

Not sure if other Japanese manufacturers did this, but there’s a high level rear light on my one that displays the ‘Prelude’ logo in green. I know that most of the contemporary Hondas in Japan were available with this as an option.

[junkyarddog]

9 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

there’s a high level rear light on my one that displays the ‘Prelude’ logo in green

Mine has that but it doesn't work,on the Non spoilers cars it's the high level brake light.

[High Jetter]

Later Preludes had 4WS!

[Pauly.22]

Can’t beat the warming glow of a normal filament bulb. 

[caffeine]

I knew these reminded me of something...

[bunglebus]

What's the device?

I'm rather taken with Hyundai's design language at the moment, very 80s concept car if you ask me

[somewhatfoolish]

Weird electronic game.

18 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

What's the device?

 

[caffeine]

Still have mine, in a cupboard somewhere...

[chaseracer]

On 03/10/2024 at 13:52, warch said:

Minis were also hit with the coach building stick during the 60s and 70s. I think this is a Wood and Pickett Clubman

Fiat 125 lights...

[bunglebus]

Here's Volvo C30 designer Simon Lamarre nursing a semi with his rear light clusters

[Rust Collector]

I think the rear lights on the ZAZ 968 were either designed by the person who invented the foil pie tray, or Mr. Kipling.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

I think the rear lights on the ZAZ 968 were either designed by the person who invented the foil pie tray, or Mr. Kipling.

Pukka!

[Heidel_Kakao]

I have always liked the look of ribbed rear lights.

W123

SD1

[J R Hartley]

This.....

[Leyland Worldmaster]

2000s, When All Headlights Looked the Same https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G_acgeqzI

[bunglebus]

On 11/10/2024 at 18:22, Heidel_Kakao said:

I have always liked the look of ribbed rear lights.

W123

SD1

I have mixed feelings. I like the SD1, MK3 Escort 

MK5 Cortina 

MK2 Granada

But I've never liked those deeply grooved Mercedes lights. Don't know why