Driving Lights

356 Porsche-related discussions and questions.
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JohnArlt
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Driving Lights

#1 Post by JohnArlt »

Hello all...
I have a very original 356C. It is not in trophy condition, a little worn...but I love it. I bought it about 5 years ago from a broker who
knows these cars very well, and he told me "don't do anything to it"! Well...over the years I have resisted the temptation to do little things to make it "mine". I really like the way driving lights look on these cars, and am exploring options. I have a 12v conversion on the car, and think it could handle it just fine. I could also put proper fog lights as well or in place of driving lights.
Do you all have any recommendations for either driving or fog lights, and mounting options for driving lights?
I would use the period correct lights (originals if I can find them).
Thanks for any input!
-J

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Tom Keating
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Re: Driving Lights

#2 Post by Tom Keating »

Use the Hella 128 light. It fits in opening where lower grilles are. The car is pre wired on each side inside trunt. They should be curled up black wires. You will need 2 lights, a switch and a relay.
Tom Keating
1964 356C Sunroof

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Driving Lights

#3 Post by Mike Wilson »

You could mount the 128's with clear lenses and bulbs for quasi-driving lights.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

JohnArlt
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Re: Driving Lights

#4 Post by JohnArlt »

Thanks for the responses, and they are much appreciated.
I guess I was not very clear with my original post. My thoughts on the driving lights
would be above the front fender. I have seen brackets that attach behind the fender,
or some just mount onto the fender (hole must be drilled). Has anyone had experience
with this...or recommendations?
Thanks!
-J

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Driving Lights

#5 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Hi John,

Do you mean above the bumper like these?
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Driving lights.jpg
Sebastian Gaeta
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Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

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Phil Planck
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Re: Driving Lights

#6 Post by Phil Planck »

IM002327.JPG
You can make a bracket like this. Lot's more clearance room on a T6 than this PreA
Phil Planck

Brad Ripley
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Re: Driving Lights

#7 Post by Brad Ripley »

Hella 128s were only a fog light. There was not an option of lights above the bumper like the LWB 911s. On 356s, Back in the Day, mostly French Marchals were used -- such as below photo. If attached to the flimsy 356 bumper, the lights vibrated and weren't very effective. A firm attachment to the bumper brackets is needed as in Phil's photo.
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Marchal driving 682.jpg
Marchal driving 682.jpg (33.24 KiB) Viewed 1758 times

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Driving Lights

#8 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Here's what I used for my C pictured above. Brad, didn't you supply these mounts? I know they are different from the ones used for A and pre-A.
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fogltbrackalumbc_lg.gif
fogltbrackalumbc_lg.gif (23.24 KiB) Viewed 1744 times
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

Brad Ripley
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Re: Driving Lights

#9 Post by Brad Ripley »

Sebastian, those mounts were supplied by someone in North Carolina and only worked on B/C cars. Don't know what happened to those. I never did anything further with the mounts and the Marchal lights were all sold off. A guy in Florida still has some of the Marchals -- see Ebay. The were very nice lights but didn't work out in the current Stoddard program.

Note, the Marchal 140 mm lights are their type 670 for fog, and 672. Those have a little Marchal crest on the top -- most suitable size for 356s. The larger, 177 mm, 660/662 versions have a triangular motif on the top of the rim

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Re: Driving Lights

#10 Post by Max Handley »

could be fog or driving lights with apprioate lense.
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John Hearn
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Re: Driving Lights

#11 Post by John Hearn »

Brackets available from PRS
https://prs356.co.uk/porsche-parts/all/ ... t-brackets
KTF
John

Brad Ripley
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Re: Driving Lights

#12 Post by Brad Ripley »

No, the reflector was different for the fog vs the driving.

luc verschueren
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Re: Driving Lights

#13 Post by luc verschueren »

Brad Ripley wrote:Sebastian, those mounts were supplied by someone in North Carolina and only worked on B/C cars. Don't know what happened to those. I never did anything further with the mounts and the Marchal lights were all sold off. A guy in Florida still has some of the Marchals -- see Ebay. The were very nice lights but didn't work out in the current Stoddard program.

Note, the Marchal 140 mm lights are their type 670 for fog, and 672. Those have a little Marchal crest on the top -- most suitable size for 356s. The larger, 177 mm, 660/662 versions have a triangular motif on the top of the rim
Marchal 662/762 driving lights with special marchal brackets
https://porsche356registry.org/classifieds/18453
 

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Jim Nelson
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Re: Driving Lights

#14 Post by Jim Nelson »

Marshal 672’s driving lights, with yellow bulbs:
7ABD1E17-1C36-4C2A-9484-8223D92A7770.jpeg

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John Brooks
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Re: Driving Lights

#15 Post by John Brooks »

I have had Lucas 576SLR's over Hella 128's on my car for about 50 years. They are not as bright as the Cibie Oscars on the 912, but do light up the road well. I don't drive the 356 at night much anymore and I put Jeff SMD LED headlights in a couple years ago. The bulbs in these "old Lucas flame throwers" draw a lot of current and may cause the generator light to come on below 1500 RPM

The 576 have a spot light beams and will some times irritate oncoming drivers on a two lane road. But they are nice to ZAP them when they flash at the SMD's. They vibrate up and down with bumps in the road, but you can see a deer at quarter mile. They also make a fog lense 576SFT so I would do one of each, with separate switches and relays.

I made mounts to clamp to the bumper bracket, mounted them inboard of the uprights. Jeffery is working on a SMD up grade for these in the future.
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John Brooks

62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965

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