Marchal headlights

[Brett Johnson]

Some French spec. cars have Marchal headlights. Who can tell me about them? Pictures would also be nice!

[Brad Ripley]

Assuming you are referring to complete headlight assemblies for Porsche 356 manufactured by Marchal. I've never seen such a thing and have an extensive catalog file of Marchal stuff. If you are taking about an insert for a sealed beam unit, then, yes, Marchal made those conversion units along with Cibie, Hella and others. See photo below for a typical one of those units

[Brett Johnson]

I assume I'm talking about complete headlight units. It was a comment from Marco Marinello that prompted the question.

[Brad Ripley]

You have my answer. Ask Marco for further information if there is still a question of the French company, Marchal, ever making a complete headlight for a Porsche or VW.

[James Davies]

Marchal made bulb inserts, much like the Hella seal beam inserts that fit into Bosch headlights, except they were not sealed beam. They were called Marchal Equilux. The focusing optics was in the inner lens (like a sealed beam lens), and the outer cover was clear except for the lower bit which had a distinctive disperser.

Cars on the Porsche stand at the Paris Salon 1952 and 1954 (photos below) have these very distinctive lenses, as do many cars in period photos from this time.

This was certainly the case 1952 through 1955. These were commonly fit on cars ordered by Sonauto.

Period photos here

http://ofdc.forumactif.org/t1139-optiqu ... et-porsche

marchal_headlights.jpg (222.53 KiB) Viewed 643 times

[Brad Ripley]

Thanks for the info. It looks like the German light was re-fitted with a Marchal reflector and a front glass.

[Brett Johnson]

Thanks for the cool period photos -- note dark color metal around mounting screw. Are you sure that it is a Bosch unit? The adjusters are in the same places, but ... Sealed beam ones in US cars are all Hella, so it is not a comparable substitution. These presumably are also found in period VWs, yes?

Was the beam color yellow, like many French cars? Anybody have current high res. color photos?

[James Davies]

Definitely a Bosch unit. The Bosch reflector and bulb holder gets swapped out and replaced by Marchal internals.

And yes, these were on period VWs as well. See all the period photos in link above.

Lights are clear, not yellow.