Hi, I am looking for advice about my 1953 Coupe front sidelights.
My car has sidelights/indicators combined AND a small separate sidelight bulb in the headlight bowl.
Is this a factory spec or has one or the other been added over its life ?
Thanks
front sidelights
- Albert Haefner
- 356 Fan
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Re: front sidelights
Hi Rich,
your car comes from Italy? Obligation there?
VIN please if you want.
Albert
your car comes from Italy? Obligation there?
VIN please if you want.
Albert
- James Davies
- 356Talk Moderator
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Re: front sidelights
Hi Richard, your headlights have been changed, most likely.
The indicator "bee hive" light has 2 poles, as you point out, so there is no need for a parking light in the headlight. For the Bosch (Europe) and Hella sealed beam (USA) in 1953, neither had a parking bulb in the headlight bucket.
In fact the way you can verify this is by looking at your headlight bucket. Both Bosch and Hella date stamped everything they made. There will be a date stamp on the headlight bucket. And here's your Rosetta Stone:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... p?t=279505
1953 headlights from Hella would be something like
07 L
meaning 7th week of 1953. And Bosch ones would be something like
5J
meaning 5th month of 1953. Hope this helps!
=)
The indicator "bee hive" light has 2 poles, as you point out, so there is no need for a parking light in the headlight. For the Bosch (Europe) and Hella sealed beam (USA) in 1953, neither had a parking bulb in the headlight bucket.
In fact the way you can verify this is by looking at your headlight bucket. Both Bosch and Hella date stamped everything they made. There will be a date stamp on the headlight bucket. And here's your Rosetta Stone:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... p?t=279505
1953 headlights from Hella would be something like
07 L
meaning 7th week of 1953. And Bosch ones would be something like
5J
meaning 5th month of 1953. Hope this helps!
=)
- Brett Johnson
- Registry Hall of Fame
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Re: front sidelights
Sealed beam headlight units with the running light bulbs were only used on T 2 356As to my knowledge. These cars had single pole turn signal units. On the other hand many sealed beam units with bulbs have been available on the aftermarket, some made by Hella for the past 50 years or so.
Brett Johnson