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Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 6:07 pm
by Richard Emerson
What’s the market price for the correct lens for a 1956-58 ?
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:50 am
by Jan Kolm
Richard Emerson wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 6:07 pm
What’s the market price for the correct lens for a 1956-58 ?
There are three known types of Hella U.S. market lenses used between 1956-58 and the price varies greatly on condition and whether quality reproductions exist.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:20 pm
by tom collingwood
i have a lens stash... im going to dig through it and see what i have.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 12:05 am
by tom collingwood
here are my lenses. Any idea what year and model they are for?
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 1:13 am
by James Davies
Hi Tom,
The lenses in IMG_8577 (left side, small Hella logo) and in IMG_8587 are correct for USA delivery cars mid-1956 through at least early 1957.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:30 pm
by Jan Kolm
Agree with James on the 1956-57 lens.
All of the "SB19 SB20 SB21" lenses are 1964 or later. VW and Porsche used the same lens.
The "1-592" lens is aftermarket "Reluma" brand.
The "E1.0671.01" VW lens is ~1957-59.
The symmetric Hella lenses are pre-1961 VW or pre-1959 356 (I'm not sure to what extent Hella was a supplier of headlights for the home market, if at all). They could also be for post-1958 RHD 356s...
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:19 am
by paul vantol
Can anyone comment on what front turn signals should look like for an early 1953 car?
My understanding is that the glass should be clear plastic?
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:35 am
by James Davies
Hi Paul, the first beehives on the 1953 model cars were clear plastic. Not pebbling inside. Pebbling came with the 1954 model year and the horn grills. They are short at 29mm tall.
There's a supplier for aftermarket Mercedes, which also used SWF signals. These are the closest I've found
https://www.ebay.com/itm/151719964093
I suspect this is similar
https://www.authenticclassics.com/Merce ... 003479.htm
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:18 pm
by Pete Indelicato
interesting article in this months 356 Reg. magazine about headlight lenses
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 1:44 pm
by David Trower
I have on my 59 Coupe that I have owned for a long time one Hella an one VW lens. I believe these to be original as I have no recollection of ever having a broken lens.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:01 am
by Richard Alexander
Jan Kolm wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2020 11:49 am
This helps a lot with trying to date the post-1959 asymmetric lenses, without taking the headlamps apart.
I have seen 4430 lenses on eBay with the 10-digit, 1964 and later Bosch part number cast into the lower left face of the lens, so they were available into the 356C era, at least as replacements.
I have never seen a 4474 lens. If the 4487 lenses are original, they will have the tell-tale pitting of daily driver use.
However the 911 (901) part number is the same for all three E1 lens types. Does this mean you could special order any of the three lens types, or you got whichever type is currently available?
A general question I have is how far do the lenses protrude beyond the chrome ring around the edges by type? The later lenses protrude about 1cm (sealed beam lenses are almost flush in comparison).
4474 Bosch (bubble wrap back ground)
4475 Hella next to 4474 Bosch
Richard
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 5:32 pm
by Jan Kolm
Is there a date code cast into the lip of the 4474 lens at 12 o'clock, hidden under the rubber seal?
The Hella 4475 lens is the rest-of-world equivalent to the 60370 "SB19 SB20 SB21" clear lens. They are very common.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:21 pm
by Steve Kram
- Headlight Lens 2.jpg (2.14 MiB) Viewed 18847 times
- Headlight Lens 2.jpg (2.14 MiB) Viewed 18847 times
Hi
I have 2 of these lenses. I am told they are US Export lenses for 56-58.
The numbers at the very bottom are 11 21334
Anyone have any info?
Thanks
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 1:55 pm
by Jan Kolm
These are ~1959-60 Hella symmetric lenses. Definitely not U.S. export.
I'm thinking these are period correct for non-U.S.-market VWs, though the lack of a VW logo suggests these are universal fit.
The 356B parts book only lists Bosch as a source for non-sealed beam headlights, but as everyone knows, this is non-absolute.
Re: On headlight lenses....
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2021 10:09 am
by Dan Kalinski
‘53. Correct?