protecting euro headlights

[blue230sl]

are there any products that would protect the euro headlights?
like a heavy plastic laminate that adheres to the glass, or a grill?

john
64 230sl
89 190e 2.6

[hauser]

The only thing I'm familiar with is the clear plastic film.  This protective coating can also be used on key body parts to prevent paint chips.  If you hunt around you may find companies out there that specialize in this application.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Peter van Es]

For rallying purposes my garage used to fashion these out of the metal baskets that go into consumer deep fat friers... have a look here:




Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.

[seattle_Jerry]

They make a thick clear rubbery one for headlights. About 1/8" thick to disperse the shock.

Now if they only made them for my Scion's windshield...15,000 miles and 3 new windscreens each on my 2 Xb's.

Someday for fun I am going to make polycarbonate euro lenses via the vacuum forming process and play with projector lenses...just in case I run out of other things to throw money at on the car.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[Benz Dr.]

Don't get the ones with the flat glass. They tend to break easily and I don't think they look as nice as the dome shaped ones.
The curved glass is probably twice as strong as the flat ones and it can take a pretty hard impact. Make sure the foam seal under the glass is in good condition as it helps soak up some of the shock.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[al_lieffring]

I have been looking without any luck to find photos of Eugen Böhringer's 230sl at the end of the 1964 Liège-Sofia-Liège rally, I recall seeing several shots where someone is standing in front of the right fender, to cover up the broken headlamp lense.

So breaking these headlamp lenses isn't a new problem.

Al Lieffring
66 230SL

[blue230sl]

quote:Originally posted by Benz Dr.

Don't get the ones with the flat glass. They tend to break easily and I don't think they look as nice as the dome shaped ones.
The curved glass is probably twice as strong as the flat ones and it can take a pretty hard impact. Make sure the foam seal under the glass is in good condition as it helps soak up some of the shock.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

my car has intact dome shaped glass lenses; i'm looking for a source or vendor who supplies the "thick clear rubbery one for headlights" that Jerry mentioned.

john
64 230sl
89 190e 2.6

[66andBlue]

John,
here is a picture of one of the earliest "lens protecting devices"    
used by Eugen Böhringer at a 1964 rallye in Argentina:



Al,
Böhringer must have had knack for knocking out headlights. When he won Spa-Sofia-Liege first in 1962 (together with Eger) in a 220SE he shattered the right lens:







Is this perhaps the picture you were looking for?



Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

[blue230sl]

 
maybe i should try perforated white duct tape....to match the headliner...but what's the official perfortion size? .001 mm?

john
64 230sl
89 190e 2.6

[al_lieffring]

Alfred

The photo that I was thinking of was very similar to the one on the bottom of the page. but the car was the red pagoda.

Thanks for finding these pics



Al Lieffring
66 230SL

[waqas]

Maybe this is a silly question, but wouldn't a laminate that provides any degree of protection also inhibit the amount of light passing through it?

Waqas in Austin, Texas

[Chad]

Isn't that the 300SE he rode in the pic?

The euro assemblies are brighter than the us versions. Keep that in mind when you consider if a film cover might decrease the intensity/diffuse it.  Seems to me this curved glass on the later euro lenses would be very durable compared to flatter or plastic assemblies of the other types.

I wouldn't do wire cage protectors.  I used to see this a lot on less expensive british roadsters.  Usually toads in pretty ratty condition, polished turds. The w113 euro lights are too good looking to mess with.

1967 230SL

[RBYCC]

quote:Originally posted by waqas

Maybe this is a silly question, but wouldn't a laminate that provides any degree of protection also inhibit the amount of light passing through it?

Waqas in Austin, Texas

No real discernable decrease in light output as the plastic should be close to an optical quality.

What the clear plastic protection such as 3M supplies does is increase heat in the light assembly.

Not sure how it would effect the borosilicate glass lens, but there have been problems on newer vehicles that use polycarbonate lenses.

ED A.
1971 280SL
1988 300CE TWIN TURBO
1990 C43 AMG
2003 G55 AMG

[psmith]

Al,

I think I have that picture in "Essential Mercedes SL" by Laurence Meredith (not "Original Mercedes SL" by the same author)  I'll scan it at work and post it.  In the meantime here's a pre-race photo.





Pete S.

[TheEngineer]

I just investigated this because I caught a big, fat rock in the headlight lens of my E320:
3M makes a product: "Clear Mask" and "Light Gard". A competitor supplies "Venture Shield". I'll let you know how it works.

'69 280SL,Signal Red,Automatic,retired engineer, West-Seattle,WA

[Bob G ✝︎]

I ordered a set of 3-m Mask for the headligts and marker ,turn signal liights from Griots garage for my 1987Ford Mustang. Less expensive and time consuming that replacing them. They properly do not hve them for the European Bosch headlights for our cars.
My second question concerns the rubber gasket thatfits between the body of the headlight and the headlight assemblie. I have tried these and have always had troble getting them to fit correctly. they seem to  have on one side some nibbles that fit some were. Can some one elibrate on this/ I for the life of me cannot figure this one out. This is for the later  Bosche H4 lamps 280SL.
Bob Geco

[hauser]

Bobby, I have only seen this gasket on one car and that was in Blacklick this past summer.  I didn't see any issues with fit but then again I don't know what it should look like.  Personally I do not have this on my car and most likely will not be installing it.

There is a picture of it on the SLS website.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[x4158]

I've found the rear end of other cars to be extremely ineffective at safeguarding headlight lenses!  ;-)

[abe280SL]

Oh, just drive it and when its worn buy a new lense.
abe

[okoboji230]

Related Q:  What are the pros and cons of euro headlight conversion?  Is it sacreligious to convert (or not to)?  Does the car get better lights, or just better-looking (imho)?

[Jordan]

It's just a matter of what you like and if you want to stay original.  Check your data card or the plate inside the engine bay to see if yours is a US car or Euro.  I have US lights on mine but want to change to Euro, when I can afford them, only because that is what the car originally had until it was exported to the US.  I've already swapped out the imperial speedo with a metric one.  I can't comment on which has better lighting but I think that has more to do with the bulbs you use.  The Euro lights have built in fog lights while only one of the US versions does. 

[m300cab]

the car was designed with the euro look, it makes the fender flow better visually, imho