side light question

[n/a]

Does anyone know why a 67 250 from Italy would have circular front side light on it?  I'm getting conflicting information as to whether they are correct or not.  I've seen 113s with no lights, and round and rectangular shaped side lights.  Thanks.

[Douglas]

Standard Italian sidemarker light. Yes, that's correct.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #018260

[n/a]

I'm a newbie so could you please elaborate.  Do the sidemarker light shapes or the fact that the car even has them vary according to the country of original delivery?  Have you heard of the term "federalization" lights and what that means?  Thanks for you assistance.

[Douglas]

All I can tell you is that the sidemarker light is one of the telltale signs for cars from this era that originated in Italy.  A round reflector that the Italians mandated, it was actually installed on the assembly line in Sindelfingen. Period factory photos confirm this.

I believe the particular light they used is a generic sidemarker light also found on, if memory serves, Fiats of that same period. Rodd Mastellar has a 230 SL from Italy. I'll let him comment further.

If you order the datacard from the Classic Center, you can confirm the location and exact date of delivery.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #018260

[Klaus]

"Federalization" is the process of bringing an imported car into compliance with the rules and regulations in the new host country, so that it can be registered and driven. In the USA, the work is done to comply with EPA (exhaust emission) and NHTSA (safety) rules. When you take a car back from the US to Germany, as an example, you have to reconvert it there to mostly original. In the early years, not too much had to be changed, but sidemarkers were one of the requirements as of MY1968. With certain cars and later years it got more complicated with windshield exchange, side door beam installation and a lot more.
The shape of the sidemarkers was not regulated, but their size and location on the vehicle, and later, illumination. The Italians were satisfied with very small ones.

Klaus
1969 280 SL

[Cees Klumper]

These round side marker lights on the Italian-delivery cars are correct and in fact were also used on Fiats from that era. They're more than just reflectors, as they carry a small bulb inside.

I have gotten a couple of (brand new) sets for list members here in Amsterdam from a Fiat parts supplier and, if all goes as planned, I will be picking up a couple more sets for Dan Caron in the next week or two. They are pretty cheap to get (maybe $10 for a set) and if anyone needs them, even as spares, just let me know.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[rwmastel]

ksmsh,

Yes, my car has these lights.  They are turn signals only.  I don't believe they have a reflector characteristic to them, but I have never tested that.  Also, they don't stay on with the driving lights - stricly turn signals.  The rectangular ones you typically see on USA delivered cars were strictly reflectors at first, then I believe they became turn signals.  Is that right?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[tuultyme]

On my US 1970 the side lights are wired to run with the head lights or something like that.  They used to work by some wire coming from the light switch but for some reason I had to add a jumper wire from the tail lights until I take the time to trace the original wiring.

Bruce; 268Blaugrun(green) 1970 280SL; IL