Headlight Question

[dldubois]

I've got a 69 sl and the headlight doors are the 1657 AC style.   The old lights looked like the first photo but my new lights look like the second photo.   You can see they are the same headlight door.   Does the first just have an amber bulb in it below the headlight?

Just trying to get the car looking like it did before.  thanks.

   
like mine.

   
not like mine.

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl auto
blue (906)
Corinth, TX

[ja17]

Hello Dana,

I believe it is a clear bulb with an amber plastic lense.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Bob G ✝︎]

Dana.
Mid year in 1969 the second set of clear front light unites were changed  amber and did away  with the extra lower lamp built in to the early LE series Bosch lamp assemblies. Mostly because of stupid laws from DOT. Also the tailights changed to the new lens with amber and were availible by them selves with out having to buy the chrome assemblie that happened with the old all red taillights.
Both are correct for your year. I do not know the production number when this change came about but I do remember I was going to buy a set of front lamps from Mercedes of Hollywood for my father's birthday all amber for $30.00 each. Thoses were the days.
Bob Geco

[enochbell]

I'd say count your blessings, the doors you have are actually more difficult to find and, at least when I was looking, more expensive (I have not seen them in repro. market, but that does not mean they can't be found).  You can probably sell your early model doors and buy new "correct" doors with the full lower amber plastic and break even...at worst.  Personally, though, I like the older units or, better yet, the euro lamps.

Best,

g

'64 230sl, fully sorted out...ooops, spoke too soon

[dldubois]

Enoch:

I was able to find new older style doors for about $245 each.  Readily available on one site on the web.   Both of the pics have the older style doors.  The actual lense is only amber on the very bottom in both pics.  My thought is the top pic has an amber bulb reflecting off the bulb housing as the lense in front of it is clear.  Just trying to get my car back like I remember it as in this photo with the exact same headlight door.

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl auto
blue (906)
Corinth, TX

 

[vincesy]

I've only recently noticed the different headlights for US Spec cars.  Reading an even older post from Mike, I see there are three versions.

Is the AC (the earliest type) the one with the full amber in the lower half of the assembly?  It sounds like this type is now harder to replace?  

What's the difference between the AJ and AN?

Is the AX another version?
=============

mdsalemi  Posted - 05 Jun 2004 :  15:41:29      
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Pete,

There are three versions of the US spec headlight doors, and I believe there are different socket and reflector assemblies for each as well. The first had suffix AC; the middle, AN, and the latest one has -AJ. I know the -AJ is still available from MB, the earlier ones I don't know. I do know that the only reflector/socket assemblies available are for the latest -AJ. When I discovered this I simply (and expensively) just changed all the headlamp assemblies and sold the old ones on eBay. You really have to have everything match to look right.

The socket/reflector assemblies on the latest -AJ version have additional sockets to hold the plugs from the side markers; for a better and more involved description, look up my post from earler this week on side marker positions; it was a reply to a post from Richard that showed the side markers in the wrong position.

The part numbers I have might be old, but:

113-826-04-89 LE 1657 AC 230/250/280SL's to chassis 5607
113-826-05-89 LE 1657 AN Chassis 5608-11947
113-826-06-89 LE 1657 AJ Chassis 11948 to end of production

Note the "LE 1657 AX" number is molded into the front of the lens. Note this is only US spec lighting. I ferreted this information out from a variety of catalogs as well as ordering a bunch of incorrect parts over a period of many months...

Hope this helps. When it comes to proper part numbers and current parts availability, always a good idea to check with Tom Hanson of Caliber Motors.


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored
 ====================

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by vincesy

Is the AX another version?

The "X" in "LE 1657 AX" is just a place holder, meaning AN, AJ, or A"whatever".

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

[dldubois]

Both photos show the same lense headlight door 1657 AC.  

I understand the only difference is the bulb assemblies that attach to the back and that the version I originally had had an amber cover on the bulb holder for fog light vs. my new bulb holders which do not producing a clear look for this section of the housing.

Any idea where to get just the bulb holder w/ the amber lense on the fog light area?   I've got brand new headlight doors that are correct.  There seem to be confusion as many assume that the top photo is a different door like those on the later 280sls with a large amber section.

Here's a pic of the same door (The amber seen over the fog light is part of the bulb holder and not the headlight door.  

I'm finally getting the car after 9 months and a strip and repaint (Of course my painter promised the car in two months).

 


Dana DuBois
1969 280sl
Corinth, TX

[ted280sl]

If you are considering $245 per headlight to change the US spec bulbs I would suggest switching to Euro headlights. These cars were designed for the Euro headlights and I think they look much better.
Ted
'69 280SL US spec converted to Euro headlights