Turn signal lens color?

[mudhenk27]

I've seen pictures of 427 SC cars with amber front turn signals, and some with white...both on original cars. I haven't been able to track down when or why the different colors were used.

Can anyone help?

Thanks.....Bill

[rsk289]

Not being a 427 expert, I hesitate to answer this... but -
UK traffic law changed in September 1965. Prior to this date, white front indicators and red rear indicators were permitted, and fairly common. However, all vehicles built after this date were required to have amber indicators. This is why the early Hillman-type rear indicator/lamp unit was changed to the individual white and amber lensed lamps. I believe all ACs were built in the UK and shipped to the US, so I would presume the white lenses at the front would be a pre-Sept '65 thing, amber after.
Might be wildly wrong, of course...

Roger

[LMH]

Keep in mind that on original cars today, many things have been changed, altered, fixed and so on, over the years. Most are not "original" anymore.
Larry

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by mudhenk27

I've seen pictures of 427 SC cars with amber front turn signals, and some with white...both on original cars. I haven't been able to track down when or why the different colors were used.

Can anyone help?

Thanks.....Bill

My lens are original and are amber, he car was delivered in November of 1965 and probably manufactured in England much earlier in the year. I have not noticed any cars with clear but that does not mean they did not exist.

[CSX3183]

CSX 3183, delivered with Amber lenses.

[Clayboy]

Bill,
Congratulations on the great car...
The source that I used for amber lenses was Classic Bits on Ebay. Another source is Rodgers Motors... they also have lots of stuff and a bunch of NOS lucas parts. Good luck with the modifications.
Bob

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

My lens are original and are amber, he car was delivered in November of 1965 and probably manufactured in England much earlier in the year. I have not noticed any cars with clear but that does not mean they did not exist.

Goes to show - any car first registered in England after September 1965 had to have amber lenses by law from the factory. Date of actual manufacture would be irrelevant.

[mudhenk27]

Thanks very much, gentlemen. I'll be changing my Hi-Tech to amber.

Bill

[rsk289]

Basically, the rule for British cars was: If there is a separate amber rear indicator, you would have amber at the front. If the L542 taillamp (rectangular red) is fitted, front would have been a clear lens.
Same for Austin Healeys, Minis, Morris Minors etc.

[mudhenk27]

Oops...maybe I won't be so quick to change. I was sent a link to here CSX 3000 SERIES where it seems the first half dozen or so cars had white, then changed to amber.

Not sure I like being bit by the originality bug...things are tough to pin down.

Thanks, everyone.........Bill

[rsk289]

Very tough to pin down. It's perfectly possible that AC chose to go to amber lenses early. They would have known the change in requirements was coming. Personally, I'd match to the rears as I suggested. I can't think of any Brit car of the period that had flashing red (dual-purpose) lights at the back, with an amber indicator at the front. It would be white front with red back, or all amber.

[Guido36]

COX cars built for export to Europe may have had the lens according to the regulations in the country for which they were intended. Italy and France were clear front indicator/turnsignal lights (yellow headlamps for France were mandatory) Germany was amber as I recall - which doesn't necessarily mean to say it is correct!