Originality Question- Headlights

[Paul Hatfield]

I am so confused. Need help. I am trying to discover what was the original headlight configuration on my 68 Targa. I have a COA, but it says nothing. So, the car has sealed beam headlights, and the trim and headlight holder is made by Hella. Still, my car has Westinghouse sealed beam units in it, and that just has to be wrong. I have talked to another car owner who thinks they still have original sealed beam units in the car, and they are Tung Sol units, that say TS at 6 o'clock. I know plenty of other manufacturers made 12 volt sealed beam units, such as Cibie, Phillips, and I would suspect Hella and Bosch. But my question is, what would have come on a US destination car as stock, original? Anybody know for sure???? With the entire headlight assembly made by Hella, I was guessing Hella, but did they make a 12 Volt sealed beam unit? Help appreciated, trying to do this "correct" and get past the judges.

[gruen911]

Paul,
My 67 911 came into my possession with Hella sealed beams (chrome rims and lenses), but my headlights were Westinghouse as well. I have seen others like this as well. I am guseeing that it is correct for the US models delivered pre 1969.

[pwd72s]

Yep, sealed beams it was...an example of USA protectionism requiring them.

[Paul Hatfield]

But, who was the OEM of the sealed beam? Were the cars shipped here without headlights and then dealer installed? That would seem incredibly stupid, as the labor alone would be so time consuming. I would guess that with Hella making the headlight assembly, the sealed beams themselves could have/should have been installed into the assembly and then into the car. Didn't Hella make a 12 Volt sealed beam??????????? Bosch????????? I have seen lots of photo's of cars leaving the factory, don't remember any of them outside, ready to go, without headlights in them.

[pwd72s]

No Paul, USA delivered cars definitely had USA manufactured sealed beams when they were delivered. Westinghouse or GE, I'm not sure...but it was THE LAW of the time that cars sold in the USA have USA D.O.T. standardized sealed beam headlights in them. As far as I know, neither Hella nor Bosch made sealed beam USA standards headlights at that time. Why should they? The Europeans were already well into the superior Q.I. technology by then. FWIW, I still have a pair of sealed beam lights pulled from Evren's '71 before he left here. At my insistance, for safety reasons, he changed to sealed beam "quartz" lights before leaving, since they yielded a lot more light. I'm sure he has since converted to euro H-4's. I'm just back from the garage...the trademark on both of these lamps is GE...I can't swear they are original, but since sealed beams usually only fail when cracked, and judging by the rusty screws problem we had, I'd say GE sealed beams as standard is a real possibility. (edit) My suspicion is that since USA approved sealed beams were the only lights approved for the cars destined for the USA, Porsche did what any sensible manufacturer would do...put contracts out for bid. Even with shipping to Germany costs, GE or Westinghouse probably won, since they were the major manufacturers of those items, and had the process down pat. Like I said, "protectionism"...through regulation.

[gruen911]

Paul,
German TUV made me switch out of my GE junk last year when I wanted to get my 67 legel to drive in Germany. I never noticed how dim the GE headlights were until I bought the H4's. It was like going from a sparkler to a flame thrower! You might say I was en-lightened...
I will admit thought that I liked the look of the early Hella lenses and chrome rings. It was retro.