Headlight - Bosch/SEV Marchal

[Bantam]

Hopefully some of the light experts can help me.....

I removed this pair of lights about 3 years ago from an ex USA '69E, boxed them up and thought nothing more of them thinking they were just a pair of LHD chrome H4's. However having a long overdue clear out I opened the box and could see that despite having an H4 lens they were not the usual H4 and they were also slightly heavier.

I could see they had a twin bulb SEV/Marchal inner so I took one of the pair apart to photo. The inner units are marked up SEV/Marchal Amplilux with H1 and H3 bulbs.

The inner light unit has two seperate metal rings whilst the more familiar larger angled metal inner seems heavier/more substantial than normal H4 ones?

Was this a period modification of have more modern H4 lenses just been added to the units, if this is the case does anyone know what the outer lens ahould be like? Are the inners actually not correct for any 911?

Any info much appreciated.

Thanks
Tim

[mrg3.6]

Was this a period modification of have more modern H4 lenses just been added to the units, if this is the case does anyone know what the outer lens ahould be like? Are the inners actually not correct for any 911? Any info much appreciated. Tim

Great find Tim, I guess the outer H4 lens were added in an attempt to 'legalise' what are quite rare 'rally headlights'.

My 'right hand drive' version below with clear Hella lens:



and here's some installed units:





Martin

[Flunder]

Tim: use them for your T/R with 65-67 buckets and US spec lenses!

[Bantam]

Martin

Thanks for the feedback.

Are the clear Hella lens hard to find and/or were they used with any other clear lenses in period? It would be nice to complete the light units correctly although probably not much use here in the UK due to being LHD.

Do you know the period they were used and what was the reason for adoption versus say H1's?

Cheers
Tim

[mrg3.6]

Are the clear Hella lens hard to find and/or were they used with any other clear lenses in period? It would be nice to complete the light units correctly although probably not much use here in the UK due to being LHD. Do you know the period they were used and what was the reason for adoption versus say H1's?

I found my Hella lens on this forum, otherwise I believe there are replicas out there.

Here's an extract on the Marchal's:

The Ampliluxes are flat-lens dual-reflector units that take *two* quartz bulbs, an H1 for low beam and an H3 for high beam. These ultrapremium lamps were manufactured in the 70's and are no longer available. They fit a standard 7" round bucket, have very good water sealing, the separate low and high bulbs mean you can install whatever wattage combination you desire, and the separate high and low reflectors mean the high beam aim can be adjusted independently of the low beam aim. This is the _only_ 7" round lampset with that capability, which is very helpful in dialling in the headlighting beam distribution on vehicles used in nonstandard conditions (off road, severe weather, high speeds, high headlamp mounting heights, etc.). However, because these lamps were originally very expensive, and are now rather rare, they are relatively costly.

Martin

[jeff eelkema]

Can the clear Hella type lens be used in a LWB car? I'm building a 69E and need complete lights anyway so would like to run the clear lens with a H4 light. I've only seen SWB cars with the clear lens. If there is a difference, is it in the fender or the light holder assembly(not sure of correct terminology)?

regards

[Bantam]

Jeff

I am no expert (as I have clearly demonstrated!) but pretty sure you couldn't run them with an H4 because you still need a lense to refract (?) the light. On an H4 the outer lens that the clear one would replace performs this function whilst on the type of unit shown above it is the lens of the inner unit that does this with the clear lens just acting as a protective cover.

Tim

[jeff eelkema]

Thanks Tim

Maybe I need to clarify. The normal, later H4 911 lights are apparently getting scarce in RHD and getting expensive. However there are common H4 round lights that replace older sealed beams used in lots of cars. I'm trying to find if I can use these (should fit into the bracket that screws into the fender) and then use the clear lenses. I like the look of the early clear lens and should get the benifit of readily available cheap H4 lights. There is probably a flaw in my logic so hopefully someone has been down this track.

[Mr9146]

Ampiluxes.

I had a pair ... search my username and there's a good thread with good info.