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[MikeT]

Just taken delivery of 2 front side light panels from paintman. Its decision time do I go with just the side light but fit a double filament bulb so it can be used as a indicator & side light drill and fit a separate indicator. Whats peoples thoughts on combined side & indicator,  how good are they?
Im sure this will open a good debate. I should say its a 1959 SWB

[Betsy1969]

Won’t the indicator be white if you go the double filament route ?

[twomokes]

The white indicator is legal in the UK on vehicles registered before 1st September 1964. The twin filament single holder looks good and period.

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

You are OK on a '59.

I have had a single white light unit with a twin filament bulb on each front wing of my series 1 for 40 odd years and no complaints.
It's simply a rear stop/tail unit with a clear cover instead of the normal red cover and a straight swap for the brand I used.

Regarding looks ;- it is personal taste. Myself, I think the larger S2 wing looks better with a pair of lights even though one is flush mounted and not inset. I actually prefer the looks of the military version with the pair of lights vertically one above the other instead of the civilian version with them horizontally fitted.

As an aside, I have also read on the web somewhere that on vehicles built prior to the 1964 date the cover can be amber instead of clear - i.e. an amber side marker instead of the normal white - but that was disputed as only allowable on vehicles built that way from the manufacturer which was inserted so that  any imported vehicles already on the road [from the US] were not suddenly deemed illegal.

[oilstain]

Out of interest, if your side lights are also idicators and I asume at the rear the red light flashers will the modern driver have any idea what this means and at night just think you have a fault
It may all be legal but is it safe
Would it be better to fit amper indicators under the edge of the front bumper and rear crossmember, if just clamped on these could be removed/unpluged for shows

[samuria]

a bit ot. but i had a 59 morris minor with flashing side and rear lights. used it like that for many years.
also several old american motors with the same set up last one was a 1968 chevy caprice

[Peter Holden]

I have a single white light at the front that is both side and flasher, coming towards it when the flasher is on it is very obvious.  At the rear I have a separate amber indicator.

Peter

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

My set up is the same as Peter's -- white at front, amber at rear -- and it is noticeable to other road users.

I think the flashing red light at the rear is also accepted for that age of vehicle but I agree it is nowhere near as prominent as the front when the marker lights are also on. I cannot offhand think of any vehicle which came from the factory wired like that though

I think a lot of USA vehicles still have combined red rear marker lights and turn signals to this day but if memory serves the red light acts as a turn signal and goes off completely even when the light is in use as a marker. There must be some special wiring in there to make that happen -  much as in this country in the 50's when the towing plug was in place for trailer lights it had to extinguish the vehicle rear lights.

[Herald1360]

I think the flashing red light at the rear is also accepted for that age of vehicle but I agree it is nowhere near as prominent as the front when the marker lights are also on. I cannot offhand think of any vehicle which came from the factory wired like that though

Weren't the appropriate generation of Moggy Thous wired that way? With a relay to "double up" on the brake light filament?

Standards 8 and 10 saloons had a single central brake light so the twin filament in the tail lights could be used without any cunning electrics.

[Betsy1969]

Out of interest, if your side lights are also idicators and I asume at the rear the red light flashers will the modern driver have any idea what this means and at night just think you have a fault
It may all be legal but is it safe
Would it be better to fit amper indicators under the edge of the front bumper and rear crossmember, if just clamped on these could be removed/unpluged for shows

Most ‘modern ‘ drivers don’t know what indicators are so I doubt this scenario would cause them any trouble 😀

[Formerlyjeremy]

If you've got clear front lens - you should have a double filament bulb - 5 watt for the sidelight (as normal) and 21 watt for the indicator - so that when its operated it shines very bright and is obvious.  You probably should have a 'Beehive' shaped glass - to increase visibility from the side.

[Peter Holden]

It works very well with the5/21w bulbs and flat L488 lenses

[ChrisJC]

I don't like the one-vertical and one-pointing-skywards lamp, so I made an LED lamp that is orange for indicators and white for side. Behind a white lens it looks good, and gives appropriate colours. And fits the wing front properly.

I also included DRL in the design, but the white LEDs get too hot so I don't use it.

Chris.

[Bradfordseries2]

I used the lucas L488 flat lamps, with a single filament amber fitted to the rear and a twin filament clear lamp fitted to the front. I didn’t want to cut my new wings up when I rebuilt it so I went with this option. My Land Rover did actually have the usual separate side lamps and indicator lamps at the front when I got it. The rear indicator lamps are the most important in traffic so I used the standard amber type.

[Calum]

My set up is the same as Peter's -- white at front, amber at rear -- and it is noticeable to other road users.

I think the flashing red light at the rear is also accepted for that age of vehicle but I agree it is nowhere near as prominent as the front when the marker lights are also on. I cannot offhand think of any vehicle which came from the factory wired like that though

I think a lot of USA vehicles still have combined red rear marker lights and turn signals to this day but if memory serves the red light acts as a turn signal and goes off completely even when the light is in use as a marker. There must be some special wiring in there to make that happen -  much as in this country in the 50's when the towing plug was in place for trailer lights it had to extinguish the vehicle rear lights.

A few 50s British cars had red rear indicators, Mk1 Jaguar is one that springs to mind. Moggies had trafficators fitted instead.