Side indicators, parking lights & lens

[acf321]

Hi all

 

In stripping my car, we noticed one side has the aperture for a fender mounted side indicator, and the other does not. This suggests some cars came with fender mounted ones, and some not. Also some cars have amber parking lights / blinkers under the bumpers, and others have the clear lens.

 

Since my car has never 'run' during my ownership I have the following questions;

1) did aussie cars have the side indicators on the front quarter guards?

2) do the parking lights (under the bumper) also have a 'blinker' section in them?

3) when where amber / clear lens used and which are correct for a 1971 Aussie delivered car?

 

Many thanks.

 

Adam

 

[Zeddophile]

1) Some did, some didn't.  I think the early cars had no repeaters, not sure when it changed.

2) Yes, as far as I recall all models should have the blinker in with the parker.  The indicators in the guards are additional to these.

3) I have no idea!

[aarc240]

1 'side indicators' are late 240z onwards - nominally 260z but actually fitted from 1/7/72 to meet the ADR required visibility angles.

2 all Australian delivered cars have a clear main lens on the front park / indicator lamp assembly, anything from 1/1/72 must have the amber inner insert over the indicator, prior to that may or may not.

3 either white or amber indicator is correct for a 1971 delivered - they delivered both!

 

Don't get caught with the amber main lens as used on American market cars (and I believe JDM) unless you have headlamp conversions in place which put the park lamp in the headlight.

Amber park lamps are illegal throughout Oz although you can get away claiming they are clearance lights provided you have the park lamps elsewhere (like in the headlamps).

[ozy]

didnt want to start a new thread.

i also have a side indicator question.

picture attached below

 

my zed seems to have the front side indicators installed backwards (pic B). i may keep them as is because i like the look. but then i found a mate with a 260 2+2 (english car originally) and he also has them backwards. mines a japanese restored car, the mates 260 is awaiting restoration.

 

from the pics i looked at on the net, ours deffo seemto be the wrong way, the pics show the side indicator parallel with the line of travel of the car (pic A), whereas our 2 "splay out".

 

is it also true that these indicators were used on other datsun models, but with different rubbers. the zed rubbers being more wedge shaped to account for the shape of the body and trying to build out the indicator so it would be parallel.

 

ill try to get a photo too!

 

so i guess, were there differences in any markets or have we 2 zeds that 2 different people installed the lights either accidentally or on purpose backwards?

 

[RB30X]

For a quick scribble in paintbox, that it the most accurate drawing to describe your question I have ever seen.

 

Congrats

 

I have been asked the same thing about mine which were already installed. Mine are currently like exibit A and I thought thats how they were supposed to be?

[ozy]

yeah, it seems to me that A is correct. I could accept mine being wrong (like in B), but a friend with an english 260 has them the same way.

mine is restored, his isnt.

just thought it was weird to find another, especially in ireland and as there arent a million zeds here.

For a quick scribble in paintbox, that it the most accurate drawing to describe your question I have ever seen.

 

Congrats

schucks, should have gone to art scholl.... geddit?

[Zedman240®]

"A" is the correct way for mounting, because of that indicator being a reflector as well, it won't work being on an angle as in "B". It has to be at 90' at traffic approaching you (as in a T intersection). People mount it the other way I think for lower wind resistance...may affect it by approx .0000000001 %

[ozy]

"A" is the correct way for mounting, because of that indicator being a reflector as well, it won't work being on an angle as in "B". It has to be at 90' at traffic approaching you (as in a T intersection). People mount it the other way I think for lower wind resistance...may affect it by approx .0000000001 %

 

yeah, that makes more sense. wind resistance would be minimal on that.

i do prefer the look of it. it seems to follow the lines of the car nicely....like an arrow head. so ill probably leave it alone.

 

it just struck me strange when i saw another like it here, where we only have a small pool of Z cars.

 

thanks zedman and rb30x!

[Lynton]

Funny but modern logic I think reins supreme, my 260Z coupe car was supplied new to me was with tapered guard indicators as was my unblemished 260Z 2+2 but the majority of people in latter years have told me they should be the other way? From so much peer group pressure I eventually turned the lenses around but no body believes me when I tell them that is how the cars were supplied new?? Lynton

[ozy]

@lynton, do you mean back in the day?

 

i could understand mine being restored and flipped around, but my friend has an english one, very unrestored, rusty and the lights as picture B.

 

i take it your in australia and these were aussie cars? both of them were like this? what years were they? mines 78

[.]

hmmmm reduced resistance you say  at .0000000001% I'll take it.....Now if I just mount 30 of them backwards that will give me .000000003% improvement. Don't argue with me, my logic is perfect.

[ozy]

@galderdi, put a half dozen on each wheel (make sure to point in correct direction) and it should make your wheels go faster