Avoid Mousey: Changing from LWB U.S. to Euro Turn Signal Lenses

[jaudette3]

We publish what we call AC TMI White Papers at the AC Shop from time to time. There's a lot of discussion about this issue and it might useful to sum things up in one place.

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As you probably know, lens coloration of turn signals and taillights differed based on the part of the world a Porsche 911 was delivered to in accordance with regulations. Cars delivered to the United States had solid amber turn signals and solid red taillights interrupted by a patch of white for the backup lights. Cars delivered to the rest of the world (RoW, often referred to as Euro) had amber/white turn signal lenses and red/white/amber taillights.

Many prefer the more colorful Euro lenses and simply swap them for the U.S.lenses. That's OK but the housings and bulb mounting pattern is different between the Euro and U.S. lamps.

Turn Signals

Dual 21/5w Bulbs

The dual bulbs are mounted behind the amber portion of the lenses, located in the same place on Euro and U.S. turn signals, so we're good there.

4w City Light Bulbs

The 4w city lights were mounted on opposite ends of the Euro vs. the U.S. housings. The Euro version version mounted the bulbs behind the clear area of the lenses, to the medial side of the housing, close to the horn grilles. The U.S. version mounted them on the lateral side where they could also be seen from the side of the car. To accommodate this, the Euro version housings mounted a small bracket to serve as the bulb holders on the medial end of the housing.

The Mousey Part

Without modification you will have no bulb behind the clear part of the Euro lens as the 4w bulb will be mounted at the other end, the proper location for U.S. turn signals. If this is how you have things configured and enjoy showing your car, you might reconsider until you fix it as concours judges will turn pale.

The Solution

Porsche manufactured a small bracket so the 4w bulb could be mounted at the proper place, the medial end next to the horn grille. Those became pretty much unobtainium over the years and folks fashioned a variety of ways to mount the bulb. AC came across a cache of bare OEM Porsche bulb holders and devised a configuration to mount the bulbs. This is an easy and inexpensive way to use the proper lighting with Euro lenses.




Tail Lights

4w City Light Bulbs

Almost a free ride here. The only difference between the Euro and U.S. versions is the 4w city light bulbs: the Euro version doesn't have them and the U.S. version does. In your U.S. housings the bulbs are mounted in the large circular reflector mounted at the lateral end of the housing where they can be viewed from the side. In the Euro version there are no reflectors mounted there. Since you're going from U.S. to Euro you can simply leave the bulbs out, or if you prefer strict originality pop the reflectors out.
Hope you find that useful. Switching your turn signal and tail light lenses from U.S. to Euro in your Longhood is inexpensive and easy - and simple to do it right.


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I hope you find this useful, thanks for looking. You will find and many other AC TMI White Papers at the Audette Collection Shop.

[jaudette3]

This is a '73 RS at Ed Mayo's. That was the only year that had the reflector behind the bulb. If you enjoy treasure hunts try finding a couple of these.