Re: 1970 changes

[Neil Cotie <Neil.Cotie@domain.elided>]

Hi all,

John H. asked about the "Corrector for headlight inclination according to load"
relative to 1970 model changes.
I personally don't know when they date from, but this is
a typical euro-market road traffic requirement.
The reason is that dipped H4 halogen beams, as were
coming into use around that time, have a very nice sharp
horizontal cutoff line, compared to the very fuzzy light
distribution of a US sealed beam.   If you look into the beam
from below the cutoff line it's just as strong (practically)
as the high beams.
So if the cutoff line is too high due to car load the drivers
in front will be receiving equivalent to high beam.  The early
(70s) Alfa headlight bowls have a lever, accessible from
outside the car, which reduce the distance between the bowl
and the car chassis, to bring the cutoff line lower.  This
necessitates euro headlight rings which have a cutout
on the bottom side to accomodate the lever (at least for
GT Veloces and Berlinas - don't know about Spiders
but the 72 parts manual does show the Spiders with Bilux
bulbs, from memory.  Maybe they didn't get H4s because of
problems fitting levers).
More recent cars have electric motors, controllable from the
cockpit, to do the same thing.  These widgets are required
in Germany for sure, but I have the feeling that in France, for
example, they are perhaps not required.  This may vary
from country to country.

Cheers,
Neil

Aachen Germany

------------------------------

End of alfa-digest V7 #971
**************************