[alfa] Re: Spider headlamp covers

["Wille R." <veloce@xxxxxxxxx>]

From the http://www.veloce.se FAQ "The headlamp cowles were a 
standard in Europe? FAQ-answer is here." about the Duetto 
headlamps, just a 0.02 input.

* * * * * *

Car not destined for the US/NA market headlights mounted inside 
the fender. Bulbs were changed from inside the fender, as was beam 
adjstment. The edge of the 
hole in sheet metal is trimmed with a simple aluminum extruded 
ring, aprox 1/4" in section diameter. Some of these cars found 
they way here one way or 
another, but were not sold by Englewood here. 

US spec cars had a completely different installation in order to 
meet DOT lighting requirements. One of the stipulations was that 
the beams must be 
adjustable using no more than a screwdriver, without the aid of a 
lift, etc. which completely shot down the standard system. And of 
course, the covers were 
absolutely out of the question. I was party to a series of email 
exchanges with Don Black, who was in charge of bringing the 
vehicle into compliance in 1966, 
and he was quite adamant that the covers were never installed on 
any US spec car from the factory, and that the parts to install 
the covers were supposed to 
be removed before the vehicle was sold, though anecdotal evidence 
suggest that this wasn't always done. 

Which brings around to the the matter of the "mystery" trim rings. 
A variety of trim ring exists which will cover the US style 
headlight bucket guts while 
still allowing the the covers to be fitted. While not exactly 
ubiquitous the rings are common enough that for years many of us 
assumed that this was an Alfa 
part and it came with the car. Not so, according to Don. It sounds 
like these are the rings you have from the '69. 

The flush mounted, euro headlight buckets are not interchangeable 
with the US buckets, and that's why you can't figure out how to 
mount them. It can be done, 
but you need modify and adapt to make it work. 

Your options are: 

use your funny trim rings over the buckets and with or without 
covers.

1 have the guts exposed under the covers & sans trim rings (kinda 
ugly, but I ran one for years that way, you get used to it, looks 
full-race :) 
2 1scare up the bits to do the euro installation 
3 fake the euro installation with the US bucket and a little 
ingenuity 
4 Do a US style installation sans covers and scare up the factory 
trim rings 
5 Purchase a complete set of headlight fairings with all the 
mounting. 

a. Get the fairings #105036520100, 
b. the trim rings #1050306510001, 
c. the two mounting bolts #105036521200 , 
d. the chrome retaining clips #105036521300 that hold the front of 
the covers down and 
e. the four rubber things #105036520000 that plug into the slots 
at the top of the assembly. 
f. To install remove the headlight buckets from the front and 
reinstall them from the rear of the fender (inside the wheel 
well). All the holes are there and 
the parts fit. 



Veni, vidi, veloce 
Saluti   Wille R in Scandinavia

Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider Veloce 1967
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
http://www.veloce.se

http://www.duettoregister.com
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