Heritage certificate

[Rut]

My Heritage certificate arrived yesterday and it confirmed a lot of what I knew, but there were a couple of surprises. The car was built on 17 August, 1960 and shipped on 19 August, 1960 to A. Bruggemann and Company GmbH., Dusseldorf, Germany. It was Iris Blue with a blue interior and black hood and options included: Laminated windscreen, heater, Windscreen washer, rev counter, black hard top, and European spec lights. I'm guessing that the interior would be a medium blue including the dash. The European spec lights confuse me and I don't know what that would be in 1960. Does anyone have that on their Bugeye or know what it is?
Thanks, Rut

 

[HealeyRick]

My bugeye was also delivered to A. Bruggemann in Dusseldorf, which I understand was the distributor in the area. It came back to the states with a serviceman stationed in Germany. My Heritage Cetificate did not include European spec lights.

 

[bug_sixty]

Other cars coming from there had bulb replacement type units not sealed beam as required in the states.... and back then in France for sure they had to be yellow glass as in fog lamps..

 

[drooartz]

My Heritage certificate arrived yesterday and it confirmed a lot of what I knew, but there were a couple of surprises. The car was built on 17 August, 1960 and shipped on 19 August, 1960 to A. Bruggemann and Company GmbH., Dusseldorf, Germany. It was Iris Blue with a blue interior and black hood and options included: Laminated windscreen, heater, Windscreen washer, rev counter, black hard top, and European spec lights.

That's a well traveled Bugeye. Iris Blue is a beautiful color, probably my favorite original Bugeye color.

Other cars coming from there had bulb replacement type units not sealed beam as required in the states.... and back then in France for sure they had to be yellow glass as in fog lamps..

Yup -- the original UK non-sealed-beam headlights came in a box with my Bugeye. Need to figure out what bulbs they take, might have to swap them back in if the replacements are readily available.

 

[bug_sixty]

Should match up easily at local store...make sure the bulb's high and low is positioned correctly on the bottom...you can get some with some pretty high watt high beams... as in " off the road" units... I run such bulbs on the Cibe's .... so I can see the Elk staring at my lamps a bit better....and cause my eyes ain't what they used to be... Only thing don't blind an officer with them haha

 

[Rut]

Would there be a difference in the lights other than the headlights? Amber vs clear for example?
Rut

 

[bug_sixty]

there is a amber front but I don't think it was for the BE... some other brit car...I use clear and a yellow bulb....

 

[bug_sixty]

Parking lamp glass speaking of

 

[drooartz]

Would there be a difference in the lights other than the headlights? Amber vs clear for example?

Depending on the target market there may have been different colors for the turn signals. From my research I'm reasonably sure that UK home market cars were clear front amber rear, but that's not definitive by any means. German delivery could have had a different setup.

 

[SaxMan]

I did a forum search on Heritage Certificates, but didn't see any info on how one goes about acquiring one. Could someone forward that information to me? I'd definitely be curious to find out a bit more about my 1969 Mark IV.

 

[Nelson]

Try this site.

https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/store/heritage-certificates-and-archive-services.html

 

[Rut]

I tried Heritage via email and no response from them on the European spec lights. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks, Rut

 

[Rut]

Finally removed the driver side floor reinforcement which had a few rust pinholes and found a 1950 pfennig trapped inside! Makes 'cents' since the car was shipped to Germany!
Rut

 

[longbridgehealey]

David, remind me when you stop by, and I'll show you the Heritage certificate for the 100-6. Then you'll know what they are talking about

Larry

 

[Rut]

Ok, this is what I've found out so far and pictures I've seen confirm this. European lighting specs were standardized in 1949 at the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and adopted by the 1968 UN Convention on Road Traffic. Rear facing lights are red and forward facing lights are white or yellow. Side marker lights are amber and turn signals are amber. Pictures of German spec cars from 1960 show front both clear and red and rear both amber and red. Confusing to say the least, but my bet will be rear red and front clear with amber bulbs.
Rut

 

[drooartz]

Turn signal colors for Bugeyes are a bit confusing when they're not US spec cars (US lenses were clear front, red rear). I'm reasonably certain that my UK-spec Bugeye's lenses were clear front, amber rear originally -- the car came to me with red rear turn signal lenses but included a set of amber lenses for the rears as well. I put the amber lenses back on as I like them and they're probably the originals.

I've also got the original UK headlights which have replaceable bulbs instead of the sealed beams that were required in the US at the time.

Fun to try and sort all this out, though. I've ordered a Heritage Certificate for my Bugeye, will be interesting to see what it says.

 

[CLEAH]

Rut,

Page M24 of the BMC workshop manual for the Mk.1 Sprite describes the Modified European Light Unit: "Cars exported to Europe are now fitted with the new European-type headlamps. These lamp units are fitted with special bulbs, and front lenses giving an asymmetrical beam to the right-or left-hand side to meet the requirements in the Country to which the car is exported. This modification was introduced on the following cars: from Car No. 10489 (Europe except France); from Car No. 7782 (France); from car No. 21118 (Sweden)."

The description goes on to describe how to change the bulb, and there is an exploded view of the headlamp assembly.

 

[Silverghost]

Could you get away with running the "french" or yellow headlights today? Would anyone know?

 

[Rut]

Hugh,
thanks for the headlight info...looked it up and there is quite a bit of detail.
Peter,
I don't know if you can get away with it, but I intend to have an original tag and European lights of the period. I live in Alabama and we've been able to license cars that were 'out of the ordinary' down here.
Rut

 

[59diamond]

It is my understanding that at some point the British required all cars have amber turn signals in the front. You could put an amber bulb in a clear casing or change to an amber casing. My front turn signals have an amber casing with a clear bulb.