whats the deal with the euro style front signal lens? Options

[bradtho]

looking through all the great pics in the air dam thread, I see a ton of you guys run these. I like the look of both, so don't really have a preference for one over the other. is there something beside aesthetics that makes so many people want them, or is it just for the looks?

just curious.

[Mike Bellis]

Other than color, the difference is in the housing. There is a shield that separates 2 lamps. Most guys run Euro lenses with US housings.

[bradtho]

Other than color, the difference is in the housing. There is a shield that separates 2 lamps. Most guys run Euro lenses with US housings.

Ok, but what's the advantage to having separate lamps? And what's separate, is one the running light and the other just for the blinker? Wouldn't that make the running light white? And isn't that unusual, or is that the point?

even the mods I don't like I usually "get", in this case I'm just trying to figure out why a group of people known for being "budget elite" would all opt to spend the coin this way.

[lonewolfe]

It's a cool factor thing. There is a kit out there to upgrade the housing to the Euro style with the running lights. Personally, I think the Euro light look better both front and rear. Of course, my car came with them already.

Other than color, the difference is in the housing. There is a shield that separates 2 lamps. Most guys run Euro lenses with US housings.

Ok, but what's the advantage to having separate lamps? And what's separate, is one the running light and the other just for the blinker? Wouldn't that make the running light white? And isn't that unusual, or is that the point?

even the mods I don't like I usually "get", in this case I'm just trying to figure out why a group of people known for being "budget elite" would all opt to spend the coin this way.

[euro911]

It's just personal preference. Some folks like the USA lenses and others like the 'euro' look. Craig ( at Camp914) sells a repro front light kit for the euro lenses, others have fabricated their own.

I prefer the euro lenses, front & rear ...

[pcar916]

It's just a matter of what you like better with your paint scheme except in one case.

Many years ago I was told that factory sixes sold in the US had the normal, single housings and a white bulb with euro lenses, while the fours had solid yellow lenses. Someone here knows the skinny on this question! A glance through PET or any number of other books may answer that question as well. I've never bothered to confirm this since my car was modified long before I got it and came with euros. I happen to like those lenses better.

During the last six months that the car was a dark color one of my euro lenses was cracked, so I replaced both with clear Italian repros and installed yellow bulbs in my single-compartment housings. I like that too, but frankly it was just as expensive to get another euro lens to match my other one.

After the car was blasted and is now gray, I'm thinking seriously about going euro again for contrast, but it's not a functional decision... it's all in my head. Mine isn't a beauty queen.

[Mark Henry]

It's just a matter of what you like better with your paint scheme except in one case.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I have an orange car and personally I think euros on it look like ass.
But of course that's a totally subjective view, on most other colours they seem to look OK to me.

[edwin]

My car has both front and rear euro lenses
They are needed for rego in Australia as Indicator and Parker lights need to e different colour.

[brant]

Lets go back to the real reason for the euro lense... the reason the factory did it..


Having two bulbs on two seperate circuits allows for one to be a parking lamp, while the other a turn lamp.

the Euro cars did not have the side marker warts. Those side marker round lamps are not so frowned upon these days... but 20years ago they were seen as an afterthought that the factory used to meet US laws. They were often considered to disrupt the look of the smooth side these cars have (the factory even smoothed the door handles and the whole side of the car was designed smoothlly)

In europe the front parking light was adequate and changing to a front euro lense gave you the styling that the car was originally designed with.

This is the reason for the euro front lights and after 30 years that reason is somewhat forgotten, and it has now morphed into a style thing.

[eitnurg]

The parking lights are separate as they have to remain visible with the headlights down: a first for Porsche.
Back then, in some countries in Europe (maybe you still can?) it was legal for you to drive in darkness (ie under street lighting) on just the parking lamps.
Legal requirements however said that parking lights have to be white, no other colour is allowed to face forward. Turn signals must be amber, ditto. So hence 2 lights of different colour.
Europe has never had side markers. However 914s for some markets had the round front "side markers", but they were actually turn signal repeaters and the lens was different.

[SirAndy]

the Euro cars did not have the side marker warts. Those side marker round lamps are not so frowned upon these days... but 20years ago they were seen as an afterthought that the factory used to meet US laws. They were often considered to disrupt the look of the smooth side these cars have (the factory even smoothed the door handles and the whole side of the car was designed smoothlly)

In europe the front parking light was adequate and changing to a front euro lense gave you the styling that the car was originally designed with.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

The US warts are ugly ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

[Socalandy]

Her is what the euro buckets look like. These were advertised as NOS euro buckets and will go on my-6

[Johny Blackstain]

Since my six had the side warts removed when the fender flares were installed, I used the kit to upgrade my front buckets to euros & the wiring from the side warts to power them w/ the euro lenses. I use euro lenses on the back as well.

My LE on the other hand is so cherry mint that I would never consider removing my US lenses (front & rear) & put up w/ the ugly side warts.

[Madswede]

It's just a matter of what you like better with your paint scheme except in one case.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I have an orange car and personally I think euros on it look like ass.
But of course that's a totally subjective view, on most other colours they seem to look OK to me.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) with you on this Mark. My Phoenix Red Orange car looks great with the American lenses, and I don't think I'd like the red/clear Euros. At first I thought I would prefer the Euros, but once I saw how the yellow ones blend in I liked them better. They sort of disappear when dark, reminding me more of a race car with them blanked/removed/taped over, but that might just be my color deficiency kicking in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)