Wow! Now THAT was interesting. Shall I send the pic directly to Chris or have it posted to the site? Anyone's thoughts? Don't know which way to turn, in Allen, Texas... In a message dated 1/19/2005 11:16:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, Christopher Hoffman <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: >The laws regarding side markers were kinda funny. They were part of the >sweeping FMVSS 108 (the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard that phased in >everything from collapsible steering columns and seat belts to padded >interior surfaces, head restraints and recessed interior door handles, most >of which came into production between 1967 and 1969). > >In 1968 and 1969, either reflectors or illuminated side markers were >required. Chrysler Corp was the only automaker to do lights without >reflectors and then reflectors without lights nearly corporate-wide in 1968 >and 1969 respectively (meaning the 1969 version was the cheaper approach... >Imperials were unique among Mopars in having the shark-gill front lamps >combining side marker lights and cornering lights but without reflectors). >Most GM and Ford products added front lamps and rear reflectors for 1968, >while most imports tended to both starting that year. > >For model year 1970, the law was clearer, requiring both. There remains no >law to this day that requires turn signals to be visible from the side, >however... a ridiculous oversight in my opinion but typical of our poorly >thought-out lighting laws that still allow one bulb to handle the brake >lamps, rear turn signals and taillamps under a red lens. To me, it's even >more ironic to see advanced lighting technology like LEDs used to produce >lighting no better at communicating a driver's intentions than lights did 50 >years ago. But I digress... off the soap box, boy... > >Anyway, there are cars that use the front side markers to double as >side-visible turn signals, including a few Mopars starting in the late 1980s >with, of all models, the antiquated Jeep Grand Wagoneer (Grand Cherokees >still have this feature). It's a great feature accomplished entirely by the >wiring setup, meaning it adds a benefit at virtually no cost. (If anyone >wants to know how to wire their side markers to double as turn signals, >email me privately. I've converted a number of my cars to do this.) I think >the '90s Imperials might have been the first to do this, but owners of those >can tell me if Chrysler even bothered. It was common not to do this on cars >with cornering lights standard, so it might not have been included on any >Imperial. > >If Joe's '61 has these, they pre-date even Chrysler's use of their signature >fender-mounted turn signals, which were visible in most cases to both the >driver and a parallel driver in an adjacent lane, which means someone added >them. Their first use on an Imperial was in 1967 (also the first year for >cornering lamps), though I think C-bodies offered them as early as the 1965 >body change. The unusual aspect of the 1967-68 design is that there were no >turn-signal indicator lamps on the dash (you know, the little green arrows), >so the fender-top indicators are all there is. But since they were standard >on all Imperials in those years (and I think every year thereafter through >the 1978 NYBs), I guess they figured the lights in the dash were not >necessary. But even Road Test magazine comments on how hard they were to see >in bright sunlight,a nd the original relay was rather quiet, too. Lesser >Mopars had both (dash and fender-top) because the fender-mounted turn >signals were optional, usually part of the basic option package A01 (and >after 1968, Imperials shared basic instrument-cluster designs with >lower-level Chryslers). > >I'd guess someone added them to this car from another car, maybe another >Chrysler. Joe, got any pix? I could probably ID their origin for you (send >it privately). Are they on the sides of the front fenders or on top? Either >way, no country required them this early, so I would imagine one of your >car's prior owners added them. > >OK, long story, so that's all for now! > >-- >Chris in LA >67 Crown >78 NYB Salon > > > > > >On 1/19/05 6:44 pm, Mark Evans (evansma@xxxxxxxxxx) wrote: > >> I'm having trouble imagining what they look like. Kinda like some European >> cars had in the 70's? Sounds like an aftermarket add-on though. I don't know >> of any dealer option for something like that. But, I'll never say "never". >> >> Side marker lights are pretty interesting though. I haven't read the rules. >> But, in 1968, Chrysler put the famous "bullet" lights on the sides of their >> cars. In '69, they were reflectors. And, they were illuminated again in '70. >> I don't know of any Chrysler side markers that worked with the turn signals >> though. >> >> Mark Evans >> 1963 Imperial Crown Convertible > > > >----------------- ?http://www.imperialclub.com ?----------------- >This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please >reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be >shared with everyone. 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