The reason for the front side marker light not blinking could be is that exported cars to many countries need to have a new marker light just in front of the front door and rear of the front wheel opening. One additional thing to remember is that the exported cars only need a single reverse light also. I am wondering when the US market cars are going to bet the mid side turn signal lights. Æyn --- Christopher H <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > This is yet another reason why I love this list... The people > you meet! > Burton, I'm honored to receive a response from Product > Planning! > > I'm curious why even with the less standardized approach for > 1969 why the > reflectors couldn't have wiring and light bulbs. Especially > since that part > already existed for most models (only the C-bodies were new for > 1969). > > I also have a '72 Charger, and the one part of it I always feel > shortchanged > on is the standardized side marker lamps/reflectors. Every time > I see a 1971 > model with its lovely flush-mounted, specifically styled > design, I secretly > long for a '71! > > Never knew Bornie called the '68 round lamps "whale's eyes." We > always > called them "Nader Eyes" after safety advocate Ralph, of > course. Wonder what > he'd think of the clichéd circular taillamp treatment on damn > near every car > today... Or how much he must have loved the '72-75 "shields" on > the rear > fenders of Imperials. > > Fast forward to modern days, and I'm still amazed that so few > cars have > added the simple, no-cost feature where "front amber > sidemarkers...may...be > wired so as to flash with the turn signals." Chrysler had them > across the > line, from the Neon to the Grand Cherokee, by the end of the > 20th century, > but even the new models have dropped this useful side-visible > turn signal. > And since it costs virtually nothing to add (it's merely a > wiring > arrangement, not an additional lamp or control unit...I've even > re-wired > several of my own cars to add this feature), it just seems lazy > and > thoughtless. Then again, I never thought I'd see German cars > with red rear > turn signals again either... Suddenly it's 1960! > > Thanks again, Burton, for the great reply! > > Chris in LA > Intelligent lighting enthusiast > > > > On 9/12/06 4:15 PM, Burton Bouwkamp at northburt@xxxxxxxxxxx > wrote: > > > "Chris in LA" wrote "I never figured out why 1968 models have > illuminated > > side marker lamps, then 1969s have only non-powered > reflectors, then 1970s > > have both". > > > > Here's the answer. I was Chrysler's Director of Product > Planning from 1968 > > to 1975 so I was involved in these side marker decisions. > > > > First, some background. Here is a summary of the Federal > Motor Vehicle > > Safety Standard (FMVSS #108) that required side marker lights > OR reflectors > > in 1968 and 1969. Notice that it specifies side marker lights > AND reflectors > > in 1970. > > > > > > > > FMVSS #108 > > Sidemarker lights and reflectors > > In North America, amber front and red rear sidemarker lamps > and reflectors > > are required. The law initially required lights or reflectors > on vehicles > > made after 1 January 1968. This was amended to require lights > and reflectors > > on vehicles made after 1 January 1970. These side-facing > devices make the > > vehicle's presence, position and direction of travel clearly > visible from > > oblique angles. The lights are wired so as to illuminate > whenever the > > vehicles parking and taillamps are on, including when the > headlamps are > > being used. Front amber sidemarkers in North America may or > may not be wired > > so as to flash with the turn signals. > > > > > > > > HISTORY > > > > At Chrysler we decided to do side marker lights in 1968. All > vehicles except > > Imperial used the same side marker light design. Except for > the difference > > in lens color they were the same lamp for the front fender > and rear quarter > > panel. This simplification saved us a lot of money and let us > do the design > > and engineering job a lot quicker than if we had to do unique > lights or > > unique reflectors for each carline. > > > > During the 1968 model year we got a new Product Development > (Product > > Planning, Styling and Engineering) Vice President by the name > of Leroy > > Bornhouser. We called him "Bornie". Bornie took issue with > the appearance of > > the 1968 side marker lights which he said looked like "whales > eyes". He > > ordered us to put side markers on the car in 1969 that were > more > > attractive - more integrated with the sheet metal. So in 1969 > we went to > > flush reflectors (no bulbs) that were different for each > fender and quarter > > panel. Time was short so this took a "crash program" to meet > 1969 model > > production. > > > > The 1969 reflectors didn't meet 1970 standards which required > lamps AND > > reflectors so we had to design and tool the side marker > lights again. We did > > them three times in three years! > > > > Burt Bouwkamp > > > > > > > > > > ----------------- 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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