which front signal lenses are correct?

Your car should have the clear/amber lens. There are some really crappy aftermarket ones out there. Originals cost stupid money if you can find them.

 

Hello Newman,

I once had a car from France that had the reverse light on the rear lenses in yellow (so it would replicate the yellow headlights mandatory in France, when the car was moving in reverse).

Does your 400i have a clear or amber/yellow lens for the reverse lights?

cheers

braq

 

Can you show a picture of the switch that turns it on? Or is it the stalk switch?

 

Where does one find these crappy aftermarket lights?
Mine are shot and I don't want to spend 2k replacing them.

 

Interesting. Because my series 2 had the fog light switch turn on only the rear fog lights. The front lights were "Flash to pass" lights controlled by pulling the light stalk and were not "fog" lights.

I wonder if yours came as fog lights originally or were rewired to come on and stay on with the rear fog lights? I bet the OM would tell!

 

This is why I wanted to see the switch.

I have never seen the square rear fog light you have as a factory install. I'm wondering if there are others.

 

PM sent

 

Yes, lots of non-standard stuff on the back end: That fascia mounted fog light, the relocated 400i badge, the reversed order of tail lights. Good luck tracing it all down!

 

The Instruction Book for the 1979 400i (black cover number 176/79) is available in the download section of ferraridatabase.com:

All Ferraris

The list says "Owners Manual 400i Automatic 1979" but the PDF document does cover Auto and 5 sp Manual.

 

As long as you know. All in good time my friend, all in good time.

 

I've seen this light on a French BB but never on a 400/412. But I haven't seen them all and it's France so go figure.

 

I love those yellow headlights. I wish mine still had them.

And be glad your tail lights are reversed....it's likely why the car hasn't been cut to add the rear side markers. I so wish mine had been reversed (which I can correct) instead of drilled (which sucks to fix)..

 

Good day all,

So the Frenchman that I am will try to bring à contribution...

One word first on yellow lamps: they were mandatory in France until end of 1992, thus being always fitted in cars produced until then. As of 1st January 1993, white only was the rule for new cars produced. It was of course possible to further drive yellow for pre-93 cars.

The historical reason for yellow came in 1936 upon a French army request made to differentiate foreign cars, this idea being later on "sold" to be as a less aggressive beam in the traffic, thus "safer".
One must mention that there were two variants:
1-the most common one was yellow lightbulb combined with clear white glass, thus creating a yellowish reflection inside the lamp assembly.
2- Second variant is the opposite, such as the light bulb is white, and the glass being yellow. This is as far as I know a more typical solution offen used on seventies sports cars, having the EOM round headlamps from either Carrello, Ciibie or similars. For example, I remember very well some E23 BMWs or Alfa GTV showing a somehow more aggressive face with these yellow eyes. This fashion disappeared in the early eighties for a "whiter" look again, thus back to yellow bulbs combined with clear lenses.

In my case and back to Ferrari, I can say that I am proud to have managed to keep the original yellow glasses on my 365 through the TÜV, yet having it absolutely original and street legal in Germany where I now live.

Now on 365/400/412 blinkers:
The blinkers in Amber, as I remember, were not mandatory, in France neither in Italy, until the mid seventies. ( I search for exact date and hope I will find soon.) This explains why most 365 sold on theses markets had white blinkers (alike some early 308's). For example, my 365 #18275, Pozzi, has original white blinkers (with yellow lamps!) and was produced October 74.

Later 400 models ALWAYS had amber blinkers, regardless market, as the lawmakers finally managed to kind of harmonize rules at that point of time and agree on orange blink blink. Please mind: lightbulb was in this case white, the glass (hence the appearance/look) being amber.

Then later 412 turned to have ALWAYS "white look" again, this time with an amber lightbulb behind the clear lens. (this you all know!)

SUM UP (attempt!)

365's
Always white headlamps and MOST OF THE TIME amber blinkers glass EXCEPT:
-yellow headlamps if French- delivery.
-White blinkers glass and bulb for French or Italian delivery.

400's
Always white headlamps and ALWAYS amber blinkers glass EXCEPT :
-yellow headlamp if French delivery.

412
white headlamps and ALWAYS white blinkers glass over amber bulb and eventually:
-yellow headlamp if French delivery.

So, in essence, if you guys ever find any yellow light source beaming on your cars, you can be sure 100% that your car was either:
1-delivered new in France.
2-was at some point in history "street legally" driven in France.

I must say that this is an tricky topic and I will of course welcome any correction or comment, as this is essentially based upon my little knowledge and memories as a French native car enthusiast.

Best,
Benoit
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My bad cam is at Web Cam getting welded. With any luck it will be back before year end. I have learned to sit back and rest. Do not get stirred up at delays anymore. I think all these little projects help because something is making progress every day. Two LaForza are now finished with mechanical issues. New headliners and running boards this week will get them ready for winter use. Not sure I ask you about the Masersti Royal that is in Toronto. I would like to buy it. Owner is unknown but he showed up at Brett's I tried to get Brett to help but it did not work for one reason or another.

 

That is GREAT! I'd LOVE to have the original French plates (if it indeed was ever registered in France) for my car. That is awesome that you have yours.

I could run the front legally in Washington state......collector car plates (or year of manufacture which is what I run) you only need the rear.