headlight trim question... what is it?

[zentoad]

I am trying to replace a damaged drivers side headlight trim on a '67 Duetto. It has the Carello headlight covers and I believe it came stock with these. From looking at pictures of what is available, I notice that the offered trim rings, in chrome and stainless, flatten out (for want of a better description) at the bottom in the attachment screw area.

The problem is, the trim rings on this car do not! So I am hoping that someone can enlighten me as to what type of trim ring is currently on the car, and where I can get a replacement.

I have posted photos of the car with cover installed on passenger side, and various stages of dissassembly, plus closeups...

Below is some info re: parts/numbers/markings:

headlight: MARCHAL EQUILUX CE SEV
carello cover: 07 370700 / IGM 4363 PS / P2214
trim mount ring: CARELLO 0052201


EDIT: I found out that they are the EURO version for cars with covered headlights and are (UN) available through re-originals ... backordered/10th on the list!

Anyone know any other possible sources?

[gprocket]

Well what you have is the US version headlights where the buckets are mounted to the outside with faily rare chrome trim that allows the covers to fit over. I am pretty this would not have been stock (from the factory) as the covers were illegal at the time in the US. More likely it was a dealer installed option (not sure how they got around the legal issue).

The standard US headlight system the covers will not fit unless you remove the chrome trim - then the ugly edges of the bucket assembly is exposed. I ran around like this for years until I found that you can modify the buckets pretty easy and mount them from the inside. Then it's a matter of finding the SS trim piece to cover the lip of the opening which I found at AutoMobilia.nl (actually they were selling them on eBay for $33 USD for the set).

I would guess that the replacement trim, if found will be really $$. My $.02 would be to look into moving them inside. The studs are already there and you need only drill a few holes in the buckets and trim the edge in a couple of places. Personally think the Euro style buckets is a much cleaner look and clearly the way the designers intended the headlights to be.

[zentoad]

thanks for the info, I have since read that US cars did not have the covers as stock.
I have seen them listed @ Re-originals as Euro trim rings, "quite rare", with a photo that matches the part I need.
You are suggesting that this application is a dealer installed "shortcut" or kit that allows fitting the "illegal" covers on the car WITHOUT having to go to the trouble of remounting the headlight buckets behind the bodywork?
What I want to confirm is, is the installation on my car different from the stock application on the period spiders in europe?

[Zunige]

There's some misinformation on this thread that I think needs to be clarified. The Carello headlight cover kit did come with the Spiders and was in fact supplied by the factory. The cars were not shipped with the light kits installed, but rather these came in the trunk of the car, and were installed by the dealer. 1968 was the last year that the U.S. D.O.T. allowed covered headlights, although this is irrelevant since there were no 1968 U.S. Spiders. In 1968 Alfa was aware that they could not meet U.S. regulations with the carburetor set-up, and decided not to import any Spiders into the U.S. until the SPICA mechanical injection was ready. Thus, no Spiders were imported to the U.S. in 1968, and the first SPICA injected Spiders came over in February of 1969. Canada did get 1968 Spiders, with carburetors and the Carello headlight cover kit in the trunk. Some of these Canadian Spiders were bought new and and brought across the border by private U.S. parties.

Best regards,

[zentoad]

thanks Enrique,

do you know what the kits included? covers and clips only?
did the kit include with these "RARE" trim rings, or were the covers installed over the stock trim rings?

I'm trying to figure out why these things are so RARE...!

[gprocket]

Enrique:

Thanks for squaring this and sorry for the misinformation. Did the '67(USA)/'68 (CAN) headlights come as Zentoad's with an outboard bucket and trim or did they come in with the euro inboard bucket?

Also, I was under the impression that the in vs out issue had to do with the USA's law that headlight adjustment had to be accessable from the front - true?

[Stan Murray]

Click here: http://acs @ alfacybersite.com/

He makes rings that work on front loaded head lights using covers.

[Tifosi]

http://alfacybersite.com/ <-- this link works.

http://alfacybersite.com/ACSCoveredHdlites.html <-- thier bit about front mounted headlights w/covers

[ossodiseppia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zentoad thanks Enrique, do you know what the kits included? covers and clips only? did the kit include with these "RARE" trim rings, or were the covers installed over the stock trim rings? I'm trying to figure out why these things are so RARE...!

[Anfanuts]

Many moons ago, on a '69 Spider, you bought the Carello headlight cover kit with a chrome attachment clip (no screw), a small white rectangular gasket for the square bracket hole, a very, very thin round S/S trim piece and a matching rubber gasket. Alas, we found this to be the Euro cover. I still have an original NOS set like this.

I never put it on as the surgery required to the headlight buckets to move them back and remove the unsightly guts (performed by my brother-in-law on his '69SV) was more effort-for-gain than I was willing to put in since I am split on how they look. When done properly, it looked great if you like it that way. I can take a snap of all this stuff in a few days if you like. It's nice to know if I now decide to go "with cover" that there are readily available trim pieces.

[tiger0529]

I got my pair on ebay about a year ago and I saw a pair on ebay last month too. I got mine because I wanted to have the Carello covers on my Spider (yes, I know that it requires major reshaping of the fairings) without mounting the headlights from inside of the fender but never got around to do it. Just be patient and they will show up on ebay soon BTW, how bad is the damage on the driver's side ring? What happened to it?