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Carello Side Marker Lights Refurb

8K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  elite38868 
#1 ·
I know this has been covered before – but here is my effort.....

My amber Carello side marker lights were in a poor state. One unit had a stud missing and a cracked lens and the other had badly rusted studs with virtually no thread left.

So having seen the posts on AlfaBB I decided to get together a decent pair of lights.

Firstly I purchased 2 red side markers from Euro-Tec Inc for $55.90. They were in excellent, like new, condition with good studs and gaskets. Next I bought 3 (one spare) of Yolanda’s excellent reproduction amber lenses.

I also purchased a pack of new bulb holders for the lamps.

Using the info on the BB, I removed the red lenses from the units, painted the reflective surface with silver paint and then fitted the replacement lenses after softening them up in boiling water.

I had difficulty getting bulbs which would fit in the units without the glass dome of the bulb hitting the lens – so I went for LEDs.

The resultant “new” lights were well worth the effort.
 

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#4 ·
John,

I bought the new bulb holders and the BA9 LEDs on Ebay - went for bulbs without a large head.

Searching "Worldwide" on Ebay using:

BA9S White 3528 4 SMD LED Car Light 12V

finds the bulbs I bought.

I bought mine from a UK supplier rather than Hong Kong.
 
#5 ·
Nice refresher. This has been on my list for years and I've had several of Yolanda's lenses for quite awhile. Good winter project. What are the bulb holders that you refer to? These are always corroded too. Did you have to peen them in?? Did have to destroy the red lenses to get them out?
 
#6 ·
Hi Alfanuts,

I've attached a picture of the bulb holders I used - managed to buy 4 (with an extra one thrown in free) from an Ebayer in Italy.

I thought these would be easy to find - but finding them with spade connectors proved quite difficult.

The tubes on the units into which the holders are fitted were in just about perfect condition - so just slid in with out any hassel.

And yes I did destroy the red lenses. I didn't need them as my car has only the front side markers.

In retrospect I could have checked if they softened up in boiling water to enable them to be removed in one piece.

If amber units were as common on Ebay as the red units I wouldn't have bought red in the first place - and the price I paid for the pair was, I thought very reasonable.
 

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#7 ·
I'll check but those sockets appear to be about the same as the later model tach/speedo light sockets. I imagine that some heat-shrink tubing would substitute for the rubber boot.
 
#8 ·
I checked an old Nuovo Super speedo and it uses the same sockets and bulbs for all 6 lights. Speedo socket/bulb on right and one from a side-marker on left. I have a few spare 69's and an 80's speedo and I can check them also. These may be available from parted cars speedos/tachs and/or wiring harnesses also if left attached to them.
 

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#9 ·
#10 · (Edited)
The bulb holders I got on Ebay for my side marker lamps are identical to those which were on the car when I purchased the car 34 years ago - except for the fact that on the originals, the spade terminal exited the holder through some ancient lump of bakerlite type material rather than the better, more modern (but still pretty old) plastic used in the replacements.

My car is an original British registered 1969 RHD 1750 Spider Veloce - and the Carello lights as per the refurb are standard equipment on my car.

Indeed, the holes in the original wings (fenders) and the original wiring loom (which is still in the car) are all configured for side markers in front of the front wheels. There is no wiring (except for the courtesy lights) behind the splash shields to the rear of the front wheels.

Relating to the 1750 Spider Veloce, Wille R states on his web site:

1967 1750

No 5. "Tear drop side indicators between front wheel and door. Later the indicators were moved forward and re-designed".

I have one of those later cars:D:D:D:D
 
#11 · (Edited)
Here are a couple of old car mags showing RHD spiders - both appear to be 1750s (i.e. door mirrors and wood steering wheel) - and both cars have the large Carello markers in front of the front wheel.

The Classic Cars of 1987 road-tests both of the spiders (not "spyders" -apologies to Howndog) and the roundtail is definitely a 1750.
 

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#13 ·
LED lighting

One of my co-workers has an automotive LED lighting business. Web sales and car shows.

He is having his website updated as many of the images are outdated by the change from the old domed LEDs to the chip style shown in a previous post and the brightness has gone way up he says.

If anyone is interested I can send you his contact info.

I have no business or personal interest in this venture. It would be between you and him.
 
#21 ·
The single wire one might work...depending on the diameter. The double wire would need a ground connection to the body....and I suppose that could be done at the mounting studs of the light assembly. Again this too is dependant on the diameter at the the bulb end....might be worth a try though.
 
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