federal S4 sprint rear lights/lens

[umbyfer]

I am would like to know for a S4 Sprint if the federal rear lights aredifferent from europe version. After removing the lens, full red for federal, are the bulbs the same or not? two bulbs for both version or one bulb only for federal?

The internal steel plate to separate in two parts the light is not present on federal,... I think; but how many hole for the bulbs: one in the center or two as europe version?

I have seen many picturs of american elan: some with full red lens and other with red/amber lens as european. Why? Which is the correct standard: both? I have never seen a federal rear light without lens...

It is only an information that I've never found on the literature....

Thank you to everybody,

Umberto

[ppnelan]

The federal versions have only one bulb for the stop/tail lamp. The backs are not interchangeable - they will not work correctly with a red/amber lens. See the following photos...

Matthew

[umbyfer]

Thank you, very clear,...now. In my car Federal the original light had been modify when the car went back to europe. I have the original federal light, but with two more hole made manually for the eurpean standard; so now I have 3 holes..... creazy!

The question now is: how was the indicator lights working? only by the side lamp or also by the tail/brake lamp with a different elettric system?

I am restoring my Federal car and I have to decide if to restore in accordance with the original federal standard or european standard...

Thanks,

Umberto

[pamitchell]

On my Federal car. the all red lense has both tail & brake lights separated by a metal divider. I have seperate tail and brake light action. My S4 was built approx Oct. 68.
Phil

[Frank Howard]

Umberto,

The federal S4/Sprint tail lights have two bulbs each. One is for the reversing light and the other is a double filiment bulb known as an 1157 bulb.

It's my understanding that on the federal car, when I hit the brakes, the brighter filiments in the 1157 bulbs glow. If I turn on my right indicator while applying the brakes, the bright filiment in the left bulb remains on while the bright filiment in the right bulb flashes on and off. This is controlled by a box located inside the car high up on the bulkhead in front of the driver. I've opened this box and as I recall, it has 8 connections.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[ppnelan]

If I turn on my right indicator while applying the brakes, the bright filiment in the left bulb remains on while the bright filiment in the right bulb flashes on and off. This is controlled by a box located inside the car high up on the bulkhead in front of the driver. I've opened this box and as I recall, it has 8 connections.

Yes, it's a Lucas DB10 unit containing a couple of relays & several sets of contacts. I thought it wasn't legal in the UK so I converted mine to European spec. It took me some time (and a few sparks ) to figure out how to remove the DB10 box and still get the indicators to work, as there is no Federal wiring diagram in my Elan Workshop Manual... However, it is clearly shown on the Federal wiring diagrams in the Elan+2 Manual and is similarly wired in the Elan.

Matthew

[Frank Howard]

One more note.

As I have a federal car with this control box, there is one wire going to the tail lights that is not needed for the federal version however the wire came from the factory in the harness. I removed mine.

[umbyfer]

Hello,

reading your comment, am I correct if I think that I cannot use the car in Italy (Europe) with Federal rear light specification? Plain red lens and Federal system. I am asking becouse I restoring the car slovly slovly, and I have to decide if to keep the car with the actual conversion in to the European standard (red/amber rear lens) or if I can return to the original federal specification.... if I will find the sort of Lucas box you have mentioned....

Umberto

[ppnelan]

I would guess NOT, but you'll have to search the internet for a definitive answer... Unless anyone else knows

Matthew