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Fri Sep 27, 2024 9:46 am

Ive always wondered what the exact use was for this type of lens since I first saw them in the late 80s. I was told they were 'euro' and that was it.

I found this photo today that confirms that these units were factory installed due to their specific road requirements.

caption:
This photo was taken in the late 1950s at the D'leteren factory in the suburb of Vorst in Brussels, Belgium.

The lens itself. Not sure if there were different versions depending on year or if replacement lenses had a different part number or markings.

Fri Sep 27, 2024 4:50 pm

Subscribed to find out the details .

Belgium always had *slightly* different lamp requirements .

It's not here else I'd run out to my '59 #113 and check, I *think* these are the same as on my car but who knows .

Fri Sep 27, 2024 5:51 pm

I have seen these lens in bright red and very dark red too. It will be interesting to have a comparison of the different lenses used in this type of tail lamp. There is also an inner plastic lenses used on some of these.
This tail lamp type was used through 1961 on USA Bugs, when did it start? My old 58 had this style lamp house. I am pretty sure some oval Bugs used this same type, but what of the different lens types for different markets and different year models?

Fri Sep 27, 2024 6:00 pm

Here are two lenses found in the classified ads

Note the different sized Hella logos on them, both are snowflake type lenses...

Fri Sep 27, 2024 6:44 pm

The above are universal 'honeycomb' or 'snowflake' lenses used on most cars from 55-61. Left is for 61 or replacement, right is 60 or earlier lens.

Sweden also had specific reflector requirements that were different from the usual and chevron lens and were plastic not glass

While Ive seen Hassia lenses in most other early lights, I have yet to see a Hassia chevron lens

Fri Sep 27, 2024 7:43 pm

Ill look through my stuff, I think I have an early snowflake with hella logo no snake that was supposed to be first series.

Sun Sep 29, 2024 12:47 am

AlteWagen wrote: Ill look through my stuff, I think I have an early snowflake with hella logo no snake that was supposed to be first series.
Here is an early snowflake from my vert. Build date Aug 9, 1955, no part numbers and the diffuser is like the heart taillights. There was also a gasket between the glass and reflector.
Different brackets also,the bottom bracket is from my vert. Notice the bottom is angled different than the top bracket and the ground is also different.
I would have to drill a new hole on my fender to use the top (standard) bracket.

Sun Sep 29, 2024 12:50 am

zerotofifty wrote: I have seen these lens in bright red and very dark red too. It will be interesting to have a comparison of the different lenses used in this type of tail lamp. There is also an inner plastic lenses used on some of these.
This tail lamp type was used through 1961 on USA Bugs, when did it start? My old 58 had this style lamp house. I am pretty sure some oval Bugs used this same type, but what of the different lens types for different markets and different year models?
Maybe the dark chevron ones you seen had a diffuser and the lighter ones didn't. Here are my chevrons both ways.
Left lens has diffuser right lens doesn't have a diffuser.

Mon Sep 30, 2024 8:14 am

Yo Dave, thanks for the posts! Nice collection of lights there, crazy to think how different things are in the scene all these years. Driving the vert yet?

Thu Nov 07, 2024 6:33 am

Here are my collection of Hassia and Hella lenses with small and large logo.

I would like to know what lens is for what year. For instance a 59` euro spec?

Thu Nov 07, 2024 6:43 am

My January `61 Beetle has the lens you show on the right.

zerotofifty wrote: Here are two lenses found in the classified ads

Note the different sized Hella logos on them, both are snowflake type lenses...