At 11:45 AM 3/29/2001, Alistair Bell wrote:
>Will someone tell me the why these "parking lights" are so important?

If you drive in Great Britain you have to have them (or did when Dutiful
Passage was there back in the '80s -- they unwired the regular sidelights
and wired these up instead).  They use T-6 bulbs inserted from the bottom
to give the entire headlight a weak glow, very charming -- in my case these
were standard ?Lucas? RHD sealed-beams which I tossed a few years ago.  The
socket was built-in to the reflector somehow, I forget the details.

I don't think they have any actual practical use beyond meeting some Euro
regulation -- they certainly don't give enough light to see by even for
parking.  And because of the bulb location I think a good deal of what
light they do give goes up to the sky.

david

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"