info on C1 's in UK

[Eurovettes]

Hi to all from San Diego. I am arranging for a customer to.import a 59 c1 into uk​

What mods are needed for uk reg (mot not needed)

Indicators, headlights

As a c4-c7 guy I am not sooo familiar with c1. What to.look for. . I know brakes and frt susp, electrics let me know

Thanks in advance
Keith keef@eurovettes.com

 

[Corvette]

buy 4 RHD headlights, I just bought a set for mine @£50. Your rear brake lights must be seperate from indicators so same as a C2 C3 run a new wire back from brake light switch. That’s all that is needed to be Road legal, as you say no mot needed. You don’t need to do a thing for registration.

 

[Eurovettes]

thanks i will pass this on to my uk guy for when it arrives - what size/brand are headlights

 

[Corvette]

Standard 5 3/4" halogen. From ebay uk.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/227310765668

 

[Mike W]

Your rear brake lights must be seperate from indicators so same as a C2 C3

Sorry, not correct. I only know this because I used to know someone with a '59 and he didn't modify the lights. This is taken straight from the government site on MoT requirements:
Vehicles first used before 1 September 1965 may have white front indicators and red rear indicators, if the direction indicators are combined with stop lamps or combined with front or rear position lamps.

 

[Corvette]

Mike at no point do I mention indicator lens colours, I was reffering to a flashing rear brake light.

A 1959 has the same bulb for the brake light and indicator, so when brake lights are on and you’re indicating, the brake light flashes on one side, this is illegal in UK so to make it legal you have to cut switched power lead from brake light switch and run a new lead to a separate bulb in rear light housing.

My 1960 which I am currently putting back together after repaint has white front park/indicator lens and red rear, same for my 59 and 63 and yes these will remain.

 

[Mike W]

Ah, OK, fair enough. I wasn't referring to lens colour, I read the MOT note as it being OK to for pre-Sept '65 cars to have combined brake and indicators. Obviously not that straightforward though.

 

[CaptainK]

If you're getting new RHD 5 3/4 sealed beam headlights for the front, may I recommend a set of "sealed beam" replacement headlight clusters that instead allow a standard H4 bulb to be fitted. That way you can also fit LED H4 bulbs as well.

I have a full set of RHD 5 3/4 sealed beam replacements with LED H4 bulbs in them on my 1968 C3 and its very good. I got them from here: Classic Car LEDs Ltd

 

[Corvette]

If you're getting new RHD 5 3/4 sealed beam headlights for the front, may I recommend a set of "sealed beam" replacement headlight clusters that instead allow a standard H4 bulb to be fitted. That way you can also fit LED H4 bulbs as well.

I have a full set of RHD 5 3/4 sealed beam replacements with LED H4 bulbs in them on my 1968 C3 and its very good. I got them from here: Classic Car LEDs Ltd

You haven’t clicked my link above then!

 

[CaptainK]

You haven’t clicked my link above then!

I saw it, but didn't click it. My post was more about being able to bung LEDs into the H4 lights instead of normal bulbs. I'm guessing for a C1 that you don't need the pilot light holes? I ask because on my C3 I needed the light clusters with the pilot holes in so my side lights worked.

 

[Corvette]

C1 has parking lights that serve as side lights so no need for that window in the main lights. A 68 is the same, in UK most have indicator and side lights in the parking light,
So for you to drive with side lights on you have to have headlights up???

 

[CaptainK]

On my 68 Corvette I have the parking (?) lights in lower grill area, and then have pilot / side lights in my "dipped" headlight cluster. Then the rest of the headlights as normal. As to whether its standard or not, I don't know, but that's how it came to me from yank land. Though could have been done as part of UK conversion I guess. I only found out it was like that when I converted it to LEDs.
I pretty much never drive the Corvette in the dark, and when I do I've never run with just side lights - always headlight pods ups so I can see where I'm going.

 

[Roscobbc]

The white combined front sidelight/indicators (dual filament bulb) on the front of my '68 have amber lenses (instead of the OEM clear lamps). Obviously being illegal to have white front indicators I simply used a pair of early generic amber indicator lenses off a Landrover or perhaps Moggie Minor. Lens and fixing hole centres were very close in diameter and almost look OEM. Thing is now I have legal amber front indicators..........but the 'now' amber sidelight is not legal.............
However the white illuminated front fender side marker lamps are very visible from the front of the vehicle.......so if PC Plod choose to remonstrate with me about the use of amber front sidelights I would be forced to point out that these are in fact driving lights and that white sidelights are indeed visible from the front of the car.
I'm guessing that a Vosa official would look to whip-out his or her measuring stick and tell me the side markers are not mounted on the front of the vehicle and too low/too high/insufficient intensity etc etc etc. Guess they would then walk around to the rear and note the '68 only rear back-up lights now converted to indicators (with an amber bulb) and probably inform me that being below the bumper they are too low and too far away from the rear corners of the car to be compliant........hasn't happened so far in 25 years.....

 

[CaptainK]

On my 68 the importers sorted it for me, it has a set of dual action LED bulbs in the main 4 rear lights - indicators and rear lights.

 

[Roscobbc]

Can you explain in more depth please Kieran - so all 4 rear lamps perform rear lights and amber indicators (amber through red lens?) - brake light function too?

 

[CaptainK]

Can you explain in more depth please Kieran - so all 4 rear lamps perform rear lights and amber indicators (amber through red lens?) - brake light function too?

Yup, the four main rear lights do main rear light, braking, and indicators. I must confess I've not seen it working directly as I'm the only one driving the car. I did have a dashcam footage of it where my wife was driving my FTO behind me on our way to a show and from memory you can see all 4 come on when I brake, and I think the outer two lights (one each side) does the indicators - which oddly on the dashcam appeared red I believe, but it must be a camera oddity as I think it has amber lights. I rarely drive the Corvette at night, so I don't know how the main rear lights work. I'm assuming with main rear lights on, and brake lights coming on, that all 4 lights just become brighter. Or maybe only the two outer lights come on when the main lights are turned on and brakes make all 4 come on?

I'll have to do a video of them, AND also watch it myself (to eliminate any camera oddities) when I next take it out. Which won't be for a long while now as the garage door that the Corvette comes out of is currently blocked on that side of the driveway with a ton of wood for my loft conversion. I'll see if they work with engine off as then I can do it in the garage.

As a side note, I have no idea about my reverse lights... I'll have to check that too.