Selective yellow headlights

RocketMonkey101

Daily Driver
Anybody know a source to buy selective yellow headlights for an 850? All I can find are sprays and films. I'd like a bulb with a yellow lens rather than putting something on that will wear off. Thanks!
 
Hella makes a bulb called Optilux that’s yellow. I believe that make an H4 fitting.
 
Are you looking for a sealed beam with a yellow lens, or something like NM850 described - H4 lights with a clear lens and yellow bulb inside?
Yellow sealed beam units are very rare. They were more common many years ago in Europe, typically from companies like some of the French lighting specialists. Even then they were often sized for use as part of a quad headlight system. So I really doubt you'll find any big-rounds here in the US these days. And if you do they will cost more than your 850.
Yellow bulbs for H4's should be available online fairly readily. Otherwise I think you will have to look at the alternative you mentioned - tint them yellow.
Please let us know if you do find something, they'd be really cool (I like odd lighting).
 
I was thinking of something with a yellow lens. The H4 light would be fine if it had a yellow lens. I guess I could go the H4 route and paint the inside of the lens if I can't find anything...
 
I was thinking of something with a yellow lens. The H4 light would be fine if it had a yellow lens. I guess I could go the H4 route and paint the inside of the lens if I can't find anything...
I’ve seen some with the vinyl film that look very convincing.
 
I was thinking of something with a yellow lens.
That will be limited unfortunately.

The sealed beam lights will be either "collectible" old items like discussed in the linked article (below), or low output small diameter ones intended as service lights or fog lights rather than main headlights (like in the eBay link, last one).

Non-sealed beam will be something more like discussed above - H4's that you have tinted yourself. There are a few products to tint the lens. Take a look online for things like "amber lens tint" or "yellow light paint".

Links:
http://karakullake.blogspot.com/2008/09/yellow-headlights-of-france.html

https://www.ebay.com/bhp/amber-sealed-beam

peugeot 404.jpg
 
While yellow headlights are legal in CA, many cops think they're not. If your local police are often bored & looking for something to do, be prepared to get pulled over. If you get ticketed with these eBay headlights, you'll have no luck quoting CA Vehicle Code 25950 to the judge to get your ticket waived - "no DOT approval" means these particular yellow headlights are illegal, period.

Vintage legal yellow headlights are available, but often pricey. Cibie, Marchal, Carello & Siem are popular brands, there are others. You might also try clear-lens "European" headlight units with removable yellow bulbs (ie: non-sealed-beam headlights) - they're not all "H4", just regular-wattage headlights.

Yellow lens tint (film or spray) is another option.
 
Those reproduction lights you bought are pretty cool. I wonder how they are made; regular clear sealed beams with the lens tinted/coated, or there are some that actually have a clear lens but a yellow bulb so the whole thing seems yellow when looking straight at it (even when off), or they might have a yellow plastic lens (a lot of the "custom" headlights have plastic lens). Please let us know, hopefully they really are true yellow glass sealed beams.

Following Jeff's comment about legality. Even some of the old French made (like the brands he listed) yellow ones are not legal because the lens fluting is designed for European (left side) driving. But those also won't say "DOT approved", because that's an American thing.
 
I bought a Mercedes from France once and it had normal headlights with yellow H4 bulbs in them.
Yellow headlights were mandatory in France at one time, but not legal here in Germany.
I changed out the bulbs and that was that.

But I think there were many different ways to yellow headlights back then.

The lights shown above that are not H4, so not halogen, were called „bilux“ over here and were the predecessor to H4.
The lighting is not particularly good.

I would choose the lights you like and get the yellow film that is made specifically for making headlights yellow.
 
I bought some 7" yellow halogen headlights at Carlisle one year. When I got home I realized they were just some aftermarket H4 lights with a yellow film. These lights have been on several of my Fiats (currently on the 77X) and the film has shown no wear or problems.

I wouldn't worry about cops pulling you over unless you live in an area where you know for a fact they are that bored... They should spend their time chasing down cars that don't have ANY headlights on at night, plenty of them.
 
I got my bulbs last night. From the best I can tell it looks like the lens is actually yellow glass. I tried to scratch it and see if there was any kind of film I could feel and I can't feel anything. It's possible it's tinted on the inside but it's a sealed beam light. I don't know if that's a process that is used on those type of bulbs. They don't say halogen anywhere on them so probably a lower light output bulb (older technology). I'll see if I can get some photos up here later on so you guys can get a better look at them.
 
Sounds good Rocket.
Can you tell if the lens is glass vs plastic? For one thing it will weigh a lot more if its glass (maybe compare it to a standard sealed beam). And the plastic ones are usually pretty obvious by the sound of tapping on it with a coin. But it seems like yours are glass or you would have noticed already.
Someone must be making them again. Any markings on the wattage, etc?
 
Pics worked great, thanks.
Look to be genuine sealed beams as you say. And the wattages is typical of standard ones so shouldn't be any issue there. The yellow color seems a bit different than the ones from back in the day, but that might be due in part to the images, or maybe that's how they have to be done now. It will be interesting to hear how they work for you.
 
Are these what you're looking for? Just came across these on ebay Italy yesterday here: https://www.ebay.it/itm/FIAT-850-CO...DI-LAMPADE-GIALLE-ORIGINALE-SIEM/191050340783 They are 170 mm dia. and a search for "fari gialle siem" brings up a few more incl. 140mm. A search for "fari giallo" under ricambi d'epoca brings up even more. Not inexpensive by the time you get them shipped here... I sure miss the glory days of ebay when vintage Fiat parts were a'plenty and reasonably priced and shipping was also reasonable.

s-l1600.jpg
 
I sure miss the glory days of ebay when vintage Fiat parts were a'plenty and reasonably priced and shipping was also reasonable.
Amen! And not just Fiat parts.

The ones you pictured above kind of look to be clear lenses with yellow bulbs. I'm just guessing from the overall appearance based on past experience. But a yellow bulb will reflect off the back, even when they are not lit up and make them look yellow. The areas where the lens still looks clear is an indication of what I'm talking about. This arrangement was common. Nothing wrong with it provided it offers the "look" you are after. At night you can't tell the difference, but in daylight and as you move about and look at them you can tell.
Nice find though. And the tri-bar lens is a plus.
 
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