soooo not right

[Ray]

this is so not right, i know its aussie, and its hella/ford, but really

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321728964916?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

 

[Vista]

It's his to sell, he can ask what he likes for it. If someone pays it then clearly it was worth it to them. 

[accord83]

And it's cheaper, even for two at that price, than a set of NOS front indicators sold for on Ebay last year. Iirc £720

[Ray]

it wasnt the price

 

the light is not right, look at it

 

if the light was right, i would buy it at that price

[katana]

it wasnt the price

 

the light is not right, look at it

 

if the light was right, i would buy it at that price

 

 

So you admit its right.....Hella/Ford - but that its wrong! Care to explain that one?

[Ray]

So you admit its right.....Hella/Ford - but that its wrong! Care to explain that one?

youve lost me

 

the light is totally wrong

[SmokeEm]

In what way? Fake?

[Vista]

It looks like it's a plastic one rather than the metal one's we're all used to. Doesn't make it wrong though, they were available from Ford like that.

[mk2 mike]

Well I'm confused...

[Ray]

so yes its plastic, but as well as being plastic and looking tacky, unless my eyesight is really bad, or the photo has a large reflection, the tail/stop lamp and half the indicator will light up the boot instead of reflecting the light, its clear in the bottom

[Vista]

Looking at the images on my phone so detail isn't clear but just as our metal ones do, they're meant to have black plastic covers over the inside of them.

[accord83]

I understand now, it appears the stop tail section is missing silvering on the inside, hence the uplighter into the boot, is that what you mean?

[mk2 mike]

Is that an issue then? Isn't that just a reflector on the end?

[accord83]

Maybe so, but wouldn't that mean less light being reflected outwards, and the vendor wants top money for what appears to be a second, or faulty item. Like buying a new pair of jeans at full price with one leg shorter than the other. Your legs are covered, but not to the full ability of the kecks, I believe to certain secret societies this might be a bonus.  I'm only guessing here until Ray comes on to elucidate us on the fault.

 

(I'm not an expert in the transmission of light, dodgy tailoring and secret societies.)

[Danish]

I understand now, it appears the stop tail section is missing silvering on the inside, hence the uplighter into the boot, is that what you mean?

 

Is that a design feature though? I've had other cars where the rear of the tail light had a hole, or missing silvering to make a cheap boot light. In fact I think the Mk3 Cortina does that too - a little plastic lens set into the mazac. 

[DT36]

I drilled holes in both tail lights of my daughters C2 to stop them filling with water.  Was even thinking of mailing this as a tech suggestion to Shitreon to help the fish breath better...

Even had to solder bridges on the circuit boards of both back lights as the things had rusted so many tracks.

 

Sold it in the end and bought her a Fiesta.

[Rally Pack 2000]

Firstly this seller is renown in Australia for his much exaggerated prices. He always goes way high and plays a waiting game and re-advertises till he gets the prices he demands. Some of his auctions have been going for years and never ever reduces the price no matter how many times he re-lists the item. When Ford Australia deleted all Escort parts from their main warehouse he bought them up by the container load. He goes through it every week at lists something new and makes a tidy living from it. Locals only buy from him if they are really desperate for that particular part, and thats what he relies on.

 

The light however is correct and perfect in every way. Hella had a manufacturing plant here in Australia and you will see the majority of Mk1 Escort front indicators and rear tail light lenses bear a "Made in Australia" mark on them. I have seen batches of German made Hella rears too though so it may be either one I cant tell for sure from the photos. I have two sets of brand new rear Mk1 lenses from Ford Australia that are so marked Made in Australia and still in their boxes. Early rear housings were metal and Made in England like that on my Twincam however when separate reverse lights were added to the Escort range Ford Australia had lenses and assemblies made locally. The front indicator housings were also all plastic on my Twincam made by Hella Australia. (It now has UK made metal ones) Certain tax concessions were given for having greater local content. With the arrival of the Mk2 front and rear indicator assemblies were no longer needed to achieve the minimum local content so they came from Butlers in the UK and later Italian Altisimo ones. Struts were made locally as were some panels pressed here as well as assembly of the cars themselves, so it was just a juggling game as to what Ford could get made for reasonable value to what it would import. The majority of Escort parts were imported with the assembly considered a large portion of the "local content" requirement but you see a few interesting and unique parts made locally through the entire Mk1 and 2 Escort run. Door mirrors were uniquely Australian, as is the larger fuel drop tank under the boot floor on cars 77 onwards and the locally pressed rear panel that facilitated the fuel filler behind the rear number plate. Our side impact laws were more stringent so our locally made doors have very wide side intrusion beams in them for greater strength. For Mk1s Hella even made these awful looking driving lights that were inset into a cut out grill. It was part of the deluxe package that even my Twincam had. (It was the first thing I removed the day I bought it though. The driving light brackets are still there however behind the new grill.)

 

So while most parts are interchangeable to the Australian assembled cars there are some things like this light that you think are wrong but in fact they are correct. As Vista has said the subsequent internal light cover may well have had some additional reflective surface. There are a number of areas where the Australian cars are better than their Euro model equivalents but their is equally a number of things where the bits are crappier than their Euro counterparts. Fortunately if you know both well enough you can pick the best replacement parts and have the best of both worlds. Most of the local content production was pretty much discontinued the moment the model line was so most spare parts available from the mid 80s onwards was pretty much Euro Ford made. Some owners scratch their heads why one assembly is made of metal on one side and the other is made of plastic, this is why.

 

Hope this helps any confusion.

[accord83]

Kinnel, and I just thought it was a light for Granny's grocery getter. Thank you for taking the time to explain all that Rally Pack, I'm glad I don't have a concours  Oz built car, so many permutations. I'll settle for a British Triggers Broom of a car.

[chugg-a-boom]

Wow, now that is a comprehensive answer Rally Pack!