What's the OEM deal with front spot lights???

I'm finally getting my Golf back on the road, yey!

It's a very original, 1981 1.6 GTI. It's so original that I'm trying to be very careful with how I restore it and the parts I change.

Problem is…. It has front spot lamps/driving lamps but they look toe as though they were fitted later because the grille and lamps themselves are a little messy/sloppily cut out and fitted when you look at the inside. They look "OK" from the front.

Were they a factory optional extra or fitted to all GTIs? If they were fitted at factory, how neat/professional was the fitment?

'81 1.6 wouldn't have had the additional lights as standard.

There where several aftermarket varieties available from reasonably early on, both with spot or fog lights, some from quite obscure makers and not just the Hella one most people are familiar with.

The lamps themselves may give a clue if you can identify the maker.

In addition to Hella there were Marchal, Cibie, Carello equipped ones amongst others..

If you can see the rear of the lamps, Carellos in particular are quite distinctive having a single large bolt / nut to adjust the aim of the light beam.

Had a VWMotorsport one a long time ago (Marchal lamps, pronounced dimple in their center / black cat motif) and it appeared to be made using a standard center grille with the spots grafted in along with bespoke surrounds, did look a little home made and similar to how you describe.

Images would help.

 

Perfect, thanks.

I'll grab some pictures today. Sounds like I have the Carellos lamps.

until later cabrios I think the only factory fit 4 headlight grilles were around 1983 Drivers, GX and Campaigns and then it was fogs not spots

Here's the grill.

You can see the lamp holes are clearly cut out.

Square and centre though so by someone pro I'd guess…

Certainly looks to be a genuine Carello from your images, are there any markings cast into the lens glasses?

There's always the chance something was replaced over the years… the Carello glass would've had a sticker bearing their name in their centers, from your images presumably gone now, but it's possible there's a recess or raised profile for them to sit in still there as a giveaway, just guessing though don't know for sure.

If it is genuine it'd be contemporary to your car but as an aftermarket thing, not VW.

My understanding is it (and the VWMS one, plus some others) pre-dates the Hella twin light version, hence adapting a standard grille as that was all that existed at the time.

The VWMS one was available through their own Votex accessory range but as mentioned it used Marchal lights.

Idea was identical though, standard VW grille with the apertures cut into them and the lamps inserted with surrounds to mask the cut outs.

If you look at a Hella twin light grille the center spar runs from the top of the grille to the bottom with 2x screw holes for the badge, a standard VW grille will have a badge sized hole there as yours does.

 

Took a bit of hunting to find again, images not great but still useful… https://www.passiongolfgti.com/spip.php?article110

There is a rectangular cast in the centre of the lense which may have been the sticker you're talking about.
Apart from the TOP, SAE# and E marks, they do have CCE a the bottom.

Do I keep them or go back to single headlight grill….. If they're aftermarket, I'm tempted to go back to single headlight. Just because I prefer the look a little more.

Have to ask... do you own a Peugeot 205?

bacardincoke said

Have to ask… do you own a Peugeot 205?

Amongst many other vehicles   Yes. Just one now though.

Bit of a question mark over the lenses… would've expected the recess to be much longer and not so deep to accomodate their sticker size and shape.

That CCE mark is an unknown too, may be the makers initials for example, Carello were (are?) a major light manufacturer, I'd have expected their name / more detail in the glass.

If that's 'E2', it denotes type approval was given in France, Carello were/are Italian… though that's meaningless, could easily have been obtained anywhere, but may be a pointer as to lens manufacturer if not Carello.

Could be anything going on, another / later or earlier version of the Carello, copycat version, genuine but lamps changed out for some reason… list goes on.

Personally I prefer the single lights on an '81, but (aftermarket) twin light grilles were around then so wouldn't be out of place if you kept them.

Is an old thing regardless and very possibly on the car from early on in it's life so part of it's unique history… up to you really, but wouldn't let it being an unknown brand influence me overly.

The cut of the glass makes me think they're fogs and not spots


 

Is one not enough… show off?

Thanks for the input, very helpful!

I had a 205 GTI6 I built for many years which sold recently (don't think I can change my user name now). Probably the most fun car I've ever owned.

I'm very fortunate to be able to build some pretty cool cars for customers full time which (unfortunately for my wife) funds my own collection of cars, bikes, projects, etc. 

Andy205 - Was mooching around the inter-web and came upon this old auction posting.

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1981-volkswagen-golf-mk1-gti-4

It's a 1981 also, albeit a LHD, non-UK spec. car.

Made me think of your post as it's got a Carello grille, / lamps fitted…

Nice, thanks for that.

Mine must be some random aftermarket fitment then. Fitted reasonably well though and with quite a lot of effort.
Those above are a fair bit smaller. In mine, they overlap the red trim top and bottom so the trim has actually been cut to suit.

I've got myself a single headlight grill. I'll hold on to all the bits that come off anyways, just incase they're some really rare one off thing.