Zeiss headlights

[vthomas]

My Lambda 6th series is fitted with beautiful but complex Zeiss headlights which I'm carefully rebuilding. Was there ever a parts/maintenance booklet for these?
Also, the coloured glass sliding devices are quite fragile. Is there any modern replacement? I noted many years ago that the Bugatti Royale in the Briggs Cunningham had these in fluted glass!   

[johnturner]

Vin

I thought I had a Zeiss handbook somewhere but can't find it.  As I recall the Bowden cable operated dimming device is the most fragile part of the system and parts are unobtainable, but Mike Benwell is in the throes of restoring the lamps on his car and will be able to help (mike@mikebenwell.co.uk)  You will remember Mike from our inebriated evening at the 100 Club.

John

[DavidLaver]

Tell me more!!   Do I understand correctly that there's a cable controlled glass filter that gets pulled round infront of the bulb to dim?

David

[ColinMarr]

Yes, like petals of a tulip that close around the bulb. See this example from Gerald Batt’s ex-Oliff Richmond, ex-Count Zborowski Lambda.

[fay66]

Can't say I've ever seen anything like that before in my 55 years of motoring, wonderful and eccentric looking

Brian
8227

[DavidLaver]

That is STUNNINGLY beautiful.   I imagined a half barrel or something swivelling round.

David

[ColinMarr]

The rest of the car is stunning too. I believe it was built to Zborowski’s specification so it is rather special. In case you don’t know of him, Zobo wasn’t really a Count, he was just rich enough to adopt the title and get away with it. It was he who had built the original Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang aero-engined monster car. And when he wanted a toy train set, he built the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.

If only all rich men had such refined taste.

Colin

[fay66]

Perhaps it's me, but I'm not impressed by the styling behind the doors

Is that the boot lid or a Dicky seat?
Brian
8227

[Sliding Pillar]

I think the Casaro Lambda looks a lot better in side profile, perhaps Colin's wide angle shot didn't do the rear styling any favours. (Sorry Colin).
Here are a couple more pics, one of Gerald in his car at Eversley driving tests in 1982 and another car from Lancia 100 Torino.
Note the different wings.

[johnturner]

Gerald's car was extensively modified by Oliffe Richmond who owned the car for many years.  Oliife was a sculptor and, among other things, built a set of fibreglass wings for the car loosely modelled on those of an early Lambda, and at the same time changed the bonnet and the screen and the arrangement of the dickey seat (well spotted Brian).  These all seemed eminently sensible modifications in the 1950s and I think it is to Gerald's great credit that he has maintained the car in exactly the fashion Oliffe left it and has resisted the temptation to build just another replica.  For the record the Casaro car looked like this when it came out of the factory:
 

[fay66]

I think it's probably more the flat back erect hood that jars on my eye, rather than the body itself,
and I do like the wings.
 I wasn't sure if it was a dickey seat as I can't see any of the usual step cutouts, that I would expect to find.

Brian
8227

[DavidLaver]

I'm going to blame Colin as it looks fab in his other photo - and all the others.  I also like the wings, screen, and everything else.

David