Does anybody really know what ever happened to sequential turn signals?

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 20:55:42 -0700, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:

> Post your question over on rec.autos.tech.

OK. :-)

The question was, "Howcome you don't see any sequential turn signals
any more? I think they're kewl. Are they illegal? Was it that people
didn't want to pay the extra cost for a frivolity?" Well, OK, a couple-
three questions. :-)

Discussion ensues. :-P

> There are a couple of
> lighting wizards over there that can fill you in on all of the rules and
> regulations regarding automotive lighting.
>
> If you want to start a real flame war, ask about red vs amber rear turn
> signals.

I'm not worthy - mine are red, and there's nothing I can do about it. :-)
(1986 Fiero GT)
http://www.abiengr.com/~sysop/images/GoldenFiero.jpg

Thanks!
Rich

I don't know about their legality on new cars (paging Daniel Stern...).


The original electromechanical implementation on the mid-60s
Thunderbird and late-60s Cougar tended to be a bit of a pain as it got
older, and was rather daunting to troubleshoot unless you are familiar
with how it works. See for instance
http://www.tbirdranch.com/sequencer.html

Of course, they ran *all* the rear lamps except the white ones through
the system.

One component, the stop lamp relay, was much more of a single point of
failure than its name would indicate, and at least on Birds, is
sometimes found in the "before" stage of restoration with its contacts
not just pitted but completely vanished (which admittedly is mostly a
testimonial to an inadequately spec'ed part -- there are a *lot* of
light bulbs back there).

Nowadays you'd doubtless do some or all of this with solid-state
switching.

And then you've still got hazard flashers (w/ two different wiring
schemes depending on whether the switch is in the optional overhead
console), front turn signals, and (in case you aren't thinking it's
kinda over-the-top already) a current-sensing relay to make the
fender-mounted turn-signal indicators double as a bulb-out detector for
the rear.

Their "Unique in All the World" motto also describes what the previous
owner of your car may have done to make some or all of this sorta work
once again.

Sure is purdy as well as unequivocal when it is working, though. You
get cooperation in lane changes and respect from tailgaters as in no
other car when the Main Street Electrical Parade back there kicks in.
(Good thing too, since a passenger-side mirror that belongs in a makeup
compact was optional and a blind spot that could conceal a Macy's
Thanksgiving Parade balloon was standard equipment.) Around town you
probably get noticeably dimmer headlights too.

--Joe

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 18:59:43 GMT, > wrote:

>There is a company on the web which makes electronic sequential taillight
>units.
>
>http://www.webelectricproducts.com/
>
>Just because someone makes them doesnt necessarily mean that they
>are legal anywhere. I have no idea of the legality.
>
>They were very eyecatching years ago.
>

http://www.sequentialtaillights.com/mustfaq.html#FAQ_7

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/enc...rn_signals.htm

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki...l_turn_signals

http://www.everything2.org/index.pl?node_id=1456292

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Rich Grise wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 20:55:42 -0700, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
>
>
>>Post your question over on rec.autos.tech.
>
>
> OK. :-)
>
> The question was, "Howcome you don't see any sequential turn signals
> any more?

Same reason you don't see cars with the attractive and/or distinctive
styling of, say, the '64 T-bird (which had sequentials) or the '62
Imperial (with free-standing "podded" headlamps) anymore. Cars today are
pretty much lowest common denominator transportation devices.

For what its worth, sequential signals aren't illegal, and there are
several groups that sell fully electronic sequential mechanisms for old
T-birds to replace the electromechanical gadgets that originally came on
them. They can be applied to any car that has 3 individual taillamp
sockets in a single housing- I've seen them used on 90s Impala SS's for
example. In fact, one of the guys that sells sequential electronics
developed his kit explicitly FOR the Impala SS.

There is a company on the web which makes electronic sequential taillight
units.

http://www.webelectricproducts.com/

Just because someone makes them doesnt necessarily mean that they
are legal anywhere. I have no idea of the legality.

They were very eyecatching years ago.

Steve wrote:
> Rich Grise wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 20:55:42 -0700, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Post your question over on rec.autos.tech.
> >
> >
> > OK. :-)
> >
> > The question was, "Howcome you don't see any sequential turn signals
> > any more?
>
> Same reason you don't see cars with the attractive and/or distinctive
> styling of, say, the '64 T-bird (which had sequentials) or the '62
> Imperial (with free-standing "podded" headlamps) anymore.


Ah yes, the MMobile.

For years the Imperial was specifically banned from Demolition Derby
competition, as no other vehicle stood a chance against it.

> For years the Imperial was specifically banned from Demolition Derby

I didn't know that but am not surprised. Aside from the sheer size of
the thing, the Imperial kept body-on-frame construction for several
years after almost all the rest of the industry, including other
Chrysler models, had gone to unibodies for their passenger cars. Not
until model year 1967, I think, did the Imperial go that route.

--Joe

> For years the Imperial was specifically banned from Demolition Derby

I didn't know that but am not surprised. Aside from the sheer size of
the thing, the Imperial kept body-on-frame construction for several
years after almost all the rest of the industry, including other
Chrysler models, had gone to unibodies for their passenger cars. Not
until model year 1967, I think, did the Imperial go that route.

--Joe

Bret Ludwig wrote:

> For years the Imperial was specifically banned from Demolition Derby
> competition, as no other vehicle stood a chance against it.
>

Yes, I've seen the "NO IMPERIALS!" footnotes on demo derby flyers. Good
thing, wasting an Imp in a demo derby should be criminalized.

On 21 Oct 2005 13:23:35 -0700, the renowned "Ad absurdum per aspera"
> wrote:

>> For years the Imperial was specifically banned from Demolition Derby
>
>I didn't know that but am not surprised. Aside from the sheer size of
>the thing, the Imperial kept body-on-frame construction for several
>years after almost all the rest of the industry, including other
>Chrysler models, had gone to unibodies for their passenger cars. Not
>until model year 1967, I think, did the Imperial go that route.
>
>--Joe

Heh. But it sure was a safe car. ;-) First car with electronic
ignition, IIRC (ca. 1971).


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
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