1966 Le Mans car door lighting

[CraigB]

I am doing a bit of digging onto details on the Mk.IIs that ran at Le Mans in 1966 and have come across the illuminated? door handles fitted to some of the cars. (a round hole behind the forward part of the outer handle)

It seems all 3 of the Shelby cars, nos 1, 2 and 3, carried these lights behind the handle on the drivers (Right hand) side, but #2 (the Black winner) seems to have a cutout on the Left hand door as well, was this used or just left un-lit. If anybody might know the answer to this I would guess it would be you guys and gals on here, Thanks

Cheers

Craig

[John W]

What makes you think they were lit ?
I've never seen them lit as such.

I've also checked this detail and noticed it is only the mkII cars that have this style of door, plus the XGT 1/2/3 cars.
I have found a picture of a mkI with this style of door, but since it was the car that had its roof chopped off for the LeMans film chances are it had different/wrong doors fitted afterwards...

The recess is usually in front of the door handle, and only on the right hand side of the car, although some have these on the left side too as you say.
It is painted in a contrasting colour, so a blue car with white stripes has it painted white, whereas a red car with black stripes has it painted black, as does a yellow car with black stripes.

The only lights I am aware of were used for illuminating the number roundels.
Where these lights are fitted varies from team to team, and car to car.

Clear as mud ?

Cheers,
John.

[CraigB]

Hi John,
thanks for the reply, I found some photos of the restored #3 car (Red/White Gurney car) and this seems to have what appeared to be a light behind the recess. I reckoned this might have been of use as a night driver change aid. However Iguess a contrasting colour would work just as well as you say. The recesses seem to be separate parts that have been rivetted into the door skin rather than part of the original moulding so I guess final positioning could be even more varied than I 1st thought.

Thanks for the info

[John W]

hmm, interesting.

I can't see any clues to these being lit at all, on any of the cars.

Is the pic in a book or magazine so I could take a look myself ?

I think it is more likely so the driver can get hold of the handle from the front recess using only one hand, rather than having to press the raised bit at the back to get the front half to poke out, if that makes sense.

I understand this is why the later JWA cars changed their door catches entirely, so they are a slidy lever and easy to operate.

[CraigB]

Hi the pics are online

http://www.motorclassiccorp.com/CarDetail.cfm?ID=87

The back of the RHS door recess seems to have what looks like a reflector/light but this could be just my interpretation

[Bob Putnam]

Cars that raced at night were required to have their side numbers lit. As I remember it, they looked like an MGB license plate light.

[Keith Hardy]

Originally Posted by RaceZone

Hi the pics are online

http://www.motorclassiccorp.com/CarDetail.cfm?ID=87

The back of the RHS door recess seems to have what looks like a reflector/light but this could be just my interpretation

As JW says, that surely is a "finger hole"

[John W]

nope, doesn't look lit to me, just painted white like the cill strips.

The lights Bob mentions can be seen in those pics too.

[CraigB]

Thanks for the quick replys guys!!

I knew if the answers were anywhere they could be found here,

[Andy]

The lights you mention, where actually from a Ford pick up truck, same era. As recently confirmed to me, by the owner of the second placed car at Le Mans '66. Had quite a long chat with him at Le Mans Classic , recently. Nice chap.