There seem to be two variations for the W123 Euro headlights, one version with horizontal ribs and round reflectors, perhaps more similar to the US headlights. The other variation is more rectangular and modern, perhaps the later.

I would like to understand the history of these two headlight variations. Was this just a style change based on model year?

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2012 B Class

1981 300D - Now with greazzer

One was the early version for lower end models- that would be the ones which look similar to the USA versions. The other version was fitted on the upper end models.

The square Euros came stock on higher end models such as the 280/E/CE/TE, even on the W123's early years. The round Euros came stock on lower end models. Which ones were considered high end and which ones were low end (how high, or how low?), is still unclear.

Some models had vacuum leveling adjustment, others had a mechanical style adjustment, to compensate for vehicle load. These are supplementary to the beam pattern adjustment one performs to adjust the lights correctly.

There are also those with amber fog lamp reflectors, which are typically called "French" spec lights (forum slang). This is because they were popular in France when amber fogs were mandated, IIRC. The "French" spec Euros came in both low-spec and high spec variants.

I believe all Euro lights had city light function, but the headlamp wiring depended upon country of registration.

When the W123 was introduced, the 280 and 300 models had the square lights, the round reflectors were standard on the lower spec models, 250 and down.

Around the "freshening" in 1980, all cars got the square lights.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Thanks for clearing up some questions I had as well, such as "I see a pic of a W123 in Europe and its got round headlights", I was under the impression that the round lights were a DOT requirement and not sold in Europe. Thanks, makes me feel better about having round headlights, they weren't designed just to get the cars into the US. like the bumpers

I have both styles on cars and they both light up the road equally well.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I've never seen a Euro car with EITHER style lights that did not have the vacuum adjuster. Doesn't mean they didn't exist, but I've never seen one. I've had both style light sets and have never seen a set without the vacuum diaphragms.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

keep in mind, the "round" euro headlights are NOTHING like the US headlights.
there is no plastic "door" around the euro headlights, and the bulbs are behind a smooth glass lens that totally fills the light area, not the sealed beams of the US lights...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Yet another wrinkle ironed out,

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

euro "round" lights... all glass.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

round ones with stripes are French hella's, for the french market-specific.
you love the french, dont you

Great information. I have been considering a "Euro" headlight conversion. I have a new set of the Depo Euro's and a single passenger side of the "round" euro light.

I like the look of the round Euro's a bit more. They seem to offer a closer look to the US sealed beam. I think I will wait until I can find a matching drivers side round unit.

Again, thanks for the interesting and informative feedback.

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2012 B Class

1981 300D - Now with greazzer

Reading this presents a good excuse to post a couple of pics for you w123 fans- factory fresh 240D and 300TD from the Mercedes museum Stuttgart

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
----------------------------------------------
"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

Amazing, nice pictures! For me, it reinforces the the round Euro's look better on the W123 chassis.

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2012 B Class

1981 300D - Now with greazzer

And here are Bosch square Euro lamps on a higher-mileage example, with city lights turned on

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

From September 1979 all models got vacuum adjustment. Before that vacuum adjustment was either an option or not available. There was a manual adjustment knob at the lights when you opened the bonnet for driving with a heavy load.

From September 1982 all models got the square headlights. Before that only the higher end models and the coupes (the 300D did not get square headlights until Sept. 1982).

Two brands were used: Hella or Bosch. So Euro headlights are:
- round or square
- with or without vacuum adjustment
- Bosch or Hella
Parts are not interchangeable.

There might be some very early models without halogen lights, but I'm not sure.

The city or parking lights were always in the headlight itself.

Front lights on French cars had to be yellow at the time. For the main headlights that was achieved with yellow light bulbs, but those were probably not available for the fogs, so a yellow reflector was used; these were only used on cars that were delivered to France.



And if you cannot decide, you can always mix: