Why did 1980s/90s cars have indicators in the bumpers instead of the headlight?

[MrZ]

Here's a typical 80s/90s Jap car with the indicators in the bumper:



(still taken from "Fast Foward")

Can someone explain to me the idea of putting the indicator down there? It seems like it would be an added expense, having to have extra wiring down on the bumper, when the indicator could obviously have been placed in the typical spot on the corner of the headlight. This would not only save money, but look better too. And yes, I realise the irony of asking this question due to the fact that I have a Mustang, which has the indicator in that very spot on the bumper. But it's very uncommon on mainstream (non sports) cars these days, whereas back in the day every other car seemed to have it in that spot.



(Honda Legend, 1991, somewhere in Melb)

[lumen8]

Its a bit like asking, why did 50s cars have fins? (yea I know, because of the whole space thing, but my point is, styling can be a fad or flavour of the month/year/decade)

It didnt stop at japanese cars either of course, from Ferraris to BMW's (8 series) , and even chevy camaros, indicators were in the bumper.

[MrZ]

The thing is, it's not a styling feature. If it were just about style, they could put a non-fuctional clear plastic lense on the bumper, which would be much cheaper than having a fully functioning turn signal. And honestly, who cares whether the turn signal is in the headlight or not - it's not something that makes a car more interesting or attractive. Let's face it - cars (especially Japanese ones) in the 80s were boxes, there was very little style involved. So again, I ask why the car makers intentionally added complexity and cost in making the car, when they could have avoided it?

[Raptor]

It's an evolution thing.

Cars first 'evolved' headlights so you could drive in the dark.

Later, when roads were busier, indicators were added so others knew your intentions (only moderately successfull depending on where you live). Initially these were levers on the side of the door and hand operated. Later on they became lights - initially round and made from glass and metals.

They had always been seperate units until the glass and metal started to give way to plastics, it wasn't even possible until then and many 80's cars would have still had glass lenses.

As aerodynamics became more important, materials and maunfacturing methods changes and as mentioned above for aesthetics the headlights and indicators gradually merged to become the one unit. But as technologies and fashions change that could change again at any time.




.

[simon varley]

back then I don't think the technology was really available to put the indicator into the headlamp. Don't forget these were filament bulbs that need a fair space around them for the light to hit the reflector and for cooling.

integrated indicators and lamps are really only available now due to LEDs, light tubes etc. Remember when BMW first brought out the angel halos?

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by simon varley

back then I don't think the technology was really available to put the indicator into the headlamp. Don't forget these were filament bulbs that need a fair space around them for the light to hit the reflector and for cooling.

integrated indicators and lamps are really only available now due to LEDs, light tubes etc. Remember when BMW first brought out the angel halos?

Yet the XF Falcon doesn't have indicators in the bumpers? They're within the headlight cluster. And that came out in 1984!

[Vesper Martini]

and now we have these incorporated LED headlights that can turn a minor accident into a write off

[LTDHO]

Back then they were practical and easy to see. Now it's more about style and looks

[aussiblue]

For cars that were made overseas and sold in multiple markets with different rules about bumpers and the shape, height and colour and use of indicators, parking lights and brake lights it also made it easier and cheaper to produce batches of cars with different bumpers and these minor lights for different markets.

[Gothefalcon]

Originally Posted by MrZ

The thing is, it's not a styling feature. If it were just about style, they could put a non-fuctional clear plastic lense on the bumper, which would be much cheaper than having a fully functioning turn signal. And honestly, who cares whether the turn signal is in the headlight or not - it's not something that makes a car more interesting or attractive. Let's face it - cars (especially Japanese ones) in the 80s were boxes, there was very little style involved. So again, I ask why the car makers intentionally added complexity and cost in making the car, when they could have avoided it?

I seem to remember reading in the ADRs something about the front indicators being required to be part of the headlight assembly.... or words to those effect !??
I'd have to double check... but perhaps, if this is the case, it was adopted from other legislation overseas... and if so, under the guise of road safety, no less

D

[xb74_black]

My XF pano has an XG XR8 front bumper with indicators in the bumper just below the headlights.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by MrZ

Can someone explain to me the idea of putting the indicator down there? It seems like it would be an added expense, having to have extra wiring down on the bumper, when the indicator could obviously have been placed in the typical spot on the corner of the headlight. This would not only save money, but look better too.

You answered your own question. It used to be deemed safer to have the indicator further away so it's easier to spot at night when the headlights were on.
Then no one cared about that safety aspect and did it the cheaper way that looked better (and added huge touchscreens instead of sensible controls, DRLs always on with dash lights so idiots drive at night with no headlights on, clear lenses with weak coloured bulbs and little touches like that etc).

tl;dr: People used to think and care, now they don't. Price and looks matters most now.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by MrZ

The thing is, it's not a styling feature. If it were just about style, they could put a non-fuctional clear plastic lense on the bumper, which would be much cheaper than having a fully functioning turn signal. And honestly, who cares whether the turn signal is in the headlight or not - it's not something that makes a car more interesting or attractive. Let's face it - cars (especially Japanese ones) in the 80s were boxes, there was very little style involved. So again, I ask why the car makers intentionally added complexity and cost in making the car, when they could have avoided it?

You are wrong; whether you like it or not is was part of the styling feature of the cars in that time period.

[jpd80]

There were instances where imported vehicles had turn signals designed for other markets like USA that
did not comply with local regulations, be that visibility at certain angles or the radiated colour not being
correct. That lead to some quirky looking light set ups in bumpers in front and back of certain vehicles.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by MrZ

Yet the XF Falcon doesn't have indicators in the bumpers? They're within the headlight cluster. And that came out in 1984!

Originally Posted by xb74_black

My XF pano has an XG XR8 front bumper with indicators in the bumper just below the headlights.

Pretty sure the Unleaded Fuel XF's had the Indicator in the Bumper, whereas the leaded ones Didn't.. (Or maybe Vice versa) but happy to be corrected..

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Pretty sure the Unleaded Fuel XF's had the Indicator in the Bumper, whereas the leaded ones Didn't.. (Or maybe Vice versa) but happy to be corrected..

Hi. Both had indicators in the headlight but the unleaded version (1986 on) had side repeater indicators in the sides of the front bar. Cheers MD

[marty351]

Nissan Patrol, brake lights in the bumper and not where they should have been.

[wodahs]

Originally Posted by marty351

Nissan Patrol, brake lights in the bumper and not where they should have been.

they were moved from the rear quarters to the bumper to meet ADRs for australian sales at the time from memory

from memory they XR/XT were in the front bumper
the XW/XY/XA were next to the head lamp
the XB was back in the bumper
and the XC/XD/XE/XF were back next to the head lamp
dont remember the e series onwards and i briefly had an EL then moved to other things

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by marty351

Nissan Patrol, brake lights in the bumper and not where they should have been.

Think that was done because of the rear mounted spare wheel something to do with blocking vision at an angle, happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

[foxtrot3]

Hi. The KA and KB laser hatch had the blinkers beside the headlights but its brother the meteor sedan had them in the bumper for the same years. Cheers MD

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. Both had indicators in the headlight but the unleaded version (1986 on) had side repeater indicators in the sides of the front bar. Cheers MD

The last XF's had the repeater in the front guards, moved from the side of the bumper.



I can remenber the ugly front and rear bumpers added to imports into "The Democratic republic of Commie fornia" back in the 70s which turned fine examples of some Mercedes and Honda's into silly looking lenghtened abominations.
No other US states were silly enough to allow this.

[kcodezd]

Originally Posted by wodahs

they were moved from the rear quarters to the bumper to meet ADRs for australian sales at the time from memory

from memory they XR/XT were in the front bumper
the XW/XY/XA were next to the head lamp
the XB was Below the bumper
and the XC/XD/XE/XF were back next to the head lamp
dont remember the e series onwards and i briefly had an EL then moved to other things

Fixed

[Adamz Ghia]

Not to mention the AU XR’s...

[Dezza]

The VP-VS Commodore had indicators next to the headlights but the equivalent Toyota Lexcen had them in the bumper to make it look a bit more like other Toyota models of the time. I think it's just a styling thing

[XR Martin]

Don't forget the round headlights that some European cars had to have which were imported into the US.