Side Indicator Retrofit

Post 1985 SLs had a side indicator in the wing. Many do prefer the earlier look and consider these additional indicators to spoil the look of the car. However, as I am fitting several "facelift" parts to the car, including the front spoiler and eventually the later flat-face alloys, I have decided to fit these additional indicators to complete the look.

The 1st thing to do of course is create the new holes in the wings for the lense to fit. The measurements for this are as follows (verified by a "proper" 1989 car:

- where it meets the door, to where the rear of the indicator is 152mm.
- from the top of the side trim to the bottom of the indicator is 35mm.







I decided to tap into the wires inside the engine bay just before they go through the inner wing. A test lamp on the wires allowed me to find out what wires were the correct ones to tap into. The colours on my car was "black with white stripe" on the n/s and "black with green stripe" on the o/s. I also tapped into the brown earth wire to keep all the wiring in one place. I then insulated the wires again with electricians insulation tape:




The "new" wire was then fed through the inner wing into the thick rubber tube that runs into the headlamp bulb; however a small hole was made in this to allow the new wire to leave:



The bulb holder was then attached to the wiring:




A final test to check all the wiring is complete:




The new wire is then fed over the top of the post-facelift wheel arch liners, that i've also retrofitted, and over the wing partition panel (top is rubber seal so safe) and through the new hole created in the side of the wing.