FRONT INDICATOR/PARKLIGHTS

m69-71.
The initial units.

m72-76.
Since US legislation demanded the bumper to be raised, the indicator/park-lights had to be repositioned. They ended up under the bonnet's leading edge, and were larger too.
Euro-version: amber / clear
US-version: amber / amber
Made by: Hella, Germany

m77-81.
Time for a facelift. In the name of safety, these units were made twice as large as the previous ones.
Euro-version: amber / clear
US-version: clear / clear
Made by: Seima, France

m82-87.
It looks like the m77-81 unit, but instead of a white stripe, it has a black stripe. They are interchangeable.
Made by: Seima, France

900 m79-86.
The recent years an increasing number of cars have been available with CLEAR LENSES, simply because it looks great. The 99 was ahead of fashion (as usual), US-exports had it from 1977. On the more modern and improved (???) 900, no such thing was available. Until now. Speedparts can supply a set for the m79-86 900's. <http://www.speedparts.se>

INSTRUCTION MANUAL vs REALITY
Most manufacturers would use a R5W-BA15s bulb for parklight, and a P21W-BA15s bulb in the indicator. Saab did until 1977. According to the instruction manual and the wiring schemes for m78 and m86, the parklight uses a P21/5W-BAY15d twin filament bulb, with only the 5W filament connected.
Also according to the instruction manual and the wiring schemes, the indicator uses a P21W-BA15s bulb.

This is not the case... The indicator also uses a P21/5W-BAY15d twin filament bulb, but only the 21W filament is connected. It's practical to use only one type of bulb several places. If a parklight bulb blows, swap it with the indicator bulb.

CLEAR INDICATORS vs AMBER LIGHT
For the fashion minded, it's good to know that clear indicator lenses are available for the Saab 99, as of 1977. All you have to do is find a used set... in the States. (Which I did. Thank you Kevin!) But you cant just swap lenses and drive off. To maintain amber light, an amber bulb (PY21W AMBER, BAU 15s) is required. But those bulbs have a different base (see bulb chart) with asymmetric guide-pins and will not enter the Saab units.
I went for a walk at the scrapyard, looking for a modern donor car with clear indicator lenses to plunder, and ended up with a pair of bulb sockets from a -99 model Ford Fiesta.

- Unbolt the indicator/parklight-units from the car. (Four crosshead screws in the engine bay)
- Remove the sorrounding rubber from the unit.
- Clean all parts.
- Cut off the earth strap to the indicator socket.
- Remove the terminals on the indicator socket.
- At the back of the indicator/parklight-units, cut away plastic, to make the surface flush.
- Cut off the collar from the donor car's bulb sockets.
- Using a drill (Minicraft), enlarge the bulb-hole so the new bulb sockets will enter.
- Apply 2-component epoxy glue at the collar of the bulb socket and insert it.
- Leave it to dry overnight
- At the back of the bulb socket, cut away plastic, to make the surface more flush.
- Fit the rubber dust cover.
- Connect the negative wire from the bulb socket to the ground terminal on the indicator/parklight-unit.
- Refit the unit on the car.
- Connect all wires to their respective places.

THE NEXT PROBLEM...
...is that behind clear lenses, these amber bulbs creates a ridiculous "egg-yoke" look. Practically all modern cars have indicators that look like fried eggs.
Osram was first on the track with a cure for this: The DIADEM bulb.
Philips followed a while later with their SILVER VISION bulb.

These bulbs have a special coating that makes them appear clear/silverish until you switch them on. The light emitted is amber, though.

AS THE MORE PERCEPTIVE OF YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED:
The clear-lensed indicators did emit amber light back in the States, even before amber bulbs were invented. How? By means of the 2357NA twin filament amber bulb, not available in Europe. If it existed in Europe it would be called PY27/8W-BAY15d.
Another "trick" is to use amber plastic-capsules readily available in Fiats and their likes at the scrapyard. But the preferre the BAU15s Diadem/SilverVision. Why? I think I answered that one in the previous paragraph. Something about egg-yokes...

REVERSE LIGHT IN THE FRONT INDICATOR/PARK LIGHTS
The Saab 900 has reverse lights in the front indicator/parklight-units, as well as in the taillights. I think this is a marvellous idea! In the 99 m77-87 units, behind the park-reflector, there is a space clearly intended for a reverse bulb. Simply fit a bulb-socket, connect it to the reverse lights, and off you go!
Or, connect the idle 21W filament in the parklight bulb to the reverse lights.

FITTING A BULB SOCKET.
I chose a small efficient 20W halogen bulb: HMB52-BA9s.The bulb-sockets came out of a Mercedes W123.
With the indicator/parklight-units already lying on the workbench, it didn't take long.
- Make a hole for the socket, in the unit.
- For stability reasons, I attached a larger diameter flat plate to the socket. The plate actually is the bulb socket of the old 99-CC taillights! But anything suitable can be used. It needed some cutting and bending to fit
- Apply 2-component epoxy glue at the collar of the bulb socket assembly and insert it.
- Leave it to dry overnight
- Connect a (ground) wire to the bulb socket assembly.
- Fit the rubber dust cover.
- Connect the negative wire from the bulb socket to the ground terminal on the indicator/parklight-unit.

			More to come...