Rauno Aaltonen's roof lamp.

[austinisuseless]

Here he is with I think Tony Ambrose on I think his winning run to the 1965 RAC Rally, but not sure.

But checkout the roof lamp for reading road signs - never noticed one with a reflector underneath before? Rauno did come up with many of the offbeat features used on the Works Minis then - quite innovative things he came up with.

[formulaphoto]

When I saw that, I assumed the light deflector was to reduce glare for the driver. (ie. not lighting up things on the road or parts of the car). If its snowing or raining, roof mounted lights will also illuminate everything in the air in the driver's line of sight.

[Ronnie]

They used to do the same with the wing mounted spots on the east african cars, you can also see the shield if you look at other photos of the car, in 1965, also the car as it is today has got one on.

[formulaphoto]

On a side note....does anyone know if you can still buy clear headlight covers that in that photo? Would like a set for my road rally prep.

[Ronnie]

On a side note....does anyone know if you can still buy clear headlight covers that in that photo? Would like a set for my road rally prep.

Yes! JK1293 on ebay! or pad4 on this forum might be able to help.

[austinisuseless]

By the way, Road Signs were at the usual above eye level in Europe for quite a while, including this country in 1965.

Don't know about reading road stones in East Africa though...

[Ronnie]

Don't know about reading road stones in East Africa though...

In Africa you would not be using the lamp for reading road stones, you would use it to go lamping for elephants (instead of rabbits).

[austinisuseless]

Ivory and the stages and on my piano keys - terrible use of elephant horns.

And posh ornaments, such is old Brit Empire life. Anyone for a Tiger shoot?

[LMM76C]

Undershields to auxilliary lights were usually all about trying to stop them getting covered in mud.