Roof-mounted lights have been virtually required for off-road racing for many, many years. They have also been a popular modification for 4-wheel-drive vehicles that will never wear a race number, either for off-road exploring, or simply to help achieve that macho, rugged appearance. Vehicle manufacturers have taken notice of this, and have included roof lights in some of their vehicles right from the showroom, such as the Xterra Pro-4X above.
Today’s Encylopedia Hoonatica is just that: factory roof lights — auxiliary forward lighting mounted to the roof, a roof rack, or a roll bar. But in every case they need to be mounted above the windshield. They can be standard equipment, part of a special equipment package or special edition, a stand-alone option, but they must be offered by the OEM. Dealer installed accessories are permissible ONLY if they are manufacturer-branded parts offered in the manufacturer’s regular dealer accessory catalog. No third party accessories!
This week’s entry was suggested about a month ago by Sjalabais. A hearty thanks, and a reminder that I love getting Encylopedia Hoonatica topic suggestions from readers.
Difficulty: 600,000 scoville units per hectare
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates. Bonus points for adding photos. Remember, you can simply paste in the raw image URL now, thanks to the magic of Disqus.
Image Source: NissanUSA.com.
Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Factory Roof Lights
About
29 responses to “Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Factory Roof Lights”
-
ANy vehicle more than 80″ wide requires the little yellow lights on top of the cab. All Duallys, the Raptor, and other big trucks/SUVs apply.
http://www.f150forum.com/attachments/f6/161030d1352326067t-post-pics-cab-roof-lights-image-1188725582.jpg-
FORWARD lighting, not SAFETY lighting.
-
What is the logic behind that? I could see that over-width trucks would need lights on the SIDE, so that oncoming traffic could see the obstruction, but what’s the point of having lights on top?
-
-
http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41167&stc=1&d=1182400371
And if they weren’t properly put on, they made wonderful noises at 45+ mph. -
And if they weren’t properly installed at the factory, they made wonderful noises at 45+ mph.
Hummer H3 -
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/10_copy_31.jpg
2004-ish Jeep Liberty Renegade. -
-
“Forward lighting”
So this is a tossup.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/checker-cab1.jpg-
“Forward lighting” is the term for lights designed to illuminate the road for the driver, as opposed to lamps intended to make the vehicle visible to others.
-
Those are usually there.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/eb/c5/32/ebc5323497bb753d4710e24f66792254.jpg
-
-
-
My first thought, too.
-
-
Chevy S-10 Baja.
-
http://www.nicoclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/1988_Desert_Runner_s.jpg
Nissan Hardbody Desert Runner -
The Subaru Baja had lights as an option.
-
The brazilian Fiat Fiorino LX
https://fotosdecarro.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/fiat-fiorino-pick-up-lx-1600-1994-02b.jpg?w=788&h=591-
How cool. An Uno ute.
-
-
Volvo 960 ambulance, build by Nilsson under the Volvo name and sold through Volvo dealer networks:
http://assets.catawiki.nl/assets/2012/10/17/4/6/d/46d32dc0-fa71-012f-5b14-005056945a4e.jpg -
It’s not precisely a third-party accessory but the entire vehicle is a kit, so I’m not sure where that falls with respect to its OEM status. Nevertheless the California Commuter has its only forward lighting mounted at height, which I suppose also disqualifies it as “auxiliary.” I’m posting it anyway:
http://www.canosoarus.com/03CalifCommuter/Images/On%20Freeway.JPG
http://www.canosoarus.com/03CalifCommuter/Images/CalCom%20Plans%20Cover.JPG-
That TOTALLY counts!
-
I figured you’d have trouble saying no to “mounted in a pod atop the tailfin.” After all, who wouldn’t?
-
-
-
The first 2 generations of Nissan X-Trail can be had with a pair of lights on the roof rack
http://www.redline.co.za/pics/Nissan%20X-Trail%2008.jpg
http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Nissan/Nissan-X-Trail-2009_Exterior_Image-011-1024.jpg-
Makes the roof rails so thick they look like rescue floats, but a fantastic idea nonetheless.
-
Love [seeing] the X-Trail!
It reminds me of all three of the vehicles we [Canadians] got that ‘Murica didn’t.
-
The Chevy Trailblazer had lights in the roof rails on some packages, but I would say that their usefulness is… debatable.
-
-
Pretty normal in my line of work. I probably designed parts for both of these machines at some point in time or another…
http://www.bobcatrental.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large/wysiwyg_imageupload/1/bobcat-s160-skid-steer-rental-homepage.jpg
http://www.casece.com/en_eu/Equipment/Wheel-Loaders/PublishingImages/521F_main.jpg-
Or a field of habañeros ready for harvest.
-
Leave a Reply