Glass dome lights

[BladeBronson]

I remember receiving glass lens dome lights for Christmas 2001 - in fact, I gushed about it here (with liberal use of the word "sexy" apparently): https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/22244

I called Houston today to ask about these glass lights, but was told that they never had glass units. Did someone else manufacture these and I've had it mixed up for 14 years? If really like to get another pair for my new car.

[DMCVegas]

Check with the Hummer H1 and Jeep Commanche parts suppliers. Commanche lights were also equipped with chrome bezels.

Look above the seat belt.

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu297/starr1660/1991%20Jeep%20Comanche/DSC00984.jpg

These lights are still pretty popular given their compactness and simplistic integrated switch capability. They seem to be a popular choice for coachbuilders. Different sources have different lenses, so perhaps one does offer glass.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Can't say I have ever seen a car dome light with a glass lens. Now there are many with clear plastic but mostly you will want a frosted plastic so you don't see the bulbs and connections inside when the light is off. Some clear lens have a diamond pattern which also hides the inside.

If you use LEDs the plastic should not yellow so much because of less heating.

[DMCVegas]

If I'm not mistaken, some Porsches have interior dome lights that look rather similar to ours that are made by Hella, and apparently they are indeed glass. But I don't know if they'll fit since they're much deeper, and I don't even know if they have the integrated rocker switch.

I do remember this though that around 15 years ago someone had sourced glass interior lights. You'd need to scour the DML Archives for the answers.

edit: Here's a link to the glass Porsche lights.

http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Interior-Light-lights-cockpit/dp/B00CKGAH7I

2nd edit:

Here's a link to a Porche owner's manual that does indeed show that the lights operate in the same way as the DeLorean's on (coincidentally) page 12.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzC7nSxhlstxMjhjYmUzNWEtNWJhMi00YzNmLThiMTQtOWMwY 2MzMDUxNDEy/view?hl=en&pli=1

[Chris 16409]

That seems pretty expensive for dome lights. I am perfectly happy with the $16 jobs on eBay. I like the fact that the bezel is black. I think they blend in better than the chrome.

[DMCMW Dave]

I remember receiving glass lens dome lights for Christmas 2001 - in fact, I gushed about it here (with liberal use of the word "sexy" apparently): https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/22244

I called Houston today to ask about these glass lights, but was told that they never had glass units. Did someone else manufacture these and I've had it mixed up for 14 years? If really like to get another pair for my new car.

I don't think they were glass, but the frame was metal rather than plastic. An OEM part (Hella?), probably the "Hummer" cross-ref from years ago.

[Bitsyncmaster]

edit: Here's a link to the glass Porsche lights.

http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Interior-Light-lights-cockpit/dp/B00CKGAH7I



If you look at the photos on that sale, I don't believe the lens is glass. They look just like the Hella lights I got for my DeLorean.

Maybe they use the term glass to indicate not frosted.:screwy:

[DMCVegas]

If you look at the photos on that sale, I don't believe the lens is glass. They look just like the Hella lights I got for my DeLorean.

Maybe they use the term glass to indicate not frosted.:screwy:

Could very well be. I've never seen these lenses in person, and this was the only time I'd seen them listed as "glass". But I do remember someone talking about glass interior lights for sale many years ago. Gotta be something back in the archives.

[BladeBronson]

The current owner of my first car private messaged me to say that the lights in the car are in fact Hella 1355051. However, I also remember that there were two conical metal studs that held it in place in the headliner and no plastic clips. I didn't see that apparatus here: http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Interior-Light-lights-cockpit/dp/B00CKGAH7I.

I just looked in the archives a bit more and here's James Espey posting about their lights with the glass lens and metal frame in 2001: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/15570
and another one from 1999:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/5423

These really were great replacements. Maybe James can chime in about their availability.

[DMCVegas]

The current owner of my first car private messaged me to say that the lights in the car are in fact Hella 1355051. However, I also remember that there were two conical metal studs that held it in place in the headliner and no plastic clips. I didn't see that apparatus here: http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Interior-Light-lights-cockpit/dp/B00CKGAH7I.

I just looked in the archives a bit more and here's James Espey posting about their lights with the glass lens and metal frame in 2001: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/15570
and another one from 1999:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dmcnews/conversations/messages/5423

These really were great replacements. Maybe James can chime in about their availability.

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/55939100.jpg

[Bitsyncmaster]

Look at the photos again. Notice the clear "plastic" parts on the back of the lens.

Would be an easy test. Touch a soldering iron on the "glass" and see if it melts.

[BladeBronson]

Dave, I'm not sure which plastic part you're talking about, but I did look closer at the light on Amazon and the conical studs are there. They're brass colored and much closer to the lens than where I was looking before.

[Patrick C]

I have the Porsche hella units in my car. I believe they are glass with metal frames. My car is in storage, so I can't check right now.