Farrar's car blog

[content22207]

Is the 1157 bulb in the turn signal or the backup light socket? (You can simply solder across the positive contacts on a 1157 bulb and put it in an 1156 socket for super bright backup lights, if that's your intention. The higher side knobby needs to be filed off).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

Is the 1157 bulb in the turn signal or the backup light socket? (You can simply solder across the positive contacts on a 1157 bulb and put it in an 1156 socket for super bright backup lights, if that's your intention. The higher side knobby needs to be filed off).

Bill, thanks for catching that -- I labelled the sockets backwards, oops! My plan is to have dual filaments in everything but the backup lights, but your idea for super-bright backup lights using dual filament bulbs is also a good one. I will have to revise my sketch.

Farrar

[Farrar]

OK, I think this is a really fleshed-out version of what I came up with yesterday and should be easy to read.

taillight boards revised.jpg

FWIW, I got the idea for this by thinking of Bill's dual-filament brake light modification, and also that it would be nice to have dual-filament signal lights on the rear, just like we do on the front, and getting rid of the awful corrosion-prone connections back there. (Remember, I live in a high-humidity area: right now it's 88°F with a heat index of 104. And it's not yet 10 A.M.!)

Farrar

[content22207]

In the U.S. it is illegal to have amber running lights (or reflectors) in the rear.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

In the U.S. it is illegal to have amber running lights (or reflectors) in the rear.

Okeydoke, here's my modified modification... modified.

taillight boards revised.jpg

Does that make sense?

Farrar

[content22207]

The reflector/diffuser insert in position 3 won't yield the same light scatter as positions 2 and 4 (which aren't 100% identical either, but are a lot closer to each other than position 3).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

The reflector/diffuser insert in position 3 won't yield the same light scatter as positions 2 and 4 (which aren't 100% identical either, but are a lot closer to each other than position 3).

True enough, but I plan on compensating by removing the stock diffuser and putting in a different one like you did. I wish I had saved those photos from the old DMCTalk -- I guess everything uploaded to that site is gone forever.

Farrar

[content22207]

I shot a couple of new pics of the lights in action:


At some point I'll photograph the boards themselves.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Farrar]

That certainly looks good enough for me -- I don't care if it matches 100% precisely as long as it's good and bright.

My plan is slightly different -- I plan on all three red bulbs being dual-filament, thus functioning as running lights and brake lights.

...unless, of course, it's illegal to do so... in which case I shall have to go and hide my head in shame.

Farrar

[dmc6960]

True enough, but I plan on compensating by removing the stock diffuser and putting in a different one like you did.

I would STRONGLY advise against that. That diffuser also acts as a DOT spec reflector, required on the car. CD's will not work as needed in all safety situations. I personally think its an excellent part of the taillight system. The only mod anybody should make on the taillights would be to make the running light a combo-brake light. Which it appears is all you plan on changing now. Bill's specific mod makes what are the stock brake lights running lights, and all lights brake lights. Thats a complete changeup. Only serves to make other DeLorean owners think his running with his foot on the brake.

With the effort it seems your planning to put into this, I dont see why you dont just get a set of new taillight boards?