Rear Lighting Layouts

[Paul L]

The photos below highlight the great Sammio tradition of individual finishing touches.
I'm currently looking at various rear lighting options and hope you can help...

Reversing Lights - Has anyone fitted these?
The Spitfire has them & I think they would help with manoeuvring in London.
But I don't think there is the room for 4 items either side of the number plate.
( Indicator * Stop&Tail * Reflector * Reversing )
The red car with the black strip has 3 either side & that is the most I've seen.
So I think trying to fix another light in will make it very crowded at the back.

Rear Reflectors - I know it is a bit of an old chestnut, but I want to fit them.
However, I've seen EuropaSpares sell lights with the option of an outer reflector ring.
This avoids using tradtional reflectors, but overall the lights are bigger than 'domes'.
https://www.europaspares.com/product...ain_Lens_.html

I'm still not sure, but if I went down this road, which do you think would look better?
- Red reflectors around both stop/tail & indicator lights
- Red reflectors around stop/tail, but an amber reflector around the indicator light

Number plate bolt LED lights - Anyone got any experience of using these?
They look like one possible way of avoiding a traditional number plate light.
https://www.europaspares.com/product...rojection.html

At the moment this is all about research and thinking about mounting methods too.
So any other suggestions for good places to find rear lights would also be welcome.
( I have also been looking at SVC )

Cheers, Paul.

[Nike55]

Well as no-one has replied to you as yet (when I started writing this) I thought I'd chip in. I'm only in the 'planning stage' (albeit with a G46 - which has a different rear end) but the question of rear lights is indeed a challenge; whether to mix an old 'style' vehicle with new LEDs or keep it in '50's style, both work.

It's personal taste.

You've got the options arguments covered. Overcrowding is a problem with a reverse light but it might be possible to get a number plate unit similar to BRT 512H & MLR 432D with a built in reverse light (as per Humber Hawk).

I note you feel you'll need reverse lights when parking in London - sad to say most denizens park by 'feel' (a friend in Barnes with a Fairthorpe regularly had to replace his rear light units) as with no overider/nerf bar like a Sammio they are a bit vulnerable - you may want to see if it's still legal to 'french' them in (recess into bodywork so they do not protrude).

Reflectors - I thought these were a legal requirement. Might be mistaken.

Fog/Reverse: My '70's Scimitar base vehicle (for the G46) has no fog or reverse light - and I doubt if I would fit them, if I did they would be hidden behind a a solenoid operated flap - certainly wouldn't go for the after market square things that hang under the rear end on brackets, although you used to be able to get (don't laugh) a fake exhaust tail pipe wired up with a reverse light (think they have recently been re-introduced) but I don't know if four pipes at the back end would look silly?

As you know LED lights can have tail/indicators/brake/fog (or reverse) lamp built in but IMHO they are a bit big (have to be) and I'm not sure they suit - but if you are going for a 'fusion' look it's not an issue.

I was also thinking of the 'number plate bolt lights' and actually handled them at Stoneleigh, they are discreet and may suit a modern 'fusion' look better than the 'built in' number plate lights.

Far more choices available than the guys had in the 50's...

The solution depends if you are going for a genuine 50's look in which case the indicators and stop lights on BRT 512H look good but with the number plate from the other green Sammio XYA 374H looks better (IMHO) - its all a matter of personal taste as you'll see when others chip in.

Strictly speaking XYA 374H has the right kind of look for a '50's sports car as quite a few used that type of Morris/Triumph/Jag rear light unit at various angles and is IMHO 'right' for that kind of 50's 'homebuilt look', the Sammio (again IMHO) is a replica replica.. (that's one view)..

Keep searching as you'll probably see a car from the 50's/'60's with exactly the look you want (whatever that is....)

[Mister Towed]

It's going to be a fusion look for me - I've got stretched oval reflectors (yes, they are a legal requirement), matching indicators and thin strip LED lights for the tail and stop function. I'm aiming for something similar to a mixture of the original D24 and the late 80's Alfa Spider, the one with the thin, pencil lights at the back. I also have a chrome mgb number plate lamp and a bag full of bolt lights to pick 'n' mix from for the number plate, which might end up low down on one side depending on where the rest of the lights end up. Should be in a position to post pic's of the light positions in a week or so...

[andrewhush]

I am going to use an old vitesse rear lamp that also includes a 21w reversing bulb as well as 2x7w bulbs for the numberplate. Google images search for Lucas L469, some one ebay at the moment.

[oxford1360]

I'm going for an old Lucas number plate and reversing light with two lenses at right angles and separate bulbs. It reduces the number of items (and bling) at the rear.

This is one example (not the same as mine) -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-L696...#ht_500wt_1054

A Jag one like I have -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-469-...#ht_500wt_1287

SVC has a selection that makes me drool - www.s-v-c.co.uk

[froggyman]

I think this thread just goes to show how many different ideas there are to even rear light set ups and the fact that no two cars are likely to be the same.
Whilst on the subject of lighting, can anyone tell me best way to reliably paint over chrome on the headlamp rings?

[oxford1360]

Most of the cars in the images don't appear to have rear reflectors. Are MOT inspectors being sloppy, or am I missing something?

[davecymru]

The above pic of mine is an old one with my 'old' lights that turned out to have very cheap internals!
When i changed those i also added reflectors, as I'm a bit paranoid. I did try the round bolt on ones for the MOT, but i never liked them and then i stumbled across the ones i've got on there now which i think are very pretty



But you do raise a good point!

I think that the real reason that some "get away with it" is due to the age of the cars meaning some inspectors are not 100% clear on what cars of this age need and what they don't need.
Plus, with some of the rear lights that people have chosen, it's probably difficult to see if they have reflectors, or a level of reflectiveness built-in? (tenuous, but possible)

[WorldClassAccident]

Anyone looked at the rear lights on a nisan figaro? One light for the indicator. One unit for the rear light, brake and reflector.

[garyh]

Weren't sure if they looked to big? You'd need to hold one close to car?

[froggyman]

Originally Posted by davecymru

I think that the real reason that some "get away with it" is due to the age of the cars meaning some inspectors are not 100% clear on what cars of this age need and what they don't need.
Plus, with some of the rear lights that people have chosen, it's probably difficult to see if they have reflectors, or a level of reflectiveness built-in? (tenuous, but possible)

Most current testers I think assume the reflector is built into the lamps as thats how they have been for a while. Might be the last mass produced vehicle to have the old style relectors was Landrover. Mot testers are like polceman they seem to be fresh out of school now so are innocent to all this.

Dave I think your number plate is more of a reflector than your reflectors!! Maybe you could drop a hint for your birthday or xmas if sooner. Black and White of course. LOL.

[WorldClassAccident]

figaro lights are quite big for a sammio I guess but maybe a G46 could take them

[garyh]

I wonder if you can buy the housings separate to the lens? as they look diferent to each other. The top one looks more suitable as its curved. Could you turn it so that the curve is sideways instead.

[Paul L]

Thanks for all the replies and links.
( At some point I'll add this thread to the useful links sticky )

I love the fact there is more than one way to solve the problem.

I've had another thought on the idea of a reversing light...
I'll be in an 'open' car, perhaps I should just tell people I'm reversing!

Originally Posted by Nike55

... sad to say most denizens park by 'feel' ...

Unfortunately, I know all about the London "parking by feel" tradition.
Usually followed by leaving the scene without offering to fix the damage.
Once I came back to find my entire front wing creased from lights to door.

Cheers, Paul.

[Alpha]

I've always thought it would be interesting to try and mount the original Spitfire rear lights, at the position where the angle of the wing matches the angle of the light. To be honest, I have NO idea if that would work... it might just look ridiculous!

spit light.jpg

[Mister Towed]

[QUOTE=Alpha;31338]I've always thought it would be interesting to try and mount the original Spitfire rear lights, at the position where the angle of the wing matches the angle of the light. To be honest, I have NO idea if that would work... it might just look ridiculous!

No, I think they'd look great if you got them blended in well enough. They were on my original mental list of possible donor lights.

[Alpha]

[QUOTE=Mister Towed;31340]

Originally Posted by Alpha

I've always thought it would be interesting to try and mount the original Spitfire rear lights, at the position where the angle of the wing matches the angle of the light. To be honest, I have NO idea if that would work... it might just look ridiculous!

No, I think they'd look great if you got them blended in well enough. They were on my original mental list of possible donor lights.

would fit in with the whole 'spitfire' rebody philosophy - my ideal Sammio would us as much of the Triumph donor: lights, dashboard & instruments, even badges...

[WorldClassAccident]

The little Smart car has two seperate round light units that fit onto a curved surface. On the Smart they curve around the side of the car but spin them 90 degrees and they might fit the back of the G46 or possibly the Sammio/Cordite

[oxford1360]

Not very pretty lights -

But the profile reminds me of something........

Details of this "1951 Bandini Siluro Motto Crosley Mercury 750cc Devin Monza" can be found here.

[garyh]

Funny exhaust, wheres the end...