Hey everyone.

I have a question. Well, a statement followed by a question.

I want to re-register my currently unreg'd 74 camper. It's taillights are in pretty poor shape. No breaks but full of crazing and one's orange has faded to clear. The backing bulb holder bit is porpus and not too good either.

There is an idea I have been playing with for a while now which I want to run past you.

You all know those big taillight clusters that can be purchased for trucks, utes, caravans etc?
Would there be any legal reason stopping me from blanking off the current taillights and installing the truck style ones?
I know I'd love to put the properly backed ones on a mount protruding upwards from the bumper. If that's too legally challenging, ounting them in the place of the old lights?

I'm considering this for a few reasons:

1: My lights may not pass rego
2: The truck style ones are cheap
3: The truck style lights are very visible
4: It would add an extra bit of individuality to my 'almost rat' van

My logic is that if trucks, trailers, caravans and utes can have them, why not my van?

Appreciate any ideas on the matter.

Thanks everyone!

A new tail light lens will only set you back $25ea if you buy from the right place

Yeah, but the thing is the body of the taillights have practically turned to dust. Not 100% sure I can remove the lenses again without the whole lot crumbling.

edit:
How much are the taillight bodies? May not need them, but just in case.

[Edited on 10/6/2005 by General_Failure]

Most of the truck stuff would be 24 volt, those LED tail lights would look good tho

sent u a u2u

Try the VW shops like Mick Motors for the tail light lenses and bases, the originals will look one hundred percent better that tacking on truck lights ( you will regret it in the long run)
LED's behind the original lenses would be good. QuickCamper on here has done that, but used something like 250 LED's in each light.

Wont Torana lights fit????????????




Cheers
Dave

I think you're right.

250 per light? is that for each bit (brake, indicator, reverse) or for each side? That's a lot! I was thinking of using the 1cm LEDs Maybe the 5mm is better? I don't know.
Hm. i guess 250 is a decent figure isn't it. LEDs are dirt cheap and reliable, so I thought it would be a good avenue to pursue.

I'll have to try some businesses for the asemblies. There's a VW wrecker right near me and VolksHome is close too.

I'll address getting the motor running first. Besides the lenses and the motor, I can't see any reason why I can't get it regd. Sure it looks rough, but the little rust it had was repaired, and all other mechanicals/electrics work fine.

LEDs in an oval. Interesting. It'd be the best way to get a bright light at 6v

Torana lights are awfully similar, arent they.

you can buy LED lamps in a bank of about 20 with a small bayonet cap that will plug straight into your existing lamp holder from Jaycar Electronics.
try this link
http://www1.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZD0311&CATID=33&keywords...

Thanks vwtyp2. Those were the bayonet style ones I mentioned.
That's right, you can buy the mostly complete ones now. I remember the little circle board alone they were selling for stupidly high prices.
I was thinking of making my own nice big squarish ones to fit in each section of the taillight. And have the bayonet connections on flying leads so it is easy to install/remove them.

woulnd't it be ideal if you can find a truck LED tail light that is the same size as the kombi tails.

There are these ones I've been seeing around lately, that are 2 thin strips. one strip is the brake light and other is the indicators! I've been seeing them on Landcruiser utes etc, I wonder how they'll look on a bus?

Those LED globes don't work so well in my opinion... the LEDs' viewing angle is just too narrow. my friend had them and although the reaction time have decreased, these lights are not as bright and they don't look any different behind standard tail lenses. not cheap either!

Maybe some of these would fit!
http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=showsection&flrecsectio...

[Edited on 12-6-2005 by Lams]

I haven't seen those taillights. Have to keep my eye out.

Ooh, thanks for the search. There are some nice lights in there.

So there's a problem with viewing angle. Never thought of that.
I spotted 20mm LEDs in one of my catalogs. Their output was pretty crummy though. I liked the look of the 5000+mcd LEDs.

I saw a new car recently. No idea what it was. Had clear taillights. The lights were a ring of LEDs. Very weird.

hmm sounds like a Mazda 3 SP23 hatch!



Narva also offers LED tail lights
http://www.narva.com.au/LEDLighting_Index.html 

something like this may fit perhaps?


[Edited on 13-6-2005 by Lams]

That's the car!!
And that taillight intrigues me. That taillight would look so good! Just going to look at the link now.

any update on this pal?

Well, There is a sort-of update.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a cream coloured bay at northlands shopping centre that has done pretty much what I was suggesting.
It had the standard width pickup/trailer taillights oriented vertically on it. You know the lights that are about 25-30cm wide and about 8cm high (rough guess)?
When I first saw the van I knew something was different. I had to take a closer look to figure it out. If the lights were chunkier it would have been really effective. Didn't look too bad as it was though.