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Author: Subject: Truck taillights on a van?
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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 02:42 AM
Truck taillights on a van?


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!




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 03:02 AM


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



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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 03:34 AM


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]




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 09:20 AM


Most of the truck stuff would be 24 volt, those LED tail lights would look good tho
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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 10:12 AM


sent u a u2u



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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 02:52 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by field
Most of the truck stuff would be 24 volt, those LED tail lights would look good tho


I agree. I wasn't referring to the LED ones but I was secretly thinking it.

I've actually considered making my own LED boards to put in the existing mounts. Just make them out of trackboard. Goodbye dim taillights! It shouldn't be too hard to figure out the right circuit to run them. Thankyou dicky smith catalog for providing the resistence equation for LEDs.

I know you can buy the little LED boards that you can attach to an old bulb base, but I want big ones!




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 04:50 PM


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.




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 06:56 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by field
Most of the truck stuff would be 24 volt, those LED tail lights would look good tho


I thought about putting LEDs on the oval tails too, but couldn't find one small enough and I am very good at breaking things.

I am using truck LEDs for my rear indicators though, I was told by the salesman that they run on multi-voltages. I believed him and they work, but I don't know if all truck LEDs are like that

good luck!




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 06:59 PM


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




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 07:04 PM


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.




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posted on June 11th, 2005 at 07:06 PM


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.




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posted on June 12th, 2005 at 09:49 AM


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...
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posted on June 12th, 2005 at 02:35 PM


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.




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posted on June 12th, 2005 at 07:55 PM


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]




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posted on June 12th, 2005 at 09:28 PM


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.




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posted on June 13th, 2005 at 04:01 PM


hmm sounds like a Mazda 3 SP23 hatch!

http://www.mazda.com.au/mazda3/articles/images/m3sp23_360_re78.jpg

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

something like this may fit perhaps?
http://www.narva.com.au/Images/LED_Lighting/Pg20/94664.gif

[Edited on 13-6-2005 by Lams]




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posted on June 13th, 2005 at 11:17 PM


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




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posted on July 6th, 2005 at 11:32 AM


any update on this pal?



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posted on July 7th, 2005 at 09:44 PM


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.




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