Mk 1 Rear lights

[myrkross]

Are there any other rear lights other than those listed in the manual for the MK1 roadster? The rear wings have the shaped moldings that do favor the Rubbolite model 88s, but they look like what they indeed are trailer lights. Functional perhaps but hardly beautiful.
Any body else fitted alternatives to god effect.

[b_caswell]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Some owners managed to fit the rear light cluster from the Volvo sports car(the saint) cant remember model number,expensive though.
Another way to smarten up the lights was Marlin Cars produced a chrome cap that mounted over the lense not sure if these are still available.
Another method is to mount a standard round unit one red one orange but then you need to find a verticle place for the reflectors.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Anoraks corner: The Saints Volvo was a P1800. Some years ago a colleage claimed that he owned that particular car NUV647E though I dont doubt it, I never saw it. Parts will be worse than hens teeth or rocking horse poo.

I looked at some really fancy round LED lights, these have a combined Stop/Tail function, a separate one being needed for indicators. They meet IVA requirements but like Ben I think additional reflectors may be required.

I quite like the idea of a chrome surround though. has anyone got some for sale?

[mark_tinkler]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

You could also fit any of the round style lamps if you remove the existing shaped moulding and add a new moulding for each light. This is what I did on my YKC roadster as I didn't like the look of the module. I made one moulding onto the rear wing using aluminium and filler. Then took a mould from that with elastic padding and fibreglass. Drilled 4 holes through the mold and wing to ensure location, then removed the aluminium and filler, cut out the wing behind the mould, refitted the mould and then gave it a thin surface with elastic padding and fibreglassed it into the wing for strength. Would be better to use gel coat but I didn't have any. Re-used the same mould to add the other three lamp positions.

I also used a similar method to round off each end of the wings, one mould used 4 times. Also used a strip of aluminium with a bend over a 5mm drill to mould a return edge along the length of each wing.

A lot of time spent on this but I quite like the result. I think I might try and take moulds of the wings in case I damage them at some time.

Hoping to finish the rest of the car now, it's been sat for 10 years now. At the moment I'm trying to figure out what else I need to get it through approvals.

Will try and get some pictures if anyone is interested.

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Please see the rear lights on my Roadster, they are Lucus items from SVC around £35 each, I also have the chrome top trims that Ben mentioned I made and polished these, they will also fit the std marlin rear lights, I have done this now to my Berlinetta and my cabrio as I am not a fan of the std marlin lights.

[myrkross]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Thank you all for your replies, this as given me food for thought now.
As anyone a photo of the chrome surounds that were available for the rubbolite 88s ? Interested to see what they look like.
Mind you the model 88s are 17.50 a piece probably cheap compared to some car lights but looks strong to me for a pair of trailer lights, i got a pair of britax for my plant trailer and they were 6.00 each a big difference and not much of a drop in quality either.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Mark! Yes please any pictures would be most welcome - cfurnival (at) btinternet dot com if you would be so kind! :-)

[Mike]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

I have fitted the Volvo P1800 rear lights to my Cabrio. It is not straight forward as they are wider than the Marlin pod - so the pod has to be cut out and widened, so the expense gets even higher. The Marlin escutcheons which go around the rubberlites are almost as good when done well.I would not do it again - let alone the cost of the lights - £130/pair for good ones!

[mark_tinkler]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Pictures of the rear wing with position for two round lights and rounded end. 2nd from underneath to show the return edge. 3rd shows front wing with rounded leading edge, also shows filled holes used for fixing the aluminium strip to mould the return edge.

[mark_tinkler]

Re: Mk 1 Rear lights

Pictures of the remains of the moulds.

Couldn't find the remains of the aluminium strip, although I'm sure it's in the garage somewhere. Was about 50mm wide by 60cm long. Cut halfway across the width with nibbler every 25mm. Bent the tabs over drill bit to give radius. Self tapper fixed the tabs to wing after grinding chamfer along the edge of the wing. Then put in a thin layer of elastic padding, the added P40 filler (cut strands in resin) to add strength. After removing the strip it needed further elastic padding to fill the holes, and carefull sanding to avoid losing the radius.