Silly question - which should be the fog light?

Silly question - which should be the fog light?

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Discussion

Rob_the_Sparky

Original Poster:

1,000 posts

237 months

Sunday 17th May 2020
quotequote all
Just checking out the lights for the MOT and noticed that what I would think should be the fog lights and brake lights are reversed on my Griff. That is that lower lights come on with the brakes (nice and bright) and the upper lights that come on with the side lights get brighter with the fog light switch (although still not very bright).

I've not touched the wiring and it has not failed an MOT in 8 years but is this right?
Which is which on your cars?

Hedgehopper

1,537 posts

243 months

Sunday 17th May 2020
quotequote all
Got to remember that this is a TVR you are talking about! In their previous life the rear lights were originally flrom a Vauxhall Cavalier. TVR pinched them from their parts bin and swapped them left to right thus causing the fog lights to be on top.

Rob_the_Sparky

Original Poster:

1,000 posts

237 months

Sunday 17th May 2020
quotequote all
Bizarre though that the fog lights and side lights are using the same bulb, hey ho not unhappy about it as the lower lights are much brighter than the upper ones smile

Griffo400

126 posts

124 months

Monday 18th May 2020
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Hi Rob.

I pondered the same thing and found that by swapping these two wires in the plug the brake light can be moved to the top and fog to the bottom.
The hardest part is getting the connectors out of the plug.


Hedgehopper

1,537 posts

243 months

Tuesday 19th May 2020
quotequote all
In spite of owning my car for 17 years I had never noticed the unusual orientation of the rear lights other than the fact that they are reversed Cavalier units.
I checked my owners handbook and your car (and mine) are wired up correctly. 21/5 watt stop and tail light bulbs are common to many cars but the Griff is probably the only car in the world with FOG and tail bulbs!

Jobster

100 posts

97 months

Saturday 13th June 2020
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Griffo400 said:
Hi Rob.

I pondered the same thing and found that by swapping these two wires in the plug the brake light can be moved to the top and fog to the bottom.
The hardest part is getting the connectors out of the plug.

really simple mod which makes it more logic. Just takes a few minutes to change. So thanks for sharing

David Beer

3,982 posts

266 months

Saturday 20th June 2020
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Possible to have four side lights and two that are fog , without fog on you have four brake lights, plus the central one.

Barreti

6,680 posts

236 months

Saturday 20th June 2020
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Doesn’t the 4 tail lights involve modifying the tracks on the bulb carrier though David?

David Beer

3,982 posts

266 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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Barreti said:
Doesn’t the 4 tail lights involve modifying the tracks on the bulb carrier though David?
You do have to modify, I used LED as they draw less current and are easily controlled. But unless you think four tail lights look better, not much point.

Barreti

6,680 posts

236 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
I am interested David
I like the 4 light look and the added security of a second light in case of a bulb failure
Have you a record of the mod needed?

mk1fan

10,507 posts

224 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
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Don't forget the lamp units are upside down as fitted to the Grief so they won't be orientated the same way as original fitment.

Fogs being 'on top' hasn't been an MOT issue for the last 25-years.

David Beer

3,982 posts

266 months

Wednesday 24th June 2020
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Barreti said:
I am interested David
I like the 4 light look and the added security of a second light in case of a bulb failure
Have you a record of the mod needed?
Things have moved on since I did my modification , in theory you can get LED plug-in replacement bulbs and you could have four running at half intensity, switching to full Intensity for the brake lights.