Rear lamps, again!

[chris43]

Right,
I've now painted the insides of the lights same colour as the car and the covers are back on.
Best way to keep the lights in position until the, very expensive, Sikaflex cures.
Suggestions anyone??
Chris.

[tonto]

I put a large squashy bag in the boot and pushed it against the light cluster. Then put a few spare bits of wood behind the bag. As the bag is soft, you won't damage the lights, (it needs to be quite heavy though to stop the cluster moving).


Can we have some pics please ?


(I can't decide myself whether to go for silver or blank paint).

[chris43]

Thanks for the advice.
Did you have any problem positioning the lights so the sealant did not smear, as I really don't want to remove the outer len's from the body work to remove any excess sealant?
Chris.

[tonto]

chris43 said:

Thanks for the advice. Did you have any problem positioning the lights so the sealant did not smear, as I really don't want to remove the outer len's from the body work to remove any excess sealant? Chris.

Chris,

I'm not that far along yet. I've just managed to get the covers off this weekend ! I've now sprayed the lights silver and am waiting for the paint to go a bvt herder before I re-seal the covers.
Regarding positioning the lights, I'm not planning to use your method. I plan to fit the lights exactly how the old units came out. That is, use 4 screws into the light cluster covers, (the pilot holes will need to be spot on to avoid cracking the plastic tho). Before finally fixing the lights in place, I plan to smear clear sealant around the light clusters where they rest against the fibreglass. There is a thin black rubber (or similar material) seal attached just behind the perspex smoked outer light cover. When I offer up the new lights, they rest nicely on this just as the old units did, so I don't plan to use any sealant on this join.
If thats what you plan to do, then maybe you could use clear sealant, so any overspil will be difficult to spot.

One thing I'm thinking of doing it painting the black part of the inner surface of the fibreglass Silver, just behind the smoked outer cover, as I think this looks daft when the clusters are a different colour to black. What are your thoughts on that?


Tony.

[chris43]

Before replacing the clear covers on the lamps I painted the insides of the lenses, around where I had cut, matt black as this was visible from the outside and is now hidden when looked at from the outside.
All in all I am happy with the result.
My lamps were held in with 3 screws positioned around the top of the lamp and sealed in at the bottom and the sides with Sikaflex or similar.
Regards,
Chris.

[plunkett]

i know i cut my outer lens off which was easy so im wondering why you want to have it on at all??i think it looks WAY better with out as it doesnt look so `after market` bolt on.Only my opinion of course!

[tonto]

Sorted !

Rear lights painted silver and attached. Piccy's to follow. Had a slight problem with the wiring to start with. When I first plugged the new one in and turned the lights on, the reversing light and the fog light kept coming on at the same time.
Scratched my head over that for a while. Then I turned the fog light off and took the car out of reverse !! Doh !!

[gemini]

bringing it tomorrow?