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REAR TAIL LIGHTS

WONKABOY

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2004
Messages
237
Location
BRIDGEPORT , CT
Here is my question, when the tail lights are lit how many are there , i get one on each end, also how many are on when the brakes applied, i know the reverse ones are the inner ones , but are they used also for reg running lights
it seems stupid just to have one on each end for running lights, would it look better if all 4 were on, but i think the back up lights replaces them? Can sombody please give me how the rear lights work in detail. Also has anybody changes the brake light switch? i know if i press the button manually the brakes lights work , then when i drive they work but go on way after i apply the brake , and then they don't work again till i manually press the button again, is that a sign of a bad switch? i bought one but have not installed it, it looks like a pain in the ass!!

Please somebody help me.

Rick
 
Wonkaboy,

The two outer tail lights are used for braking, nightime driving (running lights), and turn signals. The inner lights (with the clear centers) are only used for reverse, meaning they only illuminate when your transmission is in reverse. The blubs in the outer lights are dual filaments. Many people like the idea of having all 4 rear rail lights light up like other model corvettes, and they either buy two more lenses like the outside lenses and rewire things, then add backup lights to the license plate frame (or just below it). They even have "bubble tail light" kits now which make all 4 lights red.

I believe there is an adjustment on the brake pedal to tell the lights when to come on, and it sounds like yours is out of wack. I do not know how to perform the adjustment, so stay tuned until someone else comes along that can fill you in. Hope this helped a bit.

-Tatortot
 
22229stingray81 said:
Wonkaboy,

The two outer tail lights are used for braking, nightime driving (running lights), and turn signals. The inner lights (with the clear centers) are only used for reverse, meaning they only illuminate when your transmission is in reverse. The blubs in the outer lights are dual filaments. Many people like the idea of having all 4 rear rail lights light up like other model corvettes, and they either buy two more lenses like the outside lenses and rewire things, then add backup lights to the license plate frame (or just below it). They even have "bubble tail light" kits now which make all 4 lights red.

I believe there is an adjustment on the brake pedal to tell the lights when to come on, and it sounds like yours is out of wack. I do not know how to perform the adjustment, so stay tuned until someone else comes along that can fill you in. Hope this helped a bit.

-Tatortot

Thanks so much for the lens issue, i bought the brake part already, i have an appointment friday to have it installed.

Rick
 
I've changed the back up lights. Now it also has the brake/ running and directional lights AND still the backup lights. If you are interested i could look up the topic where i put al the info and pictures in.. (dutch forum).

I'm still looking for two original 80-82 brake lights so if i could send a pair from the salvage yard to somebody and pay that somebody trough paypal that would be great :)

Groeten Peter.
 
Peer81 said:
I've changed the back up lights. Now it also has the brake/ running and directional lights AND still the backup lights. If you are interested i could look up the topic where i put al the info and pictures in.. (dutch forum).

I'm still looking for two original 80-82 brake lights so if i could send a pair from the salvage yard to somebody and pay that somebody trough paypal that would be great :)

Groeten Peter.


Hey thanks peer, i will take any info you have, i don't understand your last word about sending taillights salvage yard via paypal payment?
 
Hello Rick,

For the picture's please turn to this forum and scroll down this and the next page to see the picture's.

http://www.heartbeatcorvette.nl/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=367&whichpage=3

What did i wanted to do: I wanted the original backup lights also to fuction as the brake, running and cornering lights. Problem is, then you'll need two light bulbs behind each other (as in the Ferarri concept) and you don't have that much room in the original backup lens. But the rear of the brake lens will do just fine!

What i did is the following: I took the original brake lights and seperated the lens from the white backside. I'm going to use the white backside. I took the original backup lights and did the same but now i'm going to use the lens! In the proces the other halfs got damaged to much so i had to throw them away. I bought a Osram halospot to only use the reflector, it's big enough to cover the white backup part of the original lens! The spot had a to heavy halogen light in it so i changed that one out for a 25watt halogen carspot i think. I gluwed the halogen light into the reflector and gluwed the reflector onto the backup lens. Wired the thing up and that one's almost ready. Now you take the white brake cover and glue it in place onto the backup lens. Now you have to rewire your vette and change the backup socket into a connector, take another brake, runninglights socket and connect this one to the one next to it.
Now you can put the new brak,runninglights socket into your new backup lights housing and by connecting the backup connector to your backup light. Your backup light will still work great! And.. you'll have brake, turn and runninglights in your backup unit. Also are the two seperated from each other through the back up reflector. It isn't 100% but i think it's a nice option :)

For the last part..
Now i have busted my brakelenses/housing i need new one's. Here in the Netherlands you can't find them, the same for Zipp, Ecklers, Mid, Paragon. Doc. rebuild for $$ so i wanted to order two from a corvette salvageyard. The problem is they don't accept my creditcard or paypal and here in the Netherlands we don't use money orders or checks anymore. So i need somebody in the states that would like to receive the lenses and pass them on to me so i can pay him through paypal :) It's a bit difficult to order something in the states when you live in europe ;)

Groeten Peter.
 
Peer81 said:
Hello Rick,

For the picture's please turn to this forum and scroll down this and the next page to see the picture's.

http://www.heartbeatcorvette.nl/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=367&whichpage=3

What did i wanted to do: I wanted the original backup lights also to fuction as the brake, running and cornering lights. Problem is, then you'll need two light bulbs behind each other (as in the Ferarri concept) and you don't have that much room in the original backup lens. But the rear of the brake lens will do just fine!

What i did is the following: I took the original brake lights and seperated the lens from the white backside. I'm going to use the white backside. I took the original backup lights and did the same but now i'm going to use the lens! In the proces the other halfs got damaged to much so i had to throw them away. I bought a Osram halospot to only use the reflector, it's big enough to cover the white backup part of the original lens! The spot had a to heavy halogen light in it so i changed that one out for a 25watt halogen carspot i think. I gluwed the halogen light into the reflector and gluwed the reflector onto the backup lens. Wired the thing up and that one's almost ready. Now you take the white brake cover and glue it in place onto the backup lens. Now you have to rewire your vette and change the backup socket into a connector, take another brake, runninglights socket and connect this one to the one next to it.
Now you can put the new brak,runninglights socket into your new backup lights housing and by connecting the backup connector to your backup light. Your backup light will still work great! And.. you'll have brake, turn and runninglights in your backup unit. Also are the two seperated from each other through the back up reflector. It isn't 100% but i think it's a nice option :)

For the last part..
Now i have busted my brakelenses/housing i need new one's. Here in the Netherlands you can't find them, the same for Zipp, Ecklers, Mid, Paragon. Doc. rebuild for $$ so i wanted to order two from a corvette salvageyard. The problem is they don't accept my creditcard or paypal and here in the Netherlands we don't use money orders or checks anymore. So i need somebody in the states that would like to receive the lenses and pass them on to me so i can pay him through paypal :) It's a bit difficult to order something in the states when you live in europe ;)

Groeten Peter.

I CAN RECIEVE THEM FOR YOU AND SHIP THEM BACK TO YOU IN HOLLAND , I SELL ON EBAY AND HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT , SO I ALWAYS SHIP OUT OF THE COUNTRY , GET BACK TO ME HERE IS MY REG EMAIL WONKABOY1961@YAHOO.COM
 
Hey Rick,
I did the same as Peer81 back in 1987 when I got 81.

But it ate at me that they were not REAL brake lights.
Found 3 pair on e-bay for a GREAT price. Installed a pair
just a couple of weeks ago, but ended up painting the whole rear clip
as I have polished it so much that I wore thru the paint
in a couple of areas. Looks so cool and I feel better now after 19 years.
(Bought her on April 27, 1987)

Howie...
p.s.. Where's my pictures?????
 
1981corvette said:
Hey Rick,
I did the same as Peer81 back in 1987 when I got 81.

But it ate at me that they were not REAL brake lights.
Found 3 pair on e-bay for a GREAT price. Installed a pair
just a couple of weeks ago, but ended up painting the whole rear clip
as I have polished it so much that I wore thru the paint
in a couple of areas. Looks so cool and I feel better now after 19 years.
(Bought her on April 27, 1987)

Howie...
p.s.. Where's my pictures?????

You going to Carlise?
 

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