newbie2vette

Has anyone converted their C3 tail light to a complete red lenses as running lights and brake lights and used another means for the back up light? If so, can you share how you wired the new lights where the back up light used to be? thank you.

blckslvr79

Just wire into the outer taillight next to it. Match your wiring up and you're good.

As for an alternate reverse light, we're all wanting a better method.

briankeery

Forgive me if I'm wrong guys, but I thought I read a thread on this very subject a few weeks ago. I believe the idea of incorporating a "backup" light into the licence plate area was also discussed....hope this helps.

Brian

blckslvr79

I've seen a few cars with custom lights around the license plate recess, but it still doesn't look right to me. I hated the backup lights in the center of the 4, so I also converted to 4 red lights years ago and think that looks alot better, but I'd like to come up with some back up lights that look like they are suppose to be there or that are hidden underneath.

The one cool setup that I saw was on a car that had robotics that brought the backup lights down when the car went into reverse and pulled them back into hiding behind the bumper cover when not in reverse, but that's more complicated than I'd like.

I'm still looking for some reverse lenses to french into the rear bumper cover. The new VW beetle backup lights look like they would blend in.

RRedman

I rewired my back up lights to power some slimline LED fog lights, which I mounted above the license plate. I used heavy duty, double sided mounting tape, and they haven't budged since I put them there.

7t2vette

I posted this in another thread not that long ago, but here it is again:

I'm Batman

Not entirely. My 77's rear bumper required cutting behind the light housing to get the second taillight to work. The backup lenses are shallower with the wiring at an angle. The stock bumper had some very obvious indications that someone at GM intended it to be a four-light setup, but it was never built that way. Easy to fix with a hole saw.

I bolted some tiny aftermarket fog lights to the bottom of my rear bumper support with a 1" square tube spacer. I plan to go to an 80-82 style rear bumper at some point, I'll probably to a bit of 'glas work and come up with something more integrated then.

BTAL

Where did you get these lights with LEDs?

blckslvr79

Any body know how many watt the factory back up lights were? What's a reasonable wattage to look for in LED lights?

ptroxx

ebay

7t2vette

The tail lights and the LED strips all came from Ebay.

I'm Batman

You'd be looking at equivalent wattages - LEDs are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs, an LED setup drawing as much current as the stock bulbs would probably sear someone's eyeballs out. The 77 uses an 1156 back-up bulb, which are about 26W. It's a 32 candlepower light.

BTAL

Can you provide a bit more detail? Ebay seller, item title, etc? Am assuming the chrome rings on the lenses are part of the actual lights?
Thanks!

Mod75

Really like the led lights, think i will redo mine.
After 30 plus years i still haven't gotten around to installing the backup lights.

jminucci777

i looked for those lights on ebay and cant find them

pauldana

here are mine...video clips:

newbie2vette

Thank you everyone, I like that look better. I decided on different set of lenses, they did not have the chrome rings just plain red lenses. I have an idea on the back up light, I'll install them first and see if they look right on the car before I share. My plan to incorporate a set of small rectangular driving light and fabricate a mount so they flow with the car, I don't want them to look Half A$$ and cheap looking.
I did make a comparison between the LED lights everyone have on the photos and the LED bulb. The bulb are brighter to me and better appearance.

More to come.

DaveH_RRTX

I went with the bubble lights. Still haven't mounted my LED reverse lights; but I plan on a single 6 inch bar centered across the bottom of my license plate frame.




Dave

Mod75

Who makes those bubble lights?, really nice. Do they have two or three mounting holes? Time to upgrade mine.

newbie2vette

Thanks for the photo, that's exactly the same lenses I got. with my car being white it set of the rear end. I like it better without the chrome ring around the lenses, I wired the light together so they are all running lights and breake lights also.

Busy week end, should be able to get the back up light prototype done next week. I got my lenses from Rik's Corvette for the half the price of one of the original.