maxpanic

I put an 81 rear bumper on my 74, now I'm tryin to fit the tail lights. I don't know what the stock mounting set up looks like on the 81 so it's hard for me to get an idea. I'd like to use my 74 tail lights.. they're in good shape and I kinda like the look. yeah and I'm cheap...lol Any suggestions? What's the mounting set up for the bubble conversions? Do you have to drill through the rubber? Maybe I should just go to the bubbles....

:smash:

Willis

I have an 81 and I don't have bubbles.??? They are just flat and they are held in with three torx screws. :confused:

baja216

I'm not sure if this link will help or not but it's in the tools\tech tips\ c3 section
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=166&TopicID=3

See if this helps.


[Modified by baja216, 8:32 AM 4/1/2004]

Cajun99

Max...wish I could help ya but I'm not familiar with the mounts on the 80-82. Plus the '74 was the only year that's not offered bubble conversions because of the unique mounting set-up of it's tail lights. I'm sure that "Where there's a will, there's a way". Good Luck. :cheers:

He's not talking about bubbles in the lamps...but rather bubble lenses available for years in the aftermarket.

These are mine...



[Modified by Cajun75, 8:42 AM 4/1/2004]

maxpanic

since I have an 81 bumper I figured the 75 - 82 bubble conversions would work fine ... or am I missing something here?

USA SHARK

So with the bubble lenses, your reverse lights are red too? Does it just look like the brake lights are one when in reverse? I take it they don't illuminate enough to see when you are backing up. I thought about installing them on mine, but I kinda like having the white backup light.

maxpanic

Do they screw into the rubber or into the fiberglass panel behind the rubber?

UKPaul

I don't know how the bubble lights talked about fit on so can't help. I can say that my '81 had bubble lenses fitted that were fixed by 2 screws to the existing stock lights. The screws were self tapping & screwed directly into the lens of the stock light. This meant that the tail lights weren't as bright as they could be (I'm paranoid about being rear-ended by some myopic ricer) & when the lenses were removed it left the stock lights with 2 holes in the lens which would show white light through. This is illegal here so I had to buy new stock lights. HOW MUCH??? :eek: :eek: :eek: Based on how much I had to pay for mine I'd say stick with the ones you've got & spend the money on something more useful (like 1/2 the cost of a new cam, 3/4 the cost of a manifold, a box of assorted interior parts, etc). Did I mention that stock '81 lights are expensive? If I'd known how much the lights cost I'd have filled the screw holes with epoxy & painted a blob of red paint on! Incredible. A stupid plastic light costs more than a custom brake master cylinder for my bike made from stainless steel, the bore honed to an accuracy of microns, with stainless piston & all the seals.
If you do want bubble lights I think I've still got my original '81 tail/stop lights & the bubble lenses that screw to them. If you want them send me an IM (I'll happily swap them for a couple of bits of carpet worth $28. Why don't I just buy the carpet? By the time credit card charges, duty, shipping, tax, etc gets added to them I'd be paying about the same as a pair of new '81 rear lights - which are expensive :lol: ).
:cheers:

Biker

I always thought bubble lights look goofy. :lol:

Fevre

Ya but the $175 bulge in pocket makes up for it. :jester

Cajun99

I would imagine if you're using the entire conversion, as I did, they should work fine. For '73 and earlier Sharks you could use just the lenses since they would attach to the existing housing. The stock '74 housing attached from inside the bumper (if I remember correctly) and conversion kits or lenses couldn't be used. From '75 on the lamp hardware attached from the outside of the bumper so you'd have to use the conversion kit since you couldn't just attached the lenses to the existing hardware. If you want to use your current '74 housings you're gonna have to do some modifying. It would probably just be easier to get the conversion kit. Everything you need is in the kit for installation. I've been using them on different Sharks I've had for years since they add much more visibility to the rear at night. Both lights on each side work for turn signals and brakes...and they're very bright.

USA SHARK...you give up your reverse lights with this kit or rig them is some other fashion (my sockets and wiring are unused behind my bumper). I only use my Vert in good weather with the top down so needing them hasn't been an issue for me since I can turn around and see where I'm going when it's dark out and the four brake lights are so bright they do a very good job of lighting up anything behind me. Not having white reverse lights is certainly a consideration for anyone debating on using this kit.
This is a crappy pic but this is what the kit looks like...


BIKER"I always thought bubble lights look goofy"
Then don't put them on your car...I don't think MAX cares whether or not you like them...he was looking for help. :p: :jester :D


[Modified by Cajun75, 4:51 PM 4/1/2004]

UKPaul

That's another confusing thing between American English & English English (huh?!). We say things look Mickey Mouse!
Max,
IM on it's way.
:cheers:
edit: For reversing lights you could do what we have to do here. With the laws we have the backup lights have to be converted to indicators (modify the wiring slightly & stick a yellow bulb in). This gives us no backup lights (it also prevents us running 4 tail lights :( ). Some of us need them, so we bolt on external lights. I've fixed one to the rear impact bar so that it hangs down just below the rear bumper cover. As it's set back under the car it's not really noticeable. With a 21W bulb in there it lights up really well & has saved the new paint on my bumper cover several times! Since fitting mine I've found somewhere that sells very small discreet ones (about 2" square) that will take std single filament 12v indicator bulbs.



[Modified by UKPaul, 3:15 AM 4/2/2004]

maxpanic

Trouble is I know how the 74 mounts up from the rear, but not the other years. I know the other years mount from the front but do they attach to the rubber bumper or the fiberglass tail light panel behind the rubber bumper? Is there a retainer ring?

I know if I can get a good look at one (like a parts diagram) I'll figure something out no problem. It looks like I could use the 74 lights by fabricating the right spacers & just buying longer bolts.

Cajun99

Ok...maybe this will help. I tore down one of my tail lights to show how they're put together. Click to enlarge the pics....

This is the bubble assembly fully installed. The three lense mounting screws go into the conversion kits white backplate but not into the stock lenses mounts.


The conversion kits backplate mounts to the original lights mounting points through the two screws indicated by the arrows.


Just a reference pic so you can see how the original lense housing would sit (obviously if fully mounted the white backing plate would not be installed)


This shows the metal mounting ring from the original bumper (I now have a TruFlex solid rear bumper and the ring was transplanted). The white spacers are screw retainers from the original lights and are also used with the conversion kit to mount the white backplate (see arrows). You will also use your two original mounting screws to go through the spacers and thread into the original metal ring. The bulb socket is original to the car. The inboard lights are spliced into that wiring to provide the dual lamp/brake/parking light capability. My reverse light wiring is still intact but now bulbless and fastened behind the bumper out of the way.




[Modified by Cajun75, 2:08 PM 4/5/2004]

Fevre

Never ceases to amaze me what forum members will do to help out other members.

:cheers: Cajun75 :thumbs:

Red73

jlsru

:iagree:

I will second that.Cajun75 went the extra mile to help a fellow member.That's just cool!
:thumbs:

BSeery

I want to convert my 1980 to all red tail lights. Right now the center two have the reverse light in them. I want all four to be all red, all light up when I am stopping and both on each side to blink when the signals are on.

Is there any way to do this without using the bubble light conversion?

Mickey Mouse or Goofy, I don't like they way they look either. I like the flat red lenses better. More of a "stock" look.

maxpanic

Hey thanks alot everyone... especially cajun75's step by step. :cheers: